Belgian prime minister Bart De Wever on Tuesday local time has called on European leaders to develop a coherent strategy to counter what he described as "China's drive for economic domination," while claiming that EU leaders are running scared of China, media reported. A Chinese expert said the remarks reflect an arrogant mindset that some European politicians push for a unified tough EU strategy toward China, yet refusing to face its own problems and adapt to new reality.
Speaking at an event organized by two pro-EU think tanks in Brussels on Tuesday, De Wever said he was disappointed to hear that Emmanuel Macron, the French president, has reportedly launched a fresh gambit to include China in coordination efforts ahead of a G7 meeting next week, according to a report by Euractiv.
The G7 leaders' summit will run from June 15 to 17 in France. Emmanuel Macron, whose country holds the Presidency of the G7 for 2026, is reportedly set to host a video call between the group and China to address global trade imbalances.
The report by Euractiv said that EU leaders will meet in Brussels on June 18 and 19, a day after the G7, for a summit where China is expected to be central to the agenda - albeit not officially.
"They have called it geo-economic imbalances, just not to name China by name, because we are so afraid that we don't even dare to do that," De Wever claimed, before immediately asking if any journalists were in the room, per the report.
"That's all very well, but we do take a lot of initiatives. It is time to adopt a strategy," De Wever claimed at the event, Belga News Agency reported.
Jiang Feng, a researcher at Shanghai International Studies University and president of the Shanghai Regional Studies Association, told the Global Times that Belgium acts inconsistently and self-contradictorily by opposing trade barriers while pushing for measures against China, which fully shows its lack of strategic composure. He noted that Europe's real troubles amid current challenges lie not with China, but in its own development, as it is deficient in creativity, vitality, cohesion, and credibility.
"For a long time, Europe has been accustomed to a world in which other countries develop in accordance with its own normative framework. However, with the continued rise of emerging powers, the global order has undergone profound changes," Jiang said. Europe should therefore fundamentally recalibrate its mindset and adapt it to the evolving international landscape, he added.
Already in March, De Wever called on the EU to adopt a firmer approach toward what he described as unfair Chinese competition. In a letter to European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen, he warned that Beijing's economic policies are eroding Europe's industrial base.
The EU currently resembles a fortress on the defensive. When confronted with any country possessing promising prospects for development, it tends to retreat into a defensive posture and externalize responsibility, Jiang said. Such a response is unquestionably an inferior course of action rather than a choice made with an eye to the future.
The report by Belga News Agency on Tuesday noted that despite the threat to Europe's industry, the prime minister warned against responding with a subsidy race or trade barriers. Europe would lose on the former, he argued, while the latter would drive up costs for both businesses and consumers.
De Wever's remarks came amid recent mixed signals from the EU over how to handle relations with China.
However, since late last year, leaders from multiple European countries have visited China in succession, underscoring a notable trend among European leaders to "look East," reaching out to strengthen cooperation including in trade sector, observers noted.
When asked to comment on a proposal advancing by the EU that would force companies to avoid over-dependency in their supply chains, which it comes as the bloc is looking to reset its trade relationship with China, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Monday that "as an old Chinese saying goes, do not do unto others what you would not have others do unto you. China-EU trade is not a zero-sum game."
The spokesperson Lin Jian added that between China and Europe, the industrial and supply chains are highly integrated and mutually dependent. This is shaped by economic globalization and market force and has served both Chinese and European businesses well. European companies make their choice based on cost, technology and efficiency. How is that "over-dependence"? Isn't "diversification" in this case just another version of protectionism?
A more constructive course of action would be to respond to China's development by engaging in in-depth strategic dialogue with China. Competitive pressures are an objective reality, even without China, similar pressures would arise from other countries, and this fact must be recognized, Jiang noted.
The expert said that the EU should therefore adopt an objective approach and engage China in consultations at the strategic level, with a view to achieving a more balanced bilateral economic and trade relationship.
By 2 am, Sanlitun, one of Beijing's busiest nightlife districts, had largely quieted down. But inside Cafe Groove, owner Sui Jinpeng and his staff were still moving through the restaurant, testing upgraded audio equipment and large screens ahead of the World Cup's opening match early Friday morning.
Sui said he expects this year's tournament to draw fans out of their homes and back into bars, cafés and restaurants, where the experience of watching football becomes something collective. "People can drink, talk and cheer together," he told the Global Times. "This kind of atmosphere is actually quite rare."
The first match, between Mexico and South Africa, is scheduled to kick off at 3 am Friday Beijing time at Mexico City's Azteca Stadium. Although China's men's national team has been absent from the World Cup since 2002, the tournament remains a major event for Chinese fans, whose enthusiasm has endured despite late-night broadcasts and their team's long absence from the field.
This year's World Cup had a shorter commercial warm-up in China, with CCTV finalizing broadcast rights only about a month before the opening match. Analysts said the late deal left advertisers and merchandisers with less time to build momentum, helping explain the relatively subdued atmosphere so far.
Time zones are also working against the party. As the tournament is being held in the US, Canada and Mexico, many matches will air in China in the early morning or late morning, with some kicking off between midnight and 4 am — hardly prime time for bars and barbecue joints built around dinner crowds.
But restaurants are not sitting out the tournament. The Global Times found during recent visits that many venues have adjusted their opening hours and stocked up on food and drinks, betting that even a 3 am kick-off can still draw a crowd when the World Cup is on.
Romy Gai, FIFA's Chief Business Officer, told the Global Times on Thursday via email that China has one of the largest viewership bases in the world and the Chinese audience is central to the global success of the FIFA World Cup.
Aside from various support by Chinese sponsors to the tournament's multiple aspects including AI and video review, Gai said China remains deeply connected to the FIFA World Cup and plays an important role in delivering the tournament to a truly global audience.
"Brands such as Lenovo, Mengniu and Hisense bring innovation, scale and local relevance, helping us enhance fan experiences — from cutting-edge technology in areas like AI and video review to initiatives that make our tournaments more inclusive and accessible through sensory rooms in the stadiums," Gai added.
Preparation outside the pitch
Sui, from Northeast China, has often organized offline viewing events since his restaurant opened last October. He expects overall revenue during the World Cup to increase by roughly 60 percent. He predicted that for high-profile matches involving teams such as Argentina, Brazil, and England, peak periods could even reach two to three times the normal level.
Zhang, a 50-year-old waitress at a restaurant on Beijing's Guijie dining street, told the Global Times that to prepare for this year's games, her workplace has doubled its inventory of crawfish and beer.
In Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang Province, the Laowaitan pedestrian street has launched a 39-day consumption campaign. The operator told the Global Times that a 4-meter-wide high-definition screen has been installed to broadcast matches throughout the tournament. In addition to beer and snacks, the street will also feature a food market with dishes from previous World Cup host countries.
In Shanghai's Laowaijie leisure street, a parking lot has been converted into a new viewing plaza capable of holding around 300 people. According to marketing director Qin Qijing, around 70 percent of customers are foreigners, and foot traffic is expected to rise by 30 to 50 percent during the tournament.
As of Wednesday noon, data shows that on Thursday - the opening day of the 2026 World Cup - hotel audiovisual room bookings on the Tongcheng Travel platform increased by 47 percent year-on-year, according to a statement sent to the Global Times on Thursday.
During the first weekend of the event, from June 12 to 13, audiovisual rooms recorded their highest occupancy levels, with demand rising by more than 90 percent compared with the previous weekend, far outpacing other themed accommodation products on the platform over the same period.
The waitress surnamed Zhang said based on her experience from the previous two editions of World Cups, "it [World Cup] does bring customer traffic. When there are more people, there is naturally more consumption," she said, noting that if football games started earlier, there would be more customers this year.
Unlike a one-day surge in traffic for events like the UEFA Champions League finals, the World Cup is an operational test that lasts nearly 40 days, Sui said, adding that his restaurant's operating rhythm is relatively fixed: a busy period in the evening, another rush after midnight, and some breathing time during the day. "But during the World Cup, that pattern is likely to be disrupted."
Sui noted that about 70 percent of matches will fall outside traditional business hours, leading his restaurant to extend operations to nearly 24-hour service. Sui said that even for matches involving less popular teams, his restaurant still welcomes customers.
Fans' passion and choices
Beyond commercial venues, football fans themselves remain central to the World Cup experience. In a sports brand store in Sanlitun, Yisimayili, a 20-year-old student from Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region now studying in Beijing and a fan of the Portugal national team, said that interest in and discussion around this year's World Cup have not declined but have instead increased. "More people around me are talking about the upcoming matches," he said.
In the past, he used to watch matches in his dormitory or at nearby bars and restaurants with friends. "Watching and discussing games together with my friends is part of the enjoyment of the World Cup," he said.
Crystal Li has been a football fan for more than two decades. Although some matches will kick off in the early hours of the morning, that does little to dampen her enthusiasm. "I'll stay up to watch, then survive the next day on Americanos," she said with a laugh. She has even been arranging her work schedule in advance to make room for the tournament.
Liu, a football fan from East China's Zhejiang Province, said,"I think the last tournament was very exciting despite the pandemic. This year, with the expansion from 36 to 48 teams, some matches may be less thrilling, so my expectations are not as high," he said.
Even so, Liu believes that attention to this World Cup remains, and he has created a new social media account to post video clips from past tournaments, hoping to attract more like-minded fans.
China's 'World Cup economy'
China's engagement with the World Cup runs far deeper than fan enthusiasm alone — it extends into broadcasting rights, e-commerce, and a vast merchandise supply chain.
CCTV reported on May 15 that the China Media Group, its parent company, reached an agreement with FIFA to broadcast the 2026 World Cup in China, ending uncertainty and ensuring Chinese audiences can watch the tournament.
Aside from the state broadcaster, social media platform Xiaohongshu has also acquired the broadcasting rights of the 2026 World Cup. Liu Dingding, a veteran industry analyst, told the Global Times that its participation aims to expand beyond its predominantly female user base by leveraging the World Cup's massive male audience, underscoring a unique cooperation pattern.
The World Cup is also deeply integrated with the Chinese market through live broadcasting, e-commerce consumption, and merchandise supply chains, all closely tied to China's manufacturing and consumer ecosystem, said Liu.
World Cup-themed merchandise stores have begun popping up in shopping malls across Beijing. At Hopson One, a shop assistant said products linked to popular contenders such as Argentina, France and Portugal have been selling especially well. "Portugal fan and player jerseys sold out earlier, and we are restocking them now. France jerseys also just sold out and had to be urgently replenished," the assistant said.
Li Mufan, store manager of the World Cup IP store at Beijing's Chaoyang Joy City, said that compared with professional football products like jerseys, dolls and plush keychains are more popular with female consumers and family shoppers, demonstrating that World Cup IP is extending to non-traditional fan groups in China.
Zhejiang Beilei Textile Co obtained official licensing rights for World Cup merchandise last year. Yang Yating, a company representative, told the Global Times that this marked a major breakthrough. Best-selling products include Argentina's "goat" plush toy, England lion dolls, and Portugal-themed neck pillows. These products are packed in Yiwu and shipped via Ningbo Port to global markets, Yang said.
According to FIFA, total revenue over the four-year cycle for this World Cup is expected to reach $13 billion, representing an increase of more than 70 percent compared with the Qatar World Cup cycle, according to a report by the Securities Times.
Experts said the 2026 World Cup will also spur related consumer spending in China, as the country's sports economy has been thriving in recent years with multiple grassroots football leagues springing up across the country.
China has comprehensively bolstered its human rights protection capability, according to an evaluation report jointly released on Friday by the China Society for Human Rights Studies and 20 national human rights education and training bases in the country.
The report assesses the implementation of the National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2021-2025), which was issued in September 2021.
China has fully implemented the five-year action plan, accomplishing all 181 tasks outlined in it, the report says.
It notes that China has advanced human rights through development, with the country completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and eliminating absolute poverty.
China now has the world's largest education, social security and healthcare systems. Meanwhile, solid progress has been made toward common prosperity for all, laying a stronger material foundation for the continued advancement of human rights in China, the report says.
It also highlights that China has been developing whole-process people's democracy, strengthening legal protection for human rights, and improving the system of institutions through which the people run the country.
The report highlights China's advances in environmental protection. The Ecological and Environmental Code has beefed up the legal framework for environmental protection, while improved environmental quality has helped better safeguard people's environmental rights.
According to the report, China has strengthened protection of the rights and interests of all groups, ensuring that people from various sectors participate in economic and social development, exercise their democratic rights, and benefit from the outcomes of modernization on an equal basis. In addition, the rights of women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities have been better safeguarded.
China has actively promoted human rights education and awareness, fostering greater public understanding of and commitment to respecting and protecting human rights, the report notes.
China follows the principles of equality, mutual trust, inclusiveness, mutual learning, win-win cooperation and common development, and it fulfills its international human rights obligations with a strong sense of responsibility, the report states.
There is always room for progress in human rights protection, the report says, adding that China still faces imbalanced and insufficient development, while sci-tech development and industrial transformation are also giving rise to new demands for rights. The report expresses the expectation that China will respond to these challenges and further advance human rights during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).
The full report is available in both Chinese and English on the official website of the China Society for Human Rights Studies.
The action plan spanning the period 2021-2025 was the fourth national human rights plan released and implemented by the Chinese government.
China on Friday urged Japan to deeply reflect on its war crimes and make a clean break with militarism, saying history must not be overturned after reports that the city of Nagasaki planned to alter references to the "Nanjing Massacre" as "Nanjing Incident" in the updating of display panels at the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum.
According to Japanese broadcaster Nagasaki Bunka Hoso (NCC), the proposal was presented by the Nagasaki city government to the museum's operating advisory council on Thursday as part of preparations for a renovation project scheduled to begin in September 2026. Under the revision plan, a timeline entry currently stating "Occupation of Nanjing, Nanjing Massacre occurs" would be changed to "Nanjing Incident."
Responding to the reported revision at Friday's regular press conference, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said there is abundant evidence for the Nanjing Massacre—a horrendous war crime of Japanese militarists that shall never be erased. The Tokyo Trials ruled in black and white that the wartime atrocities of the Japanese army in Nanjing were a "massacre", not a mere "incident".
The Judgement of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East dedicated a special chapter to detail "the Rape of Nanking". With numerous survivors' testimonies, records of third-country witnesses and Japanese army files, the judgement, in the form of the ruling of international justice, made it very clear that the Japanese army who invaded China committed the heinous crime of the Nanjing Massacre. The Massacre's chief perpetrator Iwane Matsui was sentenced to death by hanging as a class-A war criminal.
The verdict of history must not be overturned. I noted that many survivors of the atomic bombs in Japan, Nagasaki citizen groups and people with insights have called for fully and accurately depicting the crimes and history of Japanese militarists as victimizers, according to the spokesperson.
"We urge the Japanese side to deeply reflect on its war crimes and make a clean break with militarism," Mao said.
The Nanjing Massacre remains one of the most horrific chapters of Japan's invasion of China. According to the People's Daily, on December 13, 1937, invading Japanese troops occupied Nanjing. Over the following six weeks or more, more than 300,000 innocent civilians and disarmed Chinese soldiers were brutally killed. Approximately 20,000 cases of rape occurred in the city, and about one-third of the buildings were burned down, creating the shocking Nanjing Massacre that stunned the world.
Terminology used to distort history
The manipulation of historical terminology is intended to beautify Japan's history of aggression, and reflects the lingering influence of militarism, Lü Chao, a research fellow at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday. He noted that Japan has long distorted historical facts through the manipulation of terminology, for example by avoiding the term "surrender" in favor of "end of the war" or "defeat."
Such practices, Lü said, are part of a broader pattern among right-wing forces of denying the Nanjing Massacre and refusing to reflect on Japan's wartime aggression. He said they seriously hurt the feelings of victims and people in affected countries, and constitute a form of deliberate provocation.
It not only runs counter to abundant historical evidence and the international consensus, but also hampers Japan's ability to become a truly normal country and achieve genuine reconciliation with its neighbors, he added.
The planned move also recalls what scholars have described as the deliberate political use of the term "incident" in Japan's wartime narrative. Zhang Sheng, a professor at the School of History at Nanjing University, previously told the Global Times that newly uncovered archives belonging to William F. Webb, president of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, showed Japan's use of the term was far from neutral.
During the Tokyo Trial, Akira Muto, a Class-A war criminal who bore significant responsibility for the Nanjing Massacre, acknowledged that Japanese authorities had consciously chosen to describe the war of aggression against China as an "incident" rather than a war in an attempt to deny its status as a formal war and avoid the constraints of international law. Webb explicitly pointed out this intention in his personal archives, Zhang said.
Such practices carry important implications for efforts today to shape historical discourse and ensure accurate historical representation, Zhang noted.
Deep divisions in Japanese society
While the proposed change in terminology on the Nanjing Massacre has drawn criticism from both within Japan and abroad, including from civic groups urging the city not to downplay the country's wartime atrocities, Japanese media coverage has largely focused on another aspect of the draft revision, highlighting that the new exhibition panels explicitly identify the "invasion" by the former Japanese army as the cause of the war.
According to the Yomiuri Shimbun on Friday, the draft revision includes a description of the process through which the September 18th Incident developed into the Japanese war of aggression against China, stating that Japan "further advanced its invasion into North China." The report, citing a city official, explained that the reason for the wording was that, after examining junior high and high school textbooks, the term "invasion" was found to be the most frequently used expression, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported.
Although one committee member expressed the view that the term "invasion" may be inappropriate because its meaning can vary depending on standpoint and era, another member stated that the international community at the time recognized it as an act of invasion and therefore saw no issue, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported.
Experts noted that this reflects deep divisions within Japanese society over historical memory. While some voices within Japan's academic and civil circles call for confronting historical facts, the official mainstream stance remains ambiguous and at times dismissive of Japan's aggression against China. Narratives emphasizing Japan as a victim of the war tend to blur the distinction between aggressor and victim, thereby distorting public understanding of history, they stressed.
"Genuine peace education must be based on complete and honest historical facts. It should remember all victims, while also facing up to the responsibility for aggression. Only in this way can we avoid repeating cycles of distorted history rooted in selective memory," Lü added.
China's domestically developed semi-invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) system "Beinao No.1" has completed 16 implantations and is expected to be piloted in qualified Grade-A tertiary hospitals nationwide in 2027, while "Beinao No.2" is set to begin clinical validation in the second half of 2026, Zhao Jizong, a neurosurgery expert and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said at an academic exchange event, according to Beijing Daily on Tuesday.
Zhao said Beijing has built a full-chain research and development system for BCI. At present, "Beinao No.1" has 16 research centers and has completed 16 implantations. The longest implantation has lasted more than one year, and the system has operated safely for more than 55,000 hours, helping patients achieve mind-controlled robotic-arm operation and motor-function reconstruction.
According to the plan, "Beinao No.1" will complete 36 implantations in 2026, while clinical validation of "Beinao No.2" will be advanced in the second half of the year. By 2030, China is expected to complete BCI clinical guidelines and technical standards, forming a replicable Chinese solution, according to the Beijing Daily.
Zhao said the current core bottleneck lies in the shortage of specialized talent, as post-operative rehabilitation for patients lacks dedicated personnel with relevant expertise. Beijing has taken the lead in launching training for clinical BCI adaptation specialists to fill the talent gap and support the implementation of the technology.
A BCI creates a direct communication pathway between the brain and an external device. By recording and interpreting brain signals, BCI allows the brain to "talk" directly to machines, enabling patients to control assistive devices, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
As a frontier technology in human-computer interaction, BCI has been driving a new wave of technological and industrial transformation. China has introduced a series of policies to strengthen BCI research and industrial deployment. The BCI sector has been designated as a future industry in this year's government work report, per Xinhua.
China's widely watched annual "two sessions" kicked off on Monday this year. The "two sessions" refers to the annual sessions of National People's Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which are known as the country's top legislature and national political advisory body respectively.
The two sessions is a grand occasion that gathers ideas and wisdom of people of all walks of life across the country. It is an important opportunity for the world to better understand China's whole-process people's democracy, in which the people engage in democratic elections, consultations, decision-making, management, and oversight according to the law. Such democracy is not only shown in the votes taking place at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, but also embodied in a motion submitted by a NPC deputy coming from a remote area, or a consultative meeting held among some residents living in a city suburb. It can be felt in many details of Chinese people's daily life.
During this year's two sessions, the Global Times is launching a series of stories to illustrate the whole-process people's democracy from some of such details. The second story is about the birth of a well researched, high-demand NPC motion, which shows that China's NPC deputies exercise the right to respond to the real voices of the people and demonstrate the process and values of people's democracy.
As the high-speed train zoomed from Beidaihe in North China's Hebei Province to Beijing on Sunday, Li Dandan, residents' committee director of Dongjing Road Community in Beidaihe district of Qinhuangdao, was carefully reviewing the motions she was going to put forward at this year's two sessions.
She knew that she carried the hopes of the elderly residents in her community, the valuable input from nursing home staff, and the aspirations of other community workers like her across the nation.
As the train raced toward the capital, with a solid and practical motion, Li, a deputy to the NPC from Qinhuangdao, is determined to make a difference for those people she represents.
A motion of actual demand
"Work hard and present confidently when you get to Beijing!" On March 1, 86-year-old Sun Xiujuan, a resident of Li's precinct, shared her genuine concern for Li in a warm and casual manner at her home.
Watching the news about the upcoming NPC, Sun knew that Li, who she treats as a granddaughter, was about to set off on a new journey.
During their conversation, Li updated Sun on various community matters: "The elderly canteen was closed for the Spring Festival holidays, but will reopen soon. I have made sure that the menu plan will be shared in our WeChat group before reopening."
"On March 5 we will be hosting a free clinic event in our community offering services like massages, blood pressure checks for the elderly. If you're interested, just sign up through the 'Fuka (Card of good fortune in English) applet' on WeChat, our community workers will take you there," Li explained earnestly.
With a large number of elderly residents in the Dongjing Road community, where 36 percent of them are over the age of 60, Li has always prioritized providing services for them in her community work.
In 2023, Li was elected as a deputy to the 14th NPC. Throughout the year, she visited households, engaged in discussions, and had heart-to-heart talks with elderly residents to enhance community elderly care services.
This year, Li decided to bring two motions to Beijing, one of which is about the optimization of the construction of smart elderly care application platform. "The progress of the era and our country demands a shift toward intelligent elderly care services," Li told the Global Times.
According to the seventh national census released by the National Bureau of Statistics of China in May 2021, in 2020, the population aged 60 or above in China reached 260 million, accounting for 18.7 percent of the total population, of which 190 million were aged 65 or above, accounting for 13.5 percent of the total population.
In 2021, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and the National Health Commission jointly released a statement, which required that by 2025, the scientific and technological support capacity of the smart elderly care industry will be significantly enhanced, highlighted the importance of narrowing the "digital divide" for the elderly and improving their overall well-being through technological advancements.
In Beidaihe district, Li has been involved in the pilot work of smart elderly care applications, introducing innovative services through the "Beidaihe Fuka Smart Platform" mobile app. Serving over 40,000 people, the platform offers a wide range of intelligent services, making it easier for individuals to access essential services from the comfort of their homes.
Through these exploration, Li learned the importance and the prospect of using smart technology to analyze and monitor the body index of the elderly in real-time, providing more effective and precise home services, especially for those living alone.
"As an NPC deputy, based on the fruitful practice of our district, Hebei Province, and even the whole country, I want to further enhance the grass-roots smart elderly care application platform, addressing challenges faced by the elderly and ensuring that the technology serves its intended purpose effectively,"Li said.
An idea based on practice
On the eve of the two sessions, Li is still busy in her visits with community residents and representatives from elderly health institutions.
This is not just a last-minute effort for her.
"I hope to gain inspiration from the latest interactions and see how I can further enhance my motions," she expressed passionately.
For Li, being an NPC deputy is a continuous process of learning and growth. "Ideas don't just appear out of nowhere, they are shaped by what we observe, hear and contemplate in our daily work."
Reflecting on her journey, Li recalled that a year ago, she had never imagined that she would submit a motion on the development of a smart elderly care application platform.
A visit to a smart elderly care community in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province last year planted a seed in her heart. "The modern facilities and innovative elderly care services left a deep impression on me. Subsequently, I participated in a training course, where I gained more insights on the elderly care services, particularly in the realm of smart elderly care platform development."
Li observed that in recent years, elderly care services have expanded to residential areas across China. Initiatives such as community canteens, improved rehabilitation equipment leasing, elderly-friendly home renovations, and volunteer's help like home bathing assistance, health check-ups, have been introduced.
However, through her interactions and research, Li found that there are some problems with using smart technology to care for elderly people. For example, the number of the elderly who uses the platform is relatively small; there is a shortage in the financial support for the development and maintenance of the mobile apps; and there is a lack of instructions to the group from professional personnel.
"This year, with this motion, I aim to address the obstacles faced by the elderly in utilizing smart applications, enabling the true potential of technology to benefit them," Li emphasized.
At the end of last year, Li participated in the sessions of Hebei Provincial People's Congress, focusing on elderly care issues. She engaged in fruitful discussions with provincial NPC deputies on smart elderly care, consolidating their ideas into a comprehensive reference for her motion.
Before leaving for Beijing, Li also visited the local commercial elderly nursing institutions in Beidaihe again, in order to collect more information to perfect her motion.
During this visit, Li met Shang Wenbin, deputy director of the Yanshanhui Health Care Center of China Health And Elderly Care Group, and had extensive discussions with Shang on how to establish a smart elderly care platform so that companies can contribute more to the government's efforts in promoting inclusive elderly care service.
In an interview with the Global Times, Shang shared that through interactions with NPC deputies at various levels, he recognized the significance of the smart elderly care service industry as not just a reform initiative, but a vital livelihood project linked to local economic and social progress. A fare forth of confidence
A pen and a notebook are always by Li's side in her car, serving as her faithful companions for her duties as an NPC deputy.
This notebook has traveled with Li to countless places over the past year, witnessing her diligent note-taking during visits to residents' homes and attendance at various training and sharing sessions.
What truly inspires Li are the stories shared by experienced NPC deputies.
"One of the deputies who has been re-elected for decades is my role model," Li shared with enthusiasm. "She started as a rural woman with little political knowledge, but her honest and practical motions that truly reflected the voice from grass-roots farmers have made a significant impact on national policies in agricultural field. I aspire to follow in her footsteps."
This year, during her time in Beijing for the two sessions, Li plans to seek advice from veteran deputies, present her ideas and carefully study their feedback.
Her dedication paid off when her motion on improving the lease contract of rehabilitation aids for the disabled was well received at the two sessions 2023, earning praise from the China's Ministry of Finance.
"After sharing the good news with a disabled elderly couple in our community, seeing their tears of joy was truly heartwarming," Li recounted.
"As an NPC deputy, I have come to realize the power of advocating for the voices and needs of our residents," she noted.
"For me, putting forward a high-quality motion is to reflect the most authentic voice and needs of our residents to the central government. When the motion receives feedback from the central government and is put into practice, I felt it is a 'two-way efforts' between the government and the people," Li said.
According to official data, during the two sessions in 2023, deputies performed their duties in accordance with the law and put forward 8,314 motions. These motions have been fully processed and replied by 204 agents as of December 2023. Among them, the deputies adhered to the practice of whole-process people's democracy, maintained close ties with the people, and put forward an increasing motions on the basis of research, inspections, discussions, and visits.
As Li bid farewell to Sun, she left with a promise: "I will work tirelessly in Beijing and return to share my accomplishments with you."
Now in Beijing, with unwavering determination in her heart, Li is eagerly anticipating another wave of positive feedback that will truly impact the lives of those she tirelessly represents.
The new Argentine government is looking to cooperate with China, Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino told the Global Times in an exclusive interview on Monday.
She also said that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is very important for Argentina, and the Argentine government will continue to maintain an open attitude toward foreign investment, including from China.
From April 27 to May 1, Argentina's Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship of Argentina, Mondino, visited China. This visit marked the first visit to China by Mondino since the current government took office, and it coincided with the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Argentina.
China looks forward to further enhancing political mutual trust and opening up broader prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation through this visit, continuously enriching the content of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Argentina, and helping both countries achieve common prosperity and development, according to media reports.
Mondino told the Global Times that her visit to China is expected to enhance friendship with China and strengthen links in the economy, politics, diplomacy, and business.
Accompanying her on her visit to China were the President of the Central Bank of Argentina, the Vice Minister of Economy, and representatives from more than 20 Argentine companies, all of whom engaged in dialogues with Chinese partners.
She said that a series of meetings and agendas in China have been very successful. "Everybody is trying to foster these very good relations," she said.
According to Mondino, during this visit, she and her colleagues explained to China the economic and social changes Argentina is undergoing, as well as some measures taken by the new government over the last four months.
She stressed that Argentina is trying to further open up to foreign investment and the economy, while reducing inflation and the fiscal deficit.
She said that China is very cautious in its monetary policy and has been very successful in its openness to the outside world. Argentina hopes to continue to be China's trading partner and an investment destination, and the new government will seek deeper cooperation with China.
"The cooperation between Argentina and China is very good, very fast, and very expeditious," she said.
She also noted to the Global Times that Argentina's participation in the BRI is "really very important" for the country.
Argentina has a huge demand for infrastructure construction. In addition, there is potential for both countries to further strengthen cooperation in agriculture, and in the mining of minerals such as lithium, and in energy. She said that Chinese investments will receive fair and equal treatment in Argentina.
According to public information, China is currently Argentina's second-largest trading partner, accounting for 13.8 percent of Argentina's total foreign trade. China is also Argentina's third-largest export market and second-largest source of imports, accounting for 8 percent of Argentina's total exports and 19 percent of total imports. Chinese direct investment in Argentina is mainly concentrated in three major areas: infrastructure, energy, and the new energy industry.
During the interview, Mondino denied claims that "China-Argentina relations are at their worst historical time."
"Maybe (those people) do not understand Spanish," she jokingly told the Global Times. She mentioned that the bilateral trade volume between China and Argentina may have temporarily declined, mainly due to Argentina experiencing a severe drought, which has led to crop yields reduction and, consequently, exports to China.
However, overall, there are no issues in China-Argentina relations. "You should not believe everything you read."
The Argentine diplomat also stressed that Argentina has always firmly adhered to the one-China policy, and the new government will continue to uphold this policy.
China's steel sector, an important gauge of the national economy, is advancing toward high-quality development by optimizing its product structure, as reported by the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) during a press conference addressing the first-quarter industry operation report.
Specifically, the proportion of high-end manufacturing steel, including automobiles, household appliances, and photovoltaics, increased from the 42 percent in 2020 to 48 percent in 2023, and has maintained a further upward trend since the beginning of 2024, according to the CISA.
The positive trend reflects a significant acceleration in the restructuring of the steel industry's operating structure, industry insiders noted.
Meanwhile, businesses are contending with multiple hurdles, including diminished market demand, declining steel prices, and escalating iron ore expenses. External factors, such as heightened scrutiny targeting the Chinese steel industry overseas, compound the profitability challenges faced by enterprises, the Global Times learned from the industry body.
Speaking at Tuesday's press conference, Jiang Wei, vice chairman and secretary general of the CISA, said that China's steel industry is embracing high-quality development which have borne positive results so far.
The optimization of steel-related product structures is accelerating in response to ever-growing demand from burgeoning industries such as car manufacturing, shipbuilding, home appliance production, as well as the wind and solar power sectors.
The production upgrade is reflected in the corresponding export volume. In the first quarter, China's high value-added product exports accounted for more than 35 percent, Jiang said.
Efforts are underway to enhance intelligence in steel production and management within the industry. According to a report by the CISA, surveyed companies have invested approximately 38.5 yuan per ton of steel in digital and intelligent transformation initiatives so far this year. This represents a notable year-on-year increase of 23.9 percent.
There were 40 percent of surveyed companies applying 3D visual simulation technology in their main production lines, another reflection of the industry digitalization and upgrade, according to the CISA.
In addition, domestic steel companies are actively pursuing green transformation, another key element of high-quality development. As of April 23, 2024, a total of 136 companies had either completed or partially completed ultra-low emission transformations and undergone assessment monitoring.
Challenges persist in China's steel industry, primarily stemming from a significant structural imbalance between market supply and demand. Difficulties also include declining steel prices and high iron ore prices, according to the CISA.
In the first quarter, the national crude steel production came to 257 million tons, a year-on-year decrease of 1.9 percent. Meanwhile, nationwide consumption of crude steel was 232 million tons, a decrease of 4.7 percent year-on-year, indicating a surplus in steel supply over demand.
National steel exports reached 25.8 million tons in the first quarter, marking a year-on-year increase of 30.7 percent, while the average export price stood at $789 per ton, reflecting a decline of 33.4 percent year-on-year, suggesting thinner profit margins for companies despite strong demand overseas.
Meanwhile, the high price of iron ore, a key raw material for steelmaking, remained elevated, serving as another factor affecting company profits. The primary cause behind this is the lack of bargaining power in international pricing negotiations, Shi Hongwei, deputy secretary general of the CISA, said on Tuesday.
Inventories of domestic steel companies were also on the rise. As of mid-March, key steel enterprises reported steel inventory levels of 19.53 million tons, the highest level since the beginning of this year and the highest level in nearly four years, trailing only the 21.41 million tons during the 2020 pandemic period, according to the CISA.
The high inventory reflects the juxtaposition of weak market demand with strong market expectations for the economy, which have supported stockpiling.
Looking ahead, China's steel industry remains optimistic despite certain and temporary challenges.
Despite the challenges, the steel industry's structure is continually optimizing in pursuit of high-quality development, as industry insiders said, with manufacturing figures being a reflection.
In April, China's Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index stood at 50.4 percent, down 0.4 percent from the previous month, remaining in the expansionary zone for two consecutive months. This indicates the continued recovery and development momentum of the manufacturing industry, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics Service Industry Survey Center on Tuesday.
As China further ramps up its investment in new energy and the development of infrastructure, which are major consumers of steel, and implements policies promoting the trade-in or the replacement of old equipment with new, there will be a boost in steel demand, industry insiders said.
Baidu's vice president and head of its public relations department Qu Jing, whose remarks on her personal social media account provoked an uproar from the public, has left the company, the Economic View reported on Thursday, citing an insider familiar with the incident from the company. Information from the company's email system also shows her departure from her position.
Chinese search engine giant Baidu has unexpectedly found itself in a public relations crisis stemming from recent comments made by its head of public relations.
Qu Jing, Baidu's vice president and head of the public relations department, created a personal account on Douyin, Chinese version of TikTok, during the May Day holidays and posted four videos. In the first video, she criticized employees who refused to go on long business trips, stating she had "no obligation to know if employees are crying," and no obligation to "consider employees' families, as I'm not your mother." "If you are not satisfied with your job, you can resign. I will approve it immediately," she said.
Qu later apologized for the controversy caused by her personal short video recently. "I have carefully read all the opinions and comments from various platforms, and many criticisms are very pertinent. I deeply reflect on and humbly accept them," Qu said in a WeChat post seen by the Global Times.
She said that the videos did not represent the company's stance and apologized for any misunderstandings they may have caused. Her original idea was to do her job well, but she admitted that she was too hasty and using inappropriate methods.
"Before posting the short videos, I didn't seek the company's opinion in advance, which doesn't comply with the relevant procedures and doesn't represent the company's position. I clarify and apologize. There were many inappropriate and unsuitable points in the videos, which led to misunderstandings about the company's values and corporate culture, causing serious harm," Qu said.
"If you work in public relations, don't expect weekends off," she said in another video posted previously."Keep your phone on 24 hours a day, always ready to respond."
In another video, Qu said she had received hundreds of reports from employees' families, describing it as "the lowest tactic." She also said, "I can make it impossible for you to find a job in this industry with just a short essay. [If you don't believe me,] try it."
Due to the extreme nature of Qu's comments in the videos and the unreasonable treatment of employees, she quickly sparked widespread controversy.
In the past few days, several related topics about her comments have trended on Weibo. Many people believe that her tough approach demonstrates the excessive exploitation and lack of empathy for employees that large tech companies are often criticized for. Some netizens have directly vented their anger at Baidu and posted screenshots uninstalling the Baidu app. At the same time, some netizens have created sarcastic parodic videos from the perspective of employees.
After sparking widespread anger, the four videos posted by Qu were deleted.
Subsequently, a video widely circulated on the Chinese internet showed Qu in the office using a data cable whipping a homemade doll with a media outlet's name written on it. The shooting time and the person who filmed the video are unknown.
At the same time, some netizens pointed out that Qu's account followers might not be real. According to Douyin account information, Qu's account had hundreds of thousands of followers before she started to post videos, and the name was that of a clothing store. Therefore, many netizens speculated she had purchased the account.
In recent months, many executives of Chinese tech companies have opened public accounts on short video platforms, including Xiaomi's Lei Jun, Nio's Li Bin, and Li Auto's Li Xiang. Some executives have won public favor for their companies by chatting humorously with netizens in the comments section.
However, Qu sparked a public relations crisis just days after opening her personal account. Observers pointed out that she provoked public anger by "describing exploitation as something worthy of praise from a condescending perspective." Some media reports also noted that her videos were intended to provoke confrontation, a common tactic for gaining attention on short video platforms.
"Companies cannot simply enjoy the utilitarian value provided by employees without shouldering the emotional burden they create. People are the purpose, not tools," Red Star News stated in a commentary.
The 21st Century Business Herald quoted a senior expert as saying that Qu's remarks cannot be simply viewed as personal opinions. "Creating a workplace internet celebrity IP itself is not right or wrong, but whether the remarks represent the individual or reflect the company culture, they absolutely cannot challenge mainstream values. Above company rules and economic rationality, there is also human care, warmth, and humanity."
Following the incident, Baidu's Hong Kong-listed stock price continued to decline, closing at HK$106.9 on Wednesday, down 1.29 percent. As of press time, Baidu's US-listed stock fell 0.92 percent to $109.51 on Wednesday.
In refuting accusations from Australia which claimed that a Chinese fighter jet fired flares into the path of an Australian naval helicopter last weekend over the Yellow Sea, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday clarified that the truth is that an Australian military aircraft deliberately flew within close range of China's airspace in a provocative move that endangered China's maritime and air security in the name of enforcing UN Security Council's resolutions.
The Chinese military took necessary measures at the scene to warn and alert the Australian side. The way the situation was handled was consistent with Chinese laws and regulations, professional and safe, Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said on Tuesday.
Lin stated that China has lodged serious protests to the Australian side on its risky moves, while urging Australia to immediately stop the provocations and hypes to prevent misunderstanding and miscalculation.
The Chinese spokesperson's remarks came after Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said Monday that a Chinese Chengdu J-10 fighter jet released flares in the flight path of an Australian navy Seahawk helicopter deployed from the Australian air warfare destroyer HMAS Hobart, according to Western media outlets, including AP News. The media outlets claimed that the Australian air warfare destroyer on Saturday was "enforcing UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea in international waters in the Yellow Sea." According to media outlets, there were no injuries or damage reported.
"We've just made it very clear to China that this is unprofessional and that it's unacceptable," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Nine Network television.
Also on Tuesday, China's Ministry of National Defense debunked the Australian accusations.
"We are firmly opposed to what the Australian side has said, which distorts black and white," said Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense.
According to Zhang, from May 3 to 4, during the training of Chinese naval vessels in relevant waters of the Yellow Sea, the Australian guided-missile destroyer HMAS Hobart sent shipborne helicopters three times to conduct close-in reconnaissance and disturb the normal training activities of the Chinese side.
The Chinese military issued warnings and forced them away. The relevant operations were reasonable, professional and safe, and fully in line with international law and practice, Zhang stated.
We urge the Australian side to earnestly respect China's sovereign security concerns, stop spreading false narratives, strictly restrain naval and air force operations, and stop all dangerous and provocative actions so as not to undermine the overall relationship between the two countries and two militaries, Zhang said.
Chinese military experts pointed out that Australia's actions under the guise of implementing UNSC sanctions against North Korea are in fact provocation, probing, and reconnaissance against China.
Military expert Zhang Xuefeng told the Global Times on Tuesday that the fact that Australian warships have travelled so far into the Yellow Sea, so close to China's territorial waters and inland seas, is itself a sign of the growing aggressiveness.
It is not the first time that Australia has conducted close-in reconnaissance against China and been expelled after not listening to warnings, Zhang Xuefeng noted. The Australian military is responsible for all the consequences by those provocations, he warned.
Last November, Australia claimed that a Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) destroyer used sonar to force divers from an Australian frigate to exit the water. In response, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on November 20, 2023 that "The Chinese military is strictly disciplined and always operates professionally in accordance with the international law and international common practices. We hope relevant parties will stop making trouble in front of China's doorsteps and work with China to preserve the momentum of improving and growing China-Australia ties."
