In response to a question on reports that China and the US have mutually released several individuals who were serving sentences, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Thursday that with the persistent efforts of the Chinese government, the three Chinese citizens, who were wrongfully detained by the US, have safely returned to their homeland.
"This once again proves that China will never abandon its citizens. China will always be their strong support," Mao said at a routine press briefing.
Mao emphasized that China has always firmly opposed the US government's political persecution of Chinese citizens, and will continue to take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens.
Mao also noted that a fugitive who had been on the run in the US for many years has been sent back to China. "This shows that no one can escape justice forever and there is no safe haven."
The Chinese government will continue its efforts to pursue fugitives and recover stolen assets, and will never stop until fugitives are brought to justice, said Mao.
China's State Council Information Office on Friday released a white paper titled "China's Rural Roads in the New Era" to introduce the achievements and vision of rural road development in the new era and to share China's experience.
The total length of rural roads reached 4.6 million km by the end of 2023, an increase of 21.7 percent over 2013, enough to circle the equator 115 times, the white paper said.
So far, the country has put in place a rural transport infrastructure network in which county roads connect rural and urban areas, township roads crisscross, and village roads facilitate travel between households and farmland, it said.
According to the white paper, the construction and development of rural roads provides strong support for the comprehensive development of the rural economy and society in China.
Better transport has cleared bottlenecks that had long delayed economic and social development in poor areas, and has laid a solid foundation for rural people to realize moderate prosperity in all respects, it said.
China has shared its development experience and helped construct rural road infrastructure in other developing countries over the years, contributing substantially to poverty reduction, people's wellbeing and sustainable global development, the white paper noted.
Since 2018, China has supported 24 developing countries including Cambodia, Serbia, Rwanda, Namibia, Vanuatu and Niger in highway and bridge construction and maintenance, helping them improve transport infrastructure, according to the white paper.
The Fifth China-Central Asia Foreign Ministers' Meeting, chaired by Foreign Minister Wang Yi, was held on Sunday in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province. Together with the foreign ministers of the five Central Asian countries, he reviewed the implementation of the outcomes of the inaugural China-Central Asia Summit and conducted in-depth discussions on preparations for the second summit, scheduled to take place in Kazakhstan next year. The meeting enhanced mutual trust and friendship and clarified the direction for future work.
After the meeting, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, together with the foreign ministers of the five countries, summarized the outcomes and consensus of the discussions during a joint press conference.
Wang emphasized maintaining leadership by heads of state to strengthen the China-Central Asia mechanism. This involves continuing to implement the consensus reached at the China-Central Asia Summit held in Xi'an and advancing China-Central Asia cooperation. They expressed support for Kazakhstan in hosting the summit next year and agreed to begin the process of signing a joint declaration, action plan for high-quality joint construction of Belt and Road initiative, a Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation among China and Central Asian countries, and other key cooperation documents. The meeting also aimed to shape a "China-Central Asia Spirit" based on the shared ideas and values developed during long-term cooperation.
Wang also stressed the importance of modernization goals and deepening comprehensive cooperation. This includes strengthening development strategy alignment, prioritizing trade, industrial investment, connectivity, green minerals, agricultural modernization, and people-to-people exchanges. Cooperation in areas such as application of the Beidou Navigation Satellite System, poverty alleviation, desertification management, and higher education will also be expanded. China is committed to increasing cooperation with Central Asian countries and establishing platforms for exchange.
The ministers also agreed on shared security responsibilities to maintain regional peace and stability. The parties will implement the Global Security Initiative, jointly combat the "three forces" - terrorism, separatism and extremism, oppose external forces interfering in the internal affairs of Central Asian countries, oppose creating chaos and instability in Central Asia, and support peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan.
In addition, the ministers emphasized cultural exchange and fostering lasting friendship between generations. They will continue to implement the Global Civilization Initiative, enhance exchanges on governance, accelerate the construction of cultural centers and Luban workshops, and expand cooperation in education, local governance, healthcare, and personnel training. In the next three years, China will provide 1,500 training slots and 600 additional scholarships to Central Asian countries.
Moreover, they reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism and defending international fairness and justice. The parties will continue to strengthen coordination in international and regional affairs, promote solidarity among the Global South, oppose decoupling and "small yard, high fences" in any form, and support an equal, orderly, multipolar world and inclusive economic globalization.
They also pledged full support for China's chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and its efforts to promote new developments within the organization. They also agreed to jointly promote the correct historical view of World War II and safeguard its outcomes to protect hard-won peace and security.
The China-Central Asia Summit was held in May, 2023 in the city of Xi'an, in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province. It was the first in-person gathering among the heads of state of China and the five Central Asian countries since China established diplomatic ties with them 31 years ago.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday said that China is ready to work with all parties to build a just world of common development, and outlined China's eight actions for global development.
Xi made the remarks at Session I of the 19th G20 Summit on Fight Against Hunger and Poverty.
In his speech entitled "Building a Just World of Common Development," Xi pointed out that transformation of a scale not seen in a century is accelerating across the world today, and humanity faces unprecedented opportunities and challenges.
As leaders of major countries, G20 leaders should not let their vision be blocked by fleeting clouds. Rather, they must see the world as one community with a shared future, and shoulder their responsibility for history, take historical initiative and move history forward, Xi said.
Xi noted that at the Hangzhou Summit, China placed development at the center of the G20's macroeconomic policy coordination for the first time, and the Rio Summit this year has chosen the theme "Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet," and decides to establish a Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty.
From Hangzhou to Rio, G20 leaders have been working for one and the same goal, that is, to build a just world of common development, he added.
To build such a world, Xi said, it is important to channel more resources to such fields as trade, investment and development cooperation, and strengthen development institutions, and there should be more bridges of cooperation, and less "small yard, high fences," so that more and more developing countries will be better off and achieve modernization.
He said that it is important to support developing countries in adopting sustainable production and lifestyle, properly responding to challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution, enhancing ecological conservation, and achieving harmony between man and nature.
It is important to foster an open, inclusive and nondiscriminatory environment for international economic cooperation, promote a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, energize sustainable development with new technologies, new industries and new business forms, and support developing countries in better integrating in digital, smart and green development to bridge the North-South gap, he said.
It is also important to stay committed to multilateralism, and uphold the UN-centered international system, the international order underpinned by international law and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, Xi added.
Xi underscored that China's development is an important part of the common development of the world.
China has lifted 800 million people out of poverty, and met the poverty reduction target of the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development ahead of schedule, he said, adding that these achievements are the fruit of the strenuous, unified efforts of the Chinese government and people.
Noting that China always places the people front and center, and solemnly declares that "not a single poor region or person should be left behind," Xi said China tackles poverty by making targeted policies, facilitating growth, fostering industries with distinctive features in various localities, and promoting common prosperity.
China's story is proof that developing countries can eliminate poverty, that a weaker bird can start early and fly high, when there is the endurance, perseverance, and striving spirit that enables water drops to penetrate rocks over time and turns blueprints into reality, he said.
If China can make it, other developing countries can make it too, and this is what China's battle against poverty says to the world, he added.
Xi stressed that China will always be a member of the Global South, a reliable long-term partner of fellow developing countries, and a doer and go-getter working for the cause of global development. China will go hand in hand with fellow developing countries toward modernization, he said.
Xi presented eight actions by China to support global development.
First, pursuing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. China is moving ahead with the development of the multidimensional Belt and Road connectivity network, one that is led by the building of a green Silk Road and will empower a digital Silk Road.
Second, implementing the Global Development Initiative. China will make sure the Global South research center that is being built is fit for purpose, continue to support developing countries, and deepen practical cooperation in areas such as poverty reduction, food security and the digital economy.
Third, supporting development in Africa. At the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing, China unveiled ten partnership actions on joining hands with Africa to advance modernization over the next three years and committed financial support in this connection.
Fourth, supporting international cooperation on poverty reduction and food security. China has decided to join the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. China supports the G20 in continuing to convene the Development Ministerial Meeting, and will stay a committed host of the International Conference on Food Loss and Waste.
Fifth, China, alongside Brazil, South Africa and the African Union, is proposing an Initiative on International Cooperation in Open Science to help the Global South gain better access to global advances in science, technology and innovation.
Sixth, supporting the G20 in carrying out practical cooperation for the benefit of the Global South. China supports the work of the Entrepreneurship Research Center on G20 Economies based in Beijing, and supports cooperation on digital education and the digitization of museums and ancient archives.
Seventh, implementing the G20 Anti-Corruption Action Plan. China is strengthening cooperation with fellow developing countries in fugitive repatriation and asset recovery, denial of safe haven, and anti-corruption capacity building.
Eighth, China is pursuing high-standard opening up, and unilaterally opening its doors wider to the least developed countries (LDCs). China has announced the decision to give all LDCs having diplomatic relations with China zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines.
In conclusion, Xi stated that a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. China is ready to take steps together with all parties to build a just world of common development, leave poverty in the past, and turn vision into reality.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva chaired the meeting.
Before the start of the summit, Xi, together with other participating leaders, attended the launch of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty initiated by Brazil.
While India and China still make up over half of all international students in the US, India has overtaken China as the top source for international students in the US for the first time in about 15 years, according to new data released on Monday.
A total of 331,602 Indians studied in the US during the 2023-24 school year, compared with 277,398 Chinese, according to the latest annual survey by the Institute of International Education (IIE), a report sponsored by the US State Department. Indian students saw a 23 percent increase from the previous academic year, while Chinese students saw a 4 percent decrease.
Chinese students had been the largest foreign group since the 2009-10 school year, but their numbers have steadily declined from 2019-20 onward, South China Morning Post reported.
Experts attribute the decline in the number of Chinese students in the US to factors including a hostile political atmosphere, harassment by US security personnel against Chinese students and increasing opportunities in China.
The unfriendly narratives and specific measures the US government has adopted in recent years, such as the so-called China Initiative, targeting Chinese students and scholars in the US, have led to a decrease in the number of Chinese students studying there to a certain extent, Lü Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday. The so-called "China Initiative" was launched by the US Justice Department in 2018 to probe trade secret theft and economic espionage activities considered threats to US national security.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in January that the US has long been wantonly suppressing and ill-treating Chinese students traveling to the US with lawful and valid identifications and visas. Some of the students were interrogated, confined, forced into confession, induced and even deported without just cause. Every month for the past few months, the US deported dozens of Chinese arriving in the US, including students.
The shift in rankings, in line with student visa data from the Department of Homeland Security, comes amid heightened anxiety from Chinese nationals in the US after the presidential election, according to SCMP report. Donald Trump's first term saw numerous restrictions on travel and immigration, including a presidential proclamation to limit the entry of graduate students and researchers from China, according to the report.
Chinese observer noted that the increasing number of opportunities in China have provided Chinese students with a growing number of choices, which also contributes to the decline of Chinese students in the US.
Even though the China Initiative has been halted in 2022, the hostile atmosphere continues. In June, Kurt Campbell, US Deputy Secretary of State and the second-ranked US diplomat, said that the US needed to recruit more international students for those fields, but from India - an increasingly important US security partner - not China, Reuters reported.
The US recognizes India as the largest country in terms of population, and in Washington's strategic scheme, they regard India as a significant player that could balance against China in the future, which is why the US has expressed its interest in attracting India, including students from India, Lü said.
Chinese students contribute irreplaceably to basic scientific research in the US, said Lü, and the US should recognize that universities are for basic scientific research and should be for all humanity with no national boundaries.
China and Brazil decided on Wednesday to elevate their ties to the community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet.
The decision was made during a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Xi is paying a state visit to the country after he attended the 19th G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
China and Brazil are two major developing countries in their respective hemispheres, he said, noting that in the past 50 years, they enjoyed a relationship that transcends mountains and seas, and found a right way for major developing countries to get along with each other, one that is based on mutual respect, mutual benefit and amity.
Brazil, Xi said, is the first country to establish a strategic partnership with China, and the first Latin American country to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership with China.
In recent years, under the joint strategic guidance of two heads of state, the two countries are increasingly becoming reliable friends with a shared future and positive forces for peace, he said.
The China-Brazil relationship is at its best in history, which has not only improved the well-being of the people of the two countries, but also defended the common interests of developing countries, enhanced the strength and voice of the Global South, and made outstanding contributions to world peace and stability, Xi added.
Xi noted that China and Brazil have also decided to establish synergies between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Brazil's development strategies.
He hailed the decision to elevate ties and to align the two nations' development strategies as another historic moment in the development of bilateral ties, which demonstrates the global, strategic and long-term nature of China-Brazil relations, meets the expectations of both peoples, gives impetus and support to the modernization of the two countries, and demonstrates their resolve to jointly defend international fairness and justice and promote common development of the world.
China, Xi said, is ready to work with Brazil to continually enrich China-Brazil relations in the new era, be "golden partners" who help each other succeed, and keep working toward the goal of building a community with a shared future for mankind and creating a more just world and a more sustainable planet.
Together, China and Brazil will make even greater contribution to the peace and progress of humanity, he added.
For the future development of bilateral ties, Xi called on the two sides to firmly support each other on issues concerning core interests such as sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, be strategic partners of mutual trust and set a good example of solidarity, cooperation, mutual benefit and common development for countries in the Global South.
Xi also urged the two countries to strengthen people-to-people exchanges in culture, education and youth to consolidate popular support for the China-Brazil community with a shared future.
He said the two countries should deepen synergies of development strategies, urging them to seize the historic opportunity of synergizing the BRI with Brazil's development strategies, deepen cooperation in such key areas as economy and trade, infrastructure, finance, science and technology, and environmental protection, and strengthen cooperation in such fields as space, agricultural science and technology, and clean energy.
China prioritizes poverty alleviation in national governance, supports Brazil's Fome Zero (Zero Hunger) program, and stands ready to strengthen cooperation with Brazil on poverty reduction so that the two peoples can live a better life.
Xi urged China and Brazil to demonstrate their distinctive strength in safeguarding world peace and justice. The two countries should practice genuine multilateralism, make fair remarks and take fair actions, so as to make global governance more just and equitable, he said.
Noting that China highly values Brazil's international status and influence and supports Brazil in playing a greater role on the international stage, Xi said China stands ready to strengthen communication and coordination with Brazil at the United Nations, BRICS and other multilateral mechanisms, support Brazil's presidency of BRICS next year, promote high-quality development of greater BRICS cooperation, and make BRICS voice louder on upholding multilateralism and improving global governance.
Xi also called on the two countries to make distinctive contribution to building a community with a shared future for mankind.
As major developing countries, China and Brazil should take the lead in conducting consultations, promoting global solidarity, jointly addressing global challenges concerning the future of mankind, and strengthening cooperation in such fields as green transformation, sustainable development, climate change, artificial intelligence governance, he said.
China is willing to support Brazil in hosting the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, he said.
He recalled that 10 years ago he joined leaders of Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) leaders in announcing the establishment of the China-CELAC Forum, which ushered China-LAC relations into a new era featuring equality, mutual benefit, innovation, openness and benefits for the people.
Xi said China stands ready to work with Brazil to ensure the success of the China-CELAC Forum, better synergize the BRI with the development strengths and needs of the LAC region, and strive for more achievements in building a China-LAC community with a shared future.
For his part, Lula said Brazil and China are good friends that respect and depend on each other, adding that China is Brazil's most important strategic partner, and the Chinese people are the most trustworthy friends of the Brazilian people.
In the past 50 years, Brazil-China cooperation in various fields has achieved fruitful results, Lula noted, saying that Brazil looks forward to taking Xi's visit as a new starting point for more tangible results in bilateral relations. Brazil also expects to work with China to build a China-Brazil community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet, Lula added.
Brazil is vigorously promoting development strategies such as New Growth Acceleration Program, new industrial policy and the Routes for South American Integration initiative, which are highly compatible with the China-proposed BRI, Lula said.
Enhanced synergy of development strategies between Brazil and China will greatly contribute to Brazil's reindustrialization, promote the integration of South America, and set an example of solidarity, cooperation and mutual benefit among developing countries, he said.
The working groups of the two sides should step up discussions and promote cooperation in key areas such as infrastructure, finance, industrial chains, science and technology, and ecological conservation, Lula said, adding that more Chinese enterprises are welcomed to invest and conduct cooperation in Brazil.
Brazil expects to improve its level of connectivity and logistics with China, and promote the common development and prosperity for Brazil, Latin America and China, Lula said.
Brazil, Lula said, opposes the "new Cold War," and advocates the building of a multi-polar world and a global partnership based on equality and mutual respect, adding that he appreciates China's strong support for Brazil's G20 presidency.
He said Brazil will continue to deepen communication and cooperation with China within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations, BRICS and G20, and enhance the voice and influence of the Global South in global governance.
The Brazilian side is also ready to maintain close multilateral coordination with China and make positive contributions to the peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis and other hotspot issues.
Following their meeting, the two presidents jointly met the press.
Xi noted that it is his second visit to this land full of love and hope after five years, saying that on the eve of his departure, he received many letters from Brazilian friends from all walks of life, which brimmed with Brazilian people's appreciation of the friendship between China and Brazil and their expectations for deepening the friendship between the two countries. Xi added that he was deeply moved.
The Chinese leader said his talks with Lula were cordial, friendly and fruitful.
Xi also said that the world today is not peaceful, and there are still many regions plagued by wars and turbulence.
Mankind belongs to an indivisible security community, and only by pursuing a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security can a path to universal security be found, Xi said, noting that China and Brazil have jointly issued a "six-point consensus" on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis and launched a "Friends of Peace" group with relevant countries of the Global South on the Ukraine crisis.
He called for gathering more voices committed to peace to pave the way for a political solution to the Ukraine crisis. Xi also expressed concerns about the continued spread of the conflict in Gaza, and called for a ceasefire and an end to the war at an early date, the implementation of the two-state solution and unremitting efforts for a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question.
Both China and Brazil share the tradition and sense of responsibility of upholding justice and morality, Xi said. China is ready to work with Brazil to enrich the China-Brazil community with a shared future, firmly defend genuine multilateralism, and jointly sound a strong message in the new era of development rather than poverty, cooperation rather than confrontation and justice rather than hegemony, so as to jointly build a better world, he added.
Lula said although the two countries are far apart, they share similar values, extensive common interests and deep and solid friendship, and their cooperation bears strategic significance and global influence.
China is Brazil's most important trade and investment partner, and Chinese enterprises in Brazil have strongly promoted Brazil's economic and social development, he noted.
Brazil and China have highly consistent positions on major issues such as international development and security, he said, adding that the two countries will further strengthen communication and coordination within the United Nations, G20, BRICS and other multilateral mechanisms, jointly advocate the reform of the global governance system, build a more just, democratic, equitable and sustainable international system, and promote peaceful and diplomatic solutions to hotspot issues.
“I made it finally,” a man said as he came ashore on Shanghai’s Chongming Island on November 16, symbolizing the conclusion of his rafting trip traveling more than 3,500 kilometers along the Yangtze River.
The man, named Sun Wenzhu, started his rafting trip on June 6 by paddling an unpowered rubber dinghy by himself from the Jinsha River, the upper section of the Yangtze River.
Rafting through the Yangtze River has been a longtime wish for Sun. “I grew up in the Yangtze River basin since I was a child, and I have read stories related to Yangtze River rafting team before, which is why I have always dreamed of rafting along the Yangtze River,” Sun told reporters, adding that he would also like to challenge himself by making changes to his life.
Along the journey, Sun encountered various challenges, for example, Sun’s rubber dinghy was overturned by a big wave which left him struggling in the water for more than an hour, and he also suffered from hypothermia.
Sun also saw the Yangtze River dolphins twice during his adventure, one of which was the dolphins frolicking in the water.
Sun noted that whenever he encountered prohibited zones and dams, he would go on shore, adding that rafting through the Yangtze River is dangerous and one must travel within his capabilities.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called for efforts to steer economic globalization in the right direction, jointly promoting a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization to the benefit of various countries and communities.
In a written speech addressing the APEC CEO Summit 2024, Xi said the entire Asia-Pacific is deeply woven into the fabric of economic globalization, and is now an interdependent community with common interests and a shared future.
On the other hand, the world is in a new period of turbulence and transformation, said Xi, warning that the grave challenge of economic globalization is like sailing up a river -- we either forge ahead or drift downstream.
"Where will the Asia-Pacific economy be going? It is a decision we must make," Xi said.
Economic globalization is an objective requirement of growing social productive forces, and a natural outcome of advancement in science and technology, he said, adding that despite headwinds and undertows, economic globalization has always been the general trend.
The attempt to block economic cooperation under all sorts of pretexts and break up the interdependence of the world is nothing but backpedaling, Xi said.
Tougher times call for greater confidence, said the Chinese president. "We should see to it that economic globalization generates more positive outcomes and is taken to a new phase that is more dynamic, inclusive and sustainable."
"First, we should take innovation as the driving force for stronger growth of the world economy," Xi said.
He said advances in science and technology should benefit the entire humanity. "We should help developing countries with their capacity building in science and technology and promote global flow of knowledge and technologies."
"Second, we should keep pace with the times and reform the system of global economic governance," he said.
He added that the principles of "plan together, build together and benefit together" should be followed, the representation and voice of the Global South should be enhanced continuously, and all countries should be ensured of equal rights, equal opportunities and equal rules in conducting international economic cooperation.
Xi called for building an open world economic system, and efforts to keep the global industrial and supply chains stable and smooth.
"Third, we should always take the people-centered approach and seek to settle imbalances in development," he said.
Global prosperity and stability cannot be achieved when the rich get richer and the poor poorer, Xi said, noting true development means common development of all countries.
"We should pursue economic globalization that is people-centered and delivers more balanced development and more equal opportunities, so that different countries, classes and communities can all benefit from development," he said.
Asia-Pacific economies have maintained robust growth and created the remarkable Asia-Pacific miracle, Xi stressed.
"The success of the Asia-Pacific is due to our firm commitment to peace and stability in the region, to our continuous practices of true multilateralism and open regionalism, and to our deep faith in the trend toward economic globalization as well as mutual benefit and mutual success," he said.
Xi said the Asia-Pacific should remain the locomotive of economic globalization in the future.
"While further burnishing the Asia-Pacific hallmark of openness and inclusiveness, we should make new brand-building efforts to foster a green and digital Asia-Pacific, build an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future, and usher in another 30 golden years of development for our region," he said.
During the Third Plenary Session of its 20th Central Committee in July, the Communist Party of China adopted a comprehensive plan for further deepening reform across the board to advance Chinese modernization, said Xi.
China will deepen reform comprehensively and continue to provide robust momentum for the world economy, Xi noted, adding the country has full confidence in meeting the growth targets for this year and remaining the biggest engine of world economic growth.
Noting that China will advance high-quality development and continue to lead the efforts to improve the performance of the world economy, he said China will continue to nurture new quality productive forces in line with actual conditions, and is committed to high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.
China will stay firmly on the path of green development and continue to be an important force for global green transition and an important part of the global effort to address climate change, Xi said.
He said China will build new, open and higher-standard economic systems, continue to share China's development opportunities with the world, introduce more policies for voluntary and unilateral opening up, expand its globally oriented network of high-standard free trade areas, and open its door even wider to the world.
Xi noted that China's development is inseparable from the Asia-Pacific, and it will in turn further benefit the region.
"As long as we act in the spirit of openness and connectivity, the vast Pacific will become a thoroughfare for more prosperity and growth," he said, calling for joint efforts to enhance solidarity and cooperation, stand up together to the global challenges, and form a mighty force for the common prosperity of the world and a brighter future for humanity.
Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter for the official commissioning of the country's first domestically designed and built deep-ocean drilling vessel Meng Xiang.
The Meng Xiang, which means dream in English, with a maximum drilling depth of 11 kilometers, was officially commissioned in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province on Sunday. It marks a significant stride toward reaching where humanity has never ventured before, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said that the successful sea trial and official commissioning of the Meng Xiang marked an important step of China's deep-ocean access, exploration and development.
It is another major achievement in improving the country's maritime and sci-tech strength, the letter noted.
Xi said that the workers engaged in the design and construction of the drilling vessel have overcome a number of world-class technical difficulties. He expects them to make good use of the major sci-tech device, strengthen innovation in marine science and technology and expand international maritime cooperation.
The commissioning ceremony was held on Sunday in Guangzhou. He Lifeng, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier, attended the event and read out Xi's congratulatory letter.
As China's largest scientific research vessel, the Meng Xiang measures 179.8 meters in length and 32.8 meters in width, with a displacement of 42,600 tons. It boasts a range of 15,000 nautical miles (27,780 kilometers), and has a capacity for 180 people.
The Meng Xiang is currently the world's only deep-ocean drilling vessel that is capable of conducting ultra-deepwater drilling at depths of 11,000 meters. The vessel is scheduled to begin its inaugural ultra-deep drilling mission by the end of 2024, according to CCTV.
Designed to meet safety standards for super typhoons, Meng Xiang can operate normally in rough sea conditions and is capable of global missions in unrestricted waters, according to a statement posted on Sunday by China Geological Survey (CGS) under the Ministry of Natural Resources.
The vessel also meets the requirements for bridge passage and wharf docking in major sea areas around the world, said the CGS.
The successful commissioning of the deep-ocean drilling vessel will certainly bring great opportunities for resource exploration, Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, told the Global Times on Sunday.
"The higher the technology level is, the lower the exploration costs are. The development of technology enables us to explore what we were unable to," Lin said.
Traditionally, human activities and scientific exploration have been limited to the Earth's crust, which averages 15 kilometers in thickness. Beneath the crust lies the mantle, a crucial layer linking the surface to the core. The commissioning of the Meng Xiang marks a significant stride for humanity to reach or even break through the boundary between the crust and mantle, known as the Mohorovicic discontinuity, or Moho, according to Xinhua.
The Meng Xiang is equipped with an internationally leading drilling and sampling system - four drilling modes and three coring methods, enabling various operational needs deep-ocean coring and deep-sea resource exploration. It is expected to help global scientists achieve the scientific dream of "penetrating the crust and entering the deep Earth," said the CGS.
With this ship, Chinese scientists will certainly make greater contributions to international deep ocean drilling, Tuo Shouting, director of the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP)-China Office, told the Global Times in an exclusive interview in January.
"China has been a participant in the IODP for a long time. With the completion of the construction of the Meng Xiang, China will be able to independently organize expeditions, just like the US, Japan and Europe," Tuo said.
The deep-Earth core samples that the vessel retrieves will provide global scientists with direct evidence to study plate tectonics, oceanic crust evolution, ancient marine climates and the evolution of life, Xu Zhenqiang, director of th eGuangzhou Marine Geological Survey under the CGS, was quoted as saying by Xinhua.
"The Meng Xiang will aid humanity in better understanding, protecting and utilizing the oceans," said Xu.
The vessel is the first in the world to integrate functions such as deep-ocean scientific drilling, oil and gas exploration, and natural gas hydrate investigation and trial extraction. After two rounds of sea trials, its key performance indicators exceeded design expectations, according to Xinhua, which cited Zhang Haibin, chief designer of the Meng Xiang.
