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On September 26, the finals of the Global Agrilnno Challenge began. Nine international teams and dozens of young entrepreneurs showcased their artificial intelligence-empowered solutions to address the challenging issues in the global agrifood system transformation.

After nearly three hours of intense on-site competition, the "Identity" team from Peru won gold medal, the team from Tanzania took silver medal for their Climate Smart Irrigator, and the "Smart Tomato" project from China earned bronze.
The Global Agricultural Maker Competition was jointly initiated by Zhejiang University and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and was successfully founded in 2020. This competition is jointly hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Zhejiang University, and supported by the Foreign Economic Cooperation Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the People's Government of Binjiang District, Hangzhou, and Pinduoduo. This is also Pinduoduo's fourth consecutive support for this competition.

Since the global recruitment notice was released on the FAO's official website in late June, the competition received over 200 applications, with 155 teams entering the preliminary round. After selection, 9 teams advanced, including 3 teams from China. It is reported that representatives of the gold and silver teams in this competition will have the opportunity to travel to Rome in October to showcase their innovative solutions to global agricultural technology entrepreneurs and investors at the 2024 FAO Science and Innovation Forum.

The Global Agrilnno Challenge is a global competition brand aimed at young agricultural entrepreneurs. It aims to unleash the innovation potential in the agricultural field by widely soliciting innovative business models and digital solutions, helping transform the agrifood system, and achieving the "Four Better" goals proposed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, namely: better production, better nutrition, better environment, and better life.

The competition showcased numerous digital agriculture solutions, innovative concepts, and technologies that are transforming the global agricultural food system. Our innovation and dedication today will become the seeds of changing the future of the agricultural food system, making the global agricultural food system more sustainable and resilient, Wei Longbao, chairman of the judging panel of this competition. Wei is a distinguished professor at Zhejiang University, and the director of the Institute of Food Economy and Agricultural Business Management.

The Chinese "Smart Tomato" team won bronze, while seawater rice is being sold nationwide with the help of Pinduoduo

Since 2020, the Global Agricultural Maker Competition has been held four times. The previous three competitions attracted active participation from 1,044 young agricultural technology entrepreneurs from 65 countries as well as 427 teams, attracting widespread attention worldwide.

At this year's competition, AI technology became the focus of agricultural research innovation for participating teams. Nine teams showcased their solutions for applying artificial intelligence to transform traditional agricultural production systems, covering breeding, planting, management, and sales.
The Peruvian team leading the competition launched a "decentralized interactive protocol system" to address the widespread "digital divide" problem among farmers. It is reported that farmers can synchronize various demands in agricultural production in real time to the system, and accurately match relevant entities such as government, purchasers, and nongovernmental organizations under the recommendation of the system to solve problems faced in the process of production, sales, and other links.

The "Climate Intelligent Irrigation Device" solution of the Tanzanian team won the silver award. Team members introduced that in 2021, the severe drought in East Africa exacerbated the local food shortage, and the cost of using traditional diesel engines for water diversion irrigation was high. In this context, the team developed the "Climate Intelligent Irrigation Device," which uses sensors and other real-time analysis of soil and water conditions, combined with AI and big data technology, to accurately and efficiently irrigate farmland and prevent waste of water resource. The irrigator is powered by solar energy, significantly reducing carbon emissions compared to traditional diesel engines, and promoting environmental sustainability.

The "Smart Tomato" project from China won the bronze award. The team from Guangzhou Guangxin Technology Co Ltd in Guangdong integrated spectral imaging and artificial intelligence technology to monitor the full-cycle growth of tomatoes during the planting process, resulting in higher tomato yields and higher levels of nutrients such as lycopene. "Food safety concerns in underdeveloped regions are significant, and we hope to help farmers around the world grow high-quality tomatoes without posing higher environmental challenges, "said the project members. It is reported that the cost of this equipment has been significantly reduced, and the mature technology has reduced the cost to one-tenth of what it was a few years ago.

In addition to the winning team, other finalists presented innovative plans. A team from Uganda innovatively proposed to turn kitchen waste into treasure by incubating black soldier flies and other tools to address issues such as food waste. The team from Guangdong Haidaohong Agricultural Technology Co Ltd in China, based on the reality of 1.5 billion acres of saline alkali land in China, efficiently selected and bred a salt tolerant variety ̶ seawater rice using artificial intelligence technology. This not only effectively utilizes saline alkali land but also promotes increased grain production. It is reported that the seawater rice developed by the team has been sold to the national market through Pinduoduo, with nearly 100,000 bags sold by merchants.
induoduo continually supports agricultural research and technology to enhance agriculture

In her speech at the competition, Hou Kaidi, Vice President of Pinduoduo, mentioned her renewed support for the Global Agricultural Maker Competition, stating that the development of AI will inject new vitality into traditional agricultural production. Pinduoduo hopes to build a platform for young agricultural technology entrepreneurs around the world to exchange ideas and explore the possibility of "AI+agriculture" landing together, so that more emerging technologies in the agricultural field can be explored and popularized.

Besides the Global Agricultural Maker Competition, Pinduoduo has been continuously increasing its investment in agricultural research and technology. In 2022, Pinduoduo was awarded the 2022 Innovation Award by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, becoming the only global enterprise winner of the award that year.

In 2023, Pinduoduo donated 100 million yuan to China Agricultural University to establish the "Pinduoduo China Agricultural University Research Fund," supporting China Agricultural University to actively explore the strengthening of basic research and key core agricultural technologies around major national strategic needs, based on the forefront of global agricultural science and technology. Among the 50 ongoing research projects supported by the research fund so far, multiple projects have achieved important interim results, and some of the results have been published in authoritative international academic journals such as Cell and Nature.

In addition to supporting basic agricultural research and tackling bottleneck technologies, exploring the application of emerging technologies such as AI in agriculture has also been a key focus of Pinduoduo in recent years. In the finals of the "4th Duoduo Agricultural Research Technology Competition" that recently kicked off, six teams from enterprises, agricultural research institutes, and universities used AI to subvert traditional agricultural production methods. One team customized a "smart brain" for a container plant factory, allowing operators to complete tasks such as watering, fertilizing, dimming, and warming the entire space with just a few clicks of their fingers; Some teams have also designed and adopted a combination of large and small models to monitor various environmental indicators inside the container in real time and adjust the planting plan in a timely manner.

In addition, Pinduoduo also leverages its platform advantages to bridge the "last mile" of agricultural research commercialization, using market sales to support agricultural research innovation. On September 19, before the opening of China's Harvest Festival, Pinduoduo teamed up with representatives from 17 science and technology schools in Lankao, Henan Province and other places to showcase nearly 20 new agricultural research achievements, including Northeast Sea Buckthorn Health Tea, Guangxi Beihai Fresh Shrimp Crisp, Sichuan Ebian Fresh Bamboo Shoots, and Yunnan Erhai Fragrant Rice, to the on-site audience. Under Pinduoduo's concentrated exposure, the live broadcast attracted a total of 18.5 million netizens to watch and purchase on the spot.

"Pinduoduo is one of the representatives of Chinese e-commerce platforms. We would like to thank Pinduoduo for its support of the Global Agricultural Maker Competition. The future food security and sustainable development depend on our breakthroughs and innovations today. We anticipate these innovations will have a sustainable impact on the global agricultural food system in the future, "Wei Longbao said in his concluding speech.

Hou Kaidi stated that the future of agriculture is promising, and AI will provide greater opportunities for growth. "Pinduoduo will continue to work with young scientific and technological innovators and ambitious individuals from around the world to join this promising cause and bring new vitality to agriculture."

China completed a trial operation of an unmanned heavy-haul train on the railway connecting North China's Hebei and East China's Shandong provinces, marking a key milestone in advancing from automated to unmanned heavy-haul railway technology. 

The test train, comprising108 cars with a total length of nearly 1,300 meters and a total weight of 10,800 tons, travelled from Huanghua city in Hebei to Dongying city in Shandong in two and a half hours on Thursday, according to China Media Group (CMG). The test route is primarily used for coal transport. 

Once unmanned driving is widely adopted, the average operation speed of nation's trains will be increased by 1.7 kilometers per hour, while the average traction energy consumption will decrease by 2.9 percent, significantly boosting transportation efficiency of China's west-to-east coal transportation, CMG reported. 

Previously, the unmanned train technology was primarily used in urban rail systems both in China and abroad, and has not yet been applied on a large scale on heavy-haul transport railways.

The test train was independently produced and controlled, from key technologies to management models, according to the Economic Information Daily. The research team created China's first smart heavy-haul railway transportation paradigm featuring a centralized station control system and intelligent train driving system. 

Three key technologies of the test train - comprehensive support and simulation, remote control and autonomous driving, and integrated safety monitoring from air, space, and ground - fill critical manufacturing gaps in China. 

The Line 27 phase I of the subway system in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, commenced no-load trial operation on September 19, 2024. It will be the city's second fully automated subway line, after Line 9, which launched in December 2020, China News Service reported. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called for consolidating and developing the unity of the Chinese nation.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the call at a grand meeting held in Beijing to honor role models for ethnic unity and progress.

He urged efforts to advance the building of the community for the Chinese nation.

Shenhai Yihao, or Deep Sea No. 1, China's first homegrown ultra-deepwater gas field project, was completed on Thursday after the construction of its second phase came to an end. The achievement sets a major milestone for the country's self-reliance in accessing deep-sea resources and shows its commitment to securing a sustainable energy supply, China Media Group (CMG) reported.

This breakthrough followed the successful launch of the first phase in June 2021. Operating at a maximum depth of nearly 1,000 meters, the latest development features the deployment of 13 world-leading technological facilities, the CMG reported.

It introduces an innovative development model combining a subsea production system, a shallow-water conductor platform for processing, and a remotely operated deep-water semi-submersible platform, which is designed to facilitate more efficient deep-sea exploitation, according to the producer, China National Offshore Oil Corporation.

In addition to the newly constructed subsea production system and the comprehensive processing platform weighing more than 14,000 tons, the project includes 12 state-of-the-art development wells and five subsea pipelines that stretch around 250 kilometers.

All offshore drilling and completion operations for the project were wrapped up by the end of August, with production testing exceeding expectations, highlighting China's global leadership in deep-water high-pressure drilling technology.

The project also includes the world's first 1,000-meter-deep water manifold constructed by China, along with other key facilities, including the country's longest deep-water oil and gas pipeline, setting multiple industry records in deep-water operations.

These milestones were made possible by the development team's targeted efforts to overcome deep-water construction challenges in the complex, high-temperature, and high-pressure marine environment, according to the producer.

The second phase of Deep Sea No. 1 has revealed more than 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas reserves. When fully operational, it is set to increase peak annual output from 3 billion to 4.5 billion cubic meters, significantly bolstering China's energy security, according to CMG.

Launched in June 2021 in the Lingshui waters off South China's Hainan Province, the initial phase of the Deep Sea No. 1 project has confirmed geological reserves surpassing 100 billion cubic meters, making it the deepest and most challenging offshore gas field currently in operation in China.

In recent years, China has made notable strides in oil and gas resource extraction, transitioning swiftly from shallow to ultra-deepwater operations while developing a series of cutting-edge production equipment, reflecting the country's enhanced self-sufficiency in the sector.

At the Quad leaders' summit US President Joe Biden hosted in his Delaware hometown over the weekend, the four-nation group - which consists of the US, Japan, India and Australia - agreed to expand security cooperation, including joint coast guard mission, with China on mind.

The agenda of the meeting and its joint statement, which referred to East and South China Seas, exposed Quad's nature of bloc confrontation, analysts said on Sunday, criticizing the four-nation partnership for its detrimental role of fomenting confrontation and inciting geopolitical tensions in Asia Pacific.

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan insisted earlier Saturday during a briefing with reporters that "China is not the focus of the Quad," CNN reported, but the issue (of China) featured throughout the day.

The joint statement, released on the White House's website, did not directly name China, but it did mention "East and South China Seas," meanwhile, Biden was caught on a hot mic telling the other leaders that an "aggressive China is testing us," CNN reported.

Anchored by shared values, the Quad leaders seek to uphold the international order based on the rule of law and they are "seriously concerned" about the situation in East and South China Seas, according to a joint statement after the summit.
Create division

Ding Duo, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, noted that Quad members have made efforts to downplay its focus on China, emphasizing instead the shared values and strategic interests of the four countries. However, analysis of the summit's outcomes reveals it is targeting China.

"Targeting China" is not only at a strategic level but it also involves tactical arrangements, and specific plans, Ding told the Global Times on Sunday.

Per the joint statement, the four countries have agreed on a joint coast guard mission in 2025, and vowed to enhance logistics cooperation as well as data and information sharing within and outside the bloc, giving attention to developing maritime security ties with Pacific Island Countries and Southeast Asia.

Ding pointed out that the Quad could support countries like the Philippines and Japan, which have maritime disputes with China, through specific joint maritime operations.

The Quad statement also mentioned so-called "dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels, including increasing the use of dangerous maneuvers," hinting at China's frictions with the Philippines; however, in face of Philippine provocations under US instigation, China's actions aim to safeguard its sovereignty and legitimate rights, analysts said.

The Quad has been scaremongering, inciting antagonism and confrontation, and holding back other countries' development, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a press briefing in July in response to a Quad foreign ministers meeting in Tokyo which voiced "serious concern about the situation in the East and South China Seas."

Some countries outside the region have frequently sent advanced military aircraft and vessels to the South China Sea to flex their muscles and create tension, and have formed various groupings and incited division and confrontation in the region. All of this makes them the biggest threat and challenge to regional peace and stability, Lin said.

Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Sunday that the Quad mechanism is US-led and serves as a strategic tool to favor the US in its competition with China at both regional and global levels.

Although India, Australia and Japan have their own interests, the nature and direction of this mechanism will remain aligned with the strategic needs of the US, Li said.

Biden would not give up the opportunity of his last Quad summit to hype up China issues to amplify "China threat" rhetoric, and create a wrong impression that Washington's China policy is embraced widely, Li said.

Loose partnership

Although the Quad mechanism has convened meetings at different levels in the past few years and the US has strived to paint a picture of extensive and in-depth cooperation under the mechanism, "the outcomes have focused on political and diplomatic realms, being more of a posture," Ding said.

Cooperation is difficult when it comes to substantial inputs and spending of money, Ding said, adding that many of the proposals, such as joint actions and information sharing, can actually be carried out in a bilateral manner without a structure like the Quad.

Also, the obscure reference to China in the Quad statement could be the result of an internal compromise, analysts said, as members have different views on the approach to deal with China - Japan, Australia and India have intensive economic or people-to-people exchanges with China.

Different from US alliance with Japan or Australia, the Quad is a rather loose partnership, with each member aspiring to utilize the bloc to elevate their own international status, Li told the Global Times.

"It remains to be seen whether the Quad will continue to be a loose group or become a real alliance and further consolidate," Li said.

Editor's Note:

"Read ten thousand books, and your pen will be guided as if by the gods" is an ancient Chinese idiom that can be seen in students' textbooks. China's Ministry of Education has published an action plan to further promote reading among students across the nation. With new and diverse book recommendations, the reading scene is expected to be revived not only at schools, but also across society. To contribute to this endeavor, the Global Times launched "My Reading Life" essay contest for middle school students.

Please pick up a pen and share your stories with us at reading@globaltimes.com.cn

Participants will be rewarded once the article has been selected.
Over the years, reading has become an important part of my life. I always remember a notable motto that says, "Books are the ladder of human progress."

I like reading because reading can change people's lives. Through reading, people can obtain different information, knowledge and experiences, which can help them better understand the world and improve themselves.

At the same time, reading good books can also help people establish good values, world views and life attitudes, and obtain spiritual satisfaction and growth, and promote personal development.

Reading has not only enriched my mind, but also provided spiritual support and impetus for my growth.

For example, my favorite book Wonder by R.J. Palacio shows the substance of empathy, friendship, acceptance and celebrating differences.

I remember a quote from the book says that when given the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind. I believes in this quote.

Wonder tells the story of August, a 10-year-old boy who lives with his parents and sister in New York.

August is an ordinary boy in many ways. He likes riding a bike and playing video games. But August, or Auggie as people call him, was born with facial deformities and so looks very different from others. Because of his facial deformities, his mother homeschooled him for the past five years, but the family finally decided that it was time for him to start school. Auggie's first year at school was terrible, most people were afraid of him, so they kept away. Day after day, some kids bullied him with a game called "The Plague."

Whenever somebody got close to Auggie, that meant they caught the plague. But he never gave up on himself, and never lost hope. Through the hard times, a girl called Summer reached out her hands for him to be friends, that was when August first felt kindness from friends.

But towards the end, a dramatic event at a school camp changed things completely, people found out how brave he was, and how hard it was for him to get along with people and began to understand him.

Kindness is the main theme in Wonder. It helps us realize that a small, simple act of kindness can make a big difference, and we have the ability to choose kindness. From this book, I have learned to face differences in people. Maybe if we knew what other people were thinking, we'd know that no one is ordinary, and at least we all deserve a standing ovation at least once in our lives, because everyone is a unique star, and always ready to shine.

In 2017, the novel was adapted into a film of the same name by US director Stephen Chbosky. The film features stars like Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson and was a box-office success due to the heartwarming story that resonated with many audiences.

Although some of us do not go through the kind of hardship that Auggie does, we still can feel connected to the boy's story because at some points in life we have all gone through struggles and pain like Auggie.

Books like this make me believe that cultural productions can really inspire people and change how people think about life.

All in all, reading helps us become better people, and we can also gain happiness. If we continue to learn and constantly improve our cognition, we will be able to achieve a higher level of happiness. This sense of happiness derived from knowledge leads to both external happiness and inner satisfaction and prosperity.

So, I hope everyone can find a book that makes your day, and try to make reading part of your life.

The author is a student at the Beijing Wenhui Middle School

An opening ceremony for master classes at the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts was jointly hosted by Russia's Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad, and the International Humanitarian Cooperation, or Rossotrudnichestvo, the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts (GITIS), the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and the Russian Cultural Center in Beijing on September 18. 

Deputy Head of the Public Diplomacy Department of Rossotrudnichestvo Evgeniy Demin, read a welcoming speech by the Head of Rossotrudnichestvo, Yevgeny Primakov. 

"I am sure that the best professionals will teach you techniques that will undoubtedly be useful in your professional activities," Primakov said, wishing the Chinese trainees new horizons, true creative inspiration, a positive charge of energy, and new friends. 

Ma Xinming, executive vice chairman of the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles, said that, as China's cultural center, Beijing has been committed to building a platform for international cultural exchanges through promoting mutual learning between civilizations. 

"Through in-depth study and discussion of the essence of Russian drama art, this program [of master classes] aims to broaden our artistic horizons and enhance the professional quality and innovation capability of players in [the] literary and art [fields] in the capital city," Ma said. 

Tatiana Urzhumtseva, director of the Russian Cultural Center in Beijing, said that Russian dramaturgy played a significant role in the development of Chinese modern theatre. "Understanding Russian classical dramaturgy in China and Chinese culture, the theatrical art of China in Russia contributes to the development and mutual enrichment of the theatrical systems of our countries," she said. 

The GITIS, a Russian higher education institution, is the largest theatre university and one of the largest in the world. It is the only higher education institution in Russia at which students receive education in all theater specialties and levels of training in eight faculties. The master classes run until September 21. 

A summer camp was held at the Tianjin University in Tianjin from August 11 to August 24, with the aim to strengthen higher education cooperation and exchanges between the ASEAN and China, and improve student enthusiasm for learning marine science and technology.
The Education Counsellor of the Malaysian Embassy in China Muhammad Sallehuddin delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the Blue Ocean Summer Camp on August 11.

Sallehuddin shared with the students the benefits of participating in the student exchange programs, which are strengthening self-improvement and developing leadership skills to become future leaders.

The summer camp promotes comprehensive cooperation and exchanges between universities in ASEAN member countries and Chinese universities in the fields of talent training, scientific research, and cultural exchanges. A total of 19 ASEAN students participated in the summer camp, including five from Malaysia.

Featuring about 70 sessions, the education cooperation week has developed into a high-end platform and bridge making positive contributions to China-ASEAN relations.

The Consulate General of Malaysia, Guangzhou hosted the 67th National Day of Malaysia celebration held in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province, on August 30, marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations.

Liu Yahong, vice chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the Guangdong Provincial People's Congress, was invited to attend the event. In her speech, Liu said that China's Guangdong Province and Malaysia are geographically close and their people are also close to each other. The two sides have close exchanges at all levels, especially in the fields of economy, trade, and people-to-people exchanges.

The provincial government is willing to work with Malaysia to build a high-quality Belt and Road Initiative, share the development opportunities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and deepen practical cooperation in various fields between the two sides, she said.

Suraya Pauzi, Malaysian consul general in Guangzhou, said in her welcome remarks that for Malaysia, China is a good friend who helps others in the same boat, and the exchange of high-level visits between the two countries has become a norm in the 50 years of friendly relations between China and Malaysia.

Pauzi also noted that in 2022, China became Malaysia's largest investor.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) renewed its call for comprehensive reforms in the US anti-doping system, citing growing concerns about American athletes participating in major international competitions without undergoing adequate testing. 

On Monday the WADA published on its official X account a recent letter to Tobie Smith, board chair of the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), in which the WADA revealed that 90 percent of American athletes, particularly those in professional leagues and college sports, compete outside the jurisdiction of the World Anti-Doping Code. WADA vowed in the letter that it will continue applying the World Anti-Doping Code without fear or favor "in the face of ongoing geopolitical interference."

James Fitzgerald, head of media relations with the WADA, told the Global Times on Wednesday that USADA's CEO Travis Tygart seems to recognize that anti-doping in college sports is a joke and has even said that he wonders if foreign athletes are coming to US universities to enjoy a "doping vacation" in America.

"This is a shocking admission and it is strange that Tygart does not seem in a hurry to improve things. We feel the USADA board should lead the way and push for reforms within its anti-doping system," said Fitzgerald.

"Of primary concern is the matter of college sports, which account for so many athletes who go on to compete at the very highest levels, including the Olympic Games," the WADA said in the letter. 

"75 percent of US athletes competing in Paris came through the collegiate system. That is three-quarters of American Olympians who were at one time part of an elite system that operates far below the globally recognized clean sport standard."

WADA also published a reply letter in response to a letter sent in July from the Central European Anti-Doping Organization, representing 32 National and Regional Anti-Doping Organizations from Europe, Asia, and Africa. The letter requested clarification regarding the worldwide enforcement of the World Anti-Doping Code.

In the letter to Smith, WADA reproached USADA's testing efforts as insufficient, pointing out that in 2023, USADA collected only 7,773 samples from 3,011 athletes, based on its own data. WADA deemed this figure "disappointing," considering the US population, its vast athlete base, and the size of its Olympic team.

"The French National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO) collects significantly more samples than USADA, despite having a budget that is just a little more than one-third of USADA's. USADA also collected fewer samples than the NADOs in China, Russia, Italy, and Great Britain," WADA noted.

In August, the China Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) called for an independent investigation into USADA's misconduct and for intensified testing on US track and field athletes to rebuild global trust in fair competition, after the USADA allowed American sprinter Erriyon Knighton to compete in the Paris Olympic Games without suspension, despite him having tested positive for banned steroid trenbolone in March. 

WADA also expressed concern about the wider implications, emphasizing that the issue affects more than just US athletes. Media reports indicated that National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) schools sent over 1,000 former, current, and incoming student-athletes, representing more than 100 countries and regions, to the Paris Olympic Games. Among them, 272 athletes secured 330 medals for 26 different countries and regions.

"We are sure it horrifies you to know that top overseas athletes may be taking 'doping vacations' on US soil," said WADA in the letter to Smith.

WADA also criticized USADA for allegedly operating a scheme that permitted athletes guilty of serious doping violations to go undercover and continue competing for several years. WADA viewed this practice as unfair to clean athletes.

WADA emphasized that "In the face of ongoing geopolitical interference, WADA will continue applying the World Anti-Doping Code without fear or favor, working with athletes, the sport movement, national and regional anti-doping organizations, and governments."