A seminar on commemorating the 65th anniversary of the democratic reform of Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region was held in Beijing on Thursday, with scholars from China, Australia and Germany reviewing the epoch-making event of emancipation of 1 million serfs, and the region's miraculous development in various fields over the past 65 years. They also shared their views on Xizang's practice of Chinese modernization.
On March 28, 1959, people in Xizang launched democratic reform, freeing a million serfs. In 2009, the regional legislature announced March 28 as the day to commemorate the emancipation of the one million serfs.
Democratic reform in Xizang is the inevitable path of historical development and the urgent demand of all ethnic groups in the region. Xizang has made tremendous achievements in safeguarding human rights, with people of all ethnic groups enjoying extensive and full democratic rights, Wang Yanwen, deputy secretary general of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, said at the seminar.
Xizang has witnessed a comprehensive transformation in economic and social development, protection of religious freedom, preservation and promotion of excellent traditional culture, and comprehensive improvement in the legal protection of human rights, which also underscores the political advantages of the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the advantages of socialism with Chinese characteristics, said Wang.
The democratic reform in Xizang is a monumental historical event that propelled progress in human rights and social development in the region. It also stands as a landmark event in the history of human civilization and the advancement of global human rights, said Chen Zongrong, deputy director-general of the China Tibetology Research Center (CTRC).
Chen noted that commemorating this great event is crucial for distinguishing right from wrong, adhering to justice and fairness, clarifying misconceptions, refuting disinformation and exposing hypocrisy.
The expert noted that the Dalai Lama clique and overseas anti-China forces spare no effort in maliciously attacking the democratic reform in Xizang. They excessively glorify the social system of old Xizang, portraying the cruel, dark, barbaric, backward, and authoritarian old Xizang as a paradise on earth. They label the armed rebellion instigated by the upper class in old Xizang, led by the Dalai Lama, to resist democratic reform as an "anti-oppression uprising," which is a complete distortion of truth and a betrayal of conscience.
The Dalai Lama clique and overseas anti-China forces turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to the region's economic, social, and human rights development. Their relentless attacks fully expose their hypocritical faces, said Chen.
Commemorating the democratic reform in Xizang is related to advancing social progress in the region and demonstrating full confidence in promoting long-term stability and high-quality development in Xizang through the comprehensive advancement of Chinese modernization, according to Chen.
Scholars attending the Thursday seminar also systematically reviewed the enormous achievements made in Xizang's economic and social development.
They noted that for the past 65 years, Xizang has experienced leapfrog development in its economic and social sectors. The living standards of all ethnic groups in the region have significantly improved, and there has been a notable increase in the happiness and sense of fulfillment among the residents.
The Tibetan Plateau has witnessed prosperous economic development, comprehensive social progress, a favorable ecological environment, and increased happiness among the people. Xizang's development has entered its best period in history, said the scholars.
A reading material in a Chinese test for junior high school students in Chengdu, Southwest China’s Sichuan Province, has recently sparked controversy for allegedly glorifying Japanese invaders and insulting China’s Eighth Route Army in their fight during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-1945). The author of the controversial material has since been dismissed from his position, the Global Times learned on Tuesday.
According to photos circulated on the internet by netizens, the reading comprehension material in the Chinese language test for junior high school grade three students in Xindu district titled “Dujuanhualuo,” which literally translates to “falling azaleas,” depicted a story from the perspective of a Japanese invader who attacked and bombed the Eighth Route Army for capturing his son who was on the way to visit him but accidentally killed his own son.
The article used a series of inappropriate words with negative connotation to describe the actions of the Eighth Route Army such as “flee” and described the Japanese invader holding his son’s corpse with blood spewing “like peony flowers withering,” which was criticized for portraying the death as overly moving and tragic.
The official WeChat account of Xindu district released a notice on Monday evening stating that in response to the negative influence of the reading material, a joint investigation team has been established to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident. The relevant teaching and research staff, as well as the head of the district education science research institute, have been suspended from duty. According to the probe results, the personnel responsible for the incident will be seriously dealt with in accordance with related regulations.
Netizens pointed out that according to the information revealed on the test paper and the information on the internet, the essay was written and posted online by a middle school headmaster named Li Jiaqian from Tangyin county in Central China’s Henan Province in 2023. Tangyin county is the hometown of Yue Fei, a military commander during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), who was famous for his loyalty and courage.
The Global Times learned on Tuesday from an employee from the education bureau in Tangyin county that Li had been dismissed from his position and that the local authorities are currently dealing with this matter with great importance attached to it.
The test paper has been called “poisonous” and sparked heated discussions on the internet, with many netizens expressing their anger over how such material could appear in a test.
“I initially thought that the criticism was just nitpicking the wording and exaggerated interpretation, but after reading the whole article, I felt horrified. How dare they forget about the suffering and bloodshed of so many Chinese compatriots and soldiers!” a netizen commented.
Other netizens pointed out that all the parties involved should be held accountable for including such material in the test paper. They also noted how terrifying it was that someone like Li existed in the educational system.
The Chinese Ministry of National Defense (MOD) on Sunday vowed to take resolute measures against the Philippines should it continue to challenge China's bottom line, with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) announcing a combat exercise was conducted recently in the South China Sea.
Senior Colonel Wu Qian, an MOD spokesperson, said in a statement on Sunday that the Philippines broke its promises and is vainly attempting to fortify its illegally grounded warship on Ren'ai Jiao (also known as Ren'ai Reef) into a permanent facility, a move that China will by no means sit by and watch.
Demanding the Philippines to stop all infringing and provocative moves, Wu warned that if the Philippines repeatedly challenges China's bottom line, China will continue to take resolute measures to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights.
Wu's remarks came after the China Coast Guard (CCG) on Saturday repelled a Philippine attempt to reinforce the illegally grounded Philippine warship on China's Ren'ai Jiao in the South China Sea.
The CCG completely intercepted the Philippines' cargo ship using water cannon, according to an on-site video the Global Times obtained from the CCG.
The PLA Southern Theater Command on Sunday said in a press release that a naval landing ship detachment recently conducted a multi-course, highly intensive combat exercise in the South China Sea featuring the PLANS (PLA Navy Ship) Wuzhishan and Changbaishan.
According to photos attached to the press release and the publicly available information, the PLANS Wuzhishan and Changbaishan are Type 071 comprehensive landing ships.
China Central Television reported previously that the Type 071 has a displacement of about 20,000 tons and can act as a beach assault base by sending armored vehicles and hovercraft at an optimal landing distance.
Facing the Philippines' repeated provocations on Chinese islands and reefs, China has exercised restraint and deployed reciprocal countermeasures, namely the law enforcement forces from the coast guard, but not the navy, a Beijing-based military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Sunday.
However, if the Philippines escalates the situation, brings its armed forces or even forces from outside the region into the equation, the PLA is always ready to safeguard territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, the expert said.
The PLA Navy, Air Force and the CCG recently held a joint exercise, which analysts said displayed their interoperability.
China is willing to resolve the disputes through talks, and had made temporary special arrangements under humanitarian considerations that allowed necessary living materials to be supplied to the Philippines' illegally grounded warship, observers said, urging the Philippines to return to the right track of dialogues.
The Philippines should notify China about its resupply operations, and the CCG will conduct verification of the materials to be carried by the Philippine vessels, Ding Duo, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at the China Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Sunday.
But China only allows such necessary living materials, with no building materials allowed to reinforce the hull or build permanent facilities, Ding said.
The second session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) and the second session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) will conclude on March 11 and 10, respectively. The two sessions are a crucial window into China's whole-process people's democracy and will offer the world a window through which to observe the country's development and understand its policy direction for the following year.
The Global Times has initiated a series of articles under the theme "understanding China through motions and proposals." This article, the second installment of the series, glimpses into what kind of new social trends China is striving to create through the proposals and motions heatedly discussed in the two sessions. A society that lightens burden for the young
During the two sessions, the well-known Chinese media personality Bai Yansong called for a more youth friendly society to help reduce their burdens, rather than blindly blaming younger generations for "ken lao" (or solely relying on parents). Bai's comments quickly won applause on the internet.
"Ken lao" has been a popular internet term in recent decades, describing a phenomenon of young people choosing to retreat to their homes and receive financial support from their families due to the competitive work environment.
China's 2024 Government Work Report pointed out to strengthen social security by reducing the burden of family planning, child-rearing, and education. Bai fully backs it, while calling for more reflection on how society could ramp up efforts to provide practical measures to reduce the burden on the younger generation.
From Bai's remarks, to motions calling for more affordable housing for young people; from proposals to including childcare in public services to empower young parents, from voices of lawmakers and political advisors to calls for more workplace off time for young employees … At this year's two sessions, issues that concern young people around employment, marriage and childbirth, housing, and healthcare have received attention from the public.
"China will improve the population development strategy, establish a policy system to boost birth rates, and bring down the costs of pregnancy and childbirth, child rearing and schooling," noted a Report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC. In 2024, many local governments have proposed that they will introduce more policies to boost birth rates.
According to the 2024 Report on Child-Rearing Costs released by YuWa Population Research think tank, raising a child to the age of 18 costs 6.3 times the per capita GDP. Financial pressure has also become a major killer for many young Chinese couples who are afraid to have children.
During the two sessions, many CPPCC National Committee members and NPC deputies have suggested integrating childcare services into the public service system.
Wu Ruijun, a member of CPPCC National Committee, pointed out that the childcare service institutions in China set a relatively high price, as they're often faced with high operational costs such as rent and labor expenses. NPC deputy Zhong Can further suggested that relevant policies should be established, providing free or low-cost venues for universal childcare services and thus reducing their operational costs to the minimum.
More policies that promote work-life balance have become a new highlight of this year's two sessions.
NPC deputy Huo Qigang suggested increasing the number of days off for young people, implementing a mandatory paid annual leave policy, and improving regulations on illegal practices by companies, because he believes that young Chinese people today have obviously short annual leave.
Similarly, political advisor Lü Guoquan from Hong Kong delegation proposed to enshrine the right to rest after work in law, and to increase the cost of illegal overtime work by companies to rectify the prevalent culture of overtime work.
Lü stated in a media interview that in the age of the internet, digital information technology has blurred the "boundaries" between work and life, with some employers still assigning work to employees remotely through platforms like WeChat after work hours, requiring them to respond to work-related messages and sacrificing their personal rest time.
Therefore, Lü suggested introducing relevant offline rest rights in labor laws and increasing the cost of illegal overtime work imposed by companies.
CPPCC National Committee member Jiang Shengnan called for reducing the burden on grass-roots workers in her proposal, reducing the cumbersome formalities in the workplace and avoiding wasting a large amount of time and energy on report filling and material writing. She suggested the effective use of big data platforms to coordinate and improve the efficiency of grass-roots work.
"We can tell from the two sessions that China places high hopes on the youth and intends to ease their burden. One keyword for this year's two sessions is the new quality productive forces, with young people being the mainstay. There are proposals and motions aiming to enhance the productivity of young people by reducing their burdens. For example, there is a proposal that technological workers should be free from tedious administrative work. The relevant measures and policies fully demonstrate the effectiveness of our socialist market economy system and reflect that the Party and the government do care for our young people," Su Wei, a professor from the Party School of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, told the Global Times. A society driven by scientific, tech innovation
The 2024 Government Work Report says that innovative development of the digital economy will be promoted, an Artificial Intelligence Plus initiative will be launched, and the country will consolidate and enhance its leading position in industries such as intelligent connected new-energy vehicles.
This not only demonstrates China's ambition in the field of emerging technologies, but also reflects that artificial intelligence has become a new driving force for economic and social development. Artificial intelligence has also become one of the hottest topics during the two sessions.
NPC deputies and CPPCC National Committee members at the two sessions discussed the future development of the artificial intelligence industry from different perspectives, providing ideas for the future development of China's artificial intelligence industry.
Lei Jun, NPC deputy, also the founder of Chinese smartphone brand Xiaomi, proposed four motions, focusing on areas such as green and low-carbon, artificial intelligence, intelligent driving, and intelligent manufacturing.
In terms of artificial intelligence, Lei suggested to absorb artificial intelligence courses into the compulsory education stage, promoting artificial intelligence majors in universities, and encouraging large enterprises and training institutions to cultivate application-oriented talents in artificial intelligence.
Suggestions for the development of robots and intelligent manufacturing industry were also heatedly discussed in the two sessions. This year's key point "new quality productive forces" is also reflected on core element of technological innovation.
For example, China's robot industry is developing rapidly and is the world's largest consumer and producer of robots. High-end manufacturing plays an important role in China's economy. However, currently, more than 90 percent of robots used in high-end manufacturing are monopolized by foreign brands from developed Western countries.
In response to this, CPPCC National Committee member Sun Zhiqiang suggested that a national robot association should be established to create an innovative ecosystem for the robot industry that integrates technology, talent, platforms, finance, policies, and international cooperation, to promoting cross-sectoral coordination and achieve new quality productive forces.
Regional governments are also prioritizing innovation and emerging industries in their government reports this year. For instances, Central China's Anhui plans to become an innovation hub for quantum information, fusion energy and deep space exploration; while the city of Changsha in Central China is comprehensively building a global research and development center.
"Since the beginning of the reform and opening-up, the strategy for invigorating China through science and education has always been our focus. Today, only champions survive in the fierce global technological competition. That's why we are mobilizing the entire society to catch up with the new technological revolution," said Su.
A society that keeps high-level opening-up
In recent months, a series of measures have been implemented, sending a clear signal that China is steadfastly committed to expanding high-level opening-up to the outside world.
China introduced new immigration measures to encourage international travel to China; removed all restrictions on foreign investment in the manufacturing sector; issued "24 measures" to further optimize the foreign investment environment and has intensified efforts to attract foreign investment.
"One of the most core features of high-level opening-up to the outside world is institutional openness," Gu Xueming, president of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the media. He said that at this year's two sessions, how to steadily expand institutional openness in terms of rules, regulations, management and standards have attracted attention from the public.
Keywords such as new driving forces for foreign trade, cross-border e-commerce, supply chain, foreign investment, and institutional opening have frequently appeared in local government work reports and motions and proposals of delegates.
In last year's economic "report card," China's new energy vehicle production and sales accounted for over 60 percent of the global market share; exports of electric vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic products - the "new three items" - increased by nearly 30 percent.
In the eyes of NPC deputy Lin Zhiying, China has a massive consumer market that drives the global economy. China is cultivating new foreign trade momentum, strengthening global supply chain management, expanding overseas markets and investing overseas.
Su Wei believes that the motions and proposals delivered by NPC deputies and CPPCC National Committee members demonstrate the concerted efforts of the Party and the government to create a more friendly society, which can achieve the greatest possible convergence of interests.
"It's normal to encounter problems on the path of development. What matters is that we have the courage to face these problems and the methods to solve them. The motions and proposals are pooling people's wisdom, and bringing Chinese people together to forge ahead," said Su.
The world recently celebrated a splendid Chinese New Year, welcoming the Year of the Dragon.
During the holidays, Global Times reporters returned to their hometowns where they were reacquainted with old traditions and introduced to new post-pandemic experiences. To share their experience, we have launched the "Hometown Diary" series. Spanning from north to south, east to west, six articles will focus on different provinces, exploring the development and evolution from traditional to modern, and from economic to cultural dimensions.
This series is not only a comprehensive review of China's vast territory and diverse regional cultures but also a profound reflection of how different areas across the country maintain their identity and embrace changes.
Through the lens of hometown observations, we hope to touch the hearts of our readers, allowing everyone to find resonance in these stories and feel the warmth and vitality that hometowns provide, regardless of changes brought about by time.
This is the first installment in the series, in which we gain the perspectives of our reporters to understand how North China's Shanxi grabs cultural heritage to attract tourists after its green energy revolution, and how East China's Shandong strikes a balance between tradition and modernity amidst intense population mobility. Whenever the Spring Festival approaches, people walking on the streets always discuss the "festive vibe."
"The festive feeling is fading," some people would say, especially when one starts a conversation with a distant relative or a taxi driver.
In the context of rapid change, people often lament the dilution of the festive spirit, worrying that the essence of traditional festivals is gradually dissipating amid the flood of modern living.
But this is far from reality. With the convenience of transportation and overall societal progress, I find that the festive spirit is alive and well. These changes have made our Chinese New Year celebration more colorful and diverse.
Although the forms have changed, the longing for a reunion and the core significance of celebrating the Spring Festival remain unchanged: Tradition and modernity can coexist, jointly creating happy and joyful memories.
Reunion is always the theme
My hometown of Shandong in eastern China is known as the land of propriety, where Confucius and Mencius, the most important founders of Confucianism, were born. Their thoughts have shaped the culture and etiquette of China and even permeated through the entire East Asia.
Therefore, Shandong has inherited the most solemn rituals and customs, some of which have even evolved into urban legends that awe people from other regions.
For example, one of the most typical traditions is an obsession with the specific seating arrangement for people of different statuses around a round dining table, to which Shandong people adhere earnestly.
Only second to this adherence is the Shandong people's obsession with returning to their hometown for the New Year. They may work and live in big cities like Beijing, but during the festive season, they return to their small county towns or villages where their parents still reside.
Confucius explained filial piety many times. He said: "While his parents are living, a son should not go far abroad; if he does, he should let them know where he goes."
Since I was one year old, I have traveled back to my "old hometown" in Juye county, Heze, every Spring Festival, where my father is from and his parents were living, from the provincial capital Jinan where I lived.
Juye has almost no claim to fame, though locals claim it to be the birthplace of the Qilin, a legendary creature in Chinese mythology.
When I was young, the biggest form of entertainment in Juye, this small county, was a Xinhua bookstore. So every New Year, when people working outside the city returned and children were on holiday, it became a lively and busy playground. As a child, I looked forward to every aspect of the Spring Festival - posting Spring Festival couplets, buying snacks, playing fireworks, watching the Spring Festival Gala, and, of course, receiving red envelopes, a traditional gift for children or elderly people during Chinese New Year.
I had a great time, but it came at a cost. The only way traveling there from Jinan, the capital city of Shandong, 25 years ago was by the "green trains." They were slow, featuring a five- to six-hour journey spent in crowded conditions, often without seats, and prone to delays.
Such arduous journeys became a source of anxiety in my childhood. Once, because it was too crowded to board the train, my dad tried to pass me through the window, and strangers were willing to catch me. But I refused, I was too scared.
In the year before China downgraded its management of the COVID-19, this unknown county of Juye got its own high-speed railway station. It was a result of Shandong Province's campaign to develop its transportation network.
Now, from one of the high-speed rail stations near my home in Jinan to Juye county is a two-hour journey. And it is on a comfortable 'Harmony' high-speed train, where everyone has a sofa seat.
Today, as of the end of 2023, total operating mileage of high-speed rail in Shandong has surpassed 2,800 kilometers, jumping to first place in the country. Meanwhile, with the commencement of full operation of the Jinan-Zhengzhou high-speed railway route on December 8, 2023, 15 out of 16 cities in Shandong have access to high-speed rail.
The issue of crying children aboard is also a thing of the past. On a recent high-speed rail trip from Beijing to Shanghai, I experienced the quiet carriage. The train attendant was on high alert like a middle school teacher, immediately stopping any attempts to talk or make phone calls. You can sleep or work in peace.So, has the festive spirit faded? Perhaps the children of today do not look forward to returning to their rural hometowns as much as I did in my childhood, because of the ease of reunions that has transformed them almost quotidian-like. Amid the sound of firecrackers
Since I was eight, the Spring Festival has always held the promise of jubilant fireworks displays and blasts.
Gunpowder is one of the four great inventions of ancient China. Legend has it that the sound of firecrackers scares away the "Nian" beast that lurks during the Chinese New Year, and now people feel that the sound and light of fireworks portend good luck.
However, due to fire prevention and environmental protection measures, the setting off of fireworks and firecrackers has been banned in many places, including my hometown of Jinan.
However, in recent years, these bans have been relaxed.
In early January, the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, upon review, considered that there are divergences in understanding regarding the comprehensive ban on sales and burning, and it is also difficult to implement in practice. Amendments should be made in accordance with the spirit of the superior laws, according to china.com.
More flexible management methods have also emerged.
For example, this year in Jinan, some locations on the outskirts of the city were designated as firecracker zones. This makes it safe and easy to manage, and citizens who want to watch fireworks displays can also come here to observe.
For the children of today, their childhood is both different and similar to ours. Adults buy them firecrackers on the roadside. There are "flying monkeys" that can shoot into the sky, fairy sticks that transform into magic wands, and little bees that can spin rapidly on the ground and scream… just like the ones I played with as a child.
This year, a new type of firework called the handheld Gatling became particularly popular. As big as a baseball bat, holding it in your hand, you can shoot fireworks into the sky, with colorful beams drawing arcs in the sky, like dazzling ribbons.
I opened the Blue Map - as an environmental journalist, I always want to learn about pollution - and watched the surrounding AQI soar. Even without such a precise app, you could tell what was happening from the smell of fireworks in the air and the hazy visual effect.
The police just casually patrolled, ensuring that no danger arose.
I know that when the New Year's celebration is truly over, the city will return to its normal operations, but people will start the new year with confidence and good expectations.
In January 1933, with the Japanese army occupying Shanhaiguan in northeastern China, the Palace Museum in Beijing decided to relocate precious cultural relics, including bronzes, porcelain, paintings, and jade, to protect them from damage and looting. Ultimately, over 19,000 boxes of "national treasures," including those from the National Museum of Art (Guwu chenliesuo in Chinese), the Summer Palace, and the Imperial College (Guozijian in Chinese) were move from Beijing to Shanghai and southwestern provinces such as Sichuan and Guizhou. Later, some of them returned to the capital city, while some are preserving in the island of Taiwan. As they stood watch over the sea, they became a testament to the shared cultural heritage of both sides of the Straits.
This 20-year journey, spanning tens of thousands of miles, was a great feat in protecting cultural heritage during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-1945) and created the largest-scale miracle in preserving cultural heritage during World War II. To commemorate the history and inherit the spirit, the Palace Museum and the National Humanities History magazine of the People's Daily co-hosted "The Long March of the National Treasures: An Exhibition Commemorating the Southward Evacuation of the Palace Museum's Artifacts."
Recently, Global Times reporters Shan Jie and Lin Xiaoyi (GT) interviewed Xu Wanling (Xu), the director of the Institute for Research on the Palace Museum Collection's Evacuation to the South, as she recounted this special history and its echoes and lessons for today. GT: Could you introduce the main functions and research content of the Institute for Research on the Palace Museum Collection's Evacuation to the South? In the institute's daily work, are there any specific academic projects or research topics that you particularly value?
Xu: Established in June 2017, the Institute for Research on the Palace Museum Collection's Evacuation to the South is a non-institutional entity of the Palace Museum, initially founded to promote specialized research on the southward evacuation of cultural relics.
From 2017 to 2019, we spent over two years organizing historical materials and conducting site research on the evacuation. We gradually discovered that, in addition to the Palace Museum and the Second Historical Archives of China holding extensive materials, archives like those in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Sichuan Province, and Guizhou Province also preserve valuable records from 1937 to 1947 related to the westward evacuation and eastward return of cultural relics. These archives are precisely what the Palace Museum lacks. Based on this, we have gradually established a historical and factual framework for the southern, western, and eastern evacuations, as well as relocation to the island of Taiwan and the return to Beijing.
Currently, the institute's daily work mainly involves uncovering as much historical material as possible and conducting on-site research. Another area we have been expanding in recent years is the study of southward-evacuated relics. Previously, our research on Palace Museum relics focused on interpreting craftsmanship, cultural connotations, and artistic value from a historical perspective. But now, we have shifted to discerning whether a relic is a southward-evacuated one and to which route it belongs. This approach reveals important information about the relics' wartime relocation.
The concept of southward-evacuated relics allows us to view these objects from a more holistic perspective, understanding their profound historical and cultural connotations. For example, in the early 20th century, the National Museum of Art in Beijing and the establishment of the Palace Museum compiled an inventory of about 1.4 million items, including over 230,000 artifacts from the National Museum of Art and over 1.17 million artifacts from the Palace Museum. Later, to avoid war, some relics were moved south. After undergoing southern, western, and eastern evacuations, relocation to the island of Taiwan, and the returning to the northern cities, these relics (including books and documents) are now housed in museums, libraries, and archives across the Straits. Therefore, we are putting considerable effort into this research, as it reveals more of our cultural heritage's underlying significance, which is of special meaning and value.
During our research, we also discovered some intriguing relics, like two paintings displayed in the recent exhibition - Wang Chengpei's paintings "Luck in the Whole Nation" and "Prosperity Multiplies a Hundredfold" from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Originally a pair of scrolls stored at the Palace Museum's Palace of Abstinence (Zhaigong), "Luck in the Whole Nation" stayed in Beiping (Beijing) in 1933, while "Prosperity Multiplies a Hundredfold" went south and eventually to the island of Taiwan, resulting in them being housed in separate Palace Museums across the Straits. GT: In your view, why is it particularly important to commemorate the history of the Palace Museum's relics' southward evacuation?
Xu: From an academic research perspective, the history of the southward evacuation of relics offers us a wealth of information. First, the large-scale evacuation of relics during wartime, lasting over 20 years and spanning tens of thousands of miles, with almost complete preservation, is remarkable. Although there were incidents like car crashes and staircase collapses, causing minor damage to some relics, these were minimal compared with the vast number of relic boxes safely preserved. As museum staff, ensuring the safety of relics is always a top priority. The Palace Museum's predecessors not only protected these precious relics but also left behind valuable preservation experience and a rich spiritual legacy.
From a cultural value standpoint, during the wartime situation, both Palace Museum staff and people from all walks of life were deeply concerned about the safety of these relics. People in the education sector in Beijing at the time made it clear: "During our national crisis, everyone is determined that no sacrifice is too great. But the cultural artifacts that embody our national pride and are tied to the nation's lifeblood and spirit must on no account be sacrificed."
These relics are closely linked to the cultural lifeline of the Chinese nation. If we lost or destroyed them, Chinese culture would suffer greatly, even to the point of interruption. Although it has been over 90 years, reading those historical documents still resonates deeply and stirs our emotions.
GT: The southward evacuation of the Palace Museum can be considered a great feat. What factors, in your opinion, ensured its success?
Xu: First, it was a large-scale, organized operation, with all external conditions supporting the action. For instance, coordinating the special transportation of relics required professional arrangements, including dedicated train convoys, accompanying guards, and military personnel for protection.
Secondly, there was a need for dedicated storage space, initially renting sturdy foreign-owned warehouses or building reinforced concrete storerooms, later requisitioning bank vaults or even local temples and ancestral halls.
Additionally, many specific tasks had to be implemented, like supplying daily necessities such as food for Palace Museum staff who relocated. Therefore, the residents of Leshan and Emei in Sichuan Province allocated land and distributed food to them. These comprehensive arrangements and implementations could not have been achieved without the understanding and support of local governments, various departments, and the general public.
GT: What insights and impacts does the story of the relics' southward evacuation have on contemporary global practices in cultural heritage protection?
Xu: Due to my research on the Palace Museum's wartime relic preservation, I pay close attention to cases of cultural heritage protection during wartime worldwide. In 2017, the Palace Museum held an exhibition titled "Reborn from the Flames - Afghanistan: Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul." I was deeply moved by this exhibition, both amazed by Afghanistan's splendid civilization and saddened by its years of war.
In 2018, during my research visit to the UK, I particularly noticed how British museums protected their relics during wartime. Before the London Blitz, important collections from the National Gallery were evacuated to universities, libraries, and castles in Wales.
When war breaks out, its destructive power is unimaginable. Yet, in the face of such uncontrollable destruction, people still try their best to protect what they consider to be important artistic and cultural items. In fact, this is true worldwide. So, when we see such images, we are deeply impacted.
For our generation, studying the protection of cultural heritage during wartime often involves reconstructing understanding and imagination through historical images and documentary expressions. The reality and brutality of war are undoubtedly far beyond our imagination. Therefore, we should study this history, understand the devastation of war, and appreciate the value of peace.
Before preparing the exhibition, we visited the Commercial Press's history display in Beijing. I was touched by their history, which stated: "Sacrificed for national adversity and struggled for culture." The Commercial Press was bombed during the war, and its Oriental Library and ancient books were reduced to ashes in an instant. Yet, facing the bombing, it was quickly rebuilt. The ideals and courage of the intellectuals at the time, along with their guardianship of national culture, are spirits that transcend time.
Therefore, I believe studying the topic of the southward evacuation of relics, whether through exchange and cooperation, exhibition dissemination, or academic discussion, is to tell everyone the historical fact: During the entire War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, China's cultural relics suffered heavy losses, but the Palace Museum's relics suffered minimally. This contrast between heavy loss and minimal damage is a fortunate outcome amid misfortune. GT: What contributions does the commemorative touring exhibition of the southward evacuation of the Palace Museum's relics make to enhance the international community's understanding of China's cultural heritage?
Xu: Through research on the southward evacuation of relics and the relics themselves, we strengthen connections and cooperation with numerous domestic museums, archives, and libraries, continuously refining the historical context of the relics' evacuation and gradually expanding their cultural influence. At the same time, we actively promote exchanges and cooperation with foreign museums, sharing experiences and achievements in the protection of cultural relics during wartime.
Through these academic exchange activities, we aim to show the world the responsibilities and missions of museums, to protect the common cultural heritage of humanity, and to promote exchanges and mutual learning among different countries, ethnicities, and cultures. We hope these research and exchange activities provide new perspectives and pathways for global cultural heritage protection, creating new resonances and understanding.
The year 2023 witnessed many changes in the international landscape and also saw more voices from the Global South on the global stage. It was also a year in which the US continued to forcefully impose its ideology on other countries, Japan's nuclear-contaminated wastewater dumping was internationally condemned, and the Palestine-Israeli conflict broke out, all posing diverse risks to global peace and stability. Conversely, in 2023, China made great strides in economic recovery and diplomacy, and unveiled significant technological breakthroughs.
In this year full of uncertainties, what was the common people's perspective on global issues? The Global Times Research Center recently conducted its 18th annual public opinion survey themed "How Chinese People View the World." Based on the survey results, China-Russia relations were considered to be the most important neighboring relationship for the fifth consecutive year. At the same time, nearly 90 percent of respondents believe that the US lacks sincerity in improving China-US relations, and more than half of the respondents believe that China should retaliate against US sanctions and targeted moves.
This is the second installment of the survey. China-Russia relations rank top
The survey mainly collected data through online questionnaires using member invitations, and was conducted from December 4 to December 15, 2023. The survey sample covered 16 cities in the seven major regions of the Chinese mainland. The survey targeted ordinary Chinese citizens aged between 18 and 69. A total of 1,897 valid questionnaires were collected.
In response to the question "Among the following bilateral relationships, which three do you think are the most important for China at the current stage?" 58.8 percent of respondents chose "China-Russia relations," while "China-US relations" (51.8 percent) and "China-EU relations" (38.4 percent) ranked second and third respectively. China-Russia relations have ranked first for three consecutive years according to data.
In China's neighboring relations, those with Russia have been the most important for respondents for five consecutive years. This time, with a mention rate of 66.1 percent, it has become the most important neighboring relationship among respondents.
Zhao Long, deputy director of the Institute for Global Governance Studies at Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, told the Global Times that multiple factors make the relationship between China and Russia the most important neighboring relationship in the eyes of the public.
First, China and Russia are each other's largest neighbors, sharing a border that stretches 4,300 kilometers. The two countries have highly complementary economic structures, with China being Russia's largest trading partner for 13 consecutive years. Bilateral trade increased from $8 billion in the year 2000 to over $200 billion in 2023. Second, China and Russia engage in strategic coordination on major international and regional issues. Finally, the high level of mutual trust and cooperation between China and Russia naturally extends to the promotion of people-to-people exchanges and cooperation, Zhao elaborated.
In the face of the current complex international situation, the high-quality strategic cooperation between China and Russia highlights the resilience, vitality, and value of the bilateral relations, which is why the public pays attention to the two neighbors' relationship, he said.
In a previous exclusive interview with the Global Times, Russian Ambassador to China Igor Morgulov said that a shifting geopolitical landscape does not affect China-Russia mutual political trust.
"Under the strategic guidance of the leaders of our two countries, Russia-China relations have reached the highest level in history and have the nature of a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination. The two sides have a high degree of mutual trust, respect each other's interests, and carry out mutually beneficial and close cooperation in all fields. We are good neighbors. There is a Chinese proverb that goes, 'A distant relative is not as good as a close neighbor.'" Morgulov told the Global Times.
Zhao told the Global Times that China and Russia are important forces in promoting a more multipolar world order and the democratization of international relations. The influence of China-Russia relations goes beyond the bilateral scope and is crucial to the world order and the future of humanity. The "global significance" of China-Russia relations can be understood multidimensionally through politics, security, and economy.
Politically, the two countries can jointly voice their support for international fairness and justice, strategically coordinate their positions on major international and regional issues, and propose plans and initiatives through multilateral platforms such as the United Nations Security Council. In terms of security, China and Russia emphasize the importance of breaking away from the constraints of a Cold War mentality, Zhao said.
Additionally, the survey found that 63.3 percent of respondents expressed a desire for the improvement of China-Australia relations in a separate question. Nearly half (49.7 percent) of all respondents expressed hope for a relatively close and friendly relationship between China and Australia, and 13.5 percent hoped for a very close and friendly relationship.
Chen Hong, executive director of the Asia Pacific Studies Centre at the East China Normal University, told the Global Times that the current China-Australia relationship is generally stable and shows signs of improvement. This is attributed to the meeting between the leaders of the two countries in Bali and the consensus reached during Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's visit to China in November 2023. Previous disputes between the two countries are gradually being resolved.
It is worth noting that 25.8 percent of respondents prefer for China-Australia relations to remain unchanged. Chen said that this also indicates the extent to which the Morrison administration damaged China-Australia relations in the past.
However, overall, Chinese people generally believe that the relationship between China and Australia should not become confrontational. Australia must fully recognize its importance in the eyes of the Chinese people and cherish the hard-won friendly relationship, he said.
When compared with the softening tone in China-Australia relations, the survey found that due to the recent provocative actions of the Philippines in the South China Sea that violated international law, 40.6 percent of respondents expressed support for communication and cooperation with the Philippines to ease tensions in the South China Sea, while some 30.3 percent of respondents support taking more or stronger actions against the Philippines. Nearly a quarter of respondents said they supported maintaining the status quo.
Chen said that the Chinese government's advocacy for resolving disputes through dialogue and consultation is in line with public opinion. However, if the Philippines persists in its unilateral actions, China will resolutely defend its rights in accordance with the law. US lacks sincerity in improving ties
In the survey, multiple questions were set regarding the China-US ties.
The survey result showed that 63.1 percent of the respondents expressed an unfavorable attitude toward the Biden administration. More than half of the respondents also held a negative view toward Republican and Democratic politicians at 55.3 percent and 53 percent respectively. The proportion of respondents who dislike the Biden administration increased by 3.3 percentage points compared with 2022. The percentage of respondents who dislike the American media reached 43.9 percent, an increase of 5.6 percentage points year-on-year, and the likeability rate was also less than 10 percent.
In recent years, the Biden administration has treated China as a strategic competitor and imposed restrictions on China in various areas such as technology and the economy. In this survey, 51.4 percent of the respondents believe that China should retaliate against the US. Nearly 90 percent of respondents expressed they believe that the US lacks sincerity in improving China-US relations.
Conversely, respondents still had a relatively favorable view of American film and television productions (48.5 percent) and sports leagues (41.9 percent), but both experienced a decrease in favorability of 11.2 and 8.6 percentage points respectively year-on-year.
Qiang Ge, professor at the National Academy of Governance, told the Global Times that the Chinese public has a negative view of Biden administration and the two parties in the US mainly because the US has repeatedly unjustifiably suppressed and demonized China in recent years.
However, many Chinese people still enjoy American sports and film and television products, which precisely shows that the Chinese people do not dislike the country, but rather the American political arena has destroyed goodwill among the Chinese people toward the US. The decline in favorability, to some extent, indicates that people's aversion to American politics has affected their perception of American culture, Qiang said.
The survey showed that when asked about their views on American democracy, freedom, and human rights in recent years, over three-quarters of respondents expressed a lack of support or a decrease of the same, an overall increase of 5.3 percentage points year-on-year. Regarding the performance of the US in the current Palestinian-Israeli conflict, 55.4 percent of the respondents said they believe it is irresponsible, 42.4 percent believe it is unethical, 38.9 percent believe it is unfair, and 36.4 percent believe that the US is hindering an early resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Sun Degang, director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Fudan University, told Global Times that this poll result sends several signals: First, as the so-called hegemonic power in the Middle East, the US has not provided a good solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, so Chinese respondents feel that the US lacks the ability. Second, civilians in the Gaza Strip are facing a serious humanitarian crisis, but the US continues to exercise its veto power in the United Nations Security Council, providing more time for Israel's military offensive. This reflects US' double standards. Finally, the US stands in opposition to world peace, as indicated by its policy-making that is still driven by self-interest, which will continue to diminish its global appeal, influence, and discourse power.
China actively promotes open, inclusive global cooperation
The "China's International Perspective" section of the survey reveals the Chinese public's views on the international situation. According to the survey data, 66.9 percent of respondents stated that they watch, read, or listen to international news daily, with 49.6 percent of respondents reporting a frequency of "1-3 times per day" in their exposure to international news.
Li Long, vice president of the Institute of Public Opinion and Social Governance at South China Normal University, told the Global Times that an increase in international news consumption reflects the increasing international vision of the Chinese people.
Currently, Chinese people are paying more attention to China's role and influence in international affairs. According to the survey, 92.4 percent of respondents believe that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has increased attention paid to countries which participated in the initiative.
"The support of the Chinese people for their country's foreign policy helps to strengthen China's cooperative relationship with the countries participating in the BRI. It also enables the government to focus on the needs and opinions of the public while promoting fair and sustainable development in bilateral cooperation," said Li.
At the same time, 96.7 percent of the respondents agreed that the increase in the BRICS countries has a positive significance. In August 2023, during the 15th BRICS Summit, it was announced that Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates had been invited to join the BRICS cooperation mechanism. Their membership took effect on January 1.
Feng Xingke, secretary general of the World Financial Forum and director of the Center for BRICS and Global Governance, told the Global Times that the reason why the respondents were optimistic about the expansion of BRICS is mainly due to the continuous attempts by the US and the West to foment conflict to contain China's development, which has caused strong resentment among the Chinese people.
"The BRICS mechanism, on the other hand, despite its different national conditions, systems, and cultures, upholds the spirit of mutual respect and understanding, equality, solidarity, openness, inclusiveness, and consensus. The spirit of win-win cooperation has kept this mechanism alive and benefited every country in it," Feng said.
The expansion of the BRICS countries will also further deepen the new type of globalization, experts pointed out, noting that the expansion process of the BRICS through including more countries has further strengthened the voice of the Global South. At a rate of 95.1 percent, respondents believe that the Global South may become an important force influencing the global development pattern in the next 10 years.
Currently, the global economy is stumbling forward and facing challenges. When asked about their expectations for the global economy over the next year, 58.3 percent of respondents were relatively optimistic, an overall increase of 6.7 percentage points compared with 2022. It is worth noting that 67.0 percent of respondents hold an optimistic attitude toward the future development of the Chinese economy in the next year, with 22.0 percent considering themselves to be "very optimistic" while 45.0 percent are "relatively optimistic."
He Zili, professor at the School of Economics at Nankai University, told the Global Times that China implemented a series of measures to stabilize the economy in the last year, achieving significant results, which is an important reason for the increased confidence in the respondents.
"The position of the Chinese economy in the global economy is becoming increasingly important. Therefore, as long as the Chinese economy continues to recover and improve, there will be more stability in the global economy," He said.
He pointed out that the digital economy and the intelligent transformation of traditional manufacturing will be the key areas for China's economic focus in the future. According to the survey results, 73.6 percent of respondents expect foreign-funded enterprises to play a role in China's economic development, and foreign-funded enterprises in the health, energy, infrastructure, ecological protection, and new energy vehicle industries are seen as having good prospects in China.
China has a huge market demand and policy support in these industries, making it highly attractive to multinational companies. Looking ahead, China will create a better business environment to promote the quality and level of foreign investment utilization in our country, He said.
The best way to commemorate Henry Kissinger may well be to remember the importance of diplomacy and the need for great powers to behave responsibly and soberly in their relations with each other, Thomas A. Schwartz, a renowned academician and author of Henry Kissinger and American Power: A Political Biography, told the Global Times on Thursday.
As the biography author who spent long time with Kissinger for the book, Schwartz noted that Kissinger's great goal was to "create a structure of peace and stability, and we would honor him by pursuing that effort."
Former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger died on Wednesday at his home in Connecticut at the age of 100, Kissinger Associates Inc said in a statement.
He is viewed as an important figure in the China-US icebreaking process in 1972 while his secret trip to China in 1971 paved the way for a thawing of bilateral relations, which ushered in a new era in China-US relations and for the world.
Kissinger was an "intermediary" between China and the US government. He carried messages to Chinese leaders from the US and carried responses back to American presidents. He played a leading role in US foreign policy during the Nixon and Ford presidencies, and his diplomatic ideas continued to have a profound impact on the US government's foreign policy even after he left office.
According to records, since then Kissinger has visited China more than 100 times in his lifetime with his last visit having been made in July 2023 when bilateral ties hit a low point.
"We need more figures, who are in that realm of communicating between the two countries. And we need to have a whole range of institutional dialogues between government, military, and economic officials, so that there is a constant understanding," Schwartz told the Global Times previously.
Schwartz also said that, although Kissinger was 100, he was still surprised when he heard the news of his death.
"Two days ago I watched an interview he did, and he was still sharp and articulate, and his analysis of international issues remained impressive. He seemed indestructible," he said.
Kissinger was known for his longevity as he kept maintained a grueling 15-hour workday and demanding international travel schedule even at the age of 99, according to media reports. On China's social media platforms, some netizens discussed heatedly about his habit of staying up late and eating fried food but can still keep healthy and energetic.
In response to the question about what lessons current and future world leaders should draw from Kissinger's experiences and diplomatic strategies, he underscored negotiation in which Kissinger had strong faith.
"Kissinger firmly believed in negotiation, and he believed in sticking with negotiations even in the most difficult circumstances. He believed that diplomacy was better than hostility, and that nations with different systems could coexist and live together peacefully," he said. "This sounds simplistic, but it really was something he constantly advocated and sought to achieve."
In a previous interview with the Global Times, Schwartz said that a major difference between Kissinger and diplomats in the US today is that, presently "a lot of our diplomats have relatively little sense of the broader range of history. Kissinger had a sense from history that terrible things can happen. And I think American diplomats today sometimes don't recognize the degree of danger that can come from careless diplomacy."
In this sense, Kissinger always had a sense that people needed to be extraordinarily careful in undertaking diplomatic tests, and that people should not treat disputes between nations lightly.
"There is a tendency to think of short-term advantages instead of long-term interests. I think Kissinger had a broader and a longer term sense, partly because he was thinking as a historian, or as someone who has a vision of a longer period, he pointed out," he said.
According to Schwartz, Kissinger hoped that Americans will have a broader historical vision of world stability and a broader understanding of other countries. "I think he would like that to be his legacy: A better understanding of the world and of other countries, and of the need for effective diplomacy to maintain peace."
Chinese people believe that letters are as valuable as gold. For thousands of years, letters, across mountains and oceans, have been delivering the writers' sentiments, friendship, and expectations.
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has managed to find time to reply to some letters from different parts of the society and the world despite his busy work schedule. Xi is also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission.
Through his letters, Xi has corresponded with international friends from all walks of life on numerous occasions. His letters have also been delivered to "home" senders such as Chinese experts and artists. The Global Times traced and contacted some of the addressees of Xi's letters to hear the inspiring stories behind the letters.
This installment tells the story of letters exchanged between Xi and Matias Tarnopolsky, president and CEO of the Philadelphia Orchestra. When Chinese President Xi Jinping replied to a letter from Matias Tarnopolsky, president and CEO of the Philadelphia Orchestra, on November 10, the friendship of half a century was further strengthened through the art of music. This not only reflects the importance that both sides attach to cultural exchanges, but also provides a good opportunity for cooperation and understanding between the two countries.
On the evening of November 10, the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Beijing hosted a concert titled "50 Years of Friendship" to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Philadelphia Orchestra's first visit to China in 1973. The concert was performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra and the China National Symphony Orchestra.
As the baton of Tristan Rais-Sherman, assistant conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra, was raised, the Overture of Candide composed by American conductor Leonard Bernstein was played to unveil the performance. The spirited piece was followed by a tranquil Chinese melody, Two Springs Reflect the Moon, that both Chinese and American audiences were familiar with.
Ahead of Friday's special concert, the letter was read inside the concert hall, in which President Xi expressed hopes that orchestras and artists from China, the US, and across the world would persist in efforts to strengthen people-to-people ties between China and the US, and spread friendship among the peoples of the world. Tarnopolsky said he was honored and grateful.
The concert was held at a special moment as, on the other side of the NCPA, the ballet Giselle mounted by the American Ballet Theater was also in progress on the same day.
These cultural exchanges were held only several days ahead of the planned meeting of the heads of state of China and the US.
"It's going to be an important meeting, and we're very much looking forward to it and receiving President Xi in our country," Tarnopolsky said on the day of the concert.
During the interview after the inaugural performance in Beijing, Tarnopolsky told the Global Times that he was honored and grateful to receive the letter from Xi.
"It is an honor for the Philadelphia Orchestra to receive a letter from President Xi in this moment of 50 years of visits to China. And we're very grateful for the warmth of the welcome that the Philadelphia Orchestra always receives in China," he said.
"President Xi has recognized that is a very important gesture and encourages us to keep coming and keep playing music and making these connections with the people of China."
No matter how the world changes, he believes that there are neither hierarchies nor differences between people when it comes to music. "Music can give voice to ideas that words alone cannot convey," added the CEO. Collaborative endeavor
Tarnopolsky firstly wrote to Xi, reviewing the history of the orchestra's ties with China and introducing the activities to be held in China in November to commemorate the 50th anniversary of its first China tour.
In return, President Xi wrote back to Tarnopolsky.
In his reply, President Xi said that he hopes the orchestra and artists from China, the US, and across the world will continue efforts to strengthen people-to-people ties between China and the US, and spread friendship among the peoples of the world.
Half a century ago, the orchestra's historic China tour marked a thaw in China-US cultural exchanges, which was a very important part in the normalization process of the two countries' diplomatic relations. Since then, the orchestra had visited China 12 times as an active cultural envoy, playing an instrumental role in strengthening China-US ties, Xi said.
Over the course of half a century, the orchestra has served as a dynamic cultural envoy between China and the US. Some of the musicians, such as Davyd Booth, were part of the ensemble since their first visit to China in 1973.
Ryan Fleur, executive director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, told the Global Times on Friday that the 50th anniversary celebration was a collaborative endeavor from both sides, which was made possible by the invitation from The Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries that has been their partner since 1973.
But the connection of the orchestra with China goes back even further: As early as the 1940s, the orchestra staged concerts to raise funds for China's Eighth Route Army led by the Communist Party of China (CPC), in their resistance against Japanese aggression during World War II.
"It was a great achievement. Both China and the US want to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the tour, which was a historic event. Music had a profound impact on people's lives, and the orchestras' performance in 1973 was a life-changing event for many people," Tarnopolsky told the Global Times in a previous interview.
Adding to that, the CEO gave a glimpse into the perceived future.
"We're planning the next 50 years. And we also have another Chinese Lunar New Year concert planned in Philadelphia, so we'll be celebrating Chinese Lunar New Year in January."
Exchanges beyond music
Visits by the Philadelphia Orchestra to China over the years have been very influential to musicians from the two countries. They not only get to share the same stage, but also have exchanges beyond the musical arena.
Fifty years has passed, contributions by two members of the then Central Philharmonic (now China National Symphony Orchestra), 90-year-old Zhu Xinren and 88-year-old Yang Shi, in training with US musicians continue to be unforgettable experiences.
Eugene Ormandy, the then conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra until 1980, and other US musicians watched a performance by their Chinese counterparts on September 15, 1973. They showed great interest in the string ensemble Two Springs Reflect the Moon, which had just been adapted by Wu Zuqiang, leader of the composition group of the Central Philharmonic. The charm of Chinese melody immediately attracted them.
"They asked to get the score sheets in the hopes of performing it in the US. It was just finished a year before by Wu and the debut had made it possible for it to head to the US stage," violinist Zhu recalled.
Chinese conductor Li Delun led the Chinese orchestra in a performance of one movement from Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. He then handed his baton to Ormandy and requested that he conduct the next movement. Ormandy led the orchestra to thunderous applause.
"Music connects the world. He also praised us young performers for our strong receptivity. This can be said to have been a worldwide cooperation," said Zhu.
When musicians had talks after the performances, US musicians were particularly surprised when they saw the musical instruments that their Chinese counterparts held, recalled Yang.
At the time, the conditions under which our orchestra mounted performances were not good as instruments were broken or glued back together, and the scores were old handwritten ones and were pasted together. "They didn't expect that our musicians could play such good music with such instruments."
Musical instruments were given as gifts to each other. Chinese musicians were moved when their US counterparts presented them with instruments such as a clarinet, trumpet, flute, and a set of triangles, as well as scores of famous European and American composers, and hundreds of records and orchestra's professional books.
For the Central Philharmonic, which was facing a difficult period at the time, these instruments and materials solved the orchestra's urgent needs. Yang Shi said: "They sent us a batch of woodwind and brass instruments, which was a timely help. But the instruments we gave them also made them even more surprised and happy."
The Chinese musicians presented pipa, Chinese gongs, erhu, flower drums, and other national musical instruments that best represent Chinese music as gifts to US musicians. Zhu recalled: "The indispensable Chinese musical instrument is the gong. The gong we sent was custom-made by a master from Shandong. The diameter of the gong is 1.1 meters. Their gong is only 60 centimeters. So when they saw that we brought in such a big one, they were all shocked."
This past weekend, China again bestowed another gift to the Philadelphia Orchestra to mark the special occasion: A rare vinyl record of Yellow River.
As Yin Bo, deputy director of the China National Symphony Orchestra, noted on Friday, Chinese and American musicians will collaborate through music to foster cultural understanding among the youth of both nations.
"The gesture from President Xi was an acknowledgment and an incentive for most literary and art workers," Liu Zhiyong, deputy chief of the same orchestra said. "President Xi's reply letter conveyed his sincere aspiration for enhancing extensive cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and the US."
The 2023 Basketball Game for Foreigners commenced recently in Beijing. The game was co-organized by the Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports.
Nearly 30 expatriates from 17 countries such as Japan, United States, Brazil, South Korea, Zambia, and other countries participated in the match.
The Mongolian Embassy in China, five universities including the University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB), and the Beijing-Japanese Club Basketball Association (Beijing 56°ers) formed eight teams to participate in the competition.
The event has been held for six consecutive years, with a high reputation among embassies and expatriates, and has so far seen more than 60 teams with about 1,400 expatriates in Beijing participate in the tournament, to an audience of 20,000 local and international spectators.
This is the first time that this year's basketball tournament has been included in a Beijing-level social basketball activity, the Beijing Second Community Cup Basketball League Three-Person Basketball Tournament.
Zolboo Enkbold from the Mongolian Embassy in China expressed his excitement at participating in matches with all the teams, and commended the activity for being carefully organized with a warm atmosphere geared toward the enrichment of the cultural and sports lives of expatriates in Beijing.
Alexandre, a Mozambican student from the USTB, said it was his first time to participate in a three-player basketball tournament in Beijing, for which he was very happy, and he hoped to continue to actively participate in similar activities in the future.
