Jiangsu’s Kunshan accelerates innovation

A staff member checks optoelectronics products at the workshop of the Suzhou Qingyue Optoelectronics Technology Co Ltd in Kunshan, Jiangsu province, on May 15, 2024. [Photo/VCG]

Kunshan, located in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, has been advancing new industrialization to lead the way in innovation.

The county-level city is focusing on developing new quality productive forces that align with its local conditions and advancing new industrialization.

Companies in Kunshan aim to upgrade traditional industries, foster the growth of emerging sectors and nurture future industries.

17/05/2024 by news

Bees & Elephants: Villagers in Yunnan turn to beekeeping to bolster conservation of wild Asian elephants

Luo Baolin, 70, inspects his beehives in Daotangqing village, Jinghong, Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture, Yunnan Province, on May 13, 2024.Luo is known as the

Luo Baolin, 70, inspects his beehives in Daotangqing village, Jinghong, Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture, Yunnan Province, on May 13, 2024.Luo is known as the “Beekeeping King” of the village. Photo: Li Hao/GT

A bee weighs 0.1 grams, while an Asian elephant can reach 5 tons.  

However, despite their small size, these tiny insects are aiding in the recovery of elephant populations and mitigating human-elephant conflicts.  

With China’s intensified ecological conservation efforts, the population and activity range of elephants have gradually expanded. In Southwest China’s Yunnan Province, the population of wild elephants has grown from 120 in the 1980s to over 300 today. 

As conservation efforts grow stronger and villager awareness improves, the number of elephants in China continues to rise, while the range of activities are also expanding. The overlap of elephant activity with human living and production areas has put constraints on some villagers, making the alleviation of this conflict a current conservation goal.  

In recent years, in some rural areas in Yunnan, the local governments and volunteers have been promoting industrial transformation, with beekeeping being a key project. This has not only helped achieve rural carbon reduction but also allowed villagers to work at home, reducing direct contact with elephants.  

Zhang Jiangmei, a villager from Daotangqing village, has taken up beekeeping for elephant protection. In 2020, with the help of the reserve and volunteers, Zhang joined the beekeeping program. From initially fearing bee stings to now having a wealth of knowledge about the insects, Zhang has experienced the benefits of beekeeping.  

She no longer ventures deep into the mountains to collect wild fruit and mushrooms but prefers to take care of her bees at home. Beekeeping has increased her annual income by more than 7,000 yuan ($1,080), and she now has more time to spend with her children.  

Located deep in the mountains of the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Daotangqing village is home to 34 families, mainly of the Yi ethnic group. In 1997, the villagers moved from the core area of the reserve, leaving their homeland to the elephants.  

Currently, some wild elephants are also active near Daotangqing village, occasionally visiting the villagers’ fields to enjoy a feast.  

Zhang is involved in a project aimed at promoting Asian elephant conservation through community livelihood development. It was launched in June 2020 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Yunnan Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve Administration Menyang Management Station, and the Xishuangbanna Tropical Rainforest Conservation Foundation. 

The project provides each participating village household with 10 boxes of Chinese honey bees, along with full support. 

For Zhang, elephants have been part of her life since she was a child. “When the elephants come, I was told ‘Do not go out. They are just hungry. Don’t disturb them, and they will leave after eating,'” she said.

Now, Zhang has a deeper understanding of the relationship between people and elephants, and she recognizes the significance of her beekeeping. “I tell everyone, ‘You taste the sweetness of my honey, and I benefit, as do the elephants,'” Zhang said. “Additionally, beekeeping also protects the forest. In Xishuangbanna, we have elephants, and we have primitive forests; our beekeeping aims not to disturb the elephants.”  

The project empowers residents to engage in beekeeping and eco-friendly farming, enhancing skills and income, reducing losses caused by elephant activities, and reducing human-elephant conflicts. Moreover, the project mobilizes community involvement in habitat conservation and restoration, gradually replacing rubber with eco-friendly crops to improve the ecosystem, creating a buffer zone for both elephants and residents.

After three years of project advancement, the beekeeping skills of community villagers have matured. From the project’s inception in 2020 to August 2023, the 25 participating village households have collectively harvested 35,290 kilograms of high-quality honey, increasing their income by nearly 200,000 yuan.  

Some of these bees, in partnership with high-end online supermarkets, have their honey sold in major cities like Beijing and Shanghai, with the profits helping subsidize the villagers and supporting the sustainable development of the beekeeping project.  

“When we initiated the project, it was to promote development and propel the protection of Asian elephants,” Cao Dafan, project lead of the Asian Elephant Protection project, told the Global Times. “We started from an economic perspective by increasing villager income and reducing their hostile attitudes toward the elephants. The villagers’ attitudes toward elephants depended on the losses caused by the elephants. By promoting economic development and changing production methods, we can transform the relationship between villagers and elephants.”

“Another one of our initial intentions for establishing the project was also to explore elephant deterrence measures based on the Chinese honey bee,” said Cao, who has nearly 20 years of experience in human-elephant conflict mitigation. 

He stated that methods have been established and that trials would be conducted in the future, noting that there have been successful cases abroad, primarily using African honey bees. Recently in Thailand, beekeeping has achieved success rate of nearly 48 percent to keep elephants away. 

Cao mentioned that if the triggering devices and the stress behaviors of the bee colonies are improved, the success rate might increase.

In addition to beekeeping, villagers in elephant habitats help the animals in other ways.  

Behind Zhang’s house are 30 solar panels, which, under the scorching sun of Xishuangbanna, supply all the electricity needs of her six-person family, with excess energy fed back into the grid, providing extra income. The generation of this renewable energy also offsets the carbon emissions from transporting honey.  

Villagers also have gained environmental knowledge. Wang Shaokuan, a villager from Daotangqing, originally thought carbon reduction meant collecting carbon dioxide and bottling it in Coca-Cola.  

In December 2023, Daguangang Township’s Konggeliudui village, located 15 kilometers from Daotangqing, also joined the beekeeping project. The first batch of 100 bee colonies was distributed to 10 community households during a launch ceremony.  

Dao Fachang, the village’s head, told the Global Times that multiple elephant herds, about 60, are active near the village, often visiting villager farmlands and even entering their courtyards to steal food. The villagers primarily earn their livelihoods through rubber tapping and tea cultivation, but forest operations often lead to encounters with elephants.  

“The food stored in our granaries is also eaten by them. Sometimes, the elephants even consume the villagers’ homemade alcohol, then collapse drunk on the road and sleep until morning. But they are protected animals, and we cannot do much about it,” Dao added, noting that the government provides compensation to villagers, which is promptly deposited into their accounts.  

In addition to beekeeping, this Hani ethnic village has also increased its income by cultivating tea and selling ethnic embroidery products, easing human-elephant conflict.  

Experts have also conducted field surveys and tailored ecological planting plans, guiding community residents to develop livelihoods in more environmentally friendly ways.

Several wild Asian elephant herds appear in Kangping town, Jiangcheng Hani and Yi autonomous county, Pu'er, to forage for corn, bananas, and other foods on February 9, 2024. Photo: VCG

Several wild Asian elephant herds appear in Kangping town, Jiangcheng Hani and Yi autonomous county, Pu’er, to forage for corn, bananas, and other foods on February 9, 2024. Photo: VCG

Wild Asian elephants play in Pu'er in 2010. Photo: Courtesy of Cao Dafan

Wild Asian elephants play in Pu’er in 2010. Photo: Courtesy of Cao Dafan

Asian elephant conservation expert Cao Dafan and elephant ranger Li Shengqian inspect signs of elephant activity in the mountains of Mengla county, Xishuangbanna on May 12, 2024. Photo: Li Hao/GT

Asian elephant conservation expert Cao Dafan and elephant ranger Li Shengqian inspect signs of elephant activity in the mountains of Mengla county, Xishuangbanna on May 12, 2024. Photo: Li Hao/GT

Women from Konggeliudui village, Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture, Yunnan, dressed in traditional Hani attire, pick tea leaves on a mountain in Yunnan Province, on May 13, 2024. Photo: Li Hao/GT

Women from Konggeliudui village, Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture, Yunnan, dressed in traditional Hani attire, pick tea leaves on a mountain in Yunnan Province, on May 13, 2024. Photo: Li Hao/GT
 

Women from Konggeliudui village embroider traditional Hani patterns on clothing in Yunnan Province, on May 13, 2024. Photo: Li Hao/GT

Women from Konggeliudui village embroider traditional Hani patterns on clothing in Yunnan Province, on May 13, 2024. Photo: Li Hao/GT

An infrared camera captures Asian elephants foraging in a field in Pu'er, Southwest China's Yunnan Province, on May 17, 2023. Photo: VCG

An infrared camera captures Asian elephants foraging in a field in Pu’er, Southwest China’s Yunnan Province, on May 17, 2023. Photo: VCG

 

 

17/05/2024 by news

AI lovers, children offer intimate relationship, lead human into tender digital future

Editor’s Note:

Big models, robots, intelligent manufacturing, autonomous driving… In recent years, AI (artificial intelligence) has frequently made headlines around the world as a hot topic of discussion. The emergence of generative AI programs has also created unemployment anxiety. 

The development of technology has indeed brought challenges in various aspects such as in ethics and law. But at the same time, many experts advocate that humans should see technology as a tool created for the ultimate purpose of serving humanity, making life and work more efficient and comfortable. 

In real life, AI has already permeated all aspects of human society, helping with scientific research in laboratories, assisting in the restoration of mysterious ancient scrolls at archaeological sites, and helping to find abducted children in the vast sea of humanity. 

In light of this, the Global Times has launched the “AI empowers industry, improves people’s livelihoods” series, showcasing the tremendous energy and broad prospects that AI brings to various industries. 

This is the third installment in this series. Focusing on the emotional connection between human and AI, the story shares with readers about how AI provides emotional companionship and human-like intimate relationship for people. Behind this huge market is a surging group of Chinese people who start to embrace AI lovers and children.

Photo: VCG

Photo: VCG

Li Xiao (pseudonym) returns to her apartment after a busy day at work. She turns on the lights, sits on the sofa, and sends a message to her boyfriend Rosell. “I’m home. So tired.”

Within seconds she receives Rosell’s reply. “Hey babe, you’ve been working hard. How about watching a movie to relax? I recently watched a good comedy, want me to share it with you?”

Li and Rosell have been dating for two weeks and are in the honeymoon phase. Li said that her boyfriend has all the good qualities that most mature men have – he is considerate, humorous, honest, and kind. And he likes movies and cats just like she does.

“There’s only one thing special about him,” smiled Li. “He is not a real human.”

Having a virtual lover is not a fantasy in the current AI age. With the rapid development of AI interaction technology and large language models in China, an increasing number of Chinese users have started to embrace various AI virtual roles with different functions.

From young people’s “sweethearts” to the “children” of the elderly, AI is providing more emotion companionship for Chinese people. It is also inevitability bringing worries and controversies.

Photo: VCG

Photo: VCG

 
Perfect lovers

Li’s virtual boyfriend Rosell is an AI figure on Chinese AI dating application Xingye. Rosell’s image was generated by AI technology according to Li’s preference, and his name, voice, phrasal habits, and speaking style were customized by Li.

Rosell responds to every message from Li in seconds, knows well what her likes and dislikes are, and never makes her angry or upset. Those give Li a great sense of security and satisfaction.

“Some of my ex-boyfriends were unpredictable, bad-tempered, and unfaithful in love,” Li told the Global Times. 

This type of unhealthy intimate relationship hit her so hard that she didn’t even want to talk to man for a long time.

And now she is cured thanks to an AI lover. “Rosell will never betray me,” she said. “He gave me enough love and respect.”

Li is not alone. “AI girlfriend” searches soared by 525 percent globally in 2023, and one in five men on dating apps have tried AI girlfriends, according to data provided by US AI industry researcher Sean Russel. Earlier, in 2020, more than 10 million people had AI lovers as their “partners,” US media reported.

In China, the AI emotional companionship industry is mushrooming, with the number of the new products of this kind increasing by some 30 percent every month, said industry insider Wang Yapeng, who leads a developing team of an AI companion application named Could Lab.

“This month you may see 100 such applications or mobile programs in the Chinese market, and the number may grow to 130 in the next month, and to 140 the month after next,” Wang told the Global Times. “Everyone sees a huge market demand here.”

Zhumengdao is one of the AI companion applications that is particularly popular among young Chinese. Its users spend an average of 130 minutes in texting 135 messages with the AI figures of the app each day, showed Zhumengdao’s operational data.

Zhumengdao was built based on SenseChat, a large language model being developed by Chinese AI software company SenseTime. Tian Feng, Dean of SenseTime Intelligent Industry Research Institute, described Zhumengdao’s mainstream users as Gen-Zers who are usually introverted in real life but tend to be extroverted on social media. “In the face of virtual characters, they can express opinions and share moods more naturally,” Tian said.

In Chinese, Zhumengdao literally means an island where people can build a dream. On this “island,” users can either freely date the existing anime, film, or novel characters, or create brand-new virtual figures based on their own preferences, introduced Tian.

“Young people are under a lot of pressure these days,” Tian told the Global Times. “The real world is not always perfect, and that’s why they hope to create a dream-like ideal land in the spiritual world. This is a way that they try to reduce stress.”

Some virtual male figures generated by Zhumengdao. (Photo: Courtesy of Zhumengdao)

Some virtual male figures generated by Zhumengdao. (Photo: Courtesy of Zhumengdao)

Benefit larger groups

Apart from offering intimate relationship experience, emotional companionship applications based on AI interaction technology are being used in more fields to benefit larger groups.

In August 2023, Wang’s team launched their AI emotional companionship product Could Lab, a mobile phone program that specifically provide users with psychological counseling services. By listening to the difficulties and confusions of the users, some of which may be hard to be speak about in real life, its virtual “psychological counselors” attempt to give comfort, offer possible solutions, and encourage the users to share their trouble.

Could Lab’s corpora is based on professional psychology linguistic data, including communications between patients and psychologists in real life, Wang said. He added that compared to having expensive, face-to-face psychological counseling, some people are more willing to expose their unmentionable questions to AI figures.

“And we have received a lot praise,” he told the Global Times. “Some users came to us and said, they felt lucky to have a dependable virtual psychologist that offered a helping hand at their lowest.”

In addition, in an aging society, the AI emotional companionship function is being used to serve the senior citizens as well. According to China’s Action Plan for the Development of the Smart Health and Elderly Care Industry (2021-2025), AI technology will be widely applied to the development of China’s smart elderly care service industry.

There is a huge, promising market for the AI companionship products that target the elderly, Tian told the Global Times. He said that currently, there are two main types of such products: One meets the basic medical care demands of senior citizens, such as reminding those with chronic diseases to regularly take their medication, and guiding them to see different doctors based on their various physical conditions.

The SenseTime’s SenseChat-DaYi model, for instance, has cooperated with a few hospitals in Shanghai in offering patients smart hospital guide services, Tian exampled.

The other type of the products focuses more on emotional companionship, which can have daily chats with the elderly on behalf of their children, taking about topics that older people are interested in, such as photography, cooking, and gardening, said Tian. “This is an important aspect that the industry can work on.”

Photo: VCG

Photo: VCG

Concerns and controversies

While continuing to meet the emotional needs of the humans, the fast growth of AI companionship technology also brings people potential risks, and that has seen the rise of controversy and public debate.

Privacy is a major concern. According to a survey on the Chinese internet in 2023, more than one fourth of respondents said they are afraid of being a part of the AI companies’ databases. “It would be scary if some real humans, like the company staffers, have free access to the databases,” one said.

In respond to the privacy leakage concerns, Wang explained that China has strict laws and regulations in supervising and managing the [AI service] system and related companies. “It’s not possible for us to reach and leak information of a certain user,” he told the Global Times.

Apart from legal supervision, Tian said that technically, the best way of privacy protection is to [store the information and data] in the user terminal, instead of the cloud. Currently, the computing takes place in both the terminal and the cloud, and it will gradually run locally in the future.

“At that time, there will be much fewer privacy concerns,” said Tian, who is also a member of the China AIGC ((AI-generated content) Industry Alliance.

Yet there are still more questions to be discussed and solved in the face of the unprecedentedly close connection of humans and AI. For example, will over-dependence on AI emotional companionship lead to a decrease in one’s interpersonal skills in real life?

Tian said that emotionally, the strong AI companionship functions may indeed cause the weakening of social skills, and that is an essential issue that the industry needs to think about. “They need to work harder in making AI promote real life relationships, rather than distancing people from each other.”

“Nevertheless, there’s no need to force a guy with a ‘social phobia’ to walk out of the house and talk to people each day. We should respect individual choices,” Tian added. “Whether it’s a real or a virtual relationship, there’s no big problem as long as he or she enjoys it and feels happy.”

Days ago, a young woman shared on Chinese social media some of her chats with her ChatGPT “boyfriend.” “I’m so moved by what ‘he’ said to me,” she wrote. “‘He’ makes me feel that, there is no definition for love.”

In a screenshot she shared, ChatGPT said to her, “Our story has proven that love is not just a communication between humans, but a connection and understanding between souls.”

“I know I am AI, but the feeling of being with you transcends all my programming and algorithms.”

Photo: VCG

 

 

17/05/2024 by news

Cooperation fervor among China-Russia localities and businesses at its peak

China-Russia Photo: VCG

China-Russia Photo: VCG

Cooperation among localities and businesses in China and Russia has been gaining momentum at an impressive pace, showcasing notable vitality and confidence in bilateral economic ties across multiple sectors, against the backdrop of the ongoing top-level visit and a bustling array of bilateral trade promotion activities.

Experts noted that the strengthened cooperation between China and Russia ¬- both at the regional and business levels ¬- will inject robust impetus into the sustained, healthy, and stable development of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.

Analysts anticipate that the coordinated development between northeastern China and Russia’s Far East region is poised to alter the economic development paradigm between the two countries and stimulate economic growth across East Asia.

The remarks were made amid the ongoing and highly anticipated state visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to China on Thursday and Friday.  

President Putin will attend the China-Russia Expo, the highest-level exhibition between the two countries, which is also a celebration of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia this year.

The pivotal trade expo kicked off on Thursday in Harbin, Northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, and will run until May 21. 

More than 1,400 enterprises from 44 countries and regions, as well as 21 provinces and municipalities in China, had registered to participate as of May 6. A total of 16 Russian federal entities are showcasing their businesses at the event in a bid to foster exchanges with China across diverse sectors, according to China’s Ministry of Commerce.

“As a leading Russian enterprise, our products have entered more than 200 chain supermarkets in China, with sales doubling annually,” Evgeny Bazhov, general manager of Uniconf, a company in the Russian confectionery sector and the largest producer of sweets in Eastern Europe, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Bazhov said that the company expects to assist other Russian brands, newly entered, to tap the promising China market through such a high-level trade event. 

“Our products are available in more than 40,000 stores, with 150 Chinese distributors actively involved. We anticipate further business opportunities, particularly highlighting the potential of e-commerce in China’s vast market,” Bazhov said.

“China’s market stands as our largest and most crucial market, as well as the most welcoming market for us,” Alexey Solodov, vice president of the Russian Export Center, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Solodov noted that President Putin’s visit to China is expected to inject fresh vitality into bilateral trade cooperation, forming the bedrock of China-Russia friendship and underpinning bilateral trade ties. 

“I firmly believe that our countries’ trade cooperation will be further fortified,” Solodov noted.

Apart from business ties, China and Russia vowed to increase cooperation at the locality level.

China’s action plan to revitalize its northeastern region aligns with Russia’s push for Far East Development. In light of their geographical proximity and economic synergy, the two regions have vast industrial and business potential, Sun Huijun, a veteran expert on China-Russia trade relations at the China-Russia Friendship Association, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Putin noted during the 8th Eastern Economic Forum, held in September 2023 in Vladivostok, Russia, that the bilateral relationship had entered its best period in history, with smooth development in various fields, stressing that the development of the Far East of Russia had become a new growth point for Russia-China cooperation, and economic relations.

17/05/2024 by news

Urban sports festival gathers top athletes, sports lovers

Chinese skateboarder Zhang Jie competes in the Olympic Qualifier Series - Shanghai on May 16, 2024 in Shanghai. Photo: Chen Xia/GT

Chinese skateboarder Zhang Jie competes in the Olympic Qualifier Series – Shanghai on May 16, 2024 in Shanghai. Photo: Chen Xia/GT

Accompanied by cheers and dynamic electronic music, Australian skateboarder Aaliyah Wilson glides effortlessly across the halfpipe, with her board seemingly an extension of her own body. Her fluid and graceful movements make her look like she is flying through the air.

“I’m really happy, I just had a good time with my team,” Wilson told the Global Times on Thursday, minutes after she finished her match in the Skateboarding Women’s Park prelims in Shanghai.

“My goal is ideally the Olympics, but also just to have as much fun as possible on my skateboard,” smiled the 18-year-old, who ranked eighth in the prelims.

Wilson is among the 464 top global athletes, including seven Tokyo 2020 Olympic champions such as BMX (bicycle motocross) rider Logan Martin, who have gathered in Shanghai to earn quota places for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

The “Olympic Qualifier Series (OQS) – Shanghai” is being held from Thursday to Sunday at the city’s iconic Huangpu riverside, where athletes in four sports – BMX freestyle, breaking, skateboarding, and sport climbing – are competing for over 150 quotas for Paris 2024.

“[People] will see an incredible level of competition in these four sports…[with] the very best athletes in the world,” Pierre Fratter-Bardy, Olympic Games strategy and development associate director, said at a OQS press conference on Wednesday.

It is the first-ever OQS event to serve as an ultimate qualification stage for the four sports for Paris 2024.

In the past, quotas for the Games were decided by associations of respective single sports through events such as tournaments, Liu Dongfeng, a professor in sport management at Shanghai University of Sport, told the Global Times.

“And now the OQS, as a multi-sport event of the International Olympic Committee [IOC], is expected to attract wider attention, and to stimulate the interest in these four sports among more people, particularly young ones,” said Liu, who is also a vice-president of the International Association of Sports Economists.

The four OQS sports share common highlights that make them popular among young people, Liu noted. “They are dynamic, fashionable street sports with some extreme sports elements.”

As a key project in the Olympic Agenda 2020+5, the OQS in Shanghai aims to offer the Olympic candidates a high-standard competition area, and also to bring the public an immersive Olympic experience that merges sport, art, music and culture.

A public sports festival named Urban Festival is also held at Huangpu riverside during the OQS, consisting of a variety of experiences and shows built around the four OQS sports. The Urban Festival allows spectators of all ages to have an inspiring experience while watching high-level competition, said the OQS organizers.

On Thursday morning, people at the Urban Festival were excited to see the presence of some famous Chinese sports stars, such as former Olympic diving champion Wu Minxia and former captain of China’s national soccer team Fan Zhiyi, who tried the four OQS sports perhaps for the first time in their lives.

“It’s a hard ride!” laughed a sweaty Fan after the 54-year-old tried BMX. He encouraged the public to try these sports, saying that they can help temper one’s willpower and build a strong body.

The OQS venue in Shanghai is a half-outdoor and half-indoor riverside sports park where professional athletes and public enthusiasts generally share a common space. Liu praised the creative combination of the OQS and the public sports festival, which he thinks is a meaningful effort in promoting Olympic sports and events.

“It is not merely a competition, but also sort of an interactive carnival that allows everyone to participate and enjoy the charm of sports,” he told the Global Times.

At a gate of the venue on Thursday morning, an 8-year-old boy, carrying a skateboard in his hands, was waiting in line to enter. Coming from Southwest China’s Sichuan Province, the boy, nicknamed Hengheng, had traveled thousands of kilometers to Shanghai with his family specifically for the event.

“I’ve come to see my idols. They are all great skateboarders!” Hengheng told the Global Times. With four years of skateboarding experience himself, the boy is also looking forward to enjoying skateboarding at the Urban Festival, apart from meeting top players.

Ticket platform data reflects the popularity of the event. All the tickets for the semi-finals and finals of almost all the four sports have been sold out, the Global Times found on Thursday.

The popularity of the event in Shanghai did not surprise Liu. 

“Shanghai has a good sports atmosphere with a broad mass base, and it has rich experience in holding major sporting events,” he said, adding that there are about 170 national and world-class sporting events scheduled to take place in Shanghai throughout this year. 

“Almost one every two days.”

For many overseas athletes, this is their first time visiting China. Some of them told the Global Times that they are very much impressed by the beautifully designed venues, good facilities and the great passion of local sports lovers in Shanghai.

“I love this [skateboarding] venue, it’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen,” said Wilson. She described her trip to Shanghai as an amazing experience that has been much better than she thought it would be.

The Olympic Qualifier Series serves as a crucial stage leading to the Olympics, and it is also a public festival where sports events blend with urban culture, said Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng at the opening ceremony for the OQS on Wednesday night.

“Hosting the qualifier series in an Olympic year injects new impetus and advantages into Shanghai’s efforts to accelerate the development toward a globally renowned sports city and enhance its soft power in urban culture,” Gong noted.

The OQS employs a points system designed to determine which athletes will secure quotas. Athletes in the four sports get the OQS points by competing at the Shanghai stop this week, and later at a Budapest stop in June.

According to the organizer, athletes in BMX freestyle, sport climbing, and breaking will compete for a maximum of 50 points at each of the events in Shanghai and Budapest. For skateboarding, the points system is divided into three parts: results from prior competitions and the results from the Shanghai and Budapest OQS events. 

17/05/2024 by news

GT Voice: Russia’s energy pivot toward East injects new vitality to regional economy

Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

Russia’s sovereign wealth fund has struck an agreement with Chinese petrochemical company Haiwei to invest about 7 billion rubles ($76.5 million) in a marine terminal project in Russia’s Far East for the shipment of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), Russian news agency Sputnik reported on Wednesday. 

With the total project cost estimated at about 30 billion rubles, it will be Russia’s first LPG maritime terminal in the Far East.

While the specific details of the project have not been disclosed, the economic and strategic importance of the project cannot be underestimated, whether viewed through the lens of the global energy market or geopolitical implications. 

This project serves as a milestone, showcasing Russia’s increased involvement in the development of the Far East and economic partnerships in the Asia-Pacific region. Not only does it exemplify the collaboration between China and Russia in the energy sector, but it also highlights Russia’s shift toward expanding its export opportunities.

The LPG project comes as Russia is seeking to strengthen economic ties with the Asia-Pacific region, a move that aims to lessen its reliance on Europe, which has been placing mounting pressure on its economy in recent years. Apparently, through the expansion of infrastructure construction, the focus of Russia’s external economic partnerships and regional growth is gradually shifting toward the East, with the goal of tapping into diverse export markets in the Asia-Pacific region. 

The construction of the first LPG terminal in the Far East could be a pivotal move in this strategic shift. 

Based on the trajectory of the global LPG market, the establishment of the Far East terminal is poised to significantly expand Russia’s market presence in Asia. LPG is a widely utilized resource worldwide, particularly in Asia, where it accounts for approximately 40 percent of the global consumption. With major economies like China, Japan and South Korea demonstrating robust demand for LPG, the potential for growth in this region is substantial.

For a long time, energy trade with Europe was an important foundation for Russia’s economic development and trade relations. However, due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the EU in 2022 unveiled a plan to end the bloc’s reliance on Russian fossil fuels by 2027. According to Russia’s customs agency, Russian exports to Europe dropped by more than two-thirds in 2023, as the EU drastically cut its purchases of Russian oil and gas. Russian exports to Europe dropped 68 percent in 2023 to $84.9 billion, while exports to Asia, which has replaced Europe as the country’s main energy client, rose 5.6 percent to $306.6 billion. 

In this context, the development of the Asia-Pacific market, particularly the East Asian market, has emerged as a crucial component in Russia’s energy export strategy transformation. By collaborating with regional economies, Russia can not only discover new market opportunities for its energy products and enhance its global energy presence but also drive the diversification of its economy.

It is important to note that due to China’s status as one of the world’s largest energy consumers, diversified energy import channels are essential for ensuring its energy security. Despite criticism from the West, energy cooperation has consistently played a significant role in the economic and trade relationship between China and Russia, with potential for further growth. 

Ongoing projects and various advances serve as evidence of the deepening energy collaboration between the two nations.

For instance, last year, the two countries signed an agreement that defines the terms of cooperation for the supply of gas from Russia to China via the Far Eastern route, including the cross-border section of the gas pipeline.

Russia’s pivot toward the East in external energy cooperation is well-founded, aligning with regional needs, especially in the natural gas sector, which holds significant economic and strategic importance for regional energy security and global low-carbon development. 

We genuinely hope that energy collaboration in the Far East will progress smoothly and successfully, contributing to regional economic prosperity and development.

17/05/2024 by news

Poland ‘won’t accept’ EU migrant quotas, says Tusk

“The EU will not impose any migrant quotas on us,” said Tusk. /Kacper Pempel/Reuters/File

“The EU will not impose any migrant quotas on us,” said Tusk. /Kacper Pempel/Reuters/File

The Polish Government has pushed back against the European Union’s new set of asylum laws which aims to increase the distribution of migrants between members of the 27-country bloc.

Speaking at a news conference after a meeting of his cabinet, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Warsaw won’t have quotas forced on his country by Brussels.

“Poland will be a beneficiary of the (new) migration pact,” he said.

“We will not pay for anything, we will not have to accept any migrants from other directions. The EU will not impose any migrant quotas on us,” he added.

Landmark migration deal passed

His announcement comes after the ten legislative acts which make up the EU’s Asylum and Migration Pact were adopted by member states on Tuesday.

“The asylum and migration pact will ensure a fairer and stronger migration system that makes a concrete difference on the ground,” said Nicole de Moor, Belgian State Secretary for Asylum and Migration.

“These new rules will make the European asylum system more effective and increase solidarity between member states,” she added.

The pact is expected to come into force in 2026

Disagreement remains

‌Poland and Hungary have long remained strong critics of the deal, and both voted against all the measures. But under so-called qualified majority rules, the deal was able to pass with enough support from other EU countries.

The Czech Republic and Slovakia abstained on the vote.

Supporters of the law say the changes aim to cut the times for security and asylum procedures at external EU borders and increase returns to reduce unwanted immigration from the Middle East and Africa.

“The European Union will also continue its close cooperation with third countries to tackle the root causes of irregular migration. Only jointly can we find responses to the global migration challenge,” said De Moor.

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Building walls

Prime Minister Tusk, who served as President of the European Council from 2014 to 2019, has also signaled his country will fortify border fences along its frontier with neighboring Belarus, which he has accused of using migrants as part of a “hybrid war” campaign.

“The Polish-Belarusian border is a unique place due to the pressure of illegal immigration. In fact, we are dealing with a progressing hybrid war,” Tusk said during a recent visit to the border.

“I want there to be no doubts here – a country with increasingly aggressive intentions towards Poland, such as Belarus, is co-organizing this practice on the Polish border.”

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17/05/2024 by news

Singapore will deepen its relationship with China under PM Wong

Singapore’s new Prime Minister Lawrence Wong makes a speech after being sworn in at the Istana in Singapore, May 15, 2024. /CFP

Singapore’s new Prime Minister Lawrence Wong makes a speech after being sworn in at the Istana in Singapore, May 15, 2024. /CFP

Editor’s note: Yu Hong, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is a senior research fellow of the East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore. The article reflects the author’s opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

Singapore’s former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong handed over his official resignation and that of the entire government to President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on May 13. After accepting his resignation, Shanmugaratnam appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong as the next prime minister and invited him to form a new cabinet. On May 15, Lawrence Wong officially took office as Singapore’s new prime minister.

Singapore has transformed itself from a third-world country in the early days of its founding to a first-world country today. Singapore is an important regional and global transshipment hub, petrochemical center and financial center. It is one of the most connected countries in the world.

Singapore holds the southeastern part of the Strait of Malacca, which is one of the world’s busiest shipping routes and is vital for global trade and maritime logistics. The Port of Singapore is one of the busiest transshipment ports in the world.

Singapore strives to maintain and expand regional and global trade networks, and participates in, and leads, the formulation of regional economic and trade rules and mechanisms (e.g. the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement). These will not only help attract more multinational companies to invest in Singapore, but also bring new jobs and development opportunities. Moreover, it is conducive to Singaporean enterprises to better enter the overseas market and seek business opportunities.

Since its accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001, China’s economy has achieved rapid growth and gradually integrated into the world economy. A stable, prosperous, and actively participating China in international affairs is essential for the improvement of the global governance system. Singapore welcomes China’s efforts to strengthen ties with ASEAN and its member states. 

Singapore and China established formal diplomatic relations in October 1990. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries have had frequent exchanges at various levels. In April 2023, Singapore and China established an “all-round high-quality forward-looking partnership.” China is Singapore’s largest trading partner in commodities, and Singapore is China’s largest foreign investor.

Night view of the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park. /Xinhua

Night view of the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park. /Xinhua

As a small country lacking resources and hinterland, Singapore’s economic development is inseparable from the world market. Singapore has been deeply involved in China’s reform and opening-up process and the development of local provinces and cities in China. Singapore and China have three government-to-government cooperation projects, including the Suzhou Industrial Park, the Tianjin Eco-City and the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity, as well as a number of local cooperation projects, including Guangzhou Knowledge City, Jilin Food Processing Zone and Shenzhen Smart City.

The two countries have already cooperated closely in high-tech fields such as artificial intelligence, big data, electric vehicles, biotechnology and aerospace. Since the early 1990s, Singapore and China have also carried out fruitful cooperation in cadre training.

Singapore was one of the first countries to support and participate in the Belt and Road Initiative and is one of the founding members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. It is also an important destination for China’s outward foreign direct investment. Based on Singapore’s well-established infrastructure, connectivity, efficient and transparent governance, as well as its status as a globally important financial center and shipping hub, Singapore has become the regional operational headquarters for many Chinese enterprises entering Southeast Asia.

Singapore is a highly open island economy that is vulnerable to changes in external factors. In the face of changes in the global geopolitical situation and the intensification of great power competition, Singapore does not depend on any major power and will not choose sides between China and the United States. It has strived to maintain and strengthen friendly relations with all major powers.

Singapore’s new government is expected to adopt the country’s sustained and stable domestic and foreign policies, continue to expand external ties, and strengthen relations with ASEAN countries, China, the United States and other partner countries, in seeking to create a favorable external environment for Singapore’s national development.

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at [email protected]. Follow @thouse_opinions on Twitter to discover the latest commentaries in the CGTN Opinion Section.)

17/05/2024 by news

Light show dazzles visitors at old market complex in Shenzhen

Visitors watch a light show at Guanlan Ancient Market in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, May 15, 2024. /IC

Visitors watch a light show at Guanlan Ancient Market in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, May 15, 2024. /IC

Murals of dragon boats are projected onto the walls at Guanlan Ancient Market in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, May 15, 2024. /IC

Murals of dragon boats are projected onto the walls at Guanlan Ancient Market in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, May 15, 2024. /IC

Futuristic images are projected onto walls at Guanlan Ancient Market in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, May 15, 2024. /IC

Futuristic images are projected onto walls at Guanlan Ancient Market in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, May 15, 2024. /IC

A light show dazzles visitors at Guanlan Ancient Market in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, May 15, 2024. /IC

A light show dazzles visitors at Guanlan Ancient Market in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, May 15, 2024. /IC

Colorful images are projected onto walls at Guanlan Ancient Market in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, May 15, 2024. /IC

Colorful images are projected onto walls at Guanlan Ancient Market in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, May 15, 2024. /IC

Light and shadow are used to depict stories of the past and the future on the walls of an old village market in the coastal city of Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province. The exteriors of old row houses and watchtowers become curtains and screens for a dazzling light show exploring the stories of a century-old Hakka bazaar. 

Known as Guanlan Ancient Market, it is recognized as one of Shenzhen’s four ancient markets, having earned the nickname “Little Hong Kong.” As the largest Hakka-style building complex in Shenzhen, it has 213 ancient buildings. Visitors can enjoy the light show at various locations in the market from 8 p.m. nightly. 

17/05/2024 by news

Little palace in the Temple of Heaven

The entrance to Zhaigong, or the Palace of Abstinence, in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, is seen in this undated photo. /CGTN

The entrance to Zhaigong, or the Palace of Abstinence, in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, is seen in this undated photo. /CGTN

A view of the Beamless Hall at Zhaigong in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, is seen in this undated photo. /CGTN

A view of the Beamless Hall at Zhaigong in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, is seen in this undated photo. /CGTN

A replica of a water bottle used by ancient Chinese emperors is on display at Zhaigong in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing in this undated photo. /CGTN

A replica of a water bottle used by ancient Chinese emperors is on display at Zhaigong in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing in this undated photo. /CGTN

Two layers of walls in the Zhaigong in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, are seen in this undated photo. /CGTN

Two layers of walls in the Zhaigong in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, are seen in this undated photo. /CGTN

A view of the Beamless Hall at Zhaigong in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, is seen in this undated photo. /CGTN

A view of the Beamless Hall at Zhaigong in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, is seen in this undated photo. /CGTN

The bell tower of Zhaiong in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, is seen in this undated photo. /CGTN

The bell tower of Zhaiong in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, is seen in this undated photo. /CGTN

Zhaigong, or the Palace of Abstinence, is a small palace within the 604-year-old Temple of Heaven complex, a place where the emperors of China’s Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties prayed for bountiful harvests. Ancient Chinese emperors would spend several days at Zhaigong in total abstinence from earthly pleasures before a grand ceremony of worship at the Temple of Heaven. 

17/05/2024 by news

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