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By Huan Yuping, People’s Daily

Some pessimism about economic globalization has emerged in recent years due to rising protectionism, increasing blockages in global industrial and supply chains, and weakness of international trade. This has led some to proclaim the “golden age” of economic globalization is over.

While concerns about challenges facing the world economy are understandable, such outright pessimism is unnecessary. Economic globalization remains the trend of the times. Despite many counter currents and dangerous shoals, its overall direction has never changed and will not change.

To grasp the development trend of economic globalization, it is important to start from the objective laws of historical development.

Historically, economic globalization is an objective requirement of social productive force development and an inevitable result of technological progress, rather than something artificially created by certain people or countries. Technological and industrial revolutions have greatly reduced the costs of global transportation of goods, information dissemination, and human mobility, providing a profound material and technological foundation for economic globalization.

The deepening development of economic globalization has provided a powerful impetus for the progress of human society. Statistics show that from 1992 to 2022, global GDP rose from around $25 trillion to around $101 trillion, and per capita GDP increased from $4,659 to $12,647. 

From 1992 to 2019, the share of global trade in global GDP grew from 40.15 percent to 56.33 percent. The proportion of the global population living in poverty dropped from 36.5 percent to 8.5 percent, and life expectancy increased from 65.6 years to 73.4 years.

The setbacks in economic globalization in recent years were mainly due to policy shifts in some countries. International institutions see the rise of protectionism as a serious risk to global economic recovery.

The International Monetary Fund warned that if economic fragmentation continues unchecked, it could reduce global GDP by 7 percent – roughly equivalent to the combined size of the French and German economies.

Economic globalization is a “double-edged sword.” Bridging the equity deficit is an important issue all sides need to face.

Problems are not to be feared; the key is finding solutions. To steer economic globalization on a steady course that delivers long-term benefits and better well-being to people of all nations, the international community should join hands in championing an inclusive economic globalization that benefits all.

Economic globalization should be beneficial to all, aligning with the universal aspirations of countries around the world, especially developing ones.

It should effectively address imbalances in development between and within countries resulting from global resource allocation. Development should be both full and balanced, fostering globalization that enables all countries, particularly developing ones, to accelerate growth.

With interdependence prevalent today, nations must develop themselves while also considering how to advance in sync with the world. It is important to make the pie of economic globalization bigger together and share it fairly, so different countries and people of different social groups can all participate in and benefit from socioeconomic progress, achieving mutual benefit, win-win outcomes, and shared prosperity.

Economic globalization should be inclusive, supporting countries in pursuing development paths suiting their national conditions, while jointly creating common development for all humanity. All forms of unilateralism and protectionism must be opposed, along with discriminatory and exclusionary standards and rules.

Trade and investment liberalization and facilitation should be promoted to maintain stable and unimpeded global industrial and supply chains. All sides should show mutual understanding and accommodation, addressing each other’s concerns, in order to resolve structural issues hindering healthy global economic growth. This will sustain the vitality and momentum of the world economy.

Looking ahead, economic globalization remains an inevitable path forward and an irreversible trend of the times for human society. The international community should join hands to make economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all, injecting inexhaustible momentum into the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

By Wang Wenzheng

Recently, 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in China successively released their economic performance for 2023 and announced their economic development targets for the coming year.

Guangdong became the first province to surpass 13 trillion yuan ($1.83 trillion) in GDP, while Jiangsu maintained its position as the top recipient of actual utilization of foreign investment. Besides, two new cities have joined the “trillion-yuan-GDP club.” These highlights serve as a vivid testament to the upward trend and positive development of the Chinese economy.

All 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions saw their GDP grow in the past year. Xizang autonomous region and Hainan province led the country with GDP growth rates of 9.5 percent and 9.2 percent respectively, followed by Inner Mongolia autonomous region with a growth rate of 7.3 percent.

In addition, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, Gansu province, Jilin province, Chongqing municipality, Shandong province, Sichuan province, Zhejiang province reported GDP growth rates above 6 percent. The majority of Chinese provincial-level regions have experienced GDP growth rates ranging from 4 percent to 6 percent.

Guangdong province’s GDP has surpassed 13 trillion yuan for the first time, with year-on-year growth of 4.8 percent. Its economic output has remained the highest in the country for 35 consecutive years.

The government work report of Guangdong province highlighted the vitality and resilience of the private economy. In the past year, the number of operating entities in the province has exceeded 18 million, including over 10 million individual businesses. The number of enterprises has surpassed 7.8 million, accounting for 1/7 of the national total.

Jiangsu province reported GDP of over 12 trillion yuan, ranking second nationwide. Shandong province, ranking third, crossed the 9-trillion-yuan mark for the first time. Zhejiang province ranked fourth with GDP of over 8 trillion yuan, the first time for it to achieve so.

Apart from the increasing quantity, the GDP statistics also mirrored high-quality development. Shandong province has been consecutively selected as the province with the best business environment in the country. It is home to 15 national-level characteristic industry clusters for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as 299 “little giant firms” – specialized and sophisticated SMEs that produce novel and unique products. The total number of technology SMEs in the province has exceeded 45,000.

Beijing’s per capita GDP, labor productivity, and energy and water consumption per unit of GDP maintained the best level among provincial-level regions in the country. Shanghai reached a record-breaking scale of actual utilization of foreign investment, reaching $24 billion. Its total trading volume in the financial market increased by 15 percent, maintaining its attraction to global investors.

It is reported that there are currently 26 cities in China that have achieved a GDP of over 1 trillion yuan, also known as the “trillion-yuan club.” Among them, Jiangsu province has the highest number of cities in this club, including Suzhou, Nanjing, Wuxi, Nantong, and Changzhou. Guangdong province has four cities in the club, namely Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Foshan, and Dongguan. Additionally, Qingdao, Jinan, and Yantai in Shandong province, Hangzhou and Ningbo in Zhejiang province, as well as Fuzhou and Quanzhou in Fujian province, are also part of this group.

In 2024, various local governments in China have set their goals for the new year in their work reports. Xizang and Hainan, which saw the fastest GDP growth in 2023, have set their growth targets for this year at around 8 percent, the highest among all provincial-level regions. Most other provinces have set their GDP growth targets for 2024 at around 5 percent, which is roughly in line with the national GDP growth rate in 2023.

It is worth noting that the term “new productive forces” appeared for the first time in the work reports of several provincial-level regions. Sichuan province, for example, will focus on the layout and vigorous development of the artificial intelligence industry in order to promote new productive forces. Anhui province has proposed supporting the growth and expansion of the automobile industry and building world-class enterprises with Anhui characteristics.

Shanghai has listed 34 livelihood projects for 2024, including the addition of 4,000 beds for elderly care, 30 community canteens for the elderly, and the renovation of 3,000 beds for cognitive impairment care. Additionally, there will be an increase of 3,000 seats in public kindergartens and 7,000 seats of community childcare places. A total of 70,000 units of affordable rental housing and over 10,000 units of affordable housing will be constructed, along with the installation of 3,000 elevators in existing multi-story residential buildings.

Childcare, elderly care, and housing were buzzwords in Shanghai’s annual targets for the new year.

Ningbo, as a major city in foreign trade and manufacturing, will continue to leverage its advantages in 2024. The city vowed to achieve a growth rate in the value added of strategic emerging industries two percentage points higher than that of the industries above designated size. Additionally, it aims to establish over 30 provincial-level or higher demonstration projects in areas such as intelligent manufacturing and industrial internet. Furthermore, Ningbo plans to regularize the business of international navigation vessel bonded liquefied natural gas refueling.

In addition, boosting domestic demand and promoting consumption are also key tasks highlighted in the government work reports of multiple regions.

Beijing, focusing on the construction of an international consumption center city, has proposed to make great efforts to stimulate potential consumption by promoting the transformation and upgrading of traditional commercial areas and establishing international consumption experience zones.

Jiangsu has put forward plans to enhance the cultivation and promotion of new consumption formats in cultural tourism, aiming to create more trendy products and renew consumption scenarios.

In 2024, various regions in China are accelerating their pace.

By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily

Recently, the U.S. Department of Defense once again used “national security” as an excuse to include some Chinese chip and artificial intelligence (AI) companies on its discriminatory lists, and threatened to take further measures against these entities.

The U.S. side consistently invokes “national security,” overstretches the concept of national security, and abuses its state power to restrain the development of other countries’ enterprises. Its moves have seriously infringed upon the legitimate rights of others to develop, undermined the international economic and trade order and world trade rules, and threatened the stability of the global industrial and supply chains.

Every country has its national security concerns, but these concerns must be legitimate and reasonable. The concept must not be politicized and securitized, or be used to suppress and contain other countries’ development.

In recent years, the U.S. has overstretched the concept of “national security” to encompass almost anything in order to contain and suppress China.

Last August, the White House signed an executive order on setting up a screening mechanism on outbound investments and restricting U.S. entities’ investments in the semiconductors and microelectronics, quantum information technologies, and AI sectors in China.

Recently, The U.S. Department of Commerce announced it would investigate the supply chains of the U.S. semiconductor and national defense industries to assess their level of dependence on Chinese chips, again using the excuse of the so-called “national security” risks.

Some American politicians even hyped up Chinese-made port lifting equipment and Chinese video applications, which are popular among Americans, as threats to their “national security.” These practices are typical examples of pan-politicization and pan-securitization.

In the eyes of some U.S. politicians, “national security” has become a catch-all excuse for unreasonable and brutal suppression of foreign companies. In recent years, the U.S. has continuously politicized, instrumentalized, and weaponized economic, trade, and technological issues under the guise of “national security,” resorting to all means to suppress Chinese companies and restrict normal economic and trade cooperation between its domestic companies and China.

Such an approach essentially aims to promote de-globalization and “de-Sinicization,” creating a chilling effect in economic and trade cooperation and serving its purpose of pushing for “decoupling and breaking the chain.”

The U.S. has forcefully labeled other countries’ companies as “national security risks,” using it as an excuse for the so-called “de-risking” narrative, which has posed serious risks to international economic and trade cooperation as well as the stability of the global industrial and supply chains.

In fact, the risk that the world needs to get rid of the most is confrontation and rivalry caused by pan-politicization, and the dependence that needs to be reduced the most is the act of returning to protectionism.

The U.S. overstretching the concept of national security is a complete departure from the principles of market economy and fair competition that it has long claimed to champion.

When it comes to pursuing global hegemony, coercing other nations, and disregarding international norms in the early 21st century, the United States is the country that comes to mind, said a U.S. media outlet.

The principles of market competition and international trade rules, which the U.S. claimed to advocate, are only followed when they are beneficial to the U.S. American politicians may talk about fair competition, but deep down they believe in “America First” and wield the “sanctions stick.”

The Chinese chip and AI companies that have been included in the discriminatory lists by the U.S. are all key players in high-tech industries. These industries are exactly the areas where American politicians have repeatedly claimed to win the competition against China.

The deliberate designation of various discriminatory lists by the U.S. and the inclusion of Chinese companies are aimed at using state power to suppress Chinese enterprises, create obstacles to China’s technological innovation, hinder China’s high-quality development, and deprive the Chinese people of their right to development. This action violates international trade rules and is inconsistent with the principle of fair competition.

Recently, a U.S. senator repeatedly questioned a company executive in the hearing whether the executive has Chinese nationality. It has exposed that the so-called “threats to national security” claimed by the U.S. side are false, while containing and suppressing China is the real motive.

Some American politicians always see China as the primary competitor and the most significant geopolitical challenge. According to their logic, the U.S. can develop advanced semiconductor, quantum information technology, and AI, while China’s development of advanced technology and innovation is seen as a “security threat.”

They believe that the U.S. can only talk about fair competition only when it maintains its leading position, and that China’s potential threat to its lead is a “security threat.” This is undeniably a hegemonic logic and double standard.

The U.S. side must correct all discriminatory practices and provide a fair, just, and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese businesses. It should do more to promote mutual trust and cooperation between the two sides, and engage in actions that benefit global economic and trade exchanges and cooperation.

Efforts, implied or explicit, to shape or change China over several decades did not succeed, said a senior U.S. official, adding the two countries must find a way to co-exist in competition.

For China and the U.S., turning their back on each other is not an option. It is unrealistic for one side to remodel the other. The U.S. should engage in more rational thinking, and refrain from using aggressive and unreasonable measures to suppress.

The U.S. has publicly promised that it has no intention to seek decoupling from China or halt China’s economic development. It should demonstrate sincerity and take action to stop politicizing, instrumentalizing, and weaponizing economic, trade, and technological issues, so as to create a favorable environment for normal economic and trade cooperation between China and the U.S.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)

By Guan Kejiang, People’s Daily

Newly installed solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity is expected to reach 375 gigawatts globally in 2023, growing 31.8 percent year on year, said an annual report recently issued by the International Energy Agency.

China’s solar PV installations last year equaled to the world’s total in 2022. Demetrios Papathanasiou, global director for the World Bank’s Energy and Extractives Global Practice, believes that developing the solar PV industry is crucial for addressing climate change and promoting energy transition.

At the 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) held last year, the development of solar energy was one of the key topics discussed.

The agreement reached at the COP28 for the first time acknowledged the decreasing costs and technological innovations in solar energy, wind energy, and energy storage, recognizing their potential in achieving climate goals. It called on countries to transition away from fossil fuels in a just, orderly, and fair manner within the energy system.

In recent years, the global PV industry has been experiencing rapid growth. According to relevant statistics, the average annual growth of PV installations worldwide reached 28 percent from 2019 to 2023.

Consulting firm Wood Mackenzie said that solar energy has become the most cost-competitive energy source in most countries. The PV industry is expected to maintain a high growth rate over the next decade.

Former Vice Chair of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Mohan Munasinghe, noted that sustainable development is a crucial challenge for human society. The continuous innovation and growing advantages of solar PV technology provide developing countries with options for achieving economic sustainability, transitioning to clean energy, and protecting the environment.

The Francisco Pizarro PV plant in Extremadura, Spain, began operation in 2022 and is one of the largest operational PV power stations in Europe. All the solar panels used in this plant were sourced from China.

In Garissa County, Kenya, the Garissa solar power plant constructed by a Chinese company, has effectively addressed the issue of electricity shortage in the local area, providing continuous clean electricity to local residents.

In recent years, the Bank of China (BOC) has been involved in various solar power projects, such as the Al Dhafra PV2 solar project in the United Arab Emirates and the 300 MW Sakaka solar PV project in Saudi Arabia. Last year, the bank issued a $500 million green bond with a focus on the Belt and Road Initiative.

Pan Xinyuan, general manager of Bank of China Dubai Branch, said that China, as the world’s largest producer of solar components, has a leading advantage in solar project construction. Chinese banks, as a bridge connecting production capacity and market demand, can play a positive role in promoting global energy transformation.

Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency, noted that China has achieved remarkable success in the development of clean energy, such as solar and wind power, as well as the electric vehicle industry, making it a champion in the field of clean energy.

Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, minister of Industry and Advanced Technology of the United Arab Emirates and president-designate of the COP28, emphasized that China’s continuous leadership in clean energy technology is a crucial factor in facilitating global energy transition, addressing climate change, and promoting development.

Xiao Jinyu, deputy director-general of Economic and Technology Research Institute, Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization, said in an interview with People’s Daily that China has elevated the acceleration of renewable energy development to a level of ensuring national energy security and strengthening ecological progress, achieving rapid progress in a short period of time.

It is exactly because of China’s vigorous development of renewable energy that the cost of solar power generation has decreased by nearly 90 percent globally in recent years, and wind power cost by 80 percent.

Ahmed Mohamed Mohina, vice minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy of Egypt, said that the Chinese solution is of great significance to global energy transition and climate governance. It provides feasible solutions for African and Arab countries to promote energy transition, stimulate economic development, and improve ecological environment. Erik Solheim, vice president of the Belt and Road Initiative International Green Development Coalition and former UN under-secretary-general, noted that China has made significant contributions to the global development of renewable energy. It has also provided innovative driving forces for the economic development and green and low-carbon transformation of developing countries.

By Ye Ban

The 78th UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution by consensus to list the Lunar New Year, known as Spring Festival in China, as a UN floating holiday.

It’s another example of the increasing international appeal of the Spring Festival, showcasing once again the influence of Chinese culture.

The festival, born in China, has become a global cultural event, bringing joy to people around the world.

The Spring Festival is becoming a global holiday. Some rough estimates suggest that the festival is a public holiday in almost 20 countries and is celebrated in various ways by about one-fifth of humanity.

In recent years, a “Spring Festival fever” has been heating up overseas. Every Spring Festival, dignitaries from various countries send greetings to the Chinese people.

Since 2010, a series of activities celebrating the festival have been hosted across the world, from New York in the United States to Tokyo in Japan, from Madrid in Spain to Belgrade in Serbia, and from Moscow in Russia to Auckland in New Zealand.

Splendid events such as traditional dragon and lion dances, Chinese New Year painting, dumpling making, and temple fairs have been hosted globally, allowing people of different nationalities and cultural backgrounds to experience traditional Chinese culture immersively and have a great time.

The adoption of the resolution shows that the Spring Festival has been warmly welcomed and supported by UN member states and staff of the UN Secretariat. The festival will become more and more international.

The Spring Festival is a window for the world to better perceive China. As the most ancient and important traditional festival in Chinese culture, the Spring Festival is a time for family reunions and ringing in the new year.

For Chinese people both at home and abroad, no matter where they are or how far they have traveled, going home for the Chinese New Year is a tradition always cherished.

The New Year’s atmosphere comes with the warmth of a family reunion after a long journey, the hustle and bustle of visiting relatives and friends with gifts, the joyous celebrations in streets decorated with lanterns, and the wishes for a better life in the coming new year.

As times change, Chinese people have found more ways to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Digital red envelopes have become a new festive element, and many families are spending the festival on trips. Regardless of the changing forms, what remains unchanged is the deep-rooted family culture ingrained in the Chinese people.

A BBC documentary introducing the Spring Festival focused on the spectacular sight of hundreds of millions of Chinese people traveling home for family reunions. Understanding the Spring Festival means understanding the deep-rooted longing for family reunions and the strong sense of patriotism that binds the Chinese people together.

The Chinese Lunar New Year builds a bridge for exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. It symbolizes joy, harmony and peace and its Chinese name “Spring Festival” conveys the greetings and warmth of the spring season. The festival embodies the core values of harmony, love and peace in Chinese culture, and carries the common values of humanity including harmonious family, social inclusion and sound relationship between man and nature.

China’s promotion of the festival as a UN floating holiday is a pragmatic step toward implementing its Global Civilizations Initiative and advocating respect for the diversity of the world’s civilizations, conveying the hope for harmonious coexistence, mutual reinforcement, and exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations. The efforts also represent the aspiration for people from all countries to understand and befriend each other, and to work together hand in hand.

Egyptian Ambassador to China Assem Hanafi saw the similarities between the Egyptian and Chinese people in cherishing family and kinship through traditional Chinese festivals such as the Spring Festival. He said that people from all countries are in greater need of the happiness that festivals bring in the turbulent world today.

Sitting together with family, listening to each other, and sharing laughter are the most comforting times for people. The Spring Festival is exactly a perfect opportunity for Chinese and friends from all over the world to share Chinese culture and enjoy wonderful moments together.

With the adoption of the UN resolution, the cultural significance of the festival will resonate more widely among people from different countries. This will effectively promote the exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and showcase the values of diversity and inclusiveness advocated by the UN.

By Li Kaixuan, People’s Daily

In a workshop of Zigong Longteng Culture and Art Co., Ltd. based in Zigong, southwest China’s Sichuan province, the skeleton of a loong-shaped lantern was completed amid flying sparks from welding.

Loong, or Chinese dragon, the fifth sign in the traditional Chinese zodiac animal cycle, represents a totem of the Chinese nation. This year’s Chinese Spring Festival coincides with the Year of the Loong.

On the other side, a worker meticulously pasted and colored the scales of the “loong,” gradually revealing the enchanting charm of the lantern.

The lantern production process is complex, including designing, drafting blueprints, selecting appropriate materials for shaping, arranging lighting and drive systems, gluing, and painting, which requires many skilled workers.

During festivals, the lantern industry in Zigong can drive 100,000 people employment, including temporary labor, said Deng Peilin, chairman of Zigong Longteng Culture and Art Co., Ltd.

Lanterns are a symbol of Zigong and a crucial driver of local economic development. As early as the Spring Festival in 1964, the first lantern festival of the city was held, which bonded the city with lanterns.

After years of development, the lantern industry in Zigong today, including design, manufacturing, exhibition and other segments, has become increasingly specialized, with the industrial chain being continuously improved.

Nowadays, there are over 1,000 lantern-related companies in Zigong, with an annual output value of about 6 billion yuan ($830 million) and a share of 85 percent in the domestic lantern exhibition market.

Many of the orders received by Deng’s company were from overseas. “Thanks to the popularity of the Zigong lantern festival, lantern products are widely showcased at important exhibitions and major international sales platforms such as the Canton Fair. This ensures sales channels for our lantern products,” said Deng.

On Feb. 2 this year, the 30th Zigong International Dinosaur Lantern Festival officially kicked off. A group of lanterns featuring “nian” (year in Chinese), a mythical beast thought to have preyed on people and livestock at the turn of the year in Chinese myth, attracted many visitors. These giant mechanical monsters swayed their heads and roared from time to time.

Weighing over 10 tons, these “beasts” can flexibly complete more than a dozen moves, said Zhong Yi, chief planner of the lantern fair. Zhong noted that these “beasts,” made by colorful lamp craft combined with simulated dinosaur mechanical drive, were equipped with “AI brains,” enabling them to “talk” with visitors.

The Zigong International Dinosaur Lantern Festival hosted each year is a feast of excellent craftsmanship, materials, and design concepts.

For instance, a lantern set for the first time used water-soluble resin molding, making the characters’ faces almost lifelike.

Design concepts of lanterns are also updated. Popular game and trendy toy characters have been made into lanterns, and the lantern fair used spray guns and airbrushes to depict color gradients, creating a visually dazzling effect.

It is learned that Zigong’s lantern industry holds over 160 patents and 7,000 lantern copyrights. In 2023, Zigong’s lantern companies undertook over 200 colored lantern projects.

Continued innovation relies on the support of talent. Sichuan University of Science and Engineering established China’s first lantern school. Zigong Vocational and Technical College has set up a colored lantern major. Every year, over 2,000 “lantern craftsmen” are cultivated in Zigong.

On Feb. 11, a Chinese lantern festival was hosted in Montauban, France, which received a total of more than 300,000 visits. Huang Mingshu, who heads an overseas engineering team of Zigong Lantern Group and participated in organizing the lantern festival, said he was proud as a part of the event.

Last September, Huang and his team went to France for the preparation of the lantern festival. “We had a team of over 80 people, including all the necessary trades for designing, producing, and installation,” he said.

The materials and semi-finished products for making the lanterns were transported by China-Europe freight trains or by sea, and then further processed by the team on-site. It took about three months to complete the installation.

In 1990, Zigong lanterns made their first appearance overseas in Singapore. Since then, they have been exhibited in over 80 countries and regions, capturing 92 percent of the overseas lantern exhibition market.

In 2023, lantern enterprises in Zigong launched 90 overseas projects, achieving a cultural export value of $50.61 million.

Zigong has also established a lantern metaverse research and development center, which extensively applies technologies such as holographic projection and laser water curtain films to overseas lantern festivals.

Culture becomes more colorful because of communication. At the lantern festival held in France, visitors could enter a fantasy world composed of scenes such as the vast starry sky and mysterious forest, guided by a “magical hat.” Chinese elements such as landscapes and giant pandas were interspersed with Western cultural elements.

“We have introduced cartoon characters like Snoopy and Peter Rabbit at the lantern festival, and also used lanterns to interpret picture books by foreign authors. These exhibits were highly appreciated by foreign visitors,” said Li Zhongwen, general manager of the international market department of Zigong Lantern Group.

Tags: Belt and Road ForumCHINA

By Liu Shiyao, Hu Runxin, People’s Daily

China’s Qinling Station started operation on Inexpressible Island in the Terra Nova Bay of Antarctica on Feb. 7.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter on the completion of the building of the Qinling Station and its operation in Antarctica. He said the completion of the building of the Qinling Station will provide a strong guarantee for scientists in China and around the world to continue to explore the mysteries of nature and bravely ascend the peak of science.

Antarctica has immense value for scientific research. It is hailed as the golden key to unlock the Earth’s mysteries and a natural science laboratory.

Because of its distinctive geographical conditions and natural environment, changes in Antarctica will have incalculable impacts on the global climate and environment.

The Qinling Station is China’s fifth research station in Antarctica, after the Great Wall, Zhongshan, Kunlun, and Taishan Stations. It is also China’s third Antarctic research base to be operational throughout the year.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of China’s polar expedition. Over the past 40 years, China has launched five stations and two research vessels for Antarctic research, entering an era of three-dimensional development across sea, land and air.

The Great Wall Station is located on King George Island, the Zhongshan Station in the Larsemann Hills, the Kunlun Station and Taishan Station in Antarctica’s inland region, and the Qinling Station in the Ross Sea area. Their geographic differences exactly bring greater value to scientific research.

The region where the Great Wall Station is located is suitable for subantarctic ecological monitoring and research. The Zhongshan Station is an ideal place to observe and study the evolution of the Antarctic ice sheet and the interactions between the ice shelf and the ocean. It is also an excellent location for research in aerophysics, geology, geophysics and other disciplines.

The Kunlun and Taishan stations in Antarctica’s inland enable frontier research in ice core science, atmospheric science and astronomical science.

The Ross Sea region features interactions between the lithosphere, cryosphere, biosphere and atmosphere – different layers of the Earth system. This helps researchers investigate important scientific questions like how changes in Antarctica affect the whole world.

Over the past 40 years, China has become a driving force in Antarctic scientific exploration, achieving many breakthroughs in fields like glaciology, space science, bio-ecology, and climate change.

Countless “firsts” have marked the fruitful achievements of China’s Antarctic expeditions.

The first Chinese Antarctic expedition team conducted the first multidisciplinary field scientific survey near the Great Wall Station.

During the 19th Chinese Antarctic expedition, China tracked and monitored changes in the thickness of Antarctic sea ice for the first time in the world.

The 21st expedition team entered the area of the Dome Argus (Dome A), the peak of Antarctica’s inland icecap, and carried out substantive scientific investigations, for the first time in the history of Antarctic research.

In recent years, China has conducted continuous observations of the atmosphere, ocean, sea ice, glaciers, soil, bio-ecology and other elements of Antarctica. This has made important contributions to the international community’s understanding of the polar regions, especially the interaction between global climate change and Antarctica.

Over the past 40 years, China has always been an active contributor to environmental protection in Antarctica.

In early September 1990, the Great Wall Station temporarily halted the use of all vehicles and required staff to walk on foot, in order to ensure a good environment for seals around the station during their pregnancy and following childbirth.

At the 31st Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting in 2008, the Antarctic Specially Protected Area around Mount Harding in the middle of the Grove Mountains proposed by China was approved. As the first Antarctic Specially Protected Area independently proposed by China, it has made positive contributions to environmental protection in the region.

China’s first independently built polar icebreaker, the Xuelong 2, is a well-deserved “green” vessel. From the control of exhaust emissions, sewage and waste discharge, to real-time regulation of air conditioning and heating, and even the use of paints, all are in strict compliance with environmental requirements.

Environmental protection was also integrated throughout the construction process of the Qinling Station. Through integrated design, domestic modular customization and pre-assembly were implemented to save energy, water and materials.

In addition, the station reduced the number of temporary facilities and construction personnel on site to minimize the scope of construction activities, aligning with the goal of building an environmentally sustainable research station.

Over the past 40 years, China has become an important participant in the international governance of Antarctica.

In 1983, China acceded to the Antarctic Treaty. In October 1985, China became a consultative party to the Antarctic Treaty, obtaining decision-making status in international polar affairs.

In 2017, China successfully hosted the 40th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting and the 20th Meeting of the Committee for Environmental Protection, where it led the proposal of an international initiative on green expeditions, which was widely recognized by the international community.

In 2023, China and several other countries jointly submitted a proposal to promote international cooperation on aerial surveys of the Antarctic ice cap and improve the accuracy of global sea level rise projections.

Since 2012, China has submitted over 80 proposals individually or jointly to relevant polar international organizations, comprehensively participating in the formulation of rules and regulations related to polar environmental protection and resource conservation.

By Shi Yuanhao, People’s Daily

Brazil exported more than 39.24 million 60-kg bags of coffee last year, on par with those in 2022, according to the the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council.

Of these, 1.48 million bags were exported to China, a significant 278.6 percent increase over 2022, making China the 6th largest export destination for Brazilian coffee.

“In 2017, Brazil’s coffee exports to China were less than 83,000 bags. In recent years, coffee consumption in the Chinese market has achieved continuous growth, and Brazilian coffee is gaining more popularity,” said Marcos Antonio Matos, director general of the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council.

He said that with its large population, China still has great room for growth in coffee consumption. Brazil values the Chinese coffee market and hopes more Chinese merchants will purchase Brazilian coffee beans.

Minas Gerais is one of Brazil’s main coffee producing states. It said on its news website that the Chinese market provides important opportunities for the Brazilian coffee industry.

Specialty coffee is one of the key growth areas for Brazilian coffee exports to China. The Mantiqueira region, located at the junction of Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro states, has high altitudes and large diurnal temperature variation, making it a sound place for growing coffee.

Helcio Junior, Executive Director of Unique Cafes located in Mantiqueira, said that his company has cooperated with its Chinese partners for eight years and long been engaged in the promotion and sales of specialty coffee in China.

Unique Cafes has also participated in the China International Import Expo in Shanghai multiple times through the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency.

“The Chinese market is boosting growth in Brazilian coffee exports,” said Junior.

The Cerrado Coffee Growers Federation in Minas Gerais recently said that China is one of the most promising countries for importing high-quality Brazilian coffee in the future, and expanding the coffee business in the Chinese market will be an important effort going forward.

Brazil’s CarmoCoffees, mainly engaged in coffee bean exports, often sends its commercial trader for the Chinese market, Brayan Cunha Souza, to participate in relevant exhibitions held in Chinese cities.

“In many Chinese cities, you can see more and more coffee shops popping up on streets and alleys. Demand in the Chinese market for Brazilian coffee, especially specialty coffee, continues to grow,” Souza said.

Brazilian coffee brands attach great importance to the Chinese market and will continue to strengthen cooperation with Chinese partners, he added.

“There are certain differences among Brazil’s coffee-producing regions, so we can provide coffees with diverse flavors,” said Eduardo Heron Santos, technical director of the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council.

He added that the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council is committed to investing in research on coffee varieties and tastes to further meet the diversified demands of the Chinese coffee market.

By Lin Zihan, Wu Yue

Recently, China-Europe green cooperation has been making significant progress in new energy investment and green trade.

German automaker Audi is making rapid progress in the construction of its first purely electric vehicle production base in Changchun, northeast China’s Jilin province. Meanwhile, the Dabar Hydropower Plant in Bosnia and Herzegovina is currently being built by China Gezhouba Group. The Manduria 7MW photovoltaic power plant in Italy undertaken by China National Machinery Import & Export Corporation Europe has been officially delivered.

A recent report by the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to China highlighted that green cooperation has become a key area of collaboration between China and the EU. Strengthening policy coordination and dialogue and promoting information exchange and cooperation are beneficial for the two sides to jointly address global climate, energy, and environmental challenges, and promote sustainable development.

Europe Renewable Energy Company (EREC) under China Energy Investment Corporation has built a wind power project in Thrace, Greece, which comprises four wind farms. The project generates approximately 160 million kilowatt-hours of green electricity annually, contributing to the rapid development of renewable energy in Greece and surrounding regions.

It is reported, since the completion of the Thrace wind power project in 2020, the EREC has cumulatively produced approximately 632 million kilowatt-hours of green electricity, which was supplied to 30,000 households in Greece. This is equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 630,100 tons and saving 255,300 tons of standard coal.

The Thrace wind power project is a vivid example of green cooperation between China and Europe. In recent years, China and Europe have collaborated in various fields such as green energy, green manufacturing, and green services through the establishment of energy cooperation platforms and the sharing of clean energy technologies and experiences.

According to the United Nations Comtrade database, trade volume of green goods between China and Europe exceeded $56 billion in 2019, a 14-fold increase from 2000. Statistics from the International Energy Agency showed that in 2022, approximately 46 percent of Europe’s wind power generation was contributed by Chinese products.

Wang Yiwei, director of the EU Research Center at Renmin University of China, noted that Europe is at the forefront of addressing climate change and promoting green development, with abundant practical experience as well as industrial and technological resources. China and the EU share common goals and a solid foundation for cooperation in relevant fields, he added.

“China and the EU are strengthening coordination at three levels: domestic policies, bilateral cooperation, and multilateral collaboration, with an aim of jointly addressing global challenges such as climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss,” said Yao Ling, director of the Institute of European Studies, Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.

She noted that in terms of domestic policies, the EU’s carbon market construction started early and has now entered its fourth phase. China can learn from the EU’s carbon market construction and adopt its good experiences and practices, Yao added.

When it comes to bilateral cooperation, China and Europe can deepen green collaboration in clean energy and transportation. This includes focusing on solar energy, wind energy, hydrogen power generation and storage, clean coal and coal chemical technologies, carbon capture, utilization, and storage, as well as the upstream and downstream segments of the new energy vehicle supply chain.

In terms of multilateral coordination, China and Europe can strengthen their cooperation on international platforms such as the United Nations Climate Change Conferences and the United Nations Biodiversity Conference. This will help promote consensus among participating parties on climate governance and contribute to global green transformation and development.

“Most of the countries in Europe are low-lying countries, and climate change is causing economic, ecological, and livelihood losses in Europe. There is an urgent need in Europe for energy transition and climate change mitigation. China, on the other hand, has been consistently leading the world in clean energy investment for many years. The combination of China’s investment and production capacity advantages with Europe’s need for energy transition will facilitate more green cooperation,” Wang noted.

In the sector of electric vehicle, the complementary nature of the Chinese and European industries is also anticipated.

According to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, while electric cars from China are entering the European market, European cars are also gaining popularity in the Chinese market.

China is the third largest export market for the EU’s automotive industry, following the United Kingdom and the United States. A report by the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU revealed that in the field of pure electric passenger cars, EU exports to China in 2022 increased by 151 percent year on year.

“Despite controversies such as anti-subsidy investigations, Chinese and European companies have maintained close cooperation in the field of electric vehicles in recent years. This clearly demonstrates that China-Europe green collaboration meets the expectations of both sides,” said Yao.

“China and Europe enjoy a wide range of areas and great potential in their green cooperation,” Wang said, adding that both sides should expand cooperation in clean energy production, green finance, as well as digitalization and intelligentization of green industries.

It is important for both sides to continue strengthening strategic communication and coordination, enhancing mutual trust, focusing on cooperation, overcoming obstacles, and solidifying and strengthening the China-Europe green partnership.