To celebrate the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival, which will fall on Tuesday in 2024, the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) will present a series of exciting performances, including the Peking Opera Farewell My Concubine, which will be staged on Friday.
The opera is a classic work that was initially adapted from the story of Xiang Yu, the self-styled "Hegemon-King of Western Chu" from over 2,000 years ago, and his tragic farewell to his beloved concubine Yu Ji after being defeated. The story is based on a historical event from the late Qin Dynasty (221BC-206BC).
This opera was famously performed by Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang (1894-1961), who played the role of Yu Ji.
The opera has been performed by numerous prominent artists since its debut in 1918.
The performance structure was refined over time, eventually evolving into the eight-act version that audiences know today.
Chinese tennis fans are expecting the female Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen to deliver quality performances at the upcoming China Open in Beijing, as the annual tennis event kicks off on Monday.
Since winning the Olympic women's singles gold medal, world No.7 Zheng has captured the spotlight in Chinese tennis.
Though the main draw has yet to be unveiled, Zheng, as a seeded player at the China Open, is possible to receive a bye in the first round and will play her opening match later this week.
Zheng's goal for the Chinese season is clear: to earn as many ranking points as possible to improve her chances of qualifying for the WTA Finals.
To secure one of the eight spots in the WTA Finals, Zheng will need to perform well at the China Open (WTA 1000), Wuhan Open (WTA 1000), and Ningbo Open (WTA 500), as she currently sits at No.9 in the race to the Finals, trailing Emma Navarro and Danielle Collins by 498 and 108 points respectively.
With Collins opting out of the China Open, Zheng has one less competitor in the fight for a coveted WTA Finals berth, a year after Zheng's disappointing first-round exit at the China Open last year.
Having returned to Beijing as early as Sunday to begin her preparations, Zheng's early training highlights her determination to perform well throughout the China swing. Strong performances during the China swing could secure her first WTA Finals appearance.
In the singles draw, world No.1 Iga Swiatek and world No.2 Aryna Sabalenka have already secured their places at the WTA Finals, leaving six spots still available. Swiatek will not participate in the China Open.
In the men's competition at the China Open, world top-three players Jannik Sinner of Italy, Alexander Zverev of Germany and Carlos Alcaraz of Spain are the marquee names of the list, with home favorites Zhang Zhizhen and Wu Yibing leading the Chinese squad's charge at the ATP 500 event.
This year's China Open singles qualifying rounds will take place on Monday and Tuesday, with the expanded 96-player singles main draw kicking off on Wednesday and Thursday.
A special exhibition titled Design for New China has opened at the China Design Museum of the China Academy of Art to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC).
The exhibition showcases over 500 artifacts and historical documents from 40 institutions across the country. It spans various fields including architecture, industrial design, craftsmanship, fashion, and visual design, highlighting key milestones in China's design history.
Among the featured items are significant "firsts" of the PRC, such as the country's first state gift and designs from China's first international trade fair and national pavilion. Rarely seen artifacts and design documents for the West Lake are also on display, many for the first time in decades.
"I took a walk from Venice to Beijing," wrote Vienna Cammarota, an Italian hiker, in a rather casual tone in her blog page. However, everyone with bit of geography common sense would get the idea that she is walking across continents.
On August 29, Cammarota arrived in China, starting her first leg of her trip in the country in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
On September 27, Cammarota reached Beijing. The 75-year-old hiker has traveled through 14 countries, covering a total journey of about 22,000 kilometers. Her trekking goes on. Accompanied by the Italian community in Beijing, Cammarota, a modern explorer, explores historical places related to Italian history, paying tribute to Marco Polo's extraordinary adventure. Italian explorer Polo traveled to China along the ancient Silk Road more than 700 years ago.
From Venice to Beijing
Cammarota visited a private collection of ceramic pieces from the Dingzhou kilns in Fuping county, Weinan city of Northwest China's Shaanxi Province on September 22. She was captivated by the precious porcelain artwork and exquisite ceramics which date back to a historical period ranging from 8,000 years ago to 3,000 years ago.
After her visit to the collection, Cammarota sat down for a video interview with the Global Times.
"This is impressive," she said, with a satisfied expression. Among the exhibits, Cammarota noticed a piece of porcelain dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-917). The artifact is so unique in shape and color that Cammarota found it to resemble almost exactly one described by Marco Polo in his work "The Travels of Marco Polo."
"Ancient porcelain is not just a testament of history but also a vivid example of cultural exchanges between China and Italy," she noted.
Through Zhu Yuhua, president of the Associazione Cina-Italia di Shanghai, her interpreter, Cammarota said that she could appreciate the beauty of porcelain from the Tang Dynasty. While through the porcelain collections of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), she could observe both typical Italian aesthetics and the wisdom of the ancient Chinese.
"Our cultures are interconnected," she explained.
Giuseppe Castiglione, also known as Lang Shining, an Italian missionary who served as an artist at the imperial court of three Qing emperors, introduced color and design to the Qing Dynasty, elements that are still clearly visible in the artwork of that era, said Cammarota.
Following the footprints of Marco Polo on the ancient Silk Road, Cammarota started her hiking adventure across Eurasia on April 26, 2022 and has been on the road for more than two years. Traversing different landscapes such as mountains, plains and urban areas, the 75-year-old hiker has been dealing with challenges. For instance, Cammarota said that she had trekked across many frontiers but one border was closed and she could not go through. Another time, she could not exchange her own currency into the local one to buy life necessities and to solve the problem, she had to find a middle man to convert the money.
Verifying 'millions'
In "The Travels of Marco Polo," the typical style of describing the number of things that Polo saw in Ancient China, often included phrases such as: "there were millions of sheep, millions of treasures, millions of silk products…" as a result, Polo's book is known in Venice as "The Million" from the colloquial nickname of its author. However, a lingering question for readers has been whether these claims were genuine or merely exaggerations.
Cammarota decided to verify Polo's words through her journey.
Following in Polo's footsteps, Cammarota, travelled along the ancient Silk Road passing through Xinjiang, Gansu, and Shaanxi.
Talking about her motivation, Cammarota said that she has been stepping up efforts to achieve three goals: to hike through the entire ancient Silk Road in China, to trace Polo's footsteps, and revisit the places mentioned in the book, like Suzhou, Hangzhou, Yangzhou, Fuzhou and Quanzhou, and to explore the origins of major commodities that were widely traded on the ancient Silk Road, including ceramics, silk and tea.
By doing so, she believes that she will gain a deeper understanding of the cultural significance as well as the historical value behind these commodities. Polo's descriptions of Xinjiang, particularly its beautiful gardens, have captivated many readers. Cammarota has experienced the region's vast wealth firsthand, enjoying its delicious fruits and vegetables.
Courage and strength
Elaborating more of her motivation, Cammarota said that many of her female peers, as they age, often lack the confidence and vigor they once had.
Cammarota however believes that despite aging, there is so much yet to do and women can achieve a lot. Through her own journey, she aims to inspire more others her age to maintain their morale and continue pursuing their dreams with courage and strength.
Where there is communication, there is friendship. "Based on communication, people understand each other better and trade is where communication starts," she said. Cammarota's trekking to Beijing is also her own way to foster communication.
Born nearby a national park in South Italy, Cammarota's first job has been an employee in a town hall, then as a natural environment guide. Students and scholars turned to her when they needed a guide in mountain areas.
Trekking has been a lifestyle for Cammarota. After her retirement, she transitioned from being a trekker to a researcher.
A cultural experience
In Xinjiang, Cammarota put on the local ethnic group people's attires and tried their food, dancing to their music.
Later she said that she enjoyed experiencing their culture and was deeply impressed by the Chinese people's friendliness.
"Once I was thirsty and asked a resident for some water," she recalled. "And not only did they give me something to drink, but they treated me with newly harvested grapes as well."
"700 years ago, Marco Polo set out from Venice and it took him more than three years to reach Xi'an along the ancient Silk Road," Cammarota said. Following suit, Cammarota will also spend three years along the route of the ancient Silk Road.
"I believe my adventure will be even enriched by wonderful experiences," she said.
The number of visitors to new properties and second-hand houses increased after a series of policies and measures boosting the real estate sector were released in rapid succession during the past week.
"Inquiries for new houses and second-hand houses have increased, with about 30 percent more visits on Saturday and Sunday compared to the previous week," a sales manager surnamed Hao at a Beijing branch of Lianjia, a leading housing agency in China, told the Global Times on Monday.
As one of the latest moves, the People's Bank of China (PBC), China's central bank, on Sunday night released four major policies regarding the real estate sector, including lowering the interest rate on mortgages, lowering the down payment ratio, improving refinance for low-income housing, and extending the duration of some real estate financial policies.
The adjustment in the pricing mechanism for mortgage rates indicated a significant reduction in mortgage rates for existing home loans, with an average estimated reduction of 0.5 percentage points, CCTV reported.
Also on Sunday night, first-tier cities such as Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzen released policies easing house purchases to help boost the market.
Guangzhou, the capital city of South China's Guangdong Province, announced the cancellation of various restrictions on households buying homes in the city on Sunday, effective from Monday.
Stocks related to the real estate sector surged on Monday, with some stocks surging to reach their daily trading limit.
CITIC Securities said in an analysis report published on Monday that the new housing policies are expected to release improved demand actively, optimize the stock, and promote the real estate market to reverse the downturn and stabilize. The construction of the new model of the real estate market and the recovery of the real estate market demand will coexist.
China and Brazil, together with a number of countries from the Global South, have established a "Friends of Peace" platform on the sidelines of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly, in a bid to seek peace amid the Ukraine crisis, which has been dragged on for more than two years.
The move is another step forward after China and Brazil jointly issued a six-point consensus on their common understanding of the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis in May.
Ever since the Russia-Ukraine conflict started, Global South countries have avoided taking sides in the conflict. They also don't see eye to eye the way the Western countries deal with Russia in an international system that has long been dominated by the US-led West. The Global South countries, represented by China and Brazil, have delivered a message that is different from the self-centered West.
Historically speaking, Global South countries were beset by the dominance of the Global North through political and economic exploitation and had long been outside the center of international political arena. In other words, they were in a weak or even marginalized position. But in recent years, Global South countries have emerged and their voices can be heard clearly on the world stage. Even Western countries have taken notice of this trend. This is because Global South countries think independently and have the courage to pursue a fair and just international order.
The root cause of the Ukraine crisis is clear. So is the reason why it is dragging on for so long. The US and the West, with their inherent arrogance and self-righteousness, have been pushing forward NATO's eastward expansion without taking into account the special historical and geographical sensitivities of Russia and Ukraine, which ultimately led to the situation being out of control. As the initiator of the conflict, the US would rather prolong the conflict than end it, only to sustain its hegemony. During the more than two years' time, many opportunities for peace have been missed.
This time, again, the US has tried to dismiss the efforts made by Global South countries. When asked about the latest peace proposal, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken resorted to the old-fashioned cliché of China's "support" to Russia.
Cui Heng, a lecturer from the Shanghai-based China National Institute for SCO International Exchange and Judicial Cooperation, believes this reflects the paucity of the US' diplomatic rhetoric.
"The US only wants to shirk its responsibility in the Ukraine crisis. Few countries now buy the 'China responsibility' rhetoric," said Cui.
Cui noted that if the US were in the situation of Russia, it could have kicked NATO out of its sphere of influence.
"In an international order dominated by the US, there is no such a thing as fairness and justice. In this context, why can't Global South countries push forward changes?" he asked.
The Ukraine crisis is a tragedy of international politics and tragedy of the world. In the past, when faced with major regional conflicts or international conflicts, it was often Western countries that decided the final direction or ultimately played a role. But this time the situation is different. Unlike Western countries that choose sides, most countries in the Global South uphold a balanced and neutral position and champion peace.
The emergence of Global South countries is offering hope to the Ukraine crisis. Perhaps the US and the West should ponder why they only bring war but the Global South could create conditions and atmosphere for peace talks.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had discussions on the Ukraine crisis, among other issues, with his counterparts from Russia and Ukraine when Wang met them separately on Wednesday.
Chinese analysts said the positive response and appreciations from the two conflicting parties toward China's contribution just prove that accusations from a few countries over China's stance on the crisis are nonsense and laughable.
China's exchanges and interactions with Russia and Ukraine at the UN have also exposed that some Western countries, especially the US, are not standing for peace, and don't care about the Ukrainian and Russian people who are suffering from the war; instead, they have selfish hegemonic interest in this issue, experts noted.
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha separately on the sidelines of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly.
Wang said at the meeting with Ukraine's top diplomat that China is willing to work with Ukraine to maintain the momentum of stable development in bilateral relations. Wang emphasized that China has always advocated for peaceful resolution of conflicts, and this remains true for the Ukraine issue.
China has been closely monitoring the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, and has provided four batches of humanitarian aid so far, and is ready to offer additional assistance based on Ukraine's needs, Wang said. China is also willing to maintain communication with all parties including Ukraine, in an effort to achieve peace at an early date, he noted.
At the meeting with Wang, Sybiha reiterated Ukraine's adherence to the one-China policy and expressed the willingness to build a strong partnership with China, adding that Ukraine highly values China's stance on the crisis and its efforts for peace, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
During his meeting with the Russian top diplomat, Wang said China will always stay true to the original aspiration of establishing diplomatic relations with Russia and continuously enrich their comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era for the greater well-being of people of both countries.
Lavrov said at the meeting with Wang that Russia is willing to work with China to push for greater development of bilateral relations. The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Chinese analysts said China has always kept close communication with both sides since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, and is still making great mediation efforts to try to stop the conflict and restore peace. This has already proven that China's stance for peace is undoubtable, but a few countries, especially the US, have kept blaming, accusing and distorting China's stance on the Ukraine crisis when they are trying to add fuel to the flame. These few countries are also spending huge amounts of their' taxpayers' money to prolong the deadly war.
Wang said on Tuesday at the UN headquarters while attending a UN Security Council high-level meeting on the situation in Ukraine that "any attempt to blame, attack or smear China on the Ukraine issue is irresponsible and will not succeed."
Selfishness, incompetence exposed
The US has frequently smeared and attacked China on the Ukraine issue. However, when Ukraine said it highly values China's stance on the crisis and its efforts for peace, the selfishness and hegemonic interest of Washington in the Ukraine crisis has completely been exposed.
Zhang Hong, a research fellow at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Thursday that an effective and sustainable solution of Ukraine crisis should be based on reality and the respect to the reasonable concerns of both sides, but the one-sided support from the US-led West to Kiev has made the conflict to escalate.
"The past two years have proved that the military support from the West to Ukraine has failed to promote peace but has extended and escalated the conflict time and again," Zhang noted.
By preventing the war from ending, the US military-industrial complex can keep earning money from the massive military aid and Washington can keep its influence over the EU and maintain pressure on Russia, so when the US trashes China's stance, it's laughable and nonsense, said experts.
Nonetheless, the US attacks and smears China's stance in order to sow discord between China and the EU over the Ukraine crisis, Zhang said. "This kind of trick has just exposed the incompetence and selfishness of Washington in handling this crisis."
Wang Yi on Wednesday also met with Josep Borrell, high representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Wang expressed his appreciation for Borrell's commitment and effort as the EU's top diplomat on promoting mutual trust and cooperation between the two sides.
Borrell, for his part, said China's rise is an unstoppable historical trend. China is already a strong country and will continue to grow stronger. The world needs China and Europe should strengthen cooperation with China.
The world is not peaceful as challenges are growing and conflicts keep cropping up, and countries need to work together to maintain peace and security, said Borrell. The two sides also exchanged views on the crisis in Ukraine.
Cui Heng, a research fellow with the Center for Russian Studies of East China Normal University, said that the US' attempts to sow discord between China and EU members by smearing China's stance on the Ukraine crisis did affect some EU members, but major countries like Germany and France still maintain strategic autonomy, and that's why the EU clearly understands that it needs to work together with China.
Be realistic
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday rejected the China-Brazil peace proposal during his speech as the UN General Assembly, while Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva advocated on Tuesday at the same event for a plan for talks between Russia and Ukraine to end their conflict, Reuters reported.
Zhang said Zelenskiy has high expectation to the peace plan. Yet, to be realistic, Ukraine needs to understand that the higher expectation it has, the more difficult it will be for all parties to reach a feasible plan. The conflicting parties can at least stop the conflict first and solve other complicated issues by negotiations, but if the conflicting parties refuse to do so, the war will be maintained in long term.
Another reason is that Ukraine is unable to make decisions on its own, as the US is the real key player behind this war. So, before Washington believes that it's time for a talk with Moscow to stop this war in Ukraine, we might not be able to see Ukraine make a clear decision and accept any peace proposal. However, China and Brazil, as well as other members who are calling for peace among the international community, will keep on working toward stopping this endless war, said experts.
On September 19, State Grid Aksu Power Supply Company successfully achieved, for the first time, the one-click "full stop and full turn" of the entire 110 kV Sunshine distribution network load through power distribution automation. The successful application of this technology will elevate the practical level of distribution automation in the Aksu region to new heights. The one-click "all-stop-all-turn" technology for the entire distribution network load station refers to a sequence control technology that enables one-click initiation and sequential execution of batch distribution network switch operations. The application of this technology is of great significance for improving power supply reliability, optimizing power system operation, and improving customers' electricity experience.
It has been reported that the traditional load transfer method for the whole station often involves complex processes and lengthy operations for transferring the distribution network load of four 10kV lines. The conventional on-site load transfer requires 8 operating points and 16 people, with simultaneous operations taking at least 30 minutes, which not only increases operational risk, but also negatively impacts on the user experience. However, by utilizing the one-click "full stop and full switch" technology for the entire distribution network load, four 10 kV lines can be operated through a single power adjustment and switching action. It only takes 1 minute to achieve "full stop and full rotation" of the entire station's distribution network load, an approach that greatly improves work efficiency and reduces operational risks.
To successfully complete this load transfer work, State Grid Aksu Power Supply Company planned and prepared in advance, organizing coordination among various disciplines, such as dispatching, mode, protection, automation, and local county companies. They conducted on-site terminal location verification, remote control preset, switch status verification, and remote signaling checks to ensure the smooth completion of the one-click "full stop and full turn" task for the 110 kV Sunshine Transformation and Distribution Network Load Station.
The successful application of this technology not only enhances the "zero perception" of customers' electricity consumption during operations, improving their overall electricity experience, but also paves the way for Aksu's distribution network to quickly adjust and cope with large-scale maintenance operations.
Next, State Grid Aksu Power Supply Company will continue to promote the functional innovation and construction of the distribution automation master station system. They will keep promoting the one-click "all-stop-all-turn" working method, achieve lean dispatching empowerment through automated means, and continue to pursue high-quality development to meet people's electricity needs for a better life.
The ongoing China-Russia joint military exercise has entered its second phase, in which warships from the two countries are scheduled to hold live-fire drill sessions in the Sea of Japan, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
Taking place simultaneously with a China-Russia joint coast guard exercise and patrol, the China-Russia military maneuvers once again highlighted a high level of security and defense cooperation between the two countries, experts said.
The opening ceremony of the Northern/Interaction-2024 joint exercise was held at a Russian naval port on Saturday, after which warships from the two navies set out and maneuvered toward the exercise zone, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy said in a press release on Saturday.
Forces from the two sides will hold joint drill sessions over objectives including maritime and air escort, alert and defense, air defense and anti-missile, and live-fire shooting.
A Chinese commander said at the opening ceremony that the Northern/Interaction series of drills has developed a mature mechanism with standardized procedures, and the drill scenarios are becoming closer to real combat, per the release.
A press release from the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday that the joint detachment of ships set out from Vladivostok and would hold exercises in the waters of the Sea of Japan during the week.
The Chinese naval forces including destroyers Xining and Wuxi, frigate Linyi and supply ship Taihu rendezvoused with their Russian counterparts on September 9 and held the first phase of the drill in waters and airspaces of the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk until September 15, according to previous releases by the PLA Navy.
The drill is separated into two phases because the first phase was held concurrently with Russia's Ocean-2024 strategic exercise, and the second phase is a standalone session, a Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Sunday.
Zhang Junshe, another Chinese military expert, told the Global Times that consecutive military interactions show that the two countries are boosting strategic cooperation. This is conducive to global peace and stability as the two countries are both permanent members of the UN Security Council.
Besides the military drill, the two countries' coast guards held a joint drill near the Peter the Great Bay from September 16 to 20, and started a joint patrol in international waters of the North Pacific on September 21, according to the China Coast Guard. This showed a high level of security and defense cooperation, which includes military and law enforcement. This is conducive to the maintenance of international maritime order and the advancement of ocean governance, experts said.
The first batch of lunar samples from the far side of the moon, collected by China's Chang'e-6 mission, is expected to be distributed to domestic scientists by the end of 2024, with availability for international researchers to follow. These samples are anticipated to further deepen mankind's understanding of the moon.
The CCTV news reported on Tuesday that the Chang'e-6 lunar scientific research samples will be distributed by means through an open application system. Researchers can access information and apply for the samples through the Lunar and Deep Space Exploration Scientific Data and Sample Release System on China's Lunar and Deep Space Exploration website.
Scientists around the world are keenly interested in this only batch of lunar samples, which are expected to update mankind's understanding of the Moon, Li Chunlai, deputy chief designer of the mission told the CCTV news.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told the Global Times in July that China published the Announcement of Opportunities for the Chang'e-6 Mission, which was available to the entire world. We also welcome countries around the world to take part in the study of lunar samples, Mao added.
The remarks made after NASA has once again resorted to its "sour grapes" rhetoric upon seeing China's successful retrieval of fresh lunar soils from the far side of the moon, by claiming that China did not directly invite its scientists to participate in the lunar soil research.
Li noted that the Chang'e-6 mission team has completed the unsealing, partitioning, processing, preparation, and preliminary analysis of the samples.
During the process of assembling the samples, the team observed that the lunar samples brought back by Chang'e-6 had more spalls than those from Chang'e-5. After preliminary analysis, scientists believe this is likely due to the fact that Chang'e-6's sampling point is located on the edge of an impact crater, which bears some relation to the spatter generated by the collision, Liu Jianjun, deputy chief commander of the ground application system of the mission, told the CCTV news.
The samples also contain a greater variety of minerals than those collected from the Chang'e-5 lunar samples, and they are of a finer texture, Liu added.
Considering that the lunar samples are very valuable, to ensure the safety of them, the security measures for the storage room are comparable to those of a vault, and the entire outer layer of the room is covered with steel plate structure, said Zhou Qin, a deputy chief designer of the ground application system of the mission.
The storage facility is a high-level clean room, where all air flowing into is purified by a filter cartridge. The room also meets high environmental requirements, maintaining a constant temperature and humidity environment, Zhou mentioned.
Chang'e-6 - China's latest leap of moon exploration - has claimed full success, as the returning capsule of the craft, carrying the first batch of lunar samples collected from the far side of the moon in human history, safely touched down in designated landing site in the Siziwang Banner, in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on June 25, and the returner of the Chang'e-6 lunar probe was opened at a ceremony in Beijing on the following day, with key technical indicators examined, the Xinhua News Agency reported.