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Situated at a strategic point along the ancient Silk Road, the millennium-old Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, Northwest China's Gansu Province, as a dazzling artistic treasure of ancient Chinese civilization, has long drawn the gaze of the world.

How have teams of archaeological experts woven together the threads of cutting-edge technology and ­interdisciplinary knowledge to breathe new life into the antique murals? Why could the Mogao Caves earn such a high reputation as a "model" for cave preservation on the global stage and spark a wave of ­international collaboration, with many seeking to emulate its success?

The recent International Forum on Cave Temple Conservation, convened in the very heart of Dunhuang, shed light on this exemplary approach.
In the Mogao Cave 335 in Dunhuang, ancient yet still exquisite murals record the joyous celebration of musical bodhisattva playing the instruments. However, there are obvious traces of four places where the murals were peeled off, which shocked many tourists.

The tour guide standing by explained that these were taken by the American "art historian" Langdon Warner who used a special chemical solution to peel the frescoes from the cave walls in the 1920s. Currently, these murals are collected by Harvard Art Museums in the US. After the explanation, the curious gazes of the tourists in the small cave suddenly dimmed, and they all stopped to sigh.

The Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, a cave temple that has gone through thousands of years, stand as a millennium-old testament to the splendor of ancient Chinese civilization. However, after the hidden scriptures being discovered in 1900, most of the scriptures were plundered by so-called Western "archaeologists" and "explorers."

According to incomplete statistics, in the cave with a length and width of more than 2 meters and a height of about 3 meters, a total of more than 60,000 cultural relics such as Dunhuang manuscripts, silk paintings, and Buddhist instruments were unearthed. The rich treasures make the cave of scriptures one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. But most of these cultural relics have been lost to more than 30 public and private collection institutions in more than 10 countries such as the UK, the US and Japan. These Dunhuang cultural relics that have been lost overseas have not yet returned to their motherland, but they have also made the world know the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang.

Fan Jinshi, the honorary president of Dunhuang Academy, who attended the recent forum in Dunhuang, once summarized the unearthed documents from the Mogao Caves, which are unique, precious materials. These materials cover an "unusually wide range of aspects and are infinitely rich in content," representing the original records of ancient social culture, reflecting the true face of ancient society in many aspects, and are truly cultural treasures.

The Mogao Caves have been inscribed into the world heritage site list in 1987. The UNESCO commented the caves are of "unmatched historical value." As evidence of the evolution of Buddhist art in the northwest region of China, these works provide an abundance of vivid materials depicting various aspects of ancient politics, economics, culture, arts, religion, ethnic relations, and daily dress in western China.

Shahbaz Khan, director and representative of the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, said at the forum that the Mogao Caves stand as enduring symbols of a collective heritage as they provide outstanding evidence of the harmonious synthesis of the secular and religious era in ancient China.

Guan Qiang, deputy head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, also noted at the event that the Mogao Caves not only vividly display the process of sinicization of Buddhism but also powerfully witness the five prominent features of Chinese civilization - continuity, originality, uniformity, inclusivity and peaceful nature.
Strong support of high tech

After visiting about eight caves of the heritage sites from different dynasties, many visitors both from China and abroad are amazed that those murals can still be enjoyed thousands of years later. It is those precious murals which are 1,000-year tapestry of Buddhist art from the caves that help the ­archaeologists to decode the mystery of ancient Silk Road and its religious, cultural and intellectual influences.

Experts attending the forum said the sustainable protection of Mogao Caves is mainly thanks for the strong support of high tech and multiple disciplines.

Feng Wei, director of the Key Research Base of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage for the Surface Monitoring and Analysis of Cultural Heritages, told the Global Times that preventive conservation is an advanced protection scheme that is widely recognized and constantly pursued by the worldwide conservation community of cultural heritages.

He explained that the mechanism of preventive conservation is to detect changes in the condition of cultural relics and then use AI to immediately analyze the causes of these changes. These technologies don't directly affect the relics themselves but address the external factors causing the changes. If the external factors can be stabilized, the process of deterioration can be halted or slowed, thus protecting the artifacts.

"AI plays a crucial role here by calculating the relative positions at each step using computer vision and AI methods. It is a progressive process; each step may not be perfectly accurate, but theoretically, it gets more precise over time until it is accurate," he said.

Liu Hanlong, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and expert in environmental geomechanics and disaster prevention engineering, told the Global Times that the emerging microbial geotechnical engineering is a new cross-disciplinary subject and the technology has significant effects on improving the strength, permeability, and other basic properties of the soil body.

Currently, his team is using an active biological mud adhesion repair technology centered around microbial reinforcement techniques to address issues such as cracks, seepage, weathering, and flaking in some cave sites.

Over the years, the Dunhuang Academy has continued to explore various modes of cultural protection and promotion, taking advantage of the "Digital Dunhuang" project that was put forward in the late 1980s.

Su Bomin, dean of Dunhuang Academy, said at the forum that after extensive exploration, the Dunhuang Academy has developed a set of digital workflows and key technologies for immovable cultural heritage.

To date, the digital preservation team has completed the digital collection of murals in 295 caves of the Mogao Caves, image stitching and processing for 186 caves, three-dimensional reconstruction of seven large heritage sites and 45 painted sculptures, as well as the three-dimensional laser scanning of the spatial structure of 212 caves, according to Su.
Share Chinese experience overseas

With such a solid support of protection methods and team, the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang has set a valuable benchmark for global heritage conservation, many experts said at the forum. Many delegations from different countries express their strong willingness to carry out more cooperation with the Dunhuang Academy.

Ajay Kulkarni, an Indian professor of architecture, told the Global Times that the Chinese work in cultural relics protection is very much "in depth, more advanced and more committed."

After listening to the reports by some Chinese archaeologists, he was surprised to find many similarities between some of the cave sites in China and those in India. He could see how Buddhism gradually became sinicized after entering ancient China, which he found quite fascinating.

Sovanlylin Meng, architect of Department of Conservation and Archaeology of APSARA National Authority, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia, told the Global Times that she got a deep understanding about the management and conservation of cave temple sites after participating in the event.

During the event, China and Cambodia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in the protection of cultural relics, including co-develop cultural relics conservation programs, share advanced conservation theories and technologies, co-organize international culture exhibitions, mutual exchange and use of relevant research documents, books, and images, jointly apply international programs, and more.

The event also launched a book presentation ceremony for a training course for Afghan senior professionals on archaeology and cultural artifact conservation.

Azizuddin Wafa, an archaeologist from the Archaeological Research Institute of the Ministry of Information and Culture, Afghanistan, gave a high compliment to the work that Dunhuang Academy has done.

He told the Global Times that they hope to receive some supports especially in the science and technology which Dunhuang Academy is using for study and restoration from China.

Vincent Detalle, a professor at CY Cergy Paris University, said at the forum that the Dunhuang Academy has long led the question of conservation involving foreign countries and clearly the Chinese researchers are pushing in the right direction in order to ensure better conservation and preventive conservation action for the future.

"As a specialist in conservation, I believe we can simultaneously conduct research and develop common activities focused on conservation and new technologies. This dual approach allows us to perform better diagnostics on the state of conservation of artworks, such as mural paintings," he told the Global Times.

The gaming world has witnessed the launch of Black Myth: Wukong, China's first AAA game. Taking the internet by storm, this groundbreaking game, celebrated for its stunning reproduction of ancient Chinese architecture and its innovative take on the Monkey King legend from Journey to the West, has not only captivated players but also breathed new life into China's cultural tourism.

The various "cultural tourism plus" models - ranging from games to films - stand out for their ability to fuse traditional market principles with cultural promotion. Unlike conventional media products, which often treat cultural tourism as a secondary element, these collaborations place culture at the forefront, offering a dynamic and interactive approach to heritage tourism.

The success of Black Myth: Wukong exemplifies this shift. The game's detailed representation of Chinese mythology has not only attracted a global audience but also sparked a wave of cultural tourism initiatives across the country. 

For instance, players who have completed specific levels of the game are eligible for free entry to select scenic spots. The Yunzhong Daji Scenic Area in Lishui, East China's Zhejiang Province, is offering free entry to players who have successfully cleared the fourth chapter of the game, in which the area features. Meanwhile, Lingyan Temple in Jinan, East China's Shandong Province, is offering lifelong free admission for completing the third chapter. Mount Huaguo in Lianyungang, East China's Jiangsu Province, also announced that all players who complete the game are invited to visit the hometown of the Monkey King for free.

Black Myth: Wukong features areas from 36 scenic spots across China, and as the game's popularity grows, cultural and tourism departments are eager to promote their related attractions. This approach not only drives engagement with the game but also encourages real-world exploration of China's cultural landmarks.

The synergy between Black Myth: Wukong and cultural tourism is also a striking example of how modern digital media can be harnessed to promote and enhance traditional cultural experiences. In North China's Shanxi Province, whose historical locations feature prominently in the game, the local cultural and tourism department has launched an innovative initiative titled "Traveling with Wukong in Shanxi." This unique campaign offers tailored travel routes and special passes that connect fans with the game's real-life locations. 

In a similar vein, the animated film White Snake: Afloat has seamlessly integrated with the cultural tourism of the West Lake in Hangzhou. This collaboration, supported by local tourism authorities, highlights the growing trend of blending media and cultural tourism to enhance visitor experiences.

Other historical sites, like Yueyang Tower in Central China's Hunan Province, has also adopted creative promotions, offering free admission to visitors who can recite classical Chinese poetry related to these sites. Such initiatives not only attract tourists but also deepen their appreciation of Chinese cultural heritage.

The growing synergy between digital media and cultural tourism marks a new chapter in China's efforts to promote its rich historical and cultural assets. By leveraging popular media like games and films, these projects have created immersive experiences that captivate audiences and encourage them to explore the country's storied past firsthand.

As China continues to innovate its cultural tourism, the integration of modern media with traditional heritage is set to redefine the landscape, offering both locals and international visitors a unique and enriching way to engage with the nation's rich cultural tapestry.

The research and development of China's heavy icebreaker is progressing smoothly with construction expected to begin next year, Wu Gang, chief designer of Xuelong 2, China's first domestically built polar research icebreaker, told the Global Times. 

China's future generation of icebreakers will make significant breakthroughs in both spatial and temporal domains. This means that once the heavy icebreaker is successfully developed, China will have the ability to operate year-round in polar environments for in-depth scientific research missions and obtain the capabilities of full-area and all-time entry, according to Wu. 

Icebreakers are classified into three levels based on their icebreaking capability, heavy icebreakers can handle ice up to 2 meters thick, medium icebreakers can break ice between 1 and 1.5 meters, and light icebreakers can manage ice less than 1 meter thick.

China has developed the capability to design and construct light and medium icebreakers. However, there is still a significant shortage of icebreaking research vessels, particularly heavy-duty icebreakers, Wu noted.

On June 24, China's latest research vessel Jidi, meaning polar region, was officially delivered in Guangzhou city of South China's Guangdong Province and was reportedly set to kick off its first scientific research missions in the second half of this year.

Currently, most operational polar icebreakers worldwide are operated by Russia, the US, Canada, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark. Among them, Russia is the only country in the world with nuclear-powered icebreakers. 

In the short term, there is still a significant gap between China and traditional leading countries in icebreaker building, according to Wu. He highlighted the challenges in advancing crucial technologies for the development of heavy-duty icebreakers, like podded propulsion systems, precise communication navigation system and positioning system. "This pressure pushes Chinese researchers to continue to develop and innovate independently," he said.

China and Russia released a joint communique on Wednesday after the 29th regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of government. 

In the communique, the two sides said that efforts will be made to expand mutually beneficial cooperation in the Arctic region, and strengthen cooperation in shipping development, navigation safety, polar ship technology and construction. Both countries will encourage their enterprises to actively engage in Arctic shipping routes cooperation based on market principles and pay special attention to Arctic environmental conservation.

China's progress in icebreakers has caught the attention of several leading icebreaker countries. US, Canadian, and Finnish governments recently announced the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (ICE) Pact, an initiative to produce 70 to 90 icebreakers for their allies over the next decade, Reuters reported. The move was taken as a response to growing competition with China and Russia in the Arctic regions, Reuters said citing a US official whose name was ungiven. 

Chinese experts reiterated China's icebreakers are mainly used for scientific research in the Arctic region and to prepare for the opening and transportation of the future Arctic route. 

Bathed in the lush greenery of midsummer and the lingering morning mist, the unique cave basketball court in Xinchun village, Nayong, Southwest China's Guizhou Province, became the epicenter of excitement on Sunday, as villagers gathered to witness and participate in the much-anticipated Cave Basketball Carnival in a local Karst cave.

This extraordinary basketball event was a testament to the villagers' unwavering love for the sport.

Initiated by former village head Zhang Kaixue and local enthusiast Hu Wei in 2016, the project aimed to construct a basketball court within a natural cave. Despite the rugged terrain and initial challenges - like the uneven, rocky ground - the villagers' determination prevailed.

They collectively raised 88,766 yuan ($12,230), contributing a total of 234,366 yuan over three years. In December 2018, their dream court was finally completed.
During the basketball coaching session, 30 young players, guided by Chinese women's basketball legend Zheng Haixia and NBA Training Center coach Li Jianqi, practiced their skills on the court.

Zheng also conducted a special session for the girls, offering personal guidance.

"Infusing modern training facilities into such a primitive landscape and passing on the spirit of basketball is an unforgettable experience. Seeing the children's smiles and their dedication to playing basketball fills me with immense pride and truly showcases the warmth of this initiative," said Zheng.

The highlight of the day was a spirited game between six outstanding young players and two adult teams composed of local villagers.

Despite recent rain, the unique advantages of the cave court allowed the players to showcase their skills freely.

The cave basketball court stands as a symbol of the villagers' enduring love for basketball. It took an hour of winding mountain roads to reach Xinchun village from Nayong, with much of the construction done by hand due to the challenging terrain.

The court is now a cherished community asset, with the names of over 300 contributing villagers engraved on a stone tablet at the cave entrance, which stands as a testament to their collective effort and passion.

East China's Fujian Province has recently included assisted reproductive technology (ART) services in its health insurance coverage. This move follows the lead of approximately 14 other provincial-level regions in China that have already incorporated ART services into their health insurance plans.

The development is expected to provide much-needed financial support to individuals and couples seeking fertility treatment.

According to an official from Fujian's medical insurance bureau, the current price of ART services treatment in Fujian Province will be adjusted and standardized. This include integrating the original 20 items into 12 ART service price items such as "ovum retrieval," and setting prices based on the projects in public hospitals in Fujian. Local medical insurance bureaus in each city are required to formulate project prices based on local conditions.

The bureau said that eight ART services, such as "ovum retrieval," and included two types of consumables can be charged separately as part of the scope of medical insurance payment.

Fujian's new policy will start from September 1 this year.

Earlier this month, East China's Anhui Province and North China's Hebei Province said they would reimburse medical bills for ART services starting August 1, meaning that a total of 14 provincial-level regions across the country now include ART procedures in their medical insurance reimbursement systems as of next month.

Since March, China has accelerated its efforts in including ART services into medical insurance schemes after the National Healthcare Security Administration proposed that eligible regions gradually include therapeutic assisted reproductive services in their medical insurance reimbursement.

So far, a dozen of provincial-level regions including municipalities of Beijing and Shanghai, provinces of Gansu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Shandong, Jilin and Qinghai, as well as Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region have already included ART services into their medical insurance system.

The infertility rate among the Chinese population of childbearing age is currently estimated to be between 12 percent to 15 percent. Including assisted reproductive medical services into medical insurance reimbursement systems is a demonstration of the mutual aid support from the system to these people who desire children but have to rely human assisted techniques.

According to Jin Niu, a lecturer from the School of Public Finance and Administration, Tianjin University of Finance and Economics, including ART services into medical insurance can help reduce the cost of childbirth to some extent, allowing individuals planning to have children to have a better childbirth experience. It is one of the important factors for building a fertility-friendly society, yicai.com reported.

Statistics from the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Human Assisted Reproductive Technology Management Center show that outpatient visits at assisted reproductive institutions across the autonomous region reached 993,700 over the past six months since the ART services were included in the region's medical insurance reimbursement system over half a year ago, an increase of 14.74 percent year-on-year.

This July marks the third anniversary of the launch of the national carbon emissions trading market in China, which, according to the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment on Monday, has made China the world's largest carbon market in terms of greenhouse gas coverage.

The national carbon emissions trading market in China, which started with the power generation industry, currently includes 2,257 key emissions units in the sector. This market covers approximately 5.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, said Pei Xiaofei, spokesperson of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment on Monday at a monthly press conference.

Pei said that the national carbon market is an important policy tool that uses market mechanisms to control greenhouse gas emissions and will achieve carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals. It consists of two parts: the mandatory carbon emissions trading market and the voluntary greenhouse gas emissions reduction trading market. These two markets operate independently yet complement each other through a quota clearance and offset mechanism.

He said that over the past three years, the national mandatory carbon emissions trading market has successfully completed two compliance cycles, achieved its expected construction goals and made significant progress.

A comprehensive institutional framework has been established. The State Council issued the "Interim Regulations on Administration of Carbon Emissions Trading," and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment released the "Carbon Emissions Trading Management Measures (Trial)" along with three management rules for carbon emissions registration, trading, and settlement.

An infrastructure support system known as "One Network, Two Institutions, Three Platforms" has been built, encompassing the national carbon market information network, national carbon emission registration and trading institutions, and the national carbon emissions registration, trading, and management platforms.

Moreover, the capacity for carbon emissions accounting and management has significantly improved through enhanced data quality supervision, optimized methods, advanced technologies and dynamic risk monitoring, leading to better corporate management and accounting capabilities.

The vitality of the carbon market has steadily increased. By the end of June 2024, the cumulative trading volume of the national carbon emissions trading market reached 465 million tons, with a transaction value of approximately 27 billion yuan ($3.7 billion).

The trading scale has gradually expanded, with the trading volume and value in the second compliance cycle increasing by 19 percent and 89 percent, respectively, compared to the first compliance cycle.

Furthermore, corporate participation in trading has significantly increased, with 82 percent of companies participating, up nearly 50 percent from the first compliance cycle. The overall carbon price has shown a steady upward trend, rising from 48 yuan per ton at the start to 91.6 yuan per ton ($12.6) as of the closing price on July 26, an increase of 90.8 percent.

Additionally, the national voluntary greenhouse gas emissions reduction trading market was officially launched in January 2024. Its institutional framework is now complete, and emissions reduction projects and voluntary reductions are about to enter the registration application window period, encouraging broader industry participation in carbon reduction efforts.

We are witnessing a change in the world order, in the framework of which several proxy wars have already broken out, such as the Russia-Ukraine war, which has been going on for more than two years. The transformation of the world order started a kind of bloc-formation in the world. While Eastern countries are still supporters of dialogue, the West does not want to hear about dialogue, responding with a policy of sanctions.

In contrast, the Hungarian government supports connectivity and dialogue and rejects bloc-formation and war. As a result, Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister of Hungary, announced the peace mission, in the framework of which he first negotiated with Ukraine, and then with the leader of Russia in the spirit of the Seneca philosophy - Audiatur et altera pars, i.e. let the other side be heard as well. After that, he held negotiations with the great powers, who could have an influence on achieving peace as soon as possible. So he visited Beijing and then Washington, where he consulted with the leaders of the US, Turkey and other countries as part of the NATO summit. This is because peace can only be achieved through dialogue. 

Although Prime Minister Orban's peace mission serves a good purpose, the EU and its member states expressed their displeasure with the negotiations. In Brussels, it has been argued that the Hungarian Prime Minister, even though his country holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, cannot negotiate on behalf of the EU. However, the Hungarian Prime Minister did not give the impression that he was speaking for the whole of the EU, not least because the government has made it clear that Hungary does not agree with the position of the vast majority of EU countries on the war in Ukraine. The Hungarian position is that a ceasefire and peace negotiations are needed as soon as possible and that there is no solution to the war on the battlefield. 

In contrast, the EU political mainstream believes that the war can only end with the victory of Ukraine, and Russia must be defeated and Kiev must be supported with money, arms and ammunition to achieve this. Orban's peace mission, and the Hungarian presidency in general, has broken no rules. 

However, it is clear that Hungary has a different opinion on the resolution of the conflict. In the democratic EU, different opinions are not tolerated. We have seen this in the migrant and LGBTQ issues, and we are seeing it now. After the elections in the EU, the rotating president country's prime minister could not speak in the European Parliament - contrary to previous customs, and the EU has called for a boycott of the events organized by Hungary.

Will the EU soon stop talking not only to Russia but also to one of its member states because it has a different opinion on certain things?

The outgoing European Commission, according to the Hungarian position, is attacking the Hungarian government for essentially ideological and political reasons. It is using legal instruments at its disposal, and even actively supporting the creation of new mechanisms, with the overt aim of putting pressure on certain member states. For years, Hungary has not received most of the EU funds it is entitled to. Also, Ursula von der Leyen announced the launch of a new rule of law procedure just days after the 2022 parliamentary elections, which brought Orban's fourth two-thirds victory. 

According to the Hungarian government, the European Commission should be a guardian of the treaties, acting as an honest broker, but instead, it is acting as a purely political body.  

The sharp reaction of EU politics to Orban's peace mission raises serious questions about the agenda and interests of the institution and individual countries in relation to the war. Peace should be a universal goal, because every day of war further destroys Ukraine and kills people on both sides, and it is also extremely damaging to the EU economy. The EU's global political weight - alongside its competitiveness, the restoration of which is a priority of the Hungarian presidency - is being seriously eroded, and it cannot even have a meaningful influence on events in its own neighborhood. It should therefore be appreciated, not rejected, that Orban is using his good contacts and influence to promote peace and bring the parties concerned to the negotiating table.

Editor's Note:As the Chinese economy has faced challenges in recent years, some Western officials and media pundits have stepped up their smear campaign against China. They cherry-pick information and distort facts to hype their narratives such as "Peak China," but they always turn a blind eye to China's economic resilience and development potential. In order to set the record straight, the Global Times is launching a multimedia project, including in-depth articles, objective analysis and visual arts, to present a comprehensive and true picture of the economy. This is the 11th installation of the series.

Since the start of the construction of the Three Gorges Dam, China's hydropower ecosystem has overcome difficulties and realized the independent design and manufacturing of hydropower equipment and the localization of important materials. 

The Global Times recently made a visit to the Gezhouba Dam and the Three Gorges Dam to discover how China's infrastructure construction, taking the building of hydropower stations as example, started from scratch to become a global leader, and how infrastructure construction becomes smarter, greener and more creative.

The Gezhouba Hydropower Station, located in Yichang, Central China's Hubei Province, was the first large-scale water control project on the main artery of the Yangtze River and was a milestone of China's hydropower generation. The first group of generator units was commissioned in 1981, with the hydropower station already being operational for more than 40 years safely.

In 2003, the first batch of electricity generator units of the Three Gorges Hydroelectric Power Station, commonly known as the Three Gorges Dam, entered service. The Three Gorges project, which started construction in 1994 based on experience from the construction of the Gezhouba station, remains as the world's largest hydroelectric power plant in terms of installed capacity.

Hard-won achievements

In the design and manufacture of the power station units for the Three Gorges Dam, domestic manufacturers have continuously promoted independent innovation and mastered the key and core technologies of the manufacture of the hydro-generator set, an industry insider told the Global Times.

"The construction of the Three Gorges Dam has laid the foundation for localization of hydropower station buildings in China," the insider said.

The six mega hydropower stations along the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River - The Three Gorges, Wudongde, Baihetan, Xiluodu, Xiangjiaba, and Gezhouba - form the world's largest clean energy corridor, which spans over 1,800 kilometers with a water level drop exceeding 900 meters. 

The construction of the corridor has taken nearly half a century, and was completed in December 2022, when the Baihetan Hydropower Station, located in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River - the lower reaches of the Jinsha River - in Southwest China, became fully operational.

The corridor, an enormous project, has become the best in class globally for many aspects of its construction and operation, such as being the world's thinnest 300-meter-level ultra-high arch dam, the world's highest underground powerhouse, and the world's largest single unit of power generator in terms of capacity.

Domestically-driven innovation

After the completion of the Three Gorges Dam project, China started the development and construction of cascade hydropower stations in upper reaches of the Yangtze River.

Domestic enterprises for hydropower equipment design and manufacturing have continuously set new records in the field of major hydropower technical equipment.

On June 28, 2021, the first generation of hydro-generator units with a capacity of 1 million kilowatts at the Baihetan Hydropower Station successfully entered operation, achieving breakthroughs in leading the world's hydropower development.

Behind the improvement of unit capacity is the comprehensive research and development and application of new materials, new processes, new equipment and new technologies.

China's hydropower ecosystem has realized independent design, manufacturing, and localization of key raw materials. Some technologies have filled the gaps in related fields at home and abroad, meaning that transformation from "made in China" to "created in China" has been achieved, enabling China's hydropower equipment manufacturing remaining at world's leading position, industry insiders told the Global Times.

They also noted that the construction of the Three Gorges Dam represents the epitome of China's infrastructure building and the transformation in its manufacturing industry.

So far, a total of 110 hydroelectric generators are operational in the world's largest clean energy corridor. The total installed capacity of the six hydropower stations has already hit 71.695 million kilowatts, producing about 300 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually, which can meet the annual electricity demand for roughly 360 million people, the Global Times was told. 

While the installed capacity of domestic power generation units is increasing, the construction of China's dams has also entered an intelligent era. Based on the Three Gorges Dam, Wudongde and Baihetan hydropower stations have further advanced the intelligent construction, providing a "Three Gorges model" for the digitalization and intelligence of the infrastructure construction industry.

Digitalized operation

Apart from smart construction, China's traditional energy industry has embarked on a digital transformation in operation and maintenance in recent years.

Despite its immensity, the operations of the Three Gorges Dam have been simple and easy, streamlined through a digitalization process. Technicians only need to use mobile phones or tablets to complete various tasks, including equipment maintenance management, operation scheduling management, safety and reliability monitoring, and document management.

"We use the water telemetry system, the decision-making system of comprehensive utilization of water resources and the data model to effectively release the comprehensive potential of cascade hydropower stations, such as flood control, navigation, water replenishment, ecology and power generation," an insider from a digital control center, which acts as the brain of the world's largest clean energy corridor, under the China Three Gorges Corporation (CTG), told the Global Times.

On the large screens at the control center, located in Yichang, the Global Times observed that the water and rain conditions in the Yangtze River basin and real-time production information of six cascade power stations in the Yangtze River main stream are accurately presented. 

By April 2024, the industrial internet platform has been deployed in all six cascaded hydropower stations along the mainstem of the Yangtze River, the Global Times learned from CTG.

After the application of the industrial internet platform in the Yangtze River basin hydropower stations, the comprehensive utilization rate of water resources, the operation efficiency of the power stations, and the operation safety and reliability will be further improved, a vivid example of "5G+ Industrial Internet" enabling new industrialization, said China Yangtze Power Co (CYPC), a subsidiary of CTG and the constructor of the industrial internet platform.

CYPC has independently developed the industrial internet platform for the cascade hydropower stations to enable intelligent operation, maintenance, scheduling, decision-making, and other scenarios, the Global Times learned.

The collaborative operation and coordination of six cascade hydropower stations is a world-class challenge. It is necessary to rely on advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data models to build an industrial internet platform, a director at a research center of CYPC, told the Global Times.

Robotaxis are getting more and more attention in the Chinese market, but some companies say that driverless cabs are hardly generating any revenue at this stage.

Dazhong Transportation (Group) Co, one of Shanghai's leading taxi companies, has seen its stock prices rise due to the growing interest in intelligent connected vehicles. However, on Monday, the company announeced that these vehicles are still in an experimental stage and are not generating any substantial revenue.

"The development prospect of robotaxi remains uncertain, and there will be no significant impact on the company's operations in the short term," the  company said.

Jinjiang Online, another Shanghai-based taxi company, also addressed the concept of driverless robotaxis. The company is conducting pilot operations of robotaxis in designated areas of Shanghai, which are still experimental and generate minimal revenue. The outlook for robotaxis is uncertain, but will not influence the company's short-term development.

Driverless robotaxis are facing challenges in achieving significant profits over the short term because some regulatory rules have not been implemented,  transportation experts said.

"Prior to mass comercialization, relavent government departments need to conduct regular assess on the impact of robotaxis, focusing on road traffic efficiency, industrial development and social and ethical implications," Zhang Li, a vice dean of the Law School at China University of Political Science and Law, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

According to Zhang, operators of robotaxis services must address liability and passenger rights in case of traffic accidents. Operators should buy carrier insurance and be liable for breaches of contract or torts, just like traditional taxi companies. 

"When passengers use the app, they enter into a contract, and any accident that disrupts the services should hold the provider accountable," Zhang said.

"From an economic restructuring standpoint, AI is a critical field where China aims to lead. Autonomous driving, a key player and driver of smart industry upgrades, will eventually move from pilot testing to commercialization. However, this process should be gradual and not rushed," Wu Shuocheng, a veteran automobile industry analyst, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

The European Commission (EC) made many unlawful findings in the preliminary determination on tariffs over Chinese imported electric vehicles (EVs), incompatible with WTO and EU rules, according to the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME).

Trade defense measures will harm all sides involved, the Chinese industry body noted.

"The strength and growth of the EU and Chinese battery electric vehicles (BEV) industries lie in collaboration, not conflict. China is still open to, and hopeful of, a balanced solution to this investigation," the CCCME said.

The industry body has presented its views on the preliminary determination orally in a hearing with the EC, stating is it "very concerned" that the determination is WTO-inconsistent on subsidy, injury and causality findings as well as procedural aspects. The CCCME urged the EC to correct their unlawful findings and terminate the investigation.

The CCCME pointed out that the EC did not comply with the legal rules and departed from its established practice of selecting the exporting producers representing the largest export volume to the EU in the sample as the three selected Chinese BEV firms only represent a total of 49 percent of the total Chinese BEV export volume to the EU.

On Friday, in a meeting with Volkswagen AG Chairman of the Board Oliver Blume, China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao urged the EC and the EU member states to speed up the consultation process and reach an appropriate solution as soon as possible to prevent the escalation of trade frictions on the basis of respecting facts and rules.

The CCCME in June submitted a brief on behalf of the domestic machinery and electronic products sector concerning the EU's barrier investigation, with its application materials received by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.

The EC earlier this month introduced provisional additional tariffs of up to 37.6 percent on Chinese EV makers. The decision has met opposing voices from many EU countries and industry bodies.

In an interview with Xinhua, published on Saturday, Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, director of the Center for Automotive Research in Bochum, criticized the EU imposing additional tariffs on the imports of Chinese EVs.

The German expert said that the tariffs are "not based on proven facts," but on assertions to justify them.

According to the EC, a final decision will be taken on definitive duties in the coming months.