China has noted that Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. is still confusing black and white and launching smear attacks. His words and actions are not his self-proclaimed "defending national dignity", but rather a grandstanding show aimed at reaping personal political gain, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said in response to a foreign media inquiry on that according to a Reuters report, following China's imposition of sanctions against Teodoro and his relatives, Teodoro claimed on Friday that he will keep doing his duties in the face of China's "wickedness."

It is precisely the irresponsible and reckless actions of a handful of people like him that will lead to the escalation of China-Philippines disputes, the deterioration of bilateral relations, and ultimately harm the interests of the Philippines and its people, said Lin. 

Over the past 30 years, 89-year-old Lei Yueqin has created seven hand-drawn maps documenting the revival of the Guancheng River in Guiyang, Southwest China's Guizhou Province. Her oldest faded colored drawings still bring a sparkle to her eyes whenever she flips through them.

A national role model for ecological progress and an exemplary volunteer, Lei has spent decades patrolling the river on her own initiative. On her first map, drawn in 1994, she marked the Guancheng River in red to indicate pollution. In a 2004 drawing, the waterway was shaded gray and labeled as a "dead river." Between 2008 and 2015, she produced four more drafts, again depicting it as "dead river," with no sign of flowing water in the remaining stretches.

Her lifelong wish was simple: access to clean drinking water.

Stretching 7.5 kilometers, Guancheng River cuts 3.3 kilometers across old downtown Guiyang before feeding Nanming River. The Nanming winds 160 kilometers into Wujiang River, which travels another 540 kilometers to join the Yangtze River. Yet starting in the 1990s, rapid urban expansion and competing demands for land polluted the river, gradually burying it out of locals' sight. Authorities capped roughly 2,400 meters of its main channel with thick concrete slabs to build parking lots and food stalls, leaving merely 592 meters of open river.

In 2018, extra slabs were laid over tributary ditches amid central environmental inspections, turning most open water into a covered underground drain.

Officials faced a critical test of sound performance mindset: was this 7.5-kilometer tributary trivial or vital to Yangtze conservation? Would local governments keep hiding pollution under concrete or tear up covers for thorough restoration?

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, laid out clear guidance for promoting the development of Yangtze River Economic Belt: Ecological priority, green development, joint protection and no excessive development. No economic activities should cause any damage to the environment.

Guiyang kicked off river dredging in May 2019. The all black, odorous water along the basin was eliminated by November 2020. In September 2021, the city resolved to remove concrete caps over the main channel, and in January 2024, the long-lost Guancheng River flowed in open air again.

In 2025, Lei finished her seventh map, painting clear sparkling waters across the page.

Fixing flawed development ideas

Liu Zhu, a veteran urban planning official, recalled reckless urban expansion left insufficient sewage infrastructure. Guiyang built its first wastewater treatment plant only in 2003. Its karst terrain holds little surface water, mixing rainwater and raw sewage directly into rivers. Foul odors triggered heavy public complaints, prompting hasty capping as a quick fix around 2000.

The Guancheng River's main channel has limited flow capacity. To ease flood pressure, engineers built a diversion tunnel upstream, effectively shifting the problem downstream by channeling mixed sewage directly into the lower Nanming. The flood bypass became an open sewage outlet.

In 2017, a central environmental inspection found that 400,000 tons of untreated domestic wastewater drained into Nanming River daily. A 2018 national pollution audit listed Guancheng and five feeder trenches as severely contaminated, mandating urgent rectification.

"We looked into a complete fix - citywide sewer separation - but we were concerned about the massive infrastructure backlog and the high costs," admitted Zhong Tayong, then vice mayor of Guiyang in charge of environmental protection.

"At the time, the Guancheng River's main channel had essentially become a sewage conduit; many people didn't even think of it as a river anymore. Some proposed simply integrating it into the municipal pipeline network, covering it all up - that would have been the fastest way to meet compliance targets…" recalled an official involved in drafting the remediation plan.

In 2019, Guiyang's capped, diversion-based cleanup plan failed to get approval from the central government, making it the only provincial capital missing its national pollution remediation task.

Quick-fix capping and water diversion stemmed from formalism and misplaced performance mindset.

The priority was to root out a wrong mindset. With course correction made at the leadership level, remediation of the Guancheng River and its side channels was restarted.

Guiyang revised its renovation blueprint with expert reviews and third-party oversight. Workers cleared nearly 20,000 cubic meters of accumulated sludge upstream, inspected hundreds of drainage outlets, cut off pollution sources and separated rainwater from sewage. National inspectors confirmed full removal of black odorous water by late 2020.

Uncovering the buried channel

2021 marked the centenary of the CPC, when the CPC Central Committee launched a campaign on Party history learning and education among all of its members.

Ahead of that year's Spring Festival, President Xi visited the Liuchong section of the Wujiang River in Guizhou. Xi asked Guizhou to adhere to the two bottom lines of ensuring development and ecological progress, and strive to forge a new path of giving priority to ecological conservation and pursuing green development.

That September, Guiyang officially put the Guancheng River concrete-slab removal project on the agenda.

City officials, specialists and citizen representatives held dozens of workshops to solve core hurdles. Where does the treated water go? With scarce land available in the mountainous city, conventional wastewater treatment plants were not an option. Instead, Guiyang opted for a tailor-made solution: retrofitting the city center with an underground, compact water reclamation plant.

When does the money come from? The project pooled central special funds, eco-grants, bank loans and private investment.

In July 2022, the city adopted a comprehensive plan for the full "uncovering the river."

Construction started on the first 182-meter uncovered stretch on Taiping Road. The concrete slabs were a full meter thick. Regular saws bounced off; crews had to use high-pressure water jets laced with industrial diamond grit, chewing forward inch by inch.
On January 26, 2024, Taiping Road was thronged with local residents and tourists standing in dense layers of crowds. As the golden curtain covering the river was pulled aside, clean running water began to flow.

Standing amid the onlookers, 68-year-old Jiang Yu wiped away his tears quietly.

Jiang grew up right by the river. He still remembers the old days when long lines of villagers queued up on Longjing Bridge to fetch and carry river water. His 34-year-old son Jiang Jinwen lives at No.80 Guanchenghe Road. For a long time, though he crosses the river's route every single day, he had never laid eyes on an open river channel before.

As a resident representative, Jiang Jinwen took part in the unveiling ceremony. Once the event wrapped up, the father and son wandered back and forth along the restored riverbank.

Watching the running water, they felt as though a fresh spring was flowing through their hearts.

Refining urban development paths

The block upgrading was designed and advanced alongside the uncovering project of Taiping Road.

Full-scale large demolition and reconstruction, or refined micro-renovation?

"The initial proposal was impressive: full river navigability allowing boat cruises through the old town downstream past 24 riverside scenic spots," said Guo Jiesi, former head of the special working group for "One River, One Corridor and Two Historic Districts" in Yunyan District.

However, the proposal was rejected upon submission.

A mountainous city, Guiyang features sharp water level fluctuations; at least three ship locks would be required for waterborne traffic. To optimize sightseeing, the river channel had to be widened by an extra 200 meters. Docks, locks and scenic sites plus land acquisition would push total investment above 10 billion yuan.

"The plan far exceeded local fiscal capacity and ran counter to national regulations restricting large-scale demolition and construction," Guo said.

Authorities at Guiyang municipal and Yunyan district levels drew practical solutions from theoretical learning.

"President Xi's remarks enlightened us," said Liu Renhao, district head of Yunyan. The renovation along Guancheng River would avoid citywide large-scale investment and blaze a new trail of cultural empowerment and featured development.

Drawing wisdom from heritage to enrich modern life, local authorities finalized the blueprint: ecological foundation plus cultural empowerment via targeted micro-renovation, to carry forward urban heritage, upgrade block functions and elevate living standards.

Renovation of the river kick-started the district's urban renewal drive. Stretching 7.9 kilometers, the riverside footpath links Wenchang Pavilion and Cuiwei Garden historic quarters. The 37-project cluster of "One River, One Corridor and Two Districts" has forged a distinctive urban cultural precinct.

On weekends, open-air roadside concerts unfold beside the over-400-year-old Wenchang Pavilion.

Professional troupes interact closely with locals and tourists amid a blend of traditional charm and modern vibes. Over 600 performances have drawn more than five million visitors, birthing Guiyang's new cultural IP as a City of Music.

Unique local signature drinks - prickly pear coffee, houttuynia cordata beer and pitaya milk tea - have made Taiping Road a trendy landmark for out-of-town visitors and a testing ground for local youth to boost cultural confidence via national chic.

Having resided riverside for 69 years, Zhou Jinhua once endured messy surroundings. At community open-air forums, he voiced his wish for downstairs leisure green space; soon a pocket garden was built nearby. Micro-renovation covering 244,100 square meters of existing buildings benefited 628 households.

In March last year, the project was listed as a national exemplary urban renewal case. The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development commented: "Through innovative practice, the project has pioneered a sustainable urban regeneration path balancing livelihood improvement, cultural inheritance, economic revitalization and governance upgrade."

Anchoring sound performance in practical results
What lessons has Guancheng River's restoration brought?

"It's an eye-opening masterclass: genuine governance accomplishments are delivered for the people through down-to-earth work," said Wang Hong, Mayor of Guiyang.

Construction of Liuguangmen Underground Water Reclamation Plant required excavation of a 30-plus-meter pit; to spare nearby residents from blasting disturbance, crews relied on round-the-clock crusher work amid tough construction bottlenecks.

From a macro perspective, the plant constitutes a core component of comprehensive Guancheng River remediation, a concrete action to upgrade ecological protection and fulfill Guizhou's obligation to shield the upper reaches of the Yangtze and Pearl Rivers.

"We re-mobilized the team, kept daily site inspections and pressed full steam ahead," Li Wenyu said.

Dedicated onsite delivery spawned dozens of technical innovations, turning Liuguangmen into China's deepest fully underground reclamation plant and a national benchmark for green low-carbon development.

"The Party spirit serves as the decisive underpinning for fostering a correct view of governance performance. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, all rounds of centralized Party education have highlighted pragmatic delivery as core guidance," said Huang Chaochun, Party Chief of Guizhou Academy of Social Sciences. "Guancheng River's spectacular rebirth stands as vivid proof."

Once plagued by acid rain, Guiyang now ranks among China's top-performing 168 key cities for ambient air quality; 100 percent of provincial and national monitored surface water sections meet high-quality standards.

Lei Yueqin is a familiar sight by the revitalized river. The 85-year-old joined the CPC in July 2022.

"I joined the Party witnessing tremendous new-era progress, especially in ecological civilization. My lifelong wish of access to clean drinking water has come true," she explained.

Though initially burdened with grievance and pressure, Guancheng River's transformation has changed her perspective. Lei always bears Xi's words in mind as enlightening theories illuminate reality and guide forward-looking development.

The Adora Magic City, China's first homegrown large cruise ship, departed from Shanghai on Saturday, marking the launch of the country's first-ever cruise-to-nowhere voyage.

Unlike traditional cruises, the new itinerary involves the ship leaving from and returning to its home port, Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal, without making any stops, cruising solely on the high seas.

The three-day, two-night voyage from Saturday to early Monday offers passengers a relaxed, immersive experience without the need to rush from one port to another.

"It feels very relaxing, and I don't have to take extra days off work. I am really looking forward to experiencing the homegrown large cruise ship," said a tourist surnamed Hu, a white-collar worker from Shanghai, as she stepped on board.

The operator has enhanced onboard entertainment, including a stand-up comedy show, magic performances, theme parties and late-night dining. To ensure comfort, the passenger load was capped at 80 percent, with an average age of 47, lower than the usual 55 on regular routes.

On Friday, Shanghai issued China's first entry-exit permit for such cruises. The following day, streamlined customs and border inspection services were in place for travelers.

Tong Danying, an official with the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission, said cruises to nowhere are not a simplified version of traditional cruises, but a brand-new product that turns the ship into the destination itself, creating a new consumption scenario.

Figures show that China has seen booming cruise tourism, with total cruise passenger throughput in 2025 surging 25.3 percent year on year.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has pointed out that interactions between civilizations provide the most solid foundation for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's (SCO) development, and people-to-people exchanges provide the strongest driving force for the organization. Kyrgyzstan will host this year's summit, which marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of the SCO.

On May 27, the 2026 China-Kyrgyzstan Media Cooperation Forum, themed "Deepening China-Kyrgyzstan Media Cooperation for a Brighter SCO Future," was held in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. Nearly 100 media representatives, officials from relevant departments, experts, scholars and business representatives from China and Kyrgyzstan attended the forum, engaging in in-depth exchanges and discussions on topics including economic and trade development, cultural exchange and media cooperation. The forum was jointly hosted by the People's Daily and Kyrgyz Tuusu Publishing House.

Media in unity, building consensus for development

"Amity and good-neighborliness are invaluable to a country." Linked by mountains and rivers, China and Kyrgyzstan are good neighbors, good friends and good partners enjoying close people-to-people ties. In recent years, under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the China-Kyrgyzstan comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era has maintained a strong momentum of development. Media outlets from both countries have played an active role in promoting the building of a closer SCO community with a shared future and a China-Kyrgyzstan community with a shared future.

Cui Shixin, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the People's Daily, said that holding the China-Kyrgyzstan Media Cooperation Forum is both an implementation of the important consensus reached by the two heads of state on deepening the China-Kyrgyzstan comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era, and a concrete action to create a favorable public opinion environment and lay a solid public foundation for the upcoming Bishkek SCO Summit. China and Kyrgyzstan are companions on the path to modernization. Media of both countries should build consensus on development to anchor mutual trust, boost mutually beneficial cooperation to pave the way for prosperity, deepen cultural exchanges to nurture the tree of friendship and consolidate institutional foundations to amplify the voice of the SCO. With a constructive attitude, they should build bridges of understanding, present a true, multidimensional and comprehensive picture of China-Kyrgyzstan cooperation, and tell vivid stories of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

Salkyn Sarnogoeva, Deputy Minister of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic, said that the friendship between China and Kyrgyzstan has a long history, and the spirit of the Silk Road has firmly bound the two peoples together. In the digital era, media are a bridge connecting the peoples of the two countries, and it is very important for the two sides to strengthen media exchanges and cooperation. At present, the SCO is in a period of vigorous development, and the media of both countries should jointly respond to the challenges posed by fake news and information disorder, learn from each other in areas such as artificial intelligence applications, creative industry development, and media platform building, and support the growth and development of young journalists.

Since its founding, the SCO has always upheld the Shanghai Spirit of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and pursuit of common development. It has become the world's largest regional cooperation organization in terms of population, geographic area and development potential.

Galina Baitekerek, head of Kyrgyz Tuusu Publishing House in Kyrgyzstan, said that the SCO is becoming an important platform for different civilizations to strengthen dialogue and mutual respect. Strengthening cooperation between Chinese and Kyrgyz media in various fields will help establish an objective image of SCO member states internationally and is of great significance for promoting the development of the SCO. The two sides have broad prospects for cooperation in many areas, including promoting exchanges of experience between journalists and experts, creating joint media projects, advancing digital platforms and new media development, and increasing support for young journalists.

Sun Dapeng, counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Kyrgyzstan, said that media play an irreplaceable role in deepening mutually beneficial cooperation and promoting people-to-people affinity. Media cooperation is also a key direction of SCO cooperation and China-Kyrgyzstan cooperation. This forum is another important achievement of China-Kyrgyzstan media cooperation. He hopes that media from both countries will continue to deepen cooperation, firmly promote the Shanghai Spirit, introduce successful experiences in SCO development, show the bright prospects of cooperation among countries and tell the "SCO story" well.

Mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, broadening path of cooperation

Civilizations become colorful through exchange, and cooperation becomes profound through pragmatism. At the forum, guests from the tourism, aviation, logistics, automotive and technology sectors of both countries shared cooperation achievements and discussed future visions, painting a vivid picture of coordinated development and mutual benefit across multiple fields between China and Kyrgyzstan.

Eduard Kubatov, Director of the State Agency for Tourism Development of Kyrgyzstan, said that China-Kyrgyzstan relations are currently at their best in history, with political mutual trust, economic and trade investment, and cultural exchanges continuing to deepen. Tourism cooperation is an important part of the bilateral friendship. The two sides have already opened direct flights and are actively 8ancient city of Suyab), and will also work with Uzbekistan to build an international tourism hub. He said Kyrgyzstan is willing to take this forum as an opportunity to work with China to advance tourism and cultural cooperation and jointly promote the continued development of bilateral relations.

A representative from Air China's Bishkek office said that Air China will officially enter the Kyrgyzstan market. Earlier media reports indicated that Air China will launch a direct flight between Beijing and Bishkek starting July 17. The opening of this route will pave a smoother "air Silk Road" for personnel exchanges and economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, and the bilateral passenger flow is expected to exceed 200,000 for the first time this year.

Deputy General Director of "Kyrgyz Post" JSC, Uulzhan Masiyanova, said that Kyrgyzstan and China are engaged in close cooperation in political, economic, logistics, digital technology, information and communications, and cultural fields. In particular, cooperation in cross-border e-commerce and logistics has become one of the vivid examples of practical cooperation between the two countries. Their cooperation is reflected not only in the extension of roads and the growth of trade, but also in the integration of information spaces, mutual understanding in the media sector, and deeper awareness and understanding between the peoples of the two countries.

In his remarks, Lu Yunran, CEO of 212 Off-Road Vehicle Co., Ltd., shared the story of how 212 became a flagship independent Chinese off-road model. He said that China's complete industrial and supply chain system, the creativity of millions of engineers and the breakthroughs made by Chinese automobiles in the new energy and intelligent era have provided a solid technological foundation and a broad stage for Chinese brands to go global. At present, 212's global sales network covers more than 80 countries and regions. In the future, the company will deepen cooperation with partners in Central Asian countries and work together with all parties under a "Chinese technology + local market" model.

Ulanbek Satiev, General Director of the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Corporation of the Kyrgyz Republic (NTRK), said that while NTRK has been deeply cultivating traditional television media, it has also built a strong influence on new media platforms. At present, NTRK is also actively embracing cutting-edge technology and has officially introduced artificial intelligence to broadcast daytime news.

Li Dahai, CEO of Beijing MODELBEST Technology CO., LTD, said that artificial intelligence is not only a new round of technological revolution, but also a new development channel, and should become an inclusive infrastructure for common development among countries. Relying on key laboratories and an open-source ecosystem, ModelBest AI has already established the technical chain for "sovereign large models" and created a sample of an intelligent foundation. He looks forward to working with partners in Kyrgyzstan and other Central Asian countries to make AI better understand local languages, be closer to local industries and better serve local people.

People-to-people exchanges, painting picture of future together
Ideas collide to gather wisdom, and dialogue deepens friendship. In the roundtable discussion session of the forum, guests engaged in in-depth exchanges on the topic of "Media building bridges of people-to-people exchanges and empowering cooperation and development between the two countries," sharing experiences, building consensus and offering suggestions to improve the quality and effectiveness of China-Kyrgyzstan media cooperation.

Guan Kejiang, President and Editor-In-Chief of the Global Times, said that language is a bridge for communication, and media can use each other's languages to better tell the stories of their own development, China-Kyrgyzstan cooperation, SCO cooperation and the Global South. This is the proper mission of the media.

Du Hua, Director of the Confucius Institute on the Chinese side at Bishkek State University, has worked in Bishkek for seven years. She said that Chinese brands can be seen everywhere in Bishkek, and the idea of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation has taken root in people's hearts. The media are witnesses and communicators of friendly cooperation, and young students can deepen their understanding of each other's cultures through the media.

Kurmanbek Mambetov, a commentator for Kyrgyz newspaper Kyrgyz Tuusu, said he hopes the media will focus more on practical cooperation projects between Kyrgyzstan and China, such as Chinese investment in Kyrgyzstan, technological cooperation and tourism exchanges, so as to enhance mutual trust and promote cooperation. At the same time, the media need to embrace new technologies to better meet the information needs of local audiences.

Ismail Dairov, an international commentator for Slovo Kyrgyzstana, has long promoted environmental protection ideas through the media. He said China has made great achievements in the field of new energy, and the prospects for cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and China are broad. The Kyrgyz side hopes to learn from China's technological experience to support local green development.

At the end of the forum, Kubat Chekirov, head of the "Kut Bilim" media center, told the Global Times that "as journalists, when we convey new knowledge, new trends and new developments from the other country to our own people, cooperation between the two countries will become closer, and mutual understanding will be further deepened."

As the tide rises over the Tianshan Mountains and the wind fills the sails, hearts and hands joined together move toward the future. Standing at the new starting point of the 25th anniversary of the founding of the SCO, the media of China and Kyrgyzstan will continue to carry forward the Shanghai Spirit, fulfill their media mission, and use the pen as a medium and the camera as a bridge to tell the story of China-Kyrgyzstan friendship and spread the voice of the SCO.

Several individual New Zealand lawmakers visited China's Taiwan region in disregard of the grave concern and firm opposition of the Chinese side. Their action violates the one-China principle and interferes in China's internal affairs. In accordance with relevant laws of the People's Republic of China, the Chinese side has decided to take measures including an entry ban, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Thursday in response to a question about China banned four New Zealand lawmakers from traveling for one year and demanded an apology after they traveled to Taiwan.

"I need to stress that the one-China principle, a prevailing international consensus and a basic norm in international relations, is also the political cornerstone of China-New Zealand relations. We urge the individuals concerned to earnestly respect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and strictly abide by the one-China principle. Anyone who tramples on the red line and oversteps on the Taiwan question must pay the price," Mao noted. 

The comments were made shortly after the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand said on Thursday that the Chinese side has decided to impose measures, including entry bans, on certain New Zealand lawmakers who insisted on visiting China's Taiwan region despite China's serious concerns, firm opposition and repeated prior warnings.

Recently, a small number of New Zealand lawmakers, despite China's serious concerns, firm opposition, and repeated prior warnings, insisted on visiting China's Taiwan region in their capacity as members of parliament, the embassy said. 

During the visit, they met with a number of local political figures. Their actions and remarks were subsequently reported by local media, creating a negative political impact and sending erroneous signals to the Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities and "Taiwan independence" forces, the embassy noted.  

After recruiting journalists and "fisherfolk" to launch infringing activities in the South China Sea, the Philippines is about to play a new round of trick in staging another incident. Philippine media outlets recently reported that a Filipino non-governmental organization called Atin Ito, or "This is ours," is planning to rally a group of so-called Philippine fisherfolk to travel to the waters around China's Huangyan Dao (also known as Huangyan Island) in an attempt to use "fisherfolks" as "human shields, " to initiate a fresh round of provocation in the South China Sea and deliberately engage in "sadfishing" to the international community.

The Global Times noted from publicly available information that this so-called Filipino civic organization is, in fact, a "hired gun" fed by the US and long sponsored by US organizations. Atin Ito has continuously stirred up troubles in South China Sea and has been exerting its influence in the Philippine government's decision-making on the issue.

This organization's plan of direct involvement in the frontline of the South China Sea conflict further exposes the increasing interference from countries outside of the region, like the US, as they incite the Philippines to "step on the gas" toward confrontation in the South China Sea.
Upcoming publicity stunt

Multiple Philippine media outlets have recently covered the plan of this publicity stunt. Philippine news website rappler.com reported on May 8 that Atin Ito, a coalition that counts fisher and farmer groups, civic organizations, fisherfolk, and youth activists among its members, will travel to Huangyan Dao from May 14 to 17.

Rafaela David, one of the lead convenors of the coalition, said in a press conference on May 8 that "this is not a sightseeing excursion to seek out Chinese marine vessels or a provocation to incite conflict." However, this coalition also invited international observers to join the voyage to monitor and document the situation in the region and "witness firsthand the challenges faced by Filipinos in those waters."

David contradicted herself in her performance art by stating, "By mobilizing civilians and engaging in peaceful activities within our EEZ, we reclaim our space and assert our territorial integrity in a manner that champions peace and diplomacy."

According to Philippine media, about 200 participants are expected to join the mission, among them fisherfolk, volunteers, journalists, and observers. They are scheduled to set out from the Philippines on May 15 and trespass into waters adjacent to China's Huangyan Dao, bring supplies to Filipino fisherfolk, and deploy "symbolic buoys" bearing a provocative message: "The West Philippine Sea is ours."

This is not the first time that the Atin Ito has conducted so-called peaceful activities in the South China Sea, as this coalition had also organized dozens of fishing ships and a marine training vessel carrying Philippine civilians to bring Christmas gifts to local Philippine military personnel on islands and reefs in the region, according to Philippine media reports.

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 that Atin Ito's latest plan to stir up troubles around Huangyan Dao at a larger scale will likely first have Philippine fishing vessels staying from a distance, as they would need to coordinate with the Philippine Coast Guard and journalists to take staged photos.

The coalition will likely then play the staged show of "resupply," as they could have fishing vessels coordinate with Philippine governmental ships to conduct infringing activities, Ding predicted, noting that it is also possible that civilian vessels rallied by the organization will trespass into waters restricted by China under the demand of the Philippine Coast Guard, directly disrupt law enforcement operations by the China Coast Guard, or disrupt normal fishing activities by Chinese fisherfolk.

While this scheduled infringing plan seems big under the propaganda of the Atin Ito coalition and the Philippine media, its actual scale might fall short significantly. A source close to the matter told the Global Times that while the plan allegedly rallied over 100 civilian vessels, the fact is that only about 10 ships or so will likely end up joining the publicity stunt, with most of them operating in waters not far away from the Port of Masinloc.

The source said that Philippine government ships are expected to arrive in designated waters in the early morning of May 15, then the civilian ships will hold a regatta for entertainment near the Port of Masinloc. After that, these ships will scatter, with two Philippine commercial ships carrying journalists and social activists heading toward Huangyan Dao on May 16 and return to the Philippines on the same day.

Atin Ito is expected to hold a press conference in Manila on May 17 to continue to hype this farce, the source said.

Ding said that this organization's activities often fall short of expectations and follow fixed patterns. They usually hype up their activities beforehand, make high profile forecasts on domestic media and social media platforms, and instigate nationalist sentiments. At the same time, the organization also raises donations through its website, urging for supplies to Philippine fishing ships operating around China's Huangyan Dao and Ren'ai Jiao (also known as Ren'ai Reef). In addition, this organization also makes various publicity stunts, including live shows, press conferences, and seminars in a bid to increase its political presence.
'Hired gun' by US military

Although it publicly claims to be an independent Philippine organization pursuing peace, the actions of the Atin Ito coalition are more akin to a "hired gun" serving the US strategy in the South China Sea. In fact, its ability to coordinate resources within the Philippines, as well as its intricate relationships with pro-American figures in the US military and Filipino politics, all highlight that it is far from a simple Filipino civil organization.

In a recent field interview in the Philippines, Global Times reporters noted that similar to many Western civil organizations that serve political purposes, Atin Ito excels at expanding its influence in a people-friendly manner. For example, it manufactures and sells exclusive brand accessories, handicrafts, or tourist souvenirs. Through this method, it raises funds for activities, promotes its image, and advocates its political stance.

Ding said that, "the Atin Ito coalition seems to be a so-called non-profit civil organization, as it intentionally downplays its political color in its official website introduction and propaganda campaign, but in fact, it has a certain political background. This is first reflected in the fact that the actual leader of the organization, Rafaela David, is also the chairman of the Akbayan Party in the Philippines. Although this political party is relatively small in the Philippine political arena, it has been using various political issues in the Philippines to increase its presence and influence in recent years. Atin Ito and the Akbayan Party present a complementary relationship, as the Akbayan Party provides political resources for the activities of Atin Ito, and the activities organized by Atin Ito can increase the exposure of Rafaela David, granting her more political benefits."

Philippine media reports showed that the Akbayan Party has been an active participant and organizer of many anti-China demonstrations in the Philippines, and Atin Ito was often present at these events. In return, the Akbayan Party actively gathers Philippine political figures to support the activities of Atin Ito.

Philippine media Palwan News reported in March that Philippine political figures such as Senator Risa Hontiveros, former ambassador Victoria Bataclan and civilian opinion leaders, as well as representatives from the British, Australian, Dutch, Swedish, and European Union embassies attended a photo exhibit and film screen held in Manila that month, when Altin Ito announced Huangyan Dao as a potential destination for its next mission of "delivering aid to fisherfolk." This highlighted the close ties between the coalition and the party.

In addition, the militaries of the Philippines and the US also do not hide their relations with Atin Ito. The Philippine Star, on May 3, reported that, Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, a Philippine Navy spokesman, voiced support on May 2 for Atin Ito's upcoming "civilian supply mission" to Huangyan Dao. "And so long as they abide by all the guidelines given by the government, we support all activities, civic society," he said.

Philippine naval vessels or Philippine Coast Guard vessels were also often seen accompanying Atin Ito's activities in their previous activities in the South China Sea, Philippine media reports showed.

A report titled America's Project Myoushu and the Philippine's Atin Ito Coalition is gearing up for a proof of concept that may lead us to war published on the Philippine-based Asian Century Journal in December 2023 asked, "Who is funding the Atin Ito Coalition and their operations? A marine convoy like this involves a tremendous amount of logistical planning and support not to mention the financial means to undertake one." It further questioned, "Who are the people behind the Atin Ito Coalition? They claim it's a civil society group aiming to further our country's vital security interests yet they defy our National Security Council's advice."

Citing an article titled Lighting Up The Gray Zone by US Air Force Captain Benjamin Goirigolzarri published on the US Naval Institute's website, the Asian Century Journal report said that the US established a new strategy in the South China Sea called Project Myoushu, which is a derivative of the US Naval Institute's Maritime Counterinsurgency (COIN) Project tailored specifically to counter China's "dominance" in the South China Sea. The project previously hyped the China Coast Guard's law enforcement operations in the South China Sea, attempted to incite public opinion and push for governments of countries in the South China Sea to become hard on China, and damaged the peace China and other countries in the region have created.

The Asian Century Journal report deduced that the Atin Ito Coalition is indeed a joint US-Philippines effort, as the Project Myoushu is described as an independent, civil society-led initiative that maintains separation from potential public perceptions of bias and bureaucratic obstacles that can hinder government-led efforts.

Further evidence the report provided is that the Project Myoushu as a concept was presented only in Manila in January 2023 at a conference hosted by local think tank Stratbase, and the report suggested that Stratbase is funded by the US. "So, there they are hiding in plain sight where no one is looking -- America's manipulative hands still pulling the Philippine government's strings," the report said.

Underestimated China's determination

Whether it is the so-called Philippine non-governmental organizations such as the Atin Ito coalition, or Project Myoushu behind it, their operating patterns are nothing more than orchestrated shows and staged behaviors to exert public opinion pressure on China, undermine China's efforts of pursuing peace in the South China Sea, and try to force China to make concessions over its sovereignty in the South China Sea issue. However, the Philippine politicians with these calculations clearly underestimated China's determination and will to safeguard its sovereignty.

Ding said that Atin Ito's plan cannot reach its goals. Given China's ability to safeguard sovereignty and maritime rights on Huangyan Dao, no matter what form or scale the Philippines uses to infringe and provoke, it will definitely be met with strong countermeasures.

Videos released by Philippine media showed that when dealing with the Philippines' infringement actions in waters off Huangyan Dao, the China Coast Guard's law enforcement forces have rich methods. During the handling process, a series of measures including verbal warnings, navigation route restrictions, and warning shots with water cannons were used based on different situations. Such law enforcement actions were conducted in accordance with laws and regulations, and were reasonable, powerful, but also restrained. It shows that China will resolutely safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, and will not give the Philippines any space for hype from a legal perspective.

Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times that some fanatics in the Philippines are driven by a revanchist mentality and repeatedly stage "the Farmer and the Snake" scenarios, attempting to copy the Ren'ai Jiao model - pursuing territorial sovereignty in the name of so-called fishing boat replenishment. In this regard, China's patience definitely has limits.

The normalization of the Philippines' trespasses is seeing confrontation replacing dialogue and cooperation as the main line for China and the Philippines to resolve conflicts over Huangyan Dao. The Marcos Jr administration's tough actions may earn diplomatic applause from the US and the West, but the frequent and tense confrontations on the frontline have also restrained the huge military, police and diplomatic energy of both the Philippines and China. Other than wasting economic investment and escalating the risk of unexpected events at sea, such moves have no other valuable benefits, Chen said.

Chinese economic officials have slammed the hyped “overcapacity” tag on Chinese new energy products on Friday, calling it “a carefully crafted narrative trap created by some countries with the aim of making it a pretext to implement trade protective measures.” While voicing strong objection to the action, they also warn against its dire consequences, which will disrupt the stability and smooth flow of global supply chains, hinder the global green transition and eventually backfire on the initiators of trade protectionism.

For some time, certain officials and media outlets in some countries have intensively accused China’s new energy products of “overcapacity.” These hypes are attempts to set the stage for unilateralism and the implementation of trade protection policies, according to an article posted on Friday on the WeChat account of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the country’s top economic planner.

Those allegations on China’s new energy products do not hold ground as they are neither in line with facts nor economic rules, the NDRC article said, while rebutting every piece of the fallacy with solid proof and data.

With regards to the claim that “the overcapacity of China’s new energy exports was a result of insufficient domestic market and thus have to sell to the global market at a low price,” the NDRC blasted it with a reference to the fundamental law of international industrial division and cooperation.

Take the US exports as an example, it noted. About 80 percent of high-end chips produced in the US are destined for export, and the country is also the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, while one-fifth of US agricultural products are shipped to China, however, the US has not been accused of exporting “overcapacity” in these areas. In contrast, China’s new energy vehicle (NEV) exports only represented 12.5 percent of its total output last year, showing that China's new energy products currently mainly satisfy domestic demand.

It is also key to view the global supply-demand relationship from a developmental perspective, or the demand of global market and its development potential, the NDRC said, lambasting the claim that “China’s new energy capacity has surpassed global demand, making other countries unable to absorb.”

The NDRC highlighted a bunch of data by IEA which showed that the forecasted global demand for NEVs and power battery by 2030 will be almost five times from China’s capacity in relevant industries in 2023. In terms of the cumulative photovoltaic installed capacity, the projected global demand by 2030 is calculated to be around 9 times from China’s capacity in 2023. All underscore huge room for future demand growth.

On the one hand, the advantage is built upon a vast domestic market, a complete industrial system, intense market competition and continuous technological innovation under market mechanism, the NDRC pointed out. On the other hand, individual country has been encouraging and supporting the growth of relevant industries amid global green transition, and in particular the US is providing prodigious subsidies and tax incentives to new energy industries through legislation such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.

There isn't a “China overcapacity,” but a US overcapacity of anxiety stemming from a lack of confidence and smears against China, Lin Jian, spokesperson from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a press briefing on April 30.

During US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s recent visit to China, he pointed finger at China over the so-called “unfair trade practices and the potential consequences of industrial overcapacity to global and US markets,” naming some industries including electric vehicles, batteries, and solar panels. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently reiterated in an interview with Reuters the "overcapacity" in China, claiming that the so-called overcapacity in China is not only a problem faced by the US, but also by Europe, Japan, India and Mexico.

It is indeed despicable and hypocritical for nations to proclaim that addressing global climate change is their “noble mission,” while simultaneously adopting protectionist measures under the pretext of “overcapacity” to suppress the development of new energy industries in other countries, according to the NDRC article.

Such actions not only undermine the global efforts to combat climate change but will also backfire, the NDRC warned, while citing a list of examples from the past decades that show that there’s no winner out of trade protectionism.

Also, the moves could wreak havoc on the stable operation of global new energy industry supply chains, creating “blockages,” “choke points,” and “breakpoints” that affect the efficiency of economic operations and may even trigger various potential risks, the NDRC stressed.

“Economic globalization has become a major trend. Countries are interdependent and integrated into a community of shared interests. Being open and inclusive, and pursuing win-win cooperation is the only correct choice,” the NDRC article concluded, urging countries to oppose the politicization of economic and trade issues or make them security issues, advocate for “tearing down walls rather than building them, for openness rather than isolation, for integration rather than decoupling, and promote the construction of an open world economy.”

The China Chamber of Commerce to the EU (CCCEU) raised deep concerns regarding the European Commission's selective transparency and potential discriminatory application of the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) against Chinese products.

The CCCEU submitted a comprehensive response on Tuesday to the EC's recent initiation of in-depth FSR investigations into Chinese companies that participated in a solar photovoltaic project tender in Romania, according to a statement released by CCCEU.

The rebuttal voiced a range of concerns about various shortcomings in the EC's actions and its potential ramifications for Chinese businesses operating in the European market.

The chamber noted the heightened scrutiny imposed on Chinese companies compared to those subjected to non-EU entities in the same tender process. "This selective enforcement of the FSR raises serious questions about the fairness, objectivity, and consistency of the Commission's approach," the chamber said.

On April 3, the EC launched two in-depth FSR investigations on two bidders involved in the tender process for Romania's 110MW solar photovoltaic park project. Afterward, the commission conducted a raid on a Chinese company's offices in Poland and the Netherlands without prior notice on April 23, following another probe targeting Chinese wind turbines which began on April 9.

The FSR has increased uncertainties for Chinese bidders, causing concern about the EU's growing protectionism and misapplication of policy tools, the chamber noted in the statement, urging the European Union to ensure Chinese enterprises' operations in Europe in "a fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory environment."

Since the end of 2023, the bloc has launched a series of subsidy investigations targeting Chinese businesses in emerging sectors such as electric vehicles, solar panels, and wind turbines, which has been labeled by China's Ministry of Commerce as protectionist behavior that distorts fair competition.

Top executives at BMW and Volkswagen on Wednesday warned against imposing EU import duties on electric vehicles made by Chinese automakers, saying it could upend the bloc's Green Deal plan and harm automakers that import cars made in China. The comments were in response to the bloc's probe launched in October into Chinese automakers for alleged subsidies and extra tariffs, Reuters reported.

In Thursday's statement, the Chamber also contended that the EC has not provided sufficient justification or interpretation of "foreign subsidies" under the FSR, and expressed concern about the burden placed on Chinese companies by the broad information requests and the potential disclosure of sensitive business data.

The chamber's observations follow the recent publication of EU summary notices, inviting stakeholders' feedback. Throughout the legislative and implementation process of the FSR, the chamber has been actively involved, stressing the importance of legality, transparency, and non-discriminatory application.

At the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, Chinese President Xi Jinping kicked off his state visit to France on May 5. It coincides with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and France, and is of great significance to building on past achievements and opening up new prospects for bilateral relations.

During this visit, achieving carbon neutrality goals will, once again, be an important consensus reaffirmed by China and France, in relation to which, the joint promotion of nuclear energy cooperation and development as an important cornerstone for the two countries to achieve carbon reduction goals has attracted great attention.

Yu Jianfeng, Chairman of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), and Jean-Bernard Lévy, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Electricité de France (EDF) jointly released A Prospective Study on "Bluebook" on Nuclear Energy to Support for Low Carbon on Monday in Paris.

"China and France, as major nuclear energy-producing countries in the world, play an irreplaceable role in promoting nuclear energy to address climate change and low-carbon transformation," Yu said.

He noted that nuclear energy cooperation is an important part of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and France. Under the strategic guidance of President Xi and President Macron, nuclear energy enterprises in the two countries have adhered to the principle of "walking on the two legs of technological cooperation and industrial cooperation," and have achieved fruitful results.

The Global Times learned from the CNNC that the cooperation between the CNNC and the EDF opens a new chapter in the two countries' nuclear energy cooperation. This not only reflects the concrete implementation of the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two countries, but also marks the 40th anniversary of the two countries' nuclear energy cooperation and witnesses the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France.

The move will also support China in building an innovative nuclear energy international cooperation network. In the future, the two countries will leverage their strengths to build a new pattern of cooperation and development that is interconnected and driven by innovation, supported by industry to promote the improvement of global nuclear governance, and make greater contributions to the economic and social development of China and France, as well as the construction of a global community of shared future for mankind.

One of the most stable cooperation areas

The nuclear energy cooperation between China and France has a long history and continues to deepen. Since the signing of the first cooperation agreement on the peaceful use of nuclear energy in 1982, China and France have always adhered to the principle of equal emphasis on scientific and industrial cooperation. Nuclear energy cooperation has become one of the most stable cooperation areas between the two countries.

As one of the earliest international nuclear energy companies to cultivate business in China, the EDF has been operating in China for more than 40 years and has become one of the largest foreign investors in China's power generation and energy services industry.

For a long time, the EDF has developed and deepened its partnership with the CNNC. The two sides regularly hold high-level meetings, and their cooperation covers multiple areas such as nuclear power research and development, construction, operation and maintenance, and fuel, achieving numerous results.

The CNNC and the EDF have actively participated in the interactive activities of international organizations, sending experts to support the work of international organization technical groups, conducting international research projects, and promoting international coordination and standardization. For example, they participated in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s nuclear safety standards development work, especially the recent Nuclear Harmonization and Standardization Initiative (NHSI) small modular reactor regulatory forum activities initiated by the IAEA, which is aimed at promoting the development of universal standards for small modular reactors, coordinate unified regulatory requirements, and promote the safe and reliable deployment of small modular reactors worldwide.

The EDF and the CNNC have also made important contributions to the standardization work of international standardization organizations and the International Electrotechnical Commission.

As the main force of China and France's nuclear energy technology cooperation, the CNNC has established long-term friendly cooperation relationships with French partners and achieved fruitful cooperation results. In the more than 40 years of nuclear energy technology cooperation, the CNNC and the French Atomic Energy Commission have established seven collaborative laboratories in areas such as reactor thermal hydraulics, severe accident management, aging and life management of pressurized water reactors, fast reactors, nuclear fusion, geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste, decommissioning, and radioactive waste management. The two sides also signed and implemented over 500 special cooperation projects.

The CNNC has also successfully held six nuclear energy technology innovation seminars with the EDF, achieving good results in areas such as severe accidents, additive manufacturing, and material research.

Furthermore, the CNNC has also formed a consortium with Framatome to successfully bid for and implement the main machine installation project of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), and have conducted good cooperation with the Orano Group in areas such as the research on uranium resources.
To jointly build "artificial sun"

Cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy has become an important part of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and France. The scope of nuclear energy cooperation between the two countries is wide-ranging and diverse, but the most "high-energy" project undoubtedly is the ITER large-scale scientific project that the two countries are jointly working on.

Referred to as the world's largest "artificial sun," the ITER project is currently the largest and most influential international scientific project in the world, carrying the hopes of humanity for the peaceful use of nuclear fusion energy.

The ITER device is a superconducting tokamak capable of producing large-scale nuclear fusion reactions, which will help humanity move further toward a continuous source of clean energy. Since its establishment in 2007, the ITER has been one of the largest international scientific engineering cooperation projects in the world. France is the location of the ITER project construction and headquarters, while China is one of the seven equal member parties of the ITER project, contributing 9.09 percent of the construction phase and 10 percent of the operation and decommissioning phase funding.

China joined the ITER project in 2006. Since the implementation of the project, China has always adhered to its international commitments, with Chinese enterprises and researchers bravely shouldering heavy responsibilities and working together with international counterparts to contribute Chinese wisdom and strength to the smooth progress of the project.

The CNNC has been actively involved in the development of the world's largest "artificial sun." In September 2019, a China-France consortium led by the CNNC signed the TAC-1 installation contract with the ITER, marking China's deep involvement in the installation of the core equipment of the tokamak device - the "heart" of the experimental reactor.

On February 29, 2024, the ITER organization signed a new the vacuum chamber module assembly contract with the consortium. China will once again undertake the installation of the core equipment, contributing wisdom and strength to the ITER project alongside France.

Shen Yanfeng, General Manager of the CNNC, said that the signing of the agreement means that the China-France consortium led by the CNNC has become the sole contractor for the main host installation of the ITER project. This demonstrates the CNNC's commitment to implementing President Xi's important instructions, opening up to the outside world, deeply participating in the global nuclear industry chain cooperation, building a new development pattern, promoting high-quality development of the nuclear industry, accelerating the advancement of China's modernization, and striving to create a vivid practice of a global community of shared future for mankind.

This will greatly enhance China's participation and contribution in international large-scale scientific projects, and help implement the "three-step" development strategy of nuclear energy - thermal reactors, fast reactors, and fusion reactors, Shen said.
Direction for nuclear energy development

The release of the "bluebook" undoubtedly takes the cooperation between China and France in the nuclear energy field to a new level.

The Global Times learned that the "bluebook" is the first strategic planning soft science cooperation between Chinese state-owned nuclear energy enterprises and partners in developed Western countries in recent years, marking a significant increase in China's nuclear industry strategic planning and soft science research capabilities and international influence, with obvious uniqueness and importance.

"The 'bluebook' is cooperation between China and France at the strategic research level in the field of nuclear energy, which has never happened before. It was included in the plan during French President Macron's visit to China in 2023," Luo Qingping, President of the China Institute of Nuclear Industry Strategy under CNNC, told the Global Times.

The release of the "bluebook" at the historical moment of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France can also be seen as the opening of a new chapter in the nuclear energy cooperation of the two countries. In the future, China and France can combine the contents of the "bluebook" to deepen cooperation in promoting nuclear energy development, including cooperation in exploring third-party markets.

The Global Times found that the "bluebook" interprets the development ideas and practices of China and France in the field of nuclear energy through historical reviews and strategic research, providing an in-depth analysis of the future nuclear energy industry from a macro perspective.

The research mainly covers the current global status and trends of nuclear energy development, the role of nuclear power in addressing the climate change, progress in nuclear power safety and related technology standards, and measures to enhance the economic efficiency of nuclear power coupled with other new energy sources, systematically describing the current status of nuclear energy development and good practices in China and France.

In addition, the "bluebook" fully demonstrates China's strength in nuclear power construction, including its strength in third-generation nuclear power, fourth-generation nuclear power, small modular reactors, and the entire industry chain service capabilities.

It also describes important nuclear power products in China, such as the Hualong One, Linglong One, high-temperature reactors, and fast reactors, making it easier for the international community to understand China's nuclear power technology and product capabilities.

The release of the "bluebook" can expand the influence of Chinese nuclear power companies, especially the CNNC. Through the preparation of the "bluebook," China and France can reach a consensus on nuclear energy technology at the strategic level and enhance the international influence of nuclear energy technology in both countries.

The "bluebook" proposes three initiatives. First, China and France jointly advocate that every country in the world has the right to develop nuclear power, but safety must be the top priority in the development process, meaning that nuclear power must be developed under reliable safety supervision. Second, it points out to the world that nuclear energy can effectively support low-carbon development. China's future nuclear energy technologies such as small modular reactors and nuclear fusion are important solutions to the global energy problem. Third, it calls for urgent action to address the crisis caused by climate change, emphasizing that energy transformation is imperative, and the development of nuclear power is undoubtedly an effective approach.

Based on this "bluebook," there is a possibility of creating an internationally significant guiding document. The IAEA is also very interested in this "bluebook." Next, the CNNC will communicate with the IAEA to try to include the "bluebook" in their publication list for global promotion.

A green future for humanity

According to data in the "bluebook," as of the end of December 2023, France has an installed nuclear power capacity of 61.37 gigawatts in operation, ranking second in the world, with an additional 1.63 gigawatts under construction. China has an installed nuclear power capacity of 53.15 gigawatts in operation, ranking third in the world, with an additional 23.72 gigawatts under construction. Both China and France are major nuclear energy-producing countries, with CNNC and EDF as key players in global nuclear energy development, each having their own advantages in nuclear power construction, operation, maintenance, and fuel supply, accumulating rich experience in the development of nuclear energy.

The continued cooperation between the two countries will provide strong momentum for the utilization and development of global clean energy technologies. China and France will continue to deepen cooperation in multiple areas such as nuclear engineering, nuclear power operation, and nuclear fuel cycle. They will promote the synergy between nuclear energy and renewable energy, formulate public policies focusing on low-carbon growth, accelerate the development of renewable energy such as hydropower, wind power, solar power, and geothermal energy, extend the lifespan of existing nuclear power plants, initiate new nuclear power construction projects, and optimize the cost of energy transition.

Furthermore, the two sides will cooperate to promote advanced nuclear energy technologies such as small modular reactors and fusion reactors. They will work together to advance the commercial deployment of small modular reactors. They will also strengthen international cooperation in the field of nuclear fusion research, the Global Times learned from the CNNC.

At the same time, they will promote the comprehensive application of nuclear energy, popularize technologies such as nuclear heating, seawater desalination, and hydrogen production, diversify the forms of nuclear energy utilization, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

They will also conduct research on the impact of climate change using nuclear technology, playing a special role in addressing issues such as water scarcity, soil erosion, land degradation, and increased diseases and pests in plants and animals caused by climate change.

Looking to the future, the CNNC and the EDF have reached a consensus that nuclear energy development is a realistic and important choice in the transition to a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient modern energy system, especially as nuclear energy expands from electricity generation to heating, steam supply, hydrogen production, and other applications, potentially accelerating the decarbonization of high-emission industries. The deepening cooperation in the nuclear energy field between China and France will undoubtedly bring more solutions and surprises to humanity.

In mid-December, Beijing was covered in heavy snow, while about 2,300 kilometers away, Hanoi remained a tropical summer. A visit brought the two places closer, and displayed a highlight moment in the China-Vietnam relationship.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, paid a state visit to Vietnam from December 12 to 13, at the invitation of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong and State President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Vo Van Thuong.

Nearly 40 cooperation documents between China and Vietnam are on display at the premises of the CPV Central Committee. When visiting the premises, Xi said with delight - our cooperation is fruitful and dazzling.

For the people

As Xi emphasized during his phone talk with Nguyen Phu Trong in January 2020, the significance of expanding China-Vietnam cooperation lies in making people from both countries gain a greater sense of achievement and happiness.

From Xi's signed article titled "Building a China-Vietnam Community with a Shared Future That Carries Strategic Significance And Writing Together a New Chapter in Our Modernization Drive," published on December 12 by the Vietnamese Nhan Dan Newspaper, to Xi's speech at a meeting with representatives of young Chinese and Vietnamese people who have contributed to the China-Vietnam friendship the following day, at which one example was mentioned twice - Vietnam's first urban light rail project, the Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro line, built by a Chinese company.

Luong Thi Hai Van, a Vietnamese vice professor at the Guangxi University for Nationalities, told the Global Times that her friends in Hanoi are so happy with the convenience brought by the metro line. "Hanoi is the capital city of Vietnam with a dense population and traffic jams during peak hours. But now the traffic jams have been greatly eased. This is a 'revolution' for the people living in Hanoi," Luong said.

The metro line, constructed by a Chinese company, is a landmark project that connects the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with Vietnam's "Two Corridors, One Economic Circle" strategy. The line is approximately 13 kilometers long with 12 stations. The entire journey takes only 23 minutes by metro train, which is nearly 1 hour faster than traveling by car and 20 minutes faster than traveling by motorcycle. The line has already served nearly 20 million passenger trips so far, making travel in Hanoi more convenient.
Du Bin, deputy chief engineer of the Chinese construction enterprise China Railway Sixth Group's overseas branch and project manager of the Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro line, told the Global Times that one of the most impressive memories during the project construction was the scene when the first locomotive arrived at the construction site. The installation of the large locomotive lasted until 3 am in the light rain, yet the streets were still filled with people who came to watch. Some said they were eagerly looking toward to a ride on Vietnam's own light rail metro.

Nowadays, "the metro has become a popular spot in Hanoi's urban development and a favorite place for people to take trendy photos," Du said.

There are many other similar examples. In 1997, the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) undertook the construction task of the Nguyen Van Linh Parkway - a highway that stretches from Ho Chi Minh City further south to the southern part of Vietnam, with a total 12 lanes and length of 17.8 kilometers. Before the highway was built, the construction site was almost entirely marshland and the highway had to cross 10 rivers. The time given to the contractors was fairly short.

For a time, it was considered mission impossible. But now, the highway, which literally spans 10 rivers with its widest part being 120 meters, is operational.

Lu Yen, a Chinese-Vietnamese employee of the CSCEC, told the Global Times that a good transportation infrastructure brings prosperity to a region. Nguyen Van Linh Parkway and the surrounding auxiliary roads have successfully connected seven districts, and the entire road is surrounded by greenery.

Lu said before the construction, the road was only a 6-meter-wide dual carriageway, with small shops and scattered tin houses on both sides, making the already congested road even more difficult to navigate. Now, the Ho Chi Minh City Medical University Hospital, Ton Duc Thang University, as well as business zones, and shopping malls like ViVo City, Parkson, have settled around the parkway, greatly improving the lives of local residents.

Lu passes by Nguyen Van Linh Parkway every day on her way to work. "Looking at the projects that I participated in, looking at the towering buildings and the supporting facilities around them, I feel that not only have the roads been widened, but also has our space for happiness," she said.

Opportunities for future

In 2015 and 2017, Xi visited Vietnam twice as the general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and the Chinese president. Similar to the most recent visit, Xi attended a wreath laying ceremony at the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, Hanoi, in both previous visits.

"The memory of those fiery and exciting years of our two peoples is kept alive," Xi said on December 13, when recalling the times when the two countries were fighting for national independence and liberation, adding that "today, we remain firmly committed to our shared aspiration forged in the early days and are pursuing win-win cooperation."

During the visit in November 2017, Xi attended the inauguration and handover ceremony of Vietnam-China Friendship Palace and the inauguration ceremony of the Hanoi China Culture Center, then shook hands and extended warm greetings with the present Chinese and Vietnamese guests, encouraging them to make positive contributions toward strengthening friendly exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.

"When Xi visited Vietnam in 2015, he gave a speech to Chinese-funded institutions, overseas Chinese, and students. I attended the event," Miao Renlai, president of the Chinese Business Association Ho Chi Minh City Branch, told Global Times. Miao recalled that Xi's voice was magnetic and pleasant.

"Xi spoke to us like a parent - friendly, approachable, and inspiring… He introduced the development of bilateral cooperation between China and Vietnam, which encouraged us and boosted our confidence in developing our businesses and careers in Vietnam," Miao said.

In 2017, when Xi visited Vietnam for the second time, Miao also made a special trip to Hanoi from Ho Chi Minh City to welcome Xi and hence experienced the warm welcoming atmosphere both at the airport and along the way from the airport to the hotel where Xi stayed.

Miao told the Global Times that Xi's visit not only brought new opportunities to him, but a breakthrough in entire bilateral trade between China and Vietnam. Looking back at the past achievements of the China-Vietnam cooperation, its breadth and depth are remarkable. China has been Vietnam's largest trading partner for consecutive years, and Vietnam is China's largest trading partner in the ASEAN and fourth-largest trading partner globally. From about $100 billion in bilateral trade volume in 2017 to a total two-way trade turnover of $175.57 billion in 2022, the trade volume has almost doubled in recent years.

There are some eye-catching figures: In the first 10 months of this year, the number of China-invested projects in Vietnam ranked first among all foreign investment projects in the country, with the investment amount increasing by 98 percent year-on-year. China is Vietnam's largest fruit and vegetable export market with a turnover of $2.75 billion, up 160 percent over the same period in 2022 and accounting for 65 percent of the country's total fruit and vegetable export turnover.

The most remarkable achievement during Xi's latest visit was the joint announcement of a new positioning for the two parties and two countries, which is to build a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.

"Vietnam, China sign 36 agreement documents for cooperation," read a headline by the VnExpress. Experts said, compared with previous high-level visits, the achievements reached during the latest visit are the most extensive in terms of coverage, the largest in terms of quantity, and the deepest in terms of cooperation.

Detailed cooperative plans are listed in the joint statement. Even in terms of the South China Sea, where controversies and disputes exist, there are specific promotions of cooperation.

For instance, the two sides agreed to continue effective joint patrols on the Beibu Gulf and military ships' mutual visits as well as deepen exchange and cooperation mechanisms between the naval and coast guard forces. They also agreed to study the establishment of methods for resolving civil and border trade disputes, and promote legal and judicial cooperation between localities that share the borderline in appropriate forms.

Other future-oriented plans include effectively deploying an economic-trade cooperation zone, focusing on intensifying investment cooperation in such fields as agriculture, infrastructure, energy, the digital economy, and green development, and promoting standard-gauge railway connectivity across the bilateral border while studying and promoting the building of Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong standard-gauge railway route.

"I have always looked forward to the day when I can take a Chinese high-speed train home. Now, I feel that this hope is not far away," Miao said.
Increased happiness index

Ten years ago, Xi proposed the four-point principle of "amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness" in developing neighborhood diplomacy, and clarifying the direction of how "neighbors who cannot be moved" can coexist. Ten years later, fruitful results have been achieved. China has established a bilateral community with a shared future with a growing number of neighboring countries.

Light was shed upon the principle again on December 13 in Hanoi. During his speech at the meeting with representatives of young Chinese and Vietnamese people, Xi stressed: "What we are pursuing is not modernization just for China itself… We are ready to share more of the benefits of Chinese modernization with our neighbors… And we should pursue our respective paths to socialism and deliver the gains of industrialization and modernization to more people of our two countries."

An example can be found in the Chinese-Vietnamese employee of the CSCEC Lu's story. She said the CSCEC not only provides job opportunities for the locals, but also carries out training programs to help improve local workers' technical skills. "When we have more stable income, improved infrastructure, and a better living environment, our happiness index is increased."

According to Miao, when Chinese enterprises go abroad, they must prioritize localization of the companies - not only recruiting local talent, but cultivating local people to take up management positions. "Our business associations often talk to the Chinese-funded enterprises and remind them to comply with local laws, regulations, religious culture, and customs; to live and work in harmony with Vietnamese citizens for mutual benefit," Miao said, adding that China is not developing on its own, but developing together with everyone. "In this way, people from other countries will respect us more and when every Chinese person is respected aboard, that means China's genuine rise," Miao stressed.

"China and Vietnam are connected by mountains and rivers," goes the song "Vietnam-China," a classic Vietnamese song about the traditional friendship between the two countries. It carries the message - neighbors wish each other well; just as loved ones do to each other.

China-Vietnam relations are a microcosm of China's interaction with the world. "Our two Parties are both Marxist parties that bear in mind the overall interests of the world, and our two countries are both responsible members of the international community. And both of us should play a major role in advancing human progress," Xi expressed his wishes during his speech at the meering with the representatives of young Chinese and Vietnamese people.

It is widely believed that the construction of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future will become a new starting point for the development of bilateral ties. This will not only help people of the two countries to live a better life together, but also bring more positive energy to the Asia-Pacific region and the world.