上海魔都后花园

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday met with Gambian President Adama Barrow, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

China has submitted a request to Canada for consultations at the WTO on the additional tariffs Ottawa decided to impose on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) and steel and aluminum products, China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) announced on Friday.

China urges Canada to abide by WTO rules and immediately correct its wrong doings following its announcement of a 100-percent tariff on China-made EVs and a 25-percent tariff on imported steel and aluminum products from China.

Such moves are typical unilateralist and trade protectionist approaches that seriously undermine the rules-based multilateral trading system and disrupt global industrial and supply chains, MOFCOM said, adding that China is firmly against it.

China's latest move came after MOFCOM on Tuesday announced decisive measures against Canada, including plans to initiate dispute settlement proceedings at the WTO and launch an anti-discriminaton probe.

"The submission underscores China's firm commitment to multilateralism, and shows that China seeks to resolve trade issues with Canada under WTO rules in a bid to avoid the escalation of trade frictions," said Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.

The Chinese Embassy in Canada expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to Canada's latest decision to impose additional tariffs on Chinese-made EVs and other products, vowing to take "necessary measures" to safeguard Chinese firms' legitimate rights and interests.

As for the dispute at the WTO, Canada is unlikely to win since it's unreasonable for it to impose additional tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and other products, Zhou said.

"Chinese new-energy products are a good choice for Canada to fulfill its climate change commitment and diversify its imports," Zhou said, noting that ordinary Canadian consumers have to pay higher prices without Chinese products.

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL), China's largest automotive lithium-ion battery maker, on Thursday refuted baseless accusations by some US politicians, noting its batteries pose no threat to US national security.

The accusations by the US politicians will harm normal China-US economic and trade cooperation and the well-being of ordinary American users, observers said. They called for the US to strengthen cooperation with China, which will only bring benefits to the US.

Two top US Republican lawmakers, namely Marco Rubio, the vice chair of the Intelligence Committee, and John Moolenaar, who chairs the House Select Committee on China, on Wednesday called on the US Defense Department to add Chinese battery maker CATL to a restricted list of companies, claiming that "reliance on CATL batteries endangers US national security," Reuters reported.

"CATL's battery products pose no more of a threat to national security than a brick," the company said.

CATL's battery products have helped millions of American families and small businesses during power outages caused by natural disasters, extreme weather, and grid instability. Battery products that CATL sell in the US market are passive products - without any communications hardware or software that allows for remote access or control, it said. 

CATL said it is not directly competing with any US companies. By working closely with American partners, CATL is assisting US companies with strengthening their competitiveness to turn out reliable and competitively priced products.

CATL is not engaged in any military-related activities, the company said, stressing that it was privately founded and became a publicly-listed company in 2018.

"Out of their Cold War mentality, a number of US politicians tend to play up the narrative of 'national security' threat to crack down on Chinese high-tech companies," He Weiwen, senior fellow from the Center for China and Globalization, told the Global Times on Thursday.

He said the groundless US accusations will harm normal China-US economic and trade cooperation, and negatively impact the well-being of ordinary Americans.

Instead of continuing to expand its "small yard, high fence" approach, the US should sit down with China to seek practical cooperation, which will bring sufficient benefits for the US side, He said. 

With the US reportedly set to announce final implementation plans in coming days for imported Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) and other products, Chinese experts are calling on the US side to make a goodwill gesture, as pragmatic economic and trade cooperation between the world's two largest economies benefits the US and the world as a whole.

Experts said some Western countries' high tariffs will have a limited impact on Chinese EVs in the long term, as there is great potential for Chinese automakers to tap other overseas markets including BRICS and the Global South. They added that China has sufficient patience and resilience to overcome trade barriers put up by some Western countries.

Following US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's just concluded visit to China, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said on Thursday that Beijing and Washington have agreed to hold a vice-ministerial meeting of the China-US commercial and trade working group in Tianjin on September 7.

However, amid growing talks to stabilize ties, Reuters reported on Thursday that the US' top trade representative is expected to announce final plans in the coming days on Chinese imports, including EVs.

US Trade Representative Katherine Tai on Thursday (US time) strongly endorsed Canada's 100 percent tariffs on Chinese-made EVs.

The Biden administration's fresh tariff threat indicates that its green policies are flawed, Lü Xiang, an expert on US studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday.

"There are many businesses in the US that oppose new tariffs on Chinese products because the administration's harmful move will impede the green transition in the US and the world," Lü said, calling on Washington to make some kind of goodwill gesture.

Reuters reported in June that a group of 173 trade associations in the US under the "Americans For Free Trade" umbrella requested the USTR to hold a hearing on the decision to impose steeper tariffs on Chinese EVs and other goods.

Bao Jianyun, director of the Center for International Political Economy Studies at Renmin University of China, projected that the US' potential tariffs on Chinese EVs will be one of the key topics during the upcoming meeting in Tianjin.

"It is hoped that the US can view its relations with China from a long-term perspective. As two major countries, China and the US should be responsible for the people and for the world to seek a solution that benefits both sides," Bao said.

Despite some Western countries' high tariffs on Chinese EV makers, there is great potential for Chinese automakers to tap other overseas markets including BRICS and the Global South, Bao said, stressing that politically-driven trade barriers cannot hinder the global opening-up and cooperation trend, and China has sufficient patience and resilience to overcome them.

Chinese and African experts thought highly of the achievements in bilateral agricultural cooperation and expressed hopes for further exploring this potential, ahead of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) scheduled to be held in Beijing from Wednesday to Friday.

At the upcoming forum, agricultural cooperation is expected to be a key focus of the agenda. 

Thanks to relentless efforts by the Chinese side - such as tax reductions, green channels for trade and trade expos - agricultural development has been boosted in Africa, helping regional countries in poverty alleviation and hunger reduction, experts said.

Through mechanisms such as the FOCAC, China has provided African countries with channels to enter the Chinese market, which will drive Africa's industrial revolution, Dennis Munene Mwaniki, director of research and executive director of the China-Africa Centre at the Africa Policy Institute, told the Global Times.

Mwaniki cited examples of China's gradual implementation of tariff-free measures for more African products that promote economic diversification, industrialization and processing development in Africa.

Behind Africa's hope to expand agricultural exports to China is close China-Africa cooperation in the fields of agriculture and food security, Mwangi Wachira, former economist at the World Bank and advisor to the Government of Kenya, told the Global Times.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, nearly 20 percent of the population in Africa faces hunger, a much larger proportion compared with other regions in the world.

Addressing this urgent issue is the basis of all African development plans, Wachira said. 

He said that in Kenya, there are Chinese-funded agricultural projects dedicated to improving the food production capacity which is of great significance to the local people.

The growth in China-Africa agricultural trade reflects the high level of complementarity between the two sides in this field, Song Wei, a professor at the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Sunday. 

Song said that China is expected to continue facilitating imports of high-quality African agricultural products by expanding the types of imported products and optimizing customs processes.

Additionally, China is likely to send more agricultural experts to Africa to help cultivate higher-quality products and increase investment in African agricultural processing, supporting local agricultural modernization, Song said.

The 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit will be held in Beijing from September 4 to 6. The theme of this year's summit is "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future." In light of this, we are launching a series of China-Africa stories, including interviews with political leaders, stories of exchanges between young people from both regions, and intensive cooperation in various fields. Through these stories, we will see how China and Africa are deepening their ties and building a brighter future together.
With a petite frame, a soft voice, and a face more youthful than her chronological age, it's hard to imagine Rotsy as a formidable kung fu master when you first meet her.

Rotsy, whose full name is Miarimbola Andrianalinatovo Rotsy Ny Fitia, is a 24-year-old from Madagascar. Her journey began with Chinese martial arts films on a black-and-white TV, continued with kung fu training at the Confucius Institute, and led to becoming a martial arts instructor.

With a deep understanding of Chinese culture, Rotsy aspires to engage in diplomacy and become a bridge between China and Africa.

"I first encountered China when I was a child on a black-and-white TV," Rotsy recalled.

In 2010, Jackie Chan's movie The Karate Kid sparked a martial arts craze in Madagascar. Rotsy and the village children mimicked the moves from the movie. At the time, the seeds of martial arts had already taken root in her heart.

As she grew older, Rotsy's longing for martial arts did not diminish, but grew stronger as her elder sister who studied Chinese at the Confucius Institute always shared stories about the institute upon her returned home, which fueled Rotsy's fascination with Chinese martial arts.

After entering university, she joined the Confucius Institute and began her journey of learning the Chinese language. Without any hesitation, she quickly joined the martial arts team and began her training.

"The variety of weapons like swords, spears, and staffs dazzled me; the intricate moves of the senior students overwhelmed me; and the movements of the martial arts teacher left me in awe. Hands like shooting stars, eyes like lightning, body like a dragon, legs like arrows," Rotsy described her teacher's movements with admiration in her eyes.

However, the path to mastering martial arts was not smooth. Due to her short stature, she faced difficulties in performing jumps and aerial moves. "I would often stumble or jump half as high as others, not to mention others performing 90-degree aerial turns with ease," Rotsy said, recalling the hardships of her training.

But these challenges did not make her give up; instead, they motivated her to train even harder. She practiced tirelessly until she mastered each move.

Among all the martial arts disciplines, Rotsy's favorite is swordplay. "When wielding a sword, it gleams with silver light, moves like a dragon, flows like water, dazzles like a firework, slithers like a snake, and soars like an eagle," she described her swordsmanship.

"For every kung fu enthusiast, the biggest dream is to visit the Shaolin Temple," Rotsy told the Global Times.

This July, she finally fulfilled her dream by representing Africa at the 2024 Shaolin Games at the Shaolin Temple in Central China's Henan Province.

"I felt nervous and excited when I landed, because, on one hand, I was here for the competition, but on the other hand, it was also a dream come true," she said excitedly.

Standing on the grounds of the Shaolin Temple, the emotions of nervousness and excitement intertwined, creating one of the most cherished memories of her martial arts journey.

After studying Chinese for two years, she also participated in the 19th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students in 2020. With her excellent Chinese language skills and outstanding martial arts performance, she won the Grand Prize in the Madagascar Division and eventually clinched the African Continental Championship.

During the competition, she played the traditional Chinese instrument guzheng while singing "A Laugh in the Sea," a song that depicts the grandeur of the martial arts world.

Today, she works as an interpreter, Chinese teacher, and martial arts instructor, passing on her knowledge of martial arts and her love for Chinese culture to more students in her country.

Every time she sees her students sweating during training, Rotsy is reminded of her own days at the Confucius Institute. "It feels like a passion is growing from the bottom of my heart, slowly growing stronger," she said. "Perhaps this is called belief, perhaps it is called courage, or perhaps it is called a sense of mission."

"My dream is to quickly reach China, continue my studies, return to Madagascar, and teach this beautiful culture and language to more people in Madagascar, allowing them to discover the wonderful world of China and the Chinese language," she said.

China's attitude toward the Olympics has undergone a significant transformation over the last few years. This shift reflects broader changes in the nation's societal values, economic development, and cultural maturity. Where once the singular pursuit of gold medals dominated Chinese approach to the Olympics, today there is a richer, more nuanced appreciation for the spirit of sportsmanship and the individual stories of athletes.

In early years, following China's return to the Olympic Games in 1984, there was an intense focus on winning gold medals. Medals were seen as a direct measure of national strength and progress, symbolizing not just athletic excellence but also the resurgence of a nation on the global stage. Gold medals were celebrated as national triumphs, reinforcing a collective sense of pride and accomplishment. Athletes who won gold were national heroes, while those who fell short often faced harsh criticism from and disappointment by the public and media alike.

This gold medal obsession was understandable given China's historical context. Emerging from economic hardship, the nation sought tangible symbols of its newfound strength and unity. The pressure on athletes to deliver these symbols was immense, with the state investing heavily in sports programs designed to maximize medal counts.

However, as China's economy boomed and its global standing solidified, the societal perspective on the Olympics began to evolve. Economic prosperity brought with it a shift in values, from a collective focus on national achievements to a more individual-centered appreciation of success and effort. This shift is mirrored in the changing attitudes toward Olympic participation and outcomes.

One illustrative example is the reaction to the performance of fencer Sun Yiwen at the Paris 2024 Olympics, a Tokyo 2020 Olympics fencing champion but was eliminated in the first round in Paris. Unlike in the past, where such a result might have been met with widespread disappointment, the response from the public was largely one of empathy and support. Social media was filled with messages of encouragement and respect for her perseverance and dedication. This shift in public sentiment highlights a growing maturity and a deeper understanding of the true spirit of sportsmanship.

This evolution is not just about a softer, more supportive attitude toward athletes. It also reflects a broader, more sophisticated understanding of what it means to compete in the Olympics. Today, Chinese sports fans are more likely to celebrate the journey of athletes, their personal stories, and the friendships they forge with competitors from around the world. Stories of camaraderie and mutual respect between Chinese athletes and their international peers are widely shared and cherished on social media, emphasizing the human aspect of sports.

The maturation of China's Olympic mindset is also evident in the increased emphasis on the overall experience of the Games. The Beijing 2008 Olympics were a milestone, showcasing China's ability to host a world-class event and marking its arrival as a major global player. Since then, there has been a shift toward viewing the Olympics as a platform for cultural exchange and a celebration of global unity, rather than merely a medal tally competition.

This shift in perspective has had a positive impact on the broader sports culture in China. More people are participating in sports for the joy and benefits it brings, rather than solely for competitive success. This is laying the foundation for China to become a true sporting nation, where the emphasis is on widespread participation, personal growth, and the joy of effort.

Moreover, the evolving mindset is helping to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for athletes. There is a growing recognition of the immense pressures athletes face and a greater understanding of the importance of mental health. 

The evolution of China's Olympic mindset from an intense focus on gold medals to a more holistic appreciation of the Olympic spirit is a positive development. This shift will undoubtedly contribute to the continued growth and success of Chinese sports on the global stage, while also promoting the fundamental principles of the Olympic movement. 

An article titled "After winning the championship: Zheng Just wants to eat a bowl of hometown beef noodles" by Hubei Daily on Monday has garnered widespread attention, sparking a discussion about where renowned Chinese tennis player Zheng Qinwen is actually from.

Previous media reports held different opinions on where Zheng is from, ranging from Gucheng county in Xiangyang to Shiyan to Wuhan, all in Central China's Hubei Province. Public security authorities later confirmed that Zheng's place of origin is Gucheng county, while her place of birth is Shiyan, and her residence is in Wuhan.

According to local reports, Zheng's ancestral home is in Xiangyang, and her grandmother, Chen Yingtai, currently lives in Xiangzhou district, Xiangyang city. Zheng was born in Shiyan in 2002 and was taken to Xiangyang by her grandmother to attend kindergarten. Wherever she trained, the family would "settle" there. According to her grandmother, they have moved houses three or four times just in Wuhan.

Zheng made history at this year's Olympics by becoming the first Asia-born player to claim gold in a singles tennis event on Saturday. It also marked China's first-ever gold medal in Olympic tennis singles, and the country's second in tennis overall after Li Ting and Sun Tiantian won the women's doubles title at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

The previous best result for a Chinese tennis player in Olympic singles was when two-time Grand Slam champion Li Na reached the semifinals. Coincidentally, Li is also from Hubei Province, and was born in Wuhan.

This is not the first time there has been debate about a Chinese athlete's hometown. There were similar discussions regarding Fan Zhendong, the renowned Chinese table tennis player who is also the gold medalist in men's singles table tennis at the Paris Olympics. He was congratulated by Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hunan after winning, as his parents are from Central China's Hunan Province, he was born in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province, and he now competes for Shanghai.

Several regions in China are celebrating their Olympic athletes’ successes by awarding cash bonuses to them and their families, following their impressive performances at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

On Saturday, in Xiantao city, Central China’s Hubei Province, the secretary of the Xiangyang Municipal Party Committee, Sun Daojun, and mayor Xiong Xiangtao visited the family of Olympic diving champion Chang Yani. 

Chang, who won a gold medal in the women’s synchronized 3-meter springboard alongside her partner Chen Yiwen and later secured a bronze in the individual 3-meter springboard, was awarded a cash bonus of 600,000 yuan ($82,500) by the Xiangyang city government.

In Yichang, also in Hubei, Mayor Ma Zejiang presented a 600,000 yuan bonus to the family of Sun Jiajun, a member of the Chinese team that claimed gold in the men’s 4x100-meter medley relay, breaking the US’ 40-year dominance in the event. 
Additionally, Sun’s family will receive a special monthly stipend of 1,000 yuan until the next Olympics. If Sun wins another gold medal, the stipend will be extended for four more years.

Meanwhile, in Southwest China’s Sichuan Province, the city of Dazhou honored local synchronized swimmers Xiao Yanning and Xiang Fenxuan, who were part of the Chinese team that claimed the gold medal in the event, China’s first in the sport since its Olympic debut in 1988.

The Dazhou municipal government awarded each athlete 300,000 yuan, with an additional 100,000 yuan from the Tongchuan district government, bringing the total reward to 400,000 yuan each.

In Central China’s Hunan Province, the city of Leiyang recognized Deng Lijuan, who won a silver medal in the women’s speed climbing event, with a 200,000 yuan bonus. Local officials presented the award to Deng’s family during a visit on Wednesday.

Central China’s Henan Province also joined in the celebrations. On Saturday, in Huixian county, local officials visited the family of Liu Qingyi, who won a bronze medal in the women’s breakdancing competition. Liu’s bronze was the first Olympic medal ever won by a Huixian athlete and the first for Henan Province in the current Olympics. She was awarded 50,000 yuan.

Various regions across China have established reward standards for Olympic achievements. For example, in July, the city of Zhangzhou in East China’s Fujian Province implemented a new rewards policy for 2024-27. 

Under this policy, Olympic champions will receive a bonus of 1.2 million yuan, while Asian Games and National Games champions will be awarded 150,000 yuan, World Championship and World Cup champions 80,000 yuan, and provincial games champions 20,000 yuan.

The revised regulation scrapping the need for a household register and removing regional restrictions for marriage registration aims to accommodate growing population mobility and ease the burden on citizens who previously had to return to their place of household registration to get married, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) announced on Friday.

The announcement came after the MCA recently released revised draft of regulation on marriage registration for public comment, which has sparked widespread attention, discussion, and questioning from some netizens. According to the ministry, the cancellation of the requirement to present a household register is based on increasing population mobility. This revision is intended to improve public services for residents as a growing number of people choose to work and reside in areas away from the locality they are registered in.

In response to concerns about the removal of the requirement to present a household register leading to bigamy and marriage fraud, the ministry addressed that the existing data in the MCA's marriage information database can be accessed and used in real time by marriage registration officials across the country. This inter-departmental information sharing can achieve nationwide population information verification, effectively preventing bigamy and marriage fraud.

In divorce registration, the draft regulation further elaborates on the cooling-off period for divorce, stating that within 30 days from the date the authority receives the divorce registration application, if either party is unwilling to divorce, they may withdraw their application, meaning the marriage registration authority can terminate the divorce registration process.

The cooling-off period for divorce has sparked a degree of public questioning, with some netizens expressing their concern that this period could potentially limit individuals' freedom to divorce. There are also doubts that the cooling-off period may unintentionally provide protection for perpetrators of domestic violence.

In light of these concerns, the MCA clarified that the purpose of setting up a cooling-off period for divorce is to reduce instances of impulsive or rushed divorces, noting that the policy does not conflict with either side's right to divorce freely.

If the couple feel that their relationship has indeed broken down, they can either apply for a divorce registration according to the law, or file for divorce in court. If the parties encounter situations during the divorce period where their personal or family members' safety is threatened, they can seek help in a timely manner through relevant legal channels, the ministry said.

To effectively play the role of the cooling-off period for divorce, the MCA has guided relevant local departments to optimize the divorce registration service process, carry out marriage and family counseling services, and strive to reduce impulsive divorces and rushed divorces.

The ministry also emphasized its commitment to offering ongoing marriage and family counseling services including emotional support, psychological counseling, and relationship repair for couples considering divorce to enhance the well-being of more marriages and families.

According to the MCA, marriage registration authorities nationwide have generally implemented marriage and family counseling services. As of the end of 2023, over 90 percent of marriage registration offices at the county level and above had established marriage and family counseling rooms.