China's Zhang Shuai and France's Kristina Mladenovic advanced to the US Open women's doubles final after a hard-fought 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend on Wednesday.
This marks Zhang's fourth appearance in a Grand Slam doubles final and her first US Open final since winning the doubles title with Samantha Stosur in 2021 in New York, the US. The pair will face the seventh seeds, Lyudmyla Kichenok and Jelena Ostapenko, in the final on Friday.
Meanwhile, Zheng Qinwen concluded this year's Grand Slam journey with a US Open quarterfinal defeat to Aryna Sabalenka. Despite the loss, her deep runs to the major tournaments and historic triumph at the Paris Olympic Games this year have attracted widespread attention and sparked interest in tennis across China.
The success of Chinese players in international tennis tournaments has fueled a renewed wave of enthusiasm across the country. In return, the expanding tennis demographic is contributing to the emergence of young talents who are striving to make their mark on the global stage.
The 21-year-old Zheng made history in Paris to become the first Asian-born player to win gold in a tennis singles event at the Olympics. She also achieved a runner-up finish at this year's Australian Open in January, making her the second Chinese player in history to reach a major final since Li Na won the Australian Open in 2014.
At Paris Olympics, Chinese duo Zhang Zhizhen and Wang Xinyu claimed silver in the mixed doubles. The fact that they were only paired right before the mixed doubles event began due to the last-minute withdrawal of Zhang's original partner Zheng added gloss to their laurels.
Zheng's success follows in the footsteps of earlier Chinese tennis icons like Li, and her achievements have contributed to the increasing participation in tennis across the country. China continues to build a strong presence in global tennis, with more grassroots initiatives and investments in tennis infrastructure, making the sport more accessible to young players across various regions.
"She put a little seed in my heart that I also wanted to do that and to be like her... and even better," Zheng said during a Tennis Channel interview in 2023 about Li's 2011 Roland Garros victory.
According to the 2021 International Tennis Federation Global Tennis Report, China ranked second globally in tennis participation, with 19.92 million people involved in the sport, representing 22.9 percent of the world's tennis population. This positions China just behind the US.
The report also highlights China's strong tennis infrastructure, with 49,767 tennis courts, the second-highest number in the world. These figures show the rapid growth and popularization of tennis in China, transitioning from a niche activity to a widely enjoyed sport.
In Zheng's hometown, Central China's Hubei Province, tennis training has been included in the city's youth sports summer camps since 2015. The number of children who have participated in free tennis training increased from 1,000 in 2015 to 2,600 in 2023. Over 100 primary schools in Wuhan now offer tennis programs, which has greatly boosted youth participation in the sport, according to Changjiang Daily.
Hubei's Jingshan city, known as "China's Tennis Hometown," has cultivated a strong tennis culture. About 80,000 residents, or 12 percent of its population, regularly play tennis. The small city's 286 tennis courts ensure that residents can reach one within a 15-minute walk from anywhere in the urban area. Jingshan also holds regular grassroots tennis events, including the China (Jingshan) Tennis Festival, making it a national model for tennis promotion.
Aiming to secure enough ranking points to qualify for the WTA Finals in November, Zheng is set to make her debut at the China Open scheduled from September 23 to October 6 in Beijing.
This year's tournament featured the largest number of Chinese players ever to compete in the singles, reflecting the country's rapid rise in the global tennis scene.
The increasing participation reflects both the expansion of tennis culture and government efforts to promote the sport. The growth is attributed not only to the success of Chinese tennis players but also to the expansion of tennis facilities and grassroots initiatives. The development of tennis infrastructure has made the sport more accessible to people across China.
Similar to how Li inspired Zheng, Zheng's victorious journey may have planted seeds in the hearts of many more children.
Fifty years ago, not only the archaeological community but also ordinary people were stunned by the excavation of the Mawangdui Han Tombs. Among the findings is a remarkable discovery known as China's "Sleeping Beauty" (Lady Xin Zhui), an over 2,100-year-old lady who looks nearly as good as she did when she was buried after her death at the age of about 50, during China's Western Han Dynasty (206BC-AD25). The world has marveled at the mystery behind her body, as well as the numerous precious treasures unearthed from the tombs.
In this Mawangdui trilogy, the Global Times Culture Desk reaches out to experts who have been involved in the excavation field work, revisiting those moments when new discoveries were made or more cultural relics were unearthed. This is the second installment. With all three tombs discovered at the Mawangdui Han Tombs, questions about their occupants have become the elephant in the room: Who were they? Which tomb was the earliest, and which was the latest?
When the archaeology team needed to address the chronological questions, Fu Juyou, one of the leaders of the Mawangdui site excavation, decided to consider stratigraphy as a key factor.
Shan Xianjin, one of the excavators of the Mawangdui Han tombs, was leading the team to implement the idea. He told the Global Times that the team applied stratigraphy into their practice to determine the chronological order of the three tombs.
"By digging with a bulldozer in the middle of the two mounds, a profile was created to study the stratigraphy. We could see different layers of the soil, and decided the order is No.2, No.3 and No.1," recalled Shan, now 88 years old.
However, the mystery surrounding the owner of Tomb No.2 remained unresolved.
"Wrapping up his work at the bottom of the coffin, He Jiejun went ahead to reach to the bottom of the wooden board," Shan said.
"With his swollen fingers, He got something hard. What could it be? He lifted it out, cleaned it a bit with water melt from the snow. It turned out to be a seal!
"The seal read 'Daihou Li Cang' [the marquis Li Cang]. Everyone was so thrilled at that moment! Now we knew the identity of the tomb's owner," Shan noted. Details of the discovery
From many discoverers' point of view, the excavation stories of Mawangdui started from the story of "ghost fire." Shan told the Global Times that in December 1971, an air-raid shelter was under construction to be used by a nearby military hospital.
To speed up the process, the construction team utilized iron brazing to drill down, which released an unpleasant odor.
"Two soldiers took a break and smoked, and the marsh gas from the drilling caught on fire, emitting blue flames," Shan recalled.
The flames were believed to be "ghost fire," as the conventional saying goes, leading the team to halt the excavation.
News of the incident was relayed to Hou Liang, then head of the Hunan Museum. Hou immediately identified that the soldiers had likely uncovered an ancient tomb, locally known as a "fire pit tomb," renowned for its well-preserved artifacts.
After the female corpse was unearthed, medical workers performed an autopsy in December 1972 to thoroughly examine the integrity of the body and study ancient Chinese embalming techniques.
Medical experts from across Hunan Province were invited to perform the autopsy, with young surgeon Peng Longxiang leading the procedure.
"It can be said that all clinical departments participated, including radiology, dermatology, stomatology, obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine, surgery, and otolaryngology. Everyone was joking, but we didn't invite pediatricians because she was an adult, so [almost] all clinical departments participated," Peng said.
Impacts on art, life
Hailed as one of the most important archaeological finds in China during the 20th century, the Mangwangdui site has garnered significant attention both within the country and around the world.
Professor Eugene Wang Yuejin, founding director of the Harvard FAS CAMLab, an art team, told the Global Times in an interview that the discoveries at Mawangdui have had a profound influence on the global understanding of ancient Chinese culture and its contribution to mankind's heritage.
Lü Chenchen, associate director of Harvard FAS CAMLab, told the Global Times that the medical texts discovered at Mawangdui are some of the earliest known manuscripts on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), providing insights into ancient practices of health, well-being, and holistic healing.
The texts, which cover treatments and medical theories, have left an everlasting impact on TCM and continue to influence people's life in modern times.
Through a series of provocative actions in the South China Sea in recent years, Japan, a country that does not have any claim in the region, has gradually revealed its ambitions to play a more influential role in the busy waterway.
In its latest move, Japan and the Philippines held their first joint military exercises in the South China Sea on August 2 in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, according to Reuters. The exercises came less than a month after the two countries signed a landmark military pact allowing the deployment of forces on each other's soil.
What is Japan's real plan in the South China Sea? How has it gradually been forming a strategy for the South China Sea? How could its involvement affect the regional situation?
Eager actions
The Japan-Philippines drill took place within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, Reuters said citing the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It closely followed similar exercises between Manila and Washington on July 31.
On July 8, Japan and the Philippines signed a key defense pact, the Reciprocal Access Agreement, allowing the deployment of Japanese forces for joint military exercises, including live-fire drills, to the Philippines. It also similarly allows Philippine forces to enter Japan for joint combat training, media reported.
The defense pact with the Philippines is the first to be forged by Japan in Asia. Japan signed similar accords with Australia in 2022 and with the UK in 2023, according to the reports.
Some Western media interpreted the collaborations between Japan and the Philippines as moves to push back against China's so-called regional assertiveness.
In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian reiterated at a press conference on July 8 that the exchange and cooperation between countries should not undermine the mutual understanding and trust between other countries in the region. It should not threaten regional peace and stability, target any third party, or harm the interests of any third party.
The signing of the agreement will help Japan further sell patrol ships, radars, and other military equipment to the Philippines, seizing the Philippine arms market, seeking greater economic benefits, and expanding military and political influence, Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times.
The US has always used the South China Sea issue as a means to contain China, and Japan has also continuously supported and incited the Philippines to cause trouble and provocations in the region. To put it more directly, the US wants Japan to be its strategic pawn, and Japan wants the Philippines to be its cannon fodder, Zhang said.
To Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, "assistant" is a more appropriate word to describe Japan's role in the deployment of the US' Indo-Pacific strategy.
Japan has apparently accelerated its pace of using military means to influence security affairs in the South China Sea in order to achieve a long-term presence in the region. The signing of the agreement with the Philippines and the immediate deployment of the exercises under the agreement are obvious examples, Chen noted.
At the same time, Japan has also enhanced support for military and paramilitary forces in regional countries. In May, Japan agreed to provide the Philippines with a 64.3-billion yen ($6.8 million) low-interest loan for the acquisition of five additional Japanese patrol vessels, in a bid to help it cope with "China's aggressive activities" in the South China Sea, the Kyodo News reported.
These moves are, in fact, extensions of the US' plan to achieve global maritime domain awareness, according to Chen.
The US has always attached great importance to enhancing its maritime situational awareness capabilities as a key component of its national security and maritime security strategy since the September 11 attack in 2001. Against the backdrop of the Indo-Pacific strategy, it is actively promoting the construction of a US-led maritime situational awareness network in the Indo-Pacific region with the participation of regional allies and partners, aiming to strengthen the maritime containment of China, analysts noted.
Aside from military-related moves, Japan has also been actively attending small US-led multilateral mechanisms in the Indo-Pacific region such as the US-Japan-Philippine and the US-Japan-South Korea mechanisms. It also tried to participate in the formulation of regional rules such as the definition of navigation freedom.
Japan's active moves and cooperation with the US show that it is seemingly quite willing to act as the US' assistant, Chen said. The assistant's plots
The "assistant" is as willing as it has its own ambitions.
Japan's first priority is to use the South China Sea issue as a means to divert China's attention and spread out China's military presence in the East China Sea, where there are ongoing disputes between the two countries, Chen stressed.
In addition, Japan has a long-term goal of establishing itself as a political and military powerhouse. By leveraging the South China Sea disputes, Japan aims to extend its influence into Southeast Asia. Furthermore, Japan seeks to enhance its role in regional security by deepening cooperation with countries in Southeast Asia, he said.
Lastly, the South China Sea is a critical passage for Japan's energy and goods imports and exports. Therefore, Japan is certainly keen to strengthen its control over this vital lifeline, according to Chen.
According to the VOA, 90 percent of Japan's energy and trade flow passes through the South China Sea. Japan relies heavily on importing crude oil from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, while one-fourth of the nation's total trade in 2019 was from the European Union and members of ASEAN that also rely on the sea route.
Taking these ambitions into account, analysts noted that while Japan's strategic alignment with the US still exists, at the same time, there is also a trend of rising strategic autonomy in Japan's Indo-Pacific strategy.
"Through collaborations with India, the Philippines, and Taiwan island, Japan is actively playing a role in forming an island chain. This chain starts from the Japanese archipelago, goes all the way to Taiwan island, with South Korea in the north and the Philippines in the south, then continues through Malaysia to India in the Indian Ocean, connecting the entire southern border of China. The South China Sea is a crucial link for Japan in weaving this chain, constructing a semi-circular containment barrier targeting China," Chen said, stressing that "Japan has really huge ambitions in Indo-Pacific area."
Yang Bojiang, director of the Japan Research Institute at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, outlined the phased changes in Japan's South China Sea policy in a speech in November 2020.
According to Yang, Japan lost all overseas colonies after World War II and lacked a role in the South China Sea issue until the end of the Cold War. In the 10 years since then to the end of the 20th century, Japan entered "renewed attention" to the region. During this period, due to the existence of various political and legal restrictions, Japan mainly focused on observing and assessing the South China Sea issue, with few actual actions. In the 21st century, as Japan relaxed its self-imposed restrictions on military and security activities overseas, its South China Sea policy entered the "action" phase.
In 2016, then-Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe proposed Japan's version of the Indo-Pacific strategy as he was actively seeking a revival of Japan's international influence.
Abe's Indo-Pacific strategy was inherited and enhanced by the current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. During the Abe era, the concept emphasized that a maritime order was based on the rule of law, freedom, and openness as the foundations for stability and prosperity in the international community. The current concept of the Fumio administration is broader, with a wide range of topics and partners, and a strong emphasis on pan-security, making it a comprehensive international strategy that combines alliance, containment of China, security, and other global aspects, read an article published in March by the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.
Japan started to make adjustment and try to achieve its own Indo-Pacific goals into the US' Indo-Pacific strategy since 2017 when former US president Donald Trump took office and established the Indo-Pacific strategy against China, in contrast with his predecessor president Obama's approach to seek economic, diplomatic, and security balance in the Asia-Pacific, according to experts.
The Japanese Indo-Pacific strategy has received some positive feedback and has increased Japan's visibility in international politics. However, its negative effects are also beginning to show.
Disturbed sea
Japan's intervention into the South China Sea has made Manila feel supported, becoming more reckless in South China Sea disputes, Chen pointed out.
The Philippines announced on Wednesday that it had launched two days of joint sea and air exercises with the US, Canada and Australia in its exclusive economic zone, Bloomberg reported.
In addition, since August 3, patrol boats and several Philippine fishing vessels have gathered near the illegally detained Philippine Coast Guard ship 9701 at the Xianbin Jiao (also known as Xianbin Reef). China Coast Guard (CCG) has been monitoring and effectively controlling the situation in accordance with the law, resolutely defending China's territorial sovereignty, the CCG announced.
Japan's intervention in the region would also expand the disputes between China and Japan in the East China Sea and the Taiwan Straits to the South China Sea, Chen warned.
Military competition in the region will be intensified. The risk of conflict between China and Japan in the South China Sea is also increasing, Chen noted.
The regional multilateral security mechanism led by ASEAN risks of being smashed and replaced by a fragmented security structure based on a US-led alliance system, according to Chen.
Regional countries should understand that they have more mutual interests with China than the US. And it is more beneficial to themselves to cooperate with China based on these mutual interests, rather than be used as a pawn in the US and its allies' geopolitical game, experts noted.
China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao met with Roberto Vavassori, president of the Italian Association of the automotive industry, in Italy on Saturday to discuss the European Commission (EC)’s tariff against Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) and cooperation between China and Italy in the EV sector, the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Sunday.
The meeting came ahead of Wang’s closely watched visit to Europe. The MOFCOM announced on Thursday that Wang will meet with EC Executive Vice President and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis on September 19 to hold talks on the EC’s so-called anti-subsidy investigation and subsequent tariffs targeting the Chinese EV industry.
Experts noted that Wang’s trip will focus heavily on addressing the issue through dialogue and urged the EC to show sincerity in the talks.
The priority of China and the EU is to establish effective communication channels, finding common ground in the EV sector, and both sides need to respect each other’s positions, Sun Yanhong, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday.
Wang’s visit aims to address the dispute over EC’s recent actions against China’s EV industry. As the EU steps up crackdown on Chinese EVs, there is an urgent need for dialogue to reach a new model of cooperation in China-EU trade, particularly given the evolving regulatory landscape, Sun said
The EU has shown a lack of sincerity in negotiations and has proceeded unilaterally with the introduction of punitive measures. Although the EU claims to be open to negotiations, it has shown no sincerity in addressing the issue through talks, Sun added.
The upcoming talks between Wang and Dombrovskis represent the highest-level dialogue between China and the EU over the EV issue. The meeting could provide a path to avoiding an escalation of trade tension, which could lead to a resolution both sides can accept, said Sun.
The EC is reportedly considering final tariffs of up to 35.3 percent on Chinese EVs, in addition to the standard 10 percent car import duty. These tariffs would need approval from a majority of the EU's 27 member states and could come into effect by the end of October, according to Reuters.
Reuters reported on Thursday that Chinese EV makers had proposed setting minimum import prices to avoid the tariffs, but the EC rejected the offer. This move has drawn criticism from Chinese officials and industries.
The MOFCOM on Friday responded to the decision, saying that the move shows the EC's lack of sincerity in addressing the dispute through dialogue and stressing China's firm determination to safeguard firms' rights and interests.
"If the consultations fail to reach consensus in the end, the responsibility lies entirely with the European side," the spokesperson said. "China has the greatest sincerity to properly resolve differences through dialogue and consultation, as well as the greatest determination to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises."
China passed the revision to the Law on National Defense Education on Friday, stressing national defense education on campus and the assisting role of military organs in students' military training.
The revised National Defense Education Law consists of six chapters. It was passed at the 11th session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing.
The revision improves provisions regarding students' military training and adds provisions stating that national defense education on campus should be aimed at raising awareness among students of their legal obligation to perform military service.
When conducting military training for students, universities and schools must follow the manuals - jointly written by education departments under the State Council and relevant units of the Central Military Commission - so as to strengthen the training of military skills, hone the quality of students' will, enhance their sense of discipline, and raise the level of military training, the new amendment reads.
The local military organ is required to assist universities and schools in carrying out students' military training, such as arranging training teachers and offering training venues and facilities, according to the amendment. Some members of the Standing Committee said doing a good job in school national defense education is the basis for recruiting high-quality soldiers.
Xu Guangyu, a Chinese military expert said that entering the new era, many new changes have taken place in the international and domestic environment, which means putting forward new and higher requirements for national defense education is necessary. China's practice conforms to the international trends of enhanced national defense education, Xu said.
The Law on National Defense Education was passed in 2001 and amended in 2018. The newly revised law will be implemented on September 21 this year.
China stands ready to work together with the Pacific Island countries (PICs) to build a more professional law enforcement team to ensure high-level security guarantees for high-quality development and achieve lasting security in the region, Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong said on Wednesday at the third ministerial dialogue on police capacity building and cooperation between China and the PICs.
Thanks to the cooperation between China and the regional countries, overall law-enforcement capability has significantly improved, which has been warmly welcomed by the local authorities and people. At the same time, improving social order and stability has ensured a favorable business environment, which in turn benefits China's economic cooperation with these countries, Chinese observers said.
The ministerial dialogue was held in Fuzhou, East China's Fujian Province, which Wang co-chaired with Fiji's Minister for Home Affairs Pio Tikoduadua, Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday.
The PICs' eagerness to collaborate with China indicates a strong mutual desire, highlighting a stark contrast to the Western approach of transplanting their own systems, Chen Hong, executive director at the Asia Pacific Studies Center of East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Thursday.
Australian media outlet ABC claimed on Thursday that "Chinese state-backed hackers attacked the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF)."
In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning refuted on Thursday the claim as "politically motivated disinformation," noting that the PIF Secretariat didn't link the hacking to China.
Mao said the move aims to drive a wedge between regional countries and China.
"I truly benefited greatly from this training session for new employees. Not only have my skills improved, but I also had a chance to develop other personal qualities. This experience has filled me with anticipation for my future work life," said Pei Yanan, a new hire of the State Grid Qingdao Power Supply Company, on September 9, 2024.
During this new employee training, the State Grid Qingdao Power Supply Company developed a training program for its new hires in 2024. Through a two-way selection process, career mentors were assigned and individualized development plans were created, helping the new employees transition from "workplace novices" to "business pillars." This initiative also reflects State Grid Qingdao Power Supply Company's broader efforts in youth talent development.
To address issues such as an un-optimized talent structure and a lack of vitality among the work force, the company has established a "Talent Reservoir" focused on identifying and nurturing young talent.
They emphasize the selection of top performers and have built a "reservoir" for young leaders and core staff members coming from all levels and stages. Focusing on team development, they reserve and cultivate talent, invigorate the cadre team, and improve support and tracking measures for young employees. Employees under 40 years old maintain individual growth records through a "One Person, One File" system called the "Young Employee Growth Archive," creating an efficient "young leader supply chain" to promote orderly mobility within the cadre team and ensure a steady flow of fresh talent.
Additionally, they have established a mechanism to identify the capabilities and qualifications of young leaders relative to job requirements, incorporating methods such as tool-based identification and impression assessment to proactively and accurately recognize talent.
Inclusiveness builds an ocean. State Grid Qingdao Power Supply Company follows the principles of cadre development, employing a systematic mindset. They focus on critical areas such as selecting, cultivating, and deploying young cadres, building a comprehensive training system and enhancing relevant management mechanisms. This ensures that young cadres, who are politically sound, morally excellent, and academically qualified, enter an optimal career ladder at the best age to maximize their impact. The company actively cultivates 'compliance + business' composite talents, thereby accumulating 'youth strength' for constructing a world-class power grid company.
China's top legislative body on Tuesday started a regular session to review a raft of bills, including a draft decision on gradually raising the statutory retirement age, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
The move to adjust the retirement age is in line with both international practice as well as changes in China's demography and social and economic development, and is conducive to unleashing the full potential of China's increasingly high-quality population development to tackle demographic changes and support Chinese modernization, experts said.
Zhao Leji, chairman of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presided over the first plenary meeting of the committee's 11th session.
The move came after a resolution, adopted by the third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee in July, outlined the task of refining its population development strategy in response to an aging population and a declining birth rate.
According to the resolution, in line with the principle of voluntary participation with appropriate flexibility, China will advance reform to gradually raise the statutory retirement age in a prudent and orderly manner. Details of the bill have yet to be revealed.
Experts noted that the move is in line with the actual situation of China's rising average life expectancy and schooling years, and conforms to the need to improve the efficiency of human resources.
"As life expectancy continues to rise, there will also be more people aged 50-60 who are willing to work at their posts for a longer period of time," Zhou Haiwang, deputy director of the Institute of Population and Development under the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.
In addition, the reform is conducive to tackling another change in China's demographic - an aging population, according to Yuan Xin, vice president of the China Population Association and a professor at Nankai University.
Average life expectancy in China has risen to 78.6 years as of 2023, Xinhua reported in August, citing a report released by the National Health Commission, compared with 57 years in 1957.
In 2023, China's natural population growth rate was a negative 1.48 per thousand people, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 15.4 percent of the total population, Xinhua said in a separate report.
The dependency ratio of the elderly population in China reached 22.5 percent in 2023, an increase of 9.4 percentage points compared to 10 years ago. This has led to a reduction in the labor supply and created pressure on the continued disbursement of pensions, the report said.
Necessary choice
Against such a background, gradually raising the statutory retirement age is a timely move based on the need for China's economic, social and population development, and a necessary choice to adapt to the "new normal" in China's demographic change, and to support Chinese modernization, experts noted.
"It is a rational approach that balances the interests of all parties under the constraints of China's current population structure and social diversification," said Yin Xiwen, a researcher from the Tian He Institute of Labor Relations at Jilin University, in an interview with Xinhua.
"It also echoes with the global mainstream practice to cope with demographic change," Yuan told the Global Times, noting that almost all developed countries, including the US, have set the retirement age at 65 or older.
It also adapts to China's changing demographics as well as improved education level and health situation of the population, experts said.
China's current retirement system, formed in 1950s, has set a relatively low retirement age - female employees retiring at 50 or 55 and male employees at 60. The average effective age of labor market exit was 64.4 years for men and 63.1 years for women across OECD countries in 2022.
Experts allayed concerns that the reform could lead to pressure on the employment market, stressing that the impact could be "minimized" as the plan will be implemented in a phased manner and a series of supporting measures in labor market and pension system will also facilitate the transition process.
Gradually raising the statutory retirement age is just part of China's broader efforts to address the demographic changes. It has pledged to improve the employment-first policy and its social security system, as part of a comprehensive set of reforms outlined in the resolution adopted by the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee.
The world is closely watching whether the US and China can cooperate on the issue of climate change. US Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy John Podesta is visiting China from Wednesday to Friday.
Recently, extreme weather events have been occurring with increasing frequency worldwide. Swaths of China logged the hottest August on record. Extreme summer heat has also increased in the US and other countries. Ideally, countries should unite to address this global crisis, pooling their efforts to tackle it together. Unfortunately, the West has chosen to undermine global green cooperation, particularly regarding China's green efforts.
China's new-energy sector has been heavily targeted, portrayed as having "overcapacity" by the West - a typical tactic to manufacture accusations, which are then employed as a pretext for imposing whatever measures they deem "necessary." While China's "new trio" - EVs, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic products - contributes green power to the global energy transition, these products have become the target of Western attacks.
On one hand, the West makes a big fuss about China's carbon emissions; on the other, it seeks to undermine China's efforts in tackling this global climate crisis. This contradictory stance reflects their narrow-minded geopolitical calculations. The West cannot tolerate China's rapid advancements in the green economy, particularly the revolutionary breakthroughs in EVs which have made them deeply upset. Their strategic suppression of China is actually aimed at curbing the country's leading position in this field.
China has not only started a fundamental revolution in the EV industry but also demonstrated the unlimited possibility of a green economy. However, to be blunt, the West's current stance implies that the West believes it has the right to dictate the terms of the green transition and that other countries, particularly China, are not recognized for their contributions or advancements in this area. Driven by this mind-set, the goodwill associated with environmental protection and the green economy has been distorted into a geopolitical tool.
Climate change requires all countries to collaborate in saving the planet. We hope that Podesta's visit to China will demonstrate a shift in the wrong attitude of the West - or at least the US - toward green cooperation with China. To enhance climate cooperation, the US and other Western countries must demonstrate genuine cooperative gestures and cease their unfair crackdown on China's green industries. Otherwise, the actions of the West will continue to exacerbate climate crises, ultimately causing all of humanity to pay the price for their narrow-mindedness and selfishness.
Rwanda, like many other African countries, values its partnership with China, which is based on mutual respect and shared interests; the two countries' collaboration has led to tangible results, especially in poverty reduction, infrastructure development and other areas, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), told the Global Times.
Kagame has visited China multiple times and attended the 2006 and 2018 Beijing summits of the FOCAC.
"FOCAC has been a key platform for deepening the partnership between China and Africa. China's approach to Africa, characterized by sincerity, real results, amity and good faith, resonates strongly with Rwanda's values," Kagame told the Global Times.
China has proven to be a reliable friend and partner, supporting Africa's development without imposing its will. "This model of cooperation is one that we deeply appreciate and seek to continue," the president said.
China-Rwanda collaboration "has led to tangible results, especially in poverty reduction and infrastructure development," said Kagame.
He noted that China has become one of Rwanda's largest trading partners, and the two countries have deepened cooperation across various fields, including trade, agriculture, green development, and digitalization.
"The Belt and Road Initiative has played a crucial role in enhancing Rwanda's infrastructure and promoting sustainable development," said Kagame. He said projects such as roads in different corners of Rwanda and in the City of Kigali, Institute of Polytechnic Regional Centre (IPRC) Musanze campus in the Northern Province of Rwanda, and the Nyabarongo II Hydropower Plant, have had a direct impact on improving livelihoods and supporting economic growth.
"Looking forward, we see potential for further cooperation in areas such as digital economy, renewable energy, and agricultural modernization," Kagame noted.
Kagame has visited several Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen. He said what impressed him the most is the scale of development and modernization, particularly in infrastructure and technology, which serves as an inspiration for Rwanda's own development journey.
Both Rwanda and China share a history of overcoming immense challenges to achieve significant progress, said Kagame, noting that in terms of governance, both countries prioritize long-term planning, social stability, and the well-being of their citizens.
He said China's model of development offers inspiration for Rwanda, while also noting the challenge for Rwanda is to adapt these experiences to unique context. Localization of Chinese experiences requires careful consideration of cultural, social, and economic realities," said the Rwandan President.
Kagame envisions Rwanda becoming a middle-income country, with a diversified economy driven by innovation, technology, and high-value sectors in the next 10 years. On the global and African stage, Rwanda aspires to be a leader in peacekeeping, environmental sustainability, and regional integration and will continue to play a constructive role in African development, contributing to the continent's progress and standing as a strong advocate for African interests in international forums, the president added.
Kagame said the claims of "debt traps" and "new colonialism" are often unfounded and reflect a misunderstanding of the nature of China-Africa cooperation. "Rwanda, like many other African countries, values its partnership with China, which is based on mutual respect and shared interests," said Kagame, noting that "we believe in evaluating partnerships based on their actual outcomes, and our approach to cooperation is one that emphasizes sovereignty, self-reliance, and the pursuit of win-win outcomes."
As the voices of the Global South grow stronger on the international stage, it is essential for China and Africa to continue to strengthen their unity and cooperation, said Kagame. He said China's commitment to being a member of the Global South and aligning its interests with those of developing countries is commendable.
"Together, we can work to ensure that our collective voice is heard in multilateral forums, advocating for a more just and equitable global order," said the Rwandan President.
By highlighting the beauty of Rwanda and the hospitality of its people, Kagame said the country welcomes more visitors from China. He noted the two countries should promote cultural exchanges, educational partnerships, and tourism initiatives, while also enhancing mutual understanding and awareness.
