Cheng Cheung Hung, a sprinter from Hong Kong, China, says Asia's fastest man Su Bingtian is his hero, who encouraged him to work hard to step on the world stage one day.
"Su Bingtian created a new Asian record. His super performance definitely earned him the title of 'Su-per,' I had the pleasure of shaking his hand, which was a great inspiration," said Cheng after his competition in China's first Student (Youth) Games on Monday.
Su was the first Chinese to run 100 meters in under 10 seconds in 2015, followed by Xie Zhenye in 2018. With a personal best of 9.83 seconds in the 100 meters event, he is the fifth fastest man all-time in the category at the Olympics.
Four weeks ago, Su delivered a lecture in Hong Kong when Cheng not only shook hands with his idol, but also was inspired by Su's speech.
"It was truly an enlightening experience for me," recalled Cheng. "Su encouraged us to try and challenge ourselves, to break the limit. Combining talent and hard work, we can step on the world stage."
In the men's 4x100 meters relay final of the Open category, the Hong Kong team finished fifth in 40.45 seconds on Monday afternoon. The 19-year-old captain admitted they had room to improve.
"Maybe compared to other teams, our advantage is not so obvious, so we chose some special strategies. However, the process of competition is a lesson for us. We can learn from others," said Cheng.
Majored in Physical Therapy, Cheng has well balanced his academic studies and training at Hong Kong Metropolitan University.
"The main thing is to do a good job of time allocation for studying and training," he said.
"In the classroom and on the sports field, it's all about learning. We can see the performance of different regional teams through participating in competitions, which is also a learning process."
Through studying physical therapy at university, Cheng gained a deeper understanding of human body structure and conducted scientific analysis of sprinting. He said he can be aware of the change in his physical state now and immediately adjust his training volume based on his knowledge and research.
"It would be a great honor to be involved in sports [after graduating from university], to pass on the experience I have learned now to the next generation, and I hope to help the development of sports in Hong Kong," Cheng said.
Sichuan is experiencing light rain as Wu Lian walks on her way to work. Meanwhile, the earthworms emerging from the muddy ground along the road are also undergoing a migration.
However, some earthworms are getting stranded on the cement pavement. At moments like these, Wu Lian picks them up one by one and places them back into the soil, despite her hands getting covered in mud.
"Otherwise, they could easily be stepped on by passersby," she says. This unique habit stems from her trip to Lhasa, capital of the Xizang Autonomous Region, three years ago.
This "Earthworm Rescue Operation" is a very unique manifestation of the spirit of cherishing and protecting life that the Tibetan people have continued for centuries.
Near the Potala Palace, in the vicinity of Zong Juelu Kang (Dragon King Pond), during the rainy season, you can see people of all ages bending down to gently pick up earthworms that haven't been able to complete their journey and placing them back onto the grass.
This is because once the sun comes out in Lhasa, the worms quickly lose moisture and face danger. Some local children even take the initiative to inform unaware tourists to watch their step. Of course, this isn't just about rescuing earthworms; it's just that because earthworms are particularly fragile and inconspicuous, such a scene arises.
Even today, many Tibetan people still recite a protective mantra when drinking water, intending to liberate the microorganisms in the water about to be consumed. And they will tell their grandchildren the story of this small ritual like a tale.
Similar to how the Han people usually call for compassion for even the tiniest of ants, Tibetans start from rescuing earthworms. This custom originates from the core doctrine of "equality of all sentient beings" in Tibetan Buddhism.
Carried on to the present day, it can be said that rather than merely being a religious tradition, it has long been internalized as a guiding principle in the daily lives of ordinary people.
Another story is about the origin of the Shoton Festival. Before the 17th century, the Shoton Festival was a primitive religious celebration.
According to folk tradition, as the weather warmed in the summer and all living things revived, monks going out for activities would inadvertently harm living creatures, violating the precept of "do not kill."
Therefore, the Gelug sect's monastic rules stipulated that from the fourth to the sixth month of the Tibetan calendar, monks could only recite scriptures and practice in the temples.
On the day the ban was lifted, monks would leave the temples and descend from the mountains. To thank the monks, local residents would prepare yogurt and organize outings and feasts, including traditional Tibetan opera performances, to celebrate the occasion.
It can be said that the practice of loving and protecting life is the starting point of the socialization process for Tibetan children. Life is adorable, life is respectable.
Tibetans believe that one should do everything possible to avoid harming any life. If there is truly no choice, then one should still hold an attitude of respect and gratitude.
Such beliefs permeate through people's daily lives, in the cycles of seasons, and in their daily activities.
The fundamental principle that every newborn baby first learns is a profound empathy toward the existence of any life. As an extension of this spirit, Tibetans often exhibit the utmost compassion toward the weak.
The essence of compassion includes, but is not limited to, "tolerance." Its broader meaning encompasses acknowledgment, empathy, and an emotionally driven commitment to action.
In Xizang, during feasts, not only were beggars not driven away, but they were also treated as honored guests.
Even in contemporary urban life, Tibetans are still able to treat all members of society more equally. On this land, the quality of being "snobbish" is disliked by everyone.
Faith is not confined to temples but also ingrained in everyday activities. When we talk about culture, it is never limited to external forms like singing, dancing, or intricate artwork.
The local people's outlook on life has gradually extended beyond the region with the opening up of Xizang.
Therefore, when you hear tourists from other regions or countries expressing admiration for how Tibetan culture has purified their souls, it is likely not an exaggeration.
The second season of the National Excellent Musical Performance recently opened in Xiamen, East China's Fujian Province.
This performance brought together 18 musicals, among which the musicals The Ideal City and In the Distance, produced by the Beijing Performing Arts Group and performed by the Beijing Opera and Dance Theatre, stood out from nearly 100 participating works. The two works were staged at the Minnan Grand Theatre in Xiamen from November 13 to 18.
In the Distance focuses on the development and changes in the express delivery industry during a period of more than 20 years. Taking the struggle of young people as its center, it seeks to give audiences the persistence to chase their dreams and inject new vitality into original domestic musicals.
The "pioneering" musical has entered many first-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, and won the double affirmation of the market and word-of-mouth.
In September 2021, the original musical The Ideal City started brewing, and after two years of creation and polishing, it met audiences at the end of May, 2023.
The play takes a female perspective, playing out various workplace struggles in contemporary society. The ups and downs of the story vividly show the struggles of young people in Beijing.
The musical is adapted from a popular film and a TV show, based on realistic workplace ecology. With fashionable and novel artistic expression and avant-garde texture of the stage presentation, it won praise from all sides as soon as it premiered, and was hailed as "a surprise work of Beijing realistic musicals" by the public.
The 9 kilometers of dusty streets of Tangerang, a city near to the Indonesian capital Jakarta, has become an open air gallery, colorful and beautified by more than 50 mural and graffiti artists from different nations.
Dika Badik Adrian, a 28-year-old from Indonesia's West Sumatra province, painted a row of three pop art-style characters squabbling over a basketball in a mural.
The figure he developed in 2018 and appears as the main subject in all of his works is called Fresnot, an acronym meaning freedom is not free. This time, the Fresnots wore hats and brightly hued polka-dot masks in shades of blue, red, and purple.
"Wear a mask, so they don't get exposed to street dust," Badik told Xinhua recently.
This painting is a part of the Epicentrum street art festival, organized by the local community and has attracted artists from countries including Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and also Indonesia.
Sports, together with art and culture, are the primary topics of the painting process which run from Sept. 10 to Sept. 17.
The topic of sports is also present in the creation by Tangerang muralist Yosua Tan. He sketched a picture of a man with sunglasses and a football, a global favorite sport, and wrote "mafia" next to it. This illustrates a moral critique of football, which he said frequently turns into a political arena for certain parties.
"We hope that football doesn't turn into a political event; sport should stay sport," he said.
Ibnu Jandi, the festival's conceptualizer, said Tangerang is an urban area which was in the past a deep forest but quickly transformed with expansion of the development of the capital, with thousands of industries emerging and migrants coming from different provinces.
Similar to urban areas in other nations, not only the wooded areas vanished but also the local culture in many cases, many roads are clogged with traffic, and public spaces are congested, he remarked.
Akid One, 37, a Malaysian muralist, tried to showcase urban traffic in his works finished with classic tan colors, like an ancient landscape.
He said that after arriving in Indonesia, he observed the Legok highway, took pictures of it, and then used the images to create a mural showing the commotion of streets, in which there are many motorcycles travelling at high speeds, some with helmetless riders, or overloaded with woman and children, street merchants, and vehicles hauling cargo.
This scene also brought back him memories of his home country Malaysia, where he said streets were congested with cars.
"This is young people's expressions, they are not only trying to make the streets more attractive, but they are also 'rebelling' against crowded, dirty streets and shrinking public areas," Jandi explained.
The festival's art director, Edi Bonetski, added that every street has its story, and they chronicle a city's extensive history.
"When the street is our canvas," he remarked, "creativity is limitless."
Spaces for expression are expanding into the meta world as technology develops, Bonetski said, while offline works are still being done.
Evidently, a city's old walls are now lovely, its aspirations are on show, and anybody may view and appreciate them.
Dubai remains the top global destination for attracting Greenfield Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects, with the emirate attracting 511 Greenfield projects in H1 2023, as per Financial Times 'fDi Markets' data - the comprehensive online database on cross-border greenfield investments.
Dubai continues to set new benchmarks in global performance as an investment destination, surpassing second-placed Singapore by 325 projects.
During the first half of 2023, Dubai's global share in the attraction of Greenfield FDI projects stood at 6.58 percent - up from 3.83 percent over the same six-month period last year.
The results, which underscore the emirate's status as a key investment hub, align directly with the city's 10-year Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to double the size of the emirate's economy over the next decade.
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, said: "Dubai's ability to maintain its top ranking in attracting Greenfield FDI projects reflects the city's ability to create unparalleled growth opportunities and value for global investors. Guided by the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the emirate has intensified its drive to accelerate economic diversification and innovation. This commitment, coupled with the adoption of advanced technologies, is shaping a future filled with endless opportunities for progress and prosperity. With the clear growth roadmap set out by the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, we continue to work to create an investment environment that not only wins the trust of investors from all over the world but also encourages them to contribute to Dubai's transformation."
In parallel, new data released by Dubai FDI Monitor at Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), shows the city logged a total of 880 announced FDI projects between January and June of this year, a year-on-year growth of 70 percent. The Dubai FDI Monitor tracks, substantiates and analyses all types of FDI projects announced within the emirate.
Dubai FDI Monitor data also indicates that Dubai's Greenfield FDI projects account for 65 percent of total announced FDI projects. The report also states year-on-year Reinvestment FDIs increased from 3 percent to 4.4 percent when comparing H1 2023 with the same period in 2022.
Meanwhile, Dubai also saw a year-on-year rise in global Greenfield FDI capital attraction, reaching AED20.87 billion (USD5.68 billion). According to Financial Times Ltd. "fDi Markets" data, Dubai climbed from eighth in H1 2022 to sixth globally in H1 2023,
Additionally, Dubai ranks first globally in the attraction of HQ FDI projects, according to Financial Times Ltd. "fDi Markets" data, by attracting 33 HQ projects in the first half of this year, ahead of London and Singapore. The achievement further highlights the emirate's rising profile as a global hub for the headquarters of leading companies.
Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism, commented: "We are continuing to accelerate efforts to deliver the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
"As we work to enhance the city's competitiveness and business environment internationally, these strong increases in announced FDI projects for H1 2023 drive home how our progressive policy enablers and diverse attraction programmes are resonating with global investors and decision makers alike."
The Financial Times Ltd. "fDi Markets" data also shows Dubai rose from ninth in H1 2022 to fourth place globally in H1 2023 in employment creation from FDI projects. The climb follows a 43.3 percent surge in job creation in H1 2023 compared to H1 2022, equating to a total of 24,236 jobs created through FDI.
In line with DET's economic diversification initiatives, Dubai's efforts to retain and attract highly skilled talent were illustrated in the top six sectors contributing to estimated job creation by FDI in H1 2023: Business Services at 5,212 jobs (21.5% share), Software and IT at 3,525 jobs (14.5 percent), Food & Beverages at 3,090 jobs (12.7percent), Financial Services at 1,813 jobs (7.5 percent), Consumer Products at 2,104 jobs (8.3 percent) and Real Estate at 921 jobs (3.8percent).
Dubai FDI Monitor states the emirate continued to attract medium-to-high-technology and low-technology FDI projects in H1 2023, with rates of 63 percent and 37percent, respectively, unchanged from last year. The data illustrates the prevalence of medium-high technology FDI ventures in Dubai, underscoring the city's status as a global hub for cutting-edge FDI projects and a nexus for specialised talent in the digital economy.
In terms of key sectors bringing FDI capital into Dubai, Financial Services (52percent), Business Services (12.8 percent), Software & IT Services (7.5 percent), Real Estate (6.9 percent) and F&B (3 percent) lead the way. The Dubai FDI Monitor showed the top five sectors accounted for 82 percent of total FDI capital inflow and 70 percent of total FDI projects. Leading sectors by FDI projects include Business Services (22.4 percent), Software & IT (17.8 percent), F&B (12.2 percent), Financial Services (9 percent) and Consumer Products (8.3 percent).
The first leg of the 8th EU-China Literary Festival took place at the Xi Yue Tang Library, Cultural, and Creative Park in Beijing, on Tuesday, to further deepen contemporary literary dialogue between China and Europe.
With the theme "Voices of the Present: Contemporary Literature," and an emphasis on the diversity of the contemporary literary landscape, the festival aims to depict the perspectives and cultural nuances of contemporary European writers.
Renowned Greek author Amanda Michalopoulou, participated in the 8th EU-China Literature Festival along with well-known Chinese writer Sheng Keyi. Together they engaged in a literary dialogue, on issues related to "Identity and Belonging" in contemporary European literature. Diplomats from the Greek Embassy attended the event.
Michalopoulou also discussed "Gender and Sexuality" with the Chinese writer and literary critic Wang Hongtu on Thursday at Shanghai's Fandeng Bookstore - C·PARK.
Aside from the writer dialogue, people have the opportunity to enjoy reading Greek books and participate in the "European literature reading corners" in six well-known bookstores throughout the country in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Guangzhou, in a series of events that promoted cultural and literary exchanges between China, Greece, and Europe.
The reading corners activity runs until November 30.
In his report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, proposed to comprehensively advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization - the modernization of a huge population, of common prosperity for all, of material and cultural-ethical advancement, of harmony between humanity and nature, and of peaceful development.
Advancing Chinese modernization is a systematic endeavor and also an exploratory undertaking. It is through this framework that we wish to illustrate the process of the Chinese path to modernization through a series of landmark projects, touching stories, and visionary plans.
Recently, Global Times reporters visited different key locations across China and detailed their observations in five stories to showcase the diverse aspects of Chinese modernization.
In the first installment, Global Times reporters traveled to Zhangjiakou city in North China's Hebei Province, one of the cities that hosted the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, and met with the designer of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway line, gaining an insight into the country's modernization of a massive population through the kaleidoscope of the Chinese railway industry's rapid development. Over a century ago, the Beijing-Zhangjiakou railway line, constructed under the leadership of the "Father of Chinese Railways," Zhan Tianyou, became China's first independently designed and built railway line.
However, he probably had never imagined that a century later, advanced Fuxing bullet trains at a speed of 350 kilometers per hour would be running between Zhangjiakou and China's capital city of Beijing, on this line - one of the smartest railway liens in the country, which became one of the highlights of the Beijing Winter Olympics, drawing global attention.
Behind the huge contrast is the development of the innovation of China's railway lines, stands the Chinese path to modernization, which is the modernization of a huge population.
In a country with a large population and a vast territory, many regions face transportation challenges, especially those that are impoverished. However, China has embarked on a unique path of innovation in this field, emerging as a world leader in the high-speed railway industry.
The railway network spans across China, and even across the world, providing people with a fast, convenient, and safe mode of transportation, propelling them toward Chinese modernization.
A tale of two cities
Wang Jiujun stands on a tower at the Great Wall in Zhangjiakou, facing Beijing, but his line of vision is obscured by mountains far away.
More than 110 years ago, these mountains stood as a transport network barrier, making the plan to construct a railway line connecting Beijing and Zhangjiakou an impossible mission. Some people pessimistically opined that "the person who could build such a railway line in China had not yet been born."
The success of the railway line, which was completed in 1909, shattered the misconception that "Chinese people were incapable of building their own railways."
Exactly 110 years later, Wang, the deputy director of the Transportation Safety Department of the China National Railway Group Beijing-Zhangjiakou Intercity Railway Co Ltd, would often think about Zhan's story while resolving new challenges he met in the process of building the new Beijing-Zhangjiakou railway line, with high-speed trains capable of traveling at a speed of 350 kilometers per hour. The first challenge that Wang and his team had to overcome was how to make the high-speed railway line pass through the core area of the megacity of Beijing using underground tunnels.
A 6,022-meter long tunnel had to traverse an extremely complex underground system of the city. The tunnel intersected with three Beijing subway lines, ran parallel to another line, and crossed underneath numerous major urban roads and underground utility networks.
"If we were to compare Beijing to a human body, we would be performing a bridge surgery in a densely vascularized area," Wang explained.
To conquer such challenges, Wang and his team were brave enough to dare to push the boundaries of railway construction, overcoming some world-level difficulties by tunneling through densely populated areas in Beijing and integrating the new railway line into China's modern high-speed rail network.
With the efforts of over 500 construction workers and within a period of more than 1,000 days, the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway line was finally completed and inaugurated in its entirety in 2019.
Based on the BeiDou satellite system and the GIS (Geographic Information System), this high-speed railway line achieved intelligence in construction, operation, scheduling, maintenance, and emergency response.
Various passenger-friendly technological designs made the line a popular attraction for athletes and media professionals alike during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
Even after the Olympics, the high-speed railway line continues to provide "Olympic-standard" service to every passenger. With the help of high-speed rail, the winter sports industry in the region has also gained new opportunities.
"Previously, it took over two hours to travel between Beijing and Zhangjiakou, but now the journey has been reduced to one hour, or even 50 minutes. Many people come to Zhangjiakou, to Chongli county, to experience skiing and feel the atmosphere and enthusiasm of the Winter Olympics," Wang said.
Today, plans to further expand the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway line are underway, traversing the mountains and across the grasslands, to finally be connected to Xilinhot city, North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. "This way, we can contribute our efforts to the local development and rural revitalization of eastern Inner Mongolia," Wang said.
Deep in the mountains, Wang and his team continue this arduous work, finding ways to surmount arising challenges and difficulties.
"Resolving these difficulties is like eating nuts, right? Each time you crack one open, there is a tasty reward inside. There are always intermediate achievements," Wang concluded.
A witness of progress
With a population of over 1.4 billion people, China has experience in massive population mobility. In Wang Jiujun's memory, the journey back to home before the Spring Festival used to be a difficult one.
"During the Spring Festival travel rush, people would cram into trains through the doors and squeeze themselves through the windows. It was a real struggle to get on the train, and once on board, it was so crowded that you couldn't even touch the floor. No to mention that the green trains were so slow," he said as he reminisced on the bitter-sweet memories.
Developing high-speed railways has become one of the effective solutions to alleviate the difficulties of the Spring Festival Travel rush, what is considered to be the world's largest annual human migration.
By the end of 2022, China boasted of a railway network spanning 155,000 kilometers, with over 42,000 kilometers dedicated to high-speed rail. This vast network is also being rapidly expanded.
The railway networks are taking people home, as well as taking them to their dreams.
Over recent decades, the "green train" which runs through the Daliang Mountains in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, became an important part of the production activities and lives of the local people, heralding the transformation of the Yi people's way of life.
In December 2022, the new 915-kilometer-long Chengdu-Kunming railway line went into operation, bringing high-speed trains to the hinterland of the Daliang Mountains.
But the traditional "green trains" still serve as important capillaries, ferrying passengers to every corner of the country. In the vast forests of the Greater Hinggan Mountains in northern China, the slow-moving trains not only continue to transport residents of the forest farms to various destinations they need to reach for their livelihoods, but have also become favored tourist route, allowing urban dwellers accustomed to a fast-paced life to slow down.
Chinese high-speed rail has provided the Chinese people with an excellent travel experience and a sense of happiness. The diversification and optimization of online and offline ticket purchase channels have addressed the issue of ticket scarcity. High-quality services and facilities have resolved the issue of travel fatigue.
During the 2023 Spring Festival travel rush, the national railway network in China transported a total of 348 million passengers, with an average of 8.7 million passengers per day. There were 11 days during which the daily passenger volume exceeded 10 million, according to the China News Agency.
A calling card of openness
With the rapid development of China's railway network and the deepening of high-quality construction under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the country's opening-up efforts have expanded continuously. International cooperation has achieved significant results, with more Chinese railway lines taking root in Asia, Europe, Africa, and other regions, yielding fruitful outcomes.
"China has always been an open country. Chinese people desire to make friends, help others, and use our wisdom to assist in global development," Wang said. "That is why we have the BRI and have established railway cooperation with multiple countries regionally and globally."
The China-Laos Railway, for example, has officially opened, and created a transportation artery linking China' southwestern region with Southeast Asia. The opening of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway line will further promote Chinese high-speed rail globally. This will allow more people to see, experience, and share the benefits of Chinese high-speed rail technology.
Moreover, the China-Europe freight trains, shuttling day and night, have rapidly transformed into a vibrant "golden gateway" and an important platform for China's participation in global openness, cooperation, and the construction of the BRI.
The building and upgrading of the railway linking Budapest in Hungary to Belgrade in Serbia, a major project under the BRI, also symbolizes the deep cooperation between China and Europe. The project, aiming to help the two countries build logistics hubs and enhance the construction of infrastructure to boost economic development, will significantly shorten travel time for passengers and cargo from the two cities when completed.
As China vigorously promotes its Chinese path to modernization, the Chinese railway network, as exemplified by high-speed rail, is also embracing open and mutually beneficial development, contributing even more to the building of a community of shared future for mankind.
"By cooperating with other countries and regions, Chinese high-speed rail development can allow more people greater access in travel and rich experiences," Wang said.
The 68th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Nepal and China serves as an opportune moment to highlight the strong and amicable relations between the two countries, Chhabindra Parajuli, economy minister at the Embassy of Nepal in Beijing, told the Global Times in an exclusive interview ahead of the anniversary.
"China's rapid development has captivated the world, as it harnesses its unique strengths in modernization, mechanization of agriculture, advancements in free trade zones, and high-tech industrial parks," he said.
As August 1 marks the 68th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and Nepal, the economy minister expressed his hope that both countries will further deepen cooperation on various fronts, especially on cultural exchanges.
He stressed that fostering tourism and cultural exchanges in both Nepal and China stands as a key strategy to strengthen cultural ties further.
"The abundance of natural resources and an investment-friendly environment in Nepal positions it as an enticing destination of choice for Chinese investors. In this era of globalization and regionalism, Nepal and China can forge fruitful collaborations on various fronts," he said.
According to him, a newfound enthusiasm for mutual cooperation is evident in the realms of trade, investment, and cultural exploration.
"China's growing middle-class population is set to drive rapid expansion in tourism, ensuring a promising future for the Nepal-China tourism relationship," he said.
Deepened people-to-people exchanges
According to Parajuli, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Nepal has steadily increased year-on-year, which is proof of rich people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, laying the foundation for robust bilateral relations.
On April 13, 2023, the first batch of Chinese trekkers arrived in the Nepali capital Kathmandu, bringing hope to Nepal's tourism hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nepali performers even showcased their skills outside the airport to welcome the arrival of Chinese trekkers in Kathmandu, read a Xinhua report.
The growing middle-class population in China has brought about a surge in outbound travelers, with Nepal emerging as a preferred destination. China became the second-largest source of tourists for Nepal before the pandemic.
Recognizing the potential of Chinese tourists, Nepal has rolled out a warm welcome to Chinese tourists, introducing measures like visa-on-arrival, waived visa fees, and improved air connectivity.
The people-to-people exchanges between China and Nepal started more than 1,000 years ago. Looking back in history, one of the first foreign travelers to Nepal was the Chinese traveler and philosopher, Xuan Zang, an eminent Tang Dynasty (602-664) monk, marking the inception of Chinese tourism in Nepal.
Later, the renowned Nepali architect, Arniko further solidified ties between Nepal and China by venturing to China and designing and constructing pagoda-style temples in various locations. Among these cultural exchange symbols stands the White Dagoba Temple in Beijing, a testament to solid the China-Nepal friendship.
To cement cultural bonds, various promotional events and cultural festivals have been jointly organized in both countries. From the photo exhibition themed "Beautiful Nepal" in Beijing to the "China-Nepal Friendship Dragon Boat Race Festival" in Pokhara, the series of activities have effectively promoted friendship, cultural exchanges, and fostered deeper understanding between the two nations.
This month, the Confucius Institute at Kathmandu University said that it has trained nearly 50,000 Chinese-language professionals in Nepal since its inception 16 years ago, voicing its readiness to do more to promote cultural exchanges, Xinhua reported.
"The enduring legacy of cultural exchanges between the two ancient civilizations serves as a beacon, guiding their paths toward a harmonious and prosperous future," Parajuli told the Global Times.
Looking ahead
Tourism now plays a pivotal role in Nepal's economy. The development of Nepal's tourism industry has the potential to drive industrial linkages, supply chain maintenance, and create employment opportunities, Parajuli introduced.
Tourism also significantly contributes to the country's economic prosperity by creating employment opportunities, which in turn reduce poverty rates, and improve the standard of living for its people.
"China's rapid economic development has presented a plethora of opportunities for Nepal's tourism sector," Parajuli noted.
With policies aimed at developing tourism as a key driver of the national economy, Nepal is keen on expanding its market for meetings, conferences, and events. Initiatives such as building new international airports and introducing innovative tourism products reflect Nepal's determination to elevate its tourism industry.
The economy minister stressed that Nepal eagerly welcomes Chinese tourists and investors to partake in tourism infrastructure development projects and it extends an open invitation to all to explore its breathtaking landscapes and diverse cultural experiences.
"The availability of on-arrival visa services for Chinese travelers, the waiver of visa fees for Chinese nationals, and the convertibility of the Chinese Yuan for tourism and business purposes has made Nepal increasingly attractive to Chinese tourists and investors alike," he said.
At a recent WeChat Pay launch event in Nepal, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song also highlighted the "favorable prospects of the Chinese tourist market" in Nepal.
"China is ready to enhance the synergy of policies with Nepal, not only limited to traditional sectors, but also breaking new ground in emerging fields such as financial service trade, unlocking great potential for mutually beneficial cooperation," Chen said.
The Biden administration's approval of the transferring of cluster munitions to Ukraine has sparked widespread criticism and worry. While the bombs, along with the numerous deadly weapons the US and its Western allies have provided to Ukraine, put civilians and children there in grave danger, their manufacturers are probably busy counting money they've made from the Russia-Ukraine crisis while hoping that the conflict doesn't end any time soon.
War is "good for business," a recruiter for BlackRock told the O'Keefe Media Group in June, acknowledging how such turmoil can create opportunities for profit. BlackRock is one of the world's largest asset management company and holds shares in several defense industry enterprises.
The recruiter's words exposed the fact that Ukraine has unfortunately become a gold mine for the US military-industrial complex (MIC). Having seldom bought weapons abroad before the crisis, Ukraine became the world's third biggest arms importer in 2022, ranking fifth among the US' main arms export destinations, according to data from Statista.
It's hard to know exactly know how much money have flowed from the Ukraine frontline into the pockets of US weapon manufacturers. But the Global Times found that most of the MIC giants in the US have enjoyed an income surge or (and) market value increase amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The US is the biggest beneficiary of the conflict. By utilizing proxy war between Russia and Ukraine, the US continues to consolidate its geopolitical interests in Ukraine, and its military industrial enterprises make huge profits by selling weapons, said Yuan Zheng, a research fellow and deputy director of the Institute of American Studies at Chinese the Academy of Social Sciences.
"The US doesn't seem to mind the weapons bringing great loss and safety hazards to Ukraine and the rest of the world," Yuan told the Global Times.
A fruitful year
The US used to have dozens of defense contractors before the post-Cold War merger boom. Nowadays, there are only five MIC giants that jointly dominate the US' huge arms industry - Boeing, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon.
The "Big Five" alone routinely split more than $150 billion in Pentagon contracts annually, or nearly 20 percent of the total Pentagon budget, said an article published by The Nation in May.
Ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis has brought the "Big Five" even more contracts. Lockheed Martin, for instance, won a $4.8 billion deal from the US Army for Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, which "the US has sent in large numbers to Ukraine," reported Defense News in April.
Previously, the US Army had awarded Raytheon Missiles and Defense a contract worth "as much as $1.2 billion" to "deliver six National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System batteries for Ukraine," Defense News said in December 2022. In the same month, website Defense One quoted Greg Hayes, CEO of RTX (Raytheon), as saying that the company expected some $2.5 billion in replenishment weapons deals "over the next 12 months."
The disastrous year of 2022 was a fruitful one for the US MIC. Except for Boeing's market value shrinking because of its alleged "supply chain problems," the other four companies in the "Big Five" all increased by more than $10 billion in annual market value - Northrop Grumman added $16.4 billion, Lockheed Martin $16 billion, Raytheon Technologies $14.8 billion, and General Dynamics $10.8 billion, the Global Times found.
Except Boeing, the four aforementioned giants enjoyed good stock market performance in 2022. The share prices of Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon Technologies respectively grew by 37 percent, 26 percent, 24 percent, and 17 percent in that year.
The future looks promising as well for the US MIC, as the US House and Senate recently approved the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, which earmarked a record $886 billion in spending. Some media sources predicted that almost half of the money will go to the arms manufacturers, so that the US government can "sustain its military advantage over China" and pay constant attention to the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
The Russia-Ukraine crisis is "a huge profit center for the big companies: Lockheed Martin and Raytheon and Boeing," says William Hartung, a senior research fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft (Quincy Institute), where he focuses on the global arms trade and Pentagon spending. "At the moment, I think they're riding the wave," he told nonprofit news organization Analyst News in May.
Lobbying for profits
The US MIC continues to profiteer from the Russia-Ukraine conflict as it heads into its second year. The country's weapons and defense contractors reportedly received nearly half - $400 billion - of the $858 billion earmarked in the 2023 defense budget.
It's not a secret that to put more money into its pockets, US arms industry has maintained deep connections with the country's government officials and opinion leaders through several ways, such as funding lobbyists and think tanks and hiring former government officials through the "revolving door" of the government lobby industry.
Through various lobbying measures, the US weapons industry has acquired more "tools of influence" over the government, the Analyst News quoted Hartung as saying.
An interesting phenomenon that's emerged during the conflict is that some famous lobbying companies are representing Ukraine pro bono, pushing for greater US military support for the Ukrainian military.
Behind their so-called humanitarian care excuses for "aiding" Ukraine are some lobbying firms with obvious financial incentives - they also have arms manufacturers as clients.
In an article published in The Guardian titled They're lobbying for Ukraine pro bono - and making millions from arms firms, the authors mentioned a lobbying and communications firm called BGR Government Affairs (BGR), which started working pro bono for Ukrainian in May 2022. And earlier in February, a BGR adviser was publicly calling for increased military aid to Ukraine in the face of Russia's recognition of the Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics as independent states.
A probable main reason behind BGR's enthusiasm is that lobbying for increased military aid to Ukraine benefits its arms manufacturing clients, which will eventually be beneficial to BGR itself. Raytheon, for instance, paid BGR $240,000 to lobby on its behalf in 2022, according to The New York Times.
Driven by private interests, there has been a surge in pro-bono Ukraine lobbying since the conflict erupted. Media sources reported that 25 foreign lobbying and consultant companies have agreed to represent Ukrainian interests pro bono. The number was only 11 before the crisis.
Funding think tanks is another method by which the US MIC amplifies its voice. A report released by the Quincy Institute in June found that of the 27 think tanks in the US whose donors could be identified, 21 received funding from the defense industry, accounting for 77 percent of all funding.
The Quincy Institute report also found that US media outlets "disproportionately rely on" commentary from the defense sector funded think tanks. It said that in articles related to the US military's involvement in Ukraine, media outlets have cited these think tanks seven times as think tanks "that do not accept funding from Pentagon contractors."
The "revolving door" mechanism also has a hand in the flow of high-level employees from the defense departments of the US government to the private arms contractors and vice versa.
The perpetually spinning "revolving door" provides current members of Congress, their staff, and Pentagon personnel with a powerful incentive to play nice with said giant contractors while still in government, said The Nation. "After all, a lucrative lobbying career awaits once they leave government service," it noted.
Nearly 700 former high-ranking government officials in the US now work for defense contractors, including former generals and admirals, revealed a report released by the office of Senator Elizabeth Warren in April. Boeing, Raytheon, and General Electric respectively hired 85, 64, and 60 former government officials as their high-ranking executives or lobbyists, according to the report. World security risk
The US' continued transfer of weapons to Ukraine favors the Zelensky and Biden governments as well as the US MIC. Nonetheless, the steady flow of numerous deadly weapons and AI-tech equipment and systems into Ukraine, may pose a serious threat to the security and privacy of Ukrainian people in the long term, military experts warned.
At least 38 human rights organizations have publicly opposed the transfer of cluster munitions to Ukraine, where the weapons have already been used in the conflict with Russia to devastating effect, reported US media.
Cluster bombs are banned by more than 100 countries for the huge security risk they may bring in the long run. "Cluster bombs remain as explosive hazards for decades, and are likely to cause more innocent casualties in the future," Yuan told the Global Times. "Russia and Ukraine may have to face the troubles of the bombs for long."
Moreover, with an increasing number of weapons being sent to Ukraine, people found that many of the weapons have trickled into the local black market, said Yuan.
"That will be bring great uncertainty to the security of Ukraine and even the whole world, as no one can't guarantee that the weapons won't fall into the wrong hands," he noted.
Sadly, with the "geopolitical tension" hype from numerous lobbyists, think tanks, and the media, the US military departments and industry jointly keep pouring oil on the flames of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. And they will continue to increase tensions on the international stage and demonize "rivals" like Russia and China, so as to secure higher military profits, said some international relations observers reached by the Global Times.
The size of the US military and its arsenal are beyond what are needed to keep any country safe and maintain world peace, said Zhang Jiadong, a professor at the Center for American Studies at Fudan University.
The great importance the US attaches to the military industry will unfortunately lead to an even more intense arms race, and destabilize the already fragile relations between the great powers, Zhang said. "That puts world peace and stability at risk," he told the Global Times.
This year's 41st Beijing Marathon was held on October 29, and Greece, the cradle of the Marathon run, took part in the Beijing Marathon for the first time.
Greek Ambassador to China, Eugenios Kalpyris, was among the seven dignitaries who gave the signal for the start of the race at 7:30 am, at the Tiananmen Square.
Later, after the finish of the race, the Greek Embassy awarded medals from the Athens Authentic Marathon to the volunteers, the medical services, the referees and the official pacer teams for their contribution to upholding the "Marathon Spirit."
"It is a pleasure to be here today, for the Beijing Marathon. I am deeply impressed with the athletic spirit and the massive participation of such a big number of runners in today's Beijing Marathon. Congratulations!
The high regard the Chinese people have for the Athens Authentic Marathon is truly overwhelming. In the last 20 years sports has been a strong connecting link between Greece and China and we are looking forward to more cooperation in such big events in the future," said the ambassador. Earlier, the Greek Embassy had participated with a booth in the Beijing Marathon Expo from October 26 to 28, showcasing the Athens Authentic Marathon and the official medals for the 42,195 km run.
Apart from the 15 elite athletes that were invited, over 130,000 runners signed up for the race and about 30,000 were selected after a lucky draw, the organizing committee said.
