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The Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, the world's tallest wooden pagoda also known as the Sakyamuni Pagoda of the Fogong Temple, in Yingxian County, North China's Shanxi Province, embraced its artificial intelligence (AI)-powered "digital twin" on Friday, enabling visitors to immerse themselves inside the tower - including places which the public were previously unable to access - through virtual reality (VR) glasses.

It is a latest example of how the fast-track development of AI is bringing significant changes to cultural heritage protection. Industry insiders expect the wider application of the technology to assist researchers in their studies on Chinese cultural heritage items, injecting new impetus into the country's booming cultural tourism.

"It's like travelling to the digital replicas of the Wooden Pagoda, but at a parallel time when it was built. When you 'walk through' different floors of the tower, [Chinese architect] Liang Sicheng [who discovered the building] is also delivering an introduction and speaking to you," a tour guide told a group of visitors who were queuing up at the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda's exhibition hall to experience the "digital twin."

Built in 1056 during the Liao Dynasty (916-1125), the Wooden Pagoda has a history dating back almost 1,000 years. It is now the world's oldest and tallest wooden structure, at a height of around 66 meters, equivalent to a 23-story building. As the pagoda has withstood several earthquakes and artillery attacks in history, it is now visibly tilted. To ensure its conservation, visitors since 2010 were not allowed to access higher than the second floor.

The Global Times experienced the digital replicas and found some intriguing details. For example, immediately when the tourists "advanced" to the fifth floor, they could see the entire wooden tower being transformed into transparent space with transparent bracket arches, which helps them to appreciate the complicated wooden structure inside.

"The digitalization project is a phased breakthrough thanks to the development of AI that helped solve the modeling problem. It is a long-standing issue in the protection of historical wooden tower, which has a more complex structure than other historical buildings," Liu Chang, director of the Institute of Architectural History and Cultural Relics Protection under Tsinghua University's School of Architecture, said at a panel discussion on Friday after the digital replicas were unveiled.

Creating 'digital twin'

There are several steps in creating the "digital twin," Lenovo, who provides technological support to the project, told the Global Times. The digitalization project was jointly launched by the Yingxian local government, Tsinghua University's School of Architecture and Lenovo.

The first is to collect data specific to the Wooden Pagoda using drones and cameras, then process and analyze those data through AI algorithms, and train it through deep learning and neural networks to help it understand three-dimensional spatial information. 

After this step, the AI model, along with other modeling tools, constructs a digital twin that rapidly and accurately reproduces three-dimensional spatial information. Then, the model is integrated with extended reality technology to make a seamless switch between the virtual world and the reality.

During the process of project development, over 15 million polygons base materials were utilized, nearly 60,000 lines of unity programming were completed, and models were manually rendered to a size of 4.2 gigabytes, Lenovo said, reflecting AI's leading role and exemplary significance in the industry.

Mao Shijie, vice president of Lenovo and head of Lenovo Research Shanghai, told the Global Times on Friday that it took only about 10 hours to process data for the AI algorithm and then present the 3D model, compared with the traditional modeling that could take many engineers months to complete the job.

"The most pivotal role [of AI] is its information extraction and deduction capacity, which paves way for further research efforts. Though a lot of information about the wooden pagoda has been collected, some remain untapped, and this is where AI could assist us - [providing estimated] data on its original design and enhancing our understanding on its status in different time," Wang Xiaolong, deputy director of the Shanxi Institute for the Conservation of Ancient Buildings and Colored Sculpture Murals, said during a panel discussion.

"Over the past four years, the upgrade of AIGC technology is very fast, with particular advancement in improving the accuracy. And what we aim in the future is to support the process of larger amount of data with smaller hash rate, and further elevate the replication accuracy of the pagoda's details," Mao explained, referring to AI-generated content.

Industry insiders also expected the expanding data processing capacity and wider innovative application of AI to bring "unprecedented new opportunities" for the protection of cultural relics industry. For example, AI algorithms could also be used to help researchers read and interpret ancient books, and identify key manuscripts, they noted.

Cultural tourism boom

The "digital twin" project was launched just days ahead of the five-day May Day holidays which fall on May 1-5. Local officials expect that the project could draw in more tech-savvy tourists to visit the Yingxian county and fuel a further tourism boom.

"It provides an interactive experience that satisfies the public's curiosity and thirst for knowledge, ensuring the effective preservation of cultural heritage while it is being properly displayed," Mao said.

Data from various travel platforms underscored that China's tourism market will continue to maintain a strong recovery during the upcoming May Day holidays, which starts on May 1. 

According to a report released by the Shanxi provincial tourism authority in April, the daily number of tourists to Shanxi during the three-day Qingming Festival, which started on April 4, surpassed the four-day New Year's holidays, which started on December 30, 2023, making it one of the hottest travel destinations in the central region of the country.

China reported about 119 million domestic tourist trips during the three-day Qingming Festival holidays, with a gross spending of 53.95 billion yuan ($7.46 billion). The two measurements have all surpassed 2019 levels. 

China will carry out three Chang'e lunar probe missions within next four years and the basic form of the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS,) the international moon base project currently led by the China National Space Administration and Russia's ROSCOSMOS, is expected to be completed before 2035, Wu Weiren, chief designer of China's lunar exploration project, revealed during a speech at the ongoing China Space Conference in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province. 

Wu, who is also the chief scientist and director of China's Deep Space Exploration Laboratory (DSEL,) and an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, remarked at the annual space conference to mark the Space Day of China on April 24 every year that as an important task during the basic construction phase of the ILRS, Chang'e-6 mission will be launched soon to complete a sampling mission and return from the lunar far side; Chang'e-7 is scheduled for launch around 2026 to conduct environmental and resource surveys at the lunar south pole; Chang'e-8 is planned for launch around 2028 to conduct in-situ resource utilization experiments on the moon.

In recent years, China's space technology capabilities have made significant strides, establishing major infrastructure for deep space exploration and establishing cooperation with multiple countries worldwide, all of which lay a solid foundation for the construction of the ILRS.

Following the principles of "overall planning, step-by-step implementation, and building while using," the construction of the ILRS will be carried out in two phases. 

By 2035, the basic version will be completed, centered around the lunar south pole, with comprehensive scientific facilities equipped with basic functions and elements, conducting regular scientific experiments and a certain scale of resource development and utilization. 

By 2045, the expanded version will be completed, with the lunar orbit station as the hub, featuring fully equipped and substantially scaled facilities, stable operations, while conducting comprehensive scientific research on the moon and in-depth resource development and utilization, and conducting technical verification and scientific experiments related to a manned mission to Mars.

The ILRS consists of lunar surface, lunar orbit, and ground segments, comprising infrastructure such as energy and power systems, command and information systems, and lunar transportation systems, with functions including energy supply, central control, communication and navigation, lunar-earth transportation, and lunar surface research, enabling long-term and sustained scientific exploration, resource development, and technology verification across multiple disciplines and objectives.

The ILRS, initiated by China and Russia, is being jointly developed and constructed by multiple countries, with long-term autonomous operation on the lunar surface and in lunar orbit, with short-term human participation, as an expandable, maintainable comprehensive scientific experimental facility. 

Wu also revealed that China plans to launch the Tianwen-2 mission around 2025, to carry out flyby exploration and return samples from a small asteroid located about 40 million kilometers away from Earth. Around 2030, Tianwen-3 is planned to be launched to execute a sample return mission from Mars, Wu said.

"Currently, looking at the progress of various countries around the world, our country is expected to become the first country to return samples from Mars," Wu remarked. 

China has begun planning the construction of the world's first Mars sample laboratory and is also deepening the feasibility study of the Tianwen-4 mission, aiming for the exploration of Jupiter and its moons, followed by the arrival at Uranus, according to Wu.

"The probability of an asteroid impact on Earth is extremely low, but the consequences would be enormous," Wu said, noting that in history, asteroids have struck the Earth multiple times, resulting in major disasters such as the extinction of dinosaurs. 

China has initiated an asteroid defense plan and is expected to implement a kinetic impact on an asteroid located tens of millions of kilometers away around 2027, altering its orbit and conducting impact assessment in orbit, aiming for precision, effectiveness, and clear evaluation, he said.

Wu disclosed that in the middle of this century, China plans to launch a new type of propulsion spacecraft, reaching the boundary of the solar system at 80-100 astronomical units (AU), conducting scientific exploration in the distant, dark, and cold unknown regions, aiming to establish new milestones in humanity's understanding of the universe.

China's State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has raised the flood emergency response warning for South China's Guangdong Province from level-IV to level-III with heavy rainfalls are forecasted to continue in the region, leading to rising water levels in several rivers including the Beijiang River in the Pearl River basin, the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) announced on Sunday. 

Since April 16, heavy rainfalls have been occurring throughout the Pearl River basin, causing 44 rivers to reach flood levels exceeding official warnings. The exceedance ranges from 0.01 to 7.04 meters, the Pearl River Water Resources Commission under the Ministry of Water Resources said on Sunday. 

At 8:45 pm on Saturday, the water flow of Beijiang River at the Shijiao hydrological station rose to 12,000 cubic meters per second, experiencing its second flood event of the year, according to the water resources ministry. 

The Beijiang River basin is expected to experience a once-in-a-century flood, according to media reports. 

The first flood of the river in 2024 occurred on April 8, marking the earliest occurrence since flood records for major Chinese rivers began in 1998, according to the Guangdong local water resources authorities.

The Pearl River water resources authorities raised the flood control emergency response to level II on Sunday, as the water level of Beijiang River will continue to rise and potentially lead to a major flood. China has a four-tier flood control emergency response system, with level I representing the most severe response.

As of Saturday, the cumulative rainfall in many regions in Guangdong has broken the historical record for rainfall in April, according to Guangdong water resources authorities.

The MEM said that the technical equipment has been deployed to assist efforts relating to the Beijiang River embankment in Guangdong to prevent risk heightened. Also, the working groups have been sent to assist and guide flood control and disaster relief efforts in key areas such as Shaoguan and Qingyuan in Guangdong.

China's National Meteorological Center issued an orange alert for rainstorms on Sunday as heavy downpours are expected to lash multiple regions including Guangdong. China has a four-tier weather warning system, with red being the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

The China Railway Guangzhou Group said that operations of some of its trains passing through the region would be suspended or adjusted temporarily on Sunday, such as some train services on the Beijing-Guangzhou and the Beijing-Kowloon railways.

Multiple regions in Guangdong have continuously deepened the deployment of anti-flood measures, stressing the need to strengthen efforts in key areas and prevent the occurrence of secondary disasters such as landslides caused by flooding.

Some districts in Qingyuan on Sunday announced to suspend classes for primary, secondary schools, and kindergartens. The local maritime department also closed navigation services due to the impact of the heavy rainfalls, according to the authorities.

An official from the Qingyuan local emergency department told the Global Times on Sunday that they have opened a 24-hour hotline for the public to report disaster and danger information to ensure that emergency response can be carried out immediately.

In Shaoguan, multiple cultural and sports venues have been closed since Saturday, as the region has been experiencing continuous heavy rain to torrential rain, with an average rainfall of 231.4 millimeters throughout the city, according to authorities.

A local resident surnamed Yao told the Global Times on Sunday that in some regions of Shaoguan, vehicles have been submerged by floodwaters, and electricity was cut off. 

"Luckily, my community is located in a relatively higher region, which hasn't been impacted too much," Yao said. Yao noted that the rain has stopped on Sunday morning, but the heavy rain in the past two days has caused severe urban flooding.

As of 8 pm on Saturday, some 96,000 families in Shaoguan experienced power outages caused by heavy rainfall. Nearly half of those affected have had their power restored, while the Shaoguan power supply bureau is continuing to repair the remaining areas without power, according to the local authorities on Sunday.

The current Philippine administration unilaterally abandoned the ‘gentleman’s agreement’ between China and the Duterte administration on the Ren’ai Jiao (Ren’ai Reef). China urged the Philippines to honor its commitments, safeguarding the hard-won peace and stability in the South China Sea, according to the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines on Thursday.

The gentleman’s agreement between China and the Duterte administration on Ren’ai Jiao was to control the situation, maintain peace, prevent conflicts, and was unrelated to sovereignty, said a spokesperson from the Chinese embassy, in response to Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr’s recent remarks questioning the agreement.

The gentleman’s agreement is not a secret deal. Until early February 2023, seven months after the current administration took office in the Philippines, relevant departments and agencies from both sides have abided by the agreement, effectively ensuring the peaceful and stable situation around the Ren’ai Jiao.

After the current administration of the Philippines took office, China has repeatedly communicated with the Philippine government on issues related to the gentleman’s agreement, and has always insisted on seeking ways to manage differences through dialogue and consultation with the Philippines, said the spokesperson.

In addition to the meeting of the China-Philippines Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea (BCM), in 2023, China invited the special envoy of the Philippine President for China affairs to China to discuss and reach an internal understanding on the situation at Ren’ai Jiao. Earlier in 2024, through diplomatic channels, China repeatedly discussed with the Philippine military to reach a “new model” for the operation and resupply at Ren’ai Jiao, according to the spokesperson.

After the relevant understanding and arrangements were implemented, the Philippines unilaterally abandoned them without reason. China once again urges the Philippines to honor its commitments, abide by the consensus, show sincerity, stop provocations, and return to dialogue and negotiation as soon as possible, and work together with China to properly manage the situation at Ren’ai Jiao, the spokesperson said.

In an exclusive interview with the Global Times, former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte said he started on a neutral foreign policy. “Here in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), when I was president, there was no quarrel. We can return to normalcy. I hope that we can stop the ruckus over there, because the Americans are the ones pushing the Philippine government to go out there and find a quarrel and eventually maybe start a war.”

Individual Philippine politicians have been continuously hyping up maritime disputes between China and the Philippines for their own political gain, exaggerating the differences between the two countries at sea, undermining cooperation between China and the Philippines under the guise of national security, and inciting anti-China sentiments. They even have extended their reach to educational exchanges between China and the Philippines, engaging in baseless sensationalism, a spokesperson from the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines noted on Thursday, in response to Philippine politician Joseph Lara’s recent remarks related to concerns on more Chinese students studying in the Philippines.

A type of “McCarthyism” will be revived in the Philippines if this continues, which should be highly vigilant against and resolutely opposed, the spokesperson said.

Following Iran's retaliatory attacks against Israel for bombing Iranian embassy buildings, the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi initiated intensive communications with regional parties to prevent further escalation in the Middle East, calling to avoid the situation from further escalating.

Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian held phone talks on Monday at the latter's request.

Amir-Abdollahian briefed Wang on Iran's position on the attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria, stating that the UN Security Council (UNSC) had not responded appropriately, and Iran had the right to defend its sovereignty.

The Iranian minister mentioned that the regional situation is very sensitive, and Iran intends to remain restrained and does not wish to escalate the situation further. Iran advocates for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and supports China's efforts to promote a ceasefire, restore regional peace, and strengthen cooperation among regional countries. Iran is eager to work with China to further develop Iran-China cooperation, Amir-Abdollahian said.

Wang expressed China's strong condemnation and firm opposition to the attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria, stating that such an incident is a serious violation of international law and unacceptable.

China noted that Iran's response was limited and constituted an exercise of self-defense. China appreciates Iran's emphasis on not targeting regional countries or neighboring states and its continued policy of good neighborliness and friendship. China trusts that Iran will manage the situation well, maintaining its sovereignty and dignity while avoiding further instability, Wang said.

The current situation is a spillover effect of the escalation in Gaza, the Chinese foreign minister said. The immediate priority is to implement UNSC Resolution 2728 to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, protect civilians, and prevent further humanitarian disasters.

China is willing to keep in communication with Iran and jointly work toward a comprehensive, just, and lasting resolution to the Palestinian issue. As comprehensive strategic partners, China is ready to steadily advance practical cooperation in various fields with Iran and foster greater development in China-Iran relations, Wang said.
On the same day, Wang also talked with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on the regional situation in the Middle East.

China firmly opposes the attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria, a serious violation of international law, and noted Iran's assertion that its retaliation did not target any neighboring countries and that it wished to continue its policy of good neighborliness and friendship, Wang told Faisal.

The current situation faces a choice between deterioration and normalization. China appreciates Saudi Arabia's emphasis on resolving issues through diplomatic means and is willing to work together with Saudi Arabia to prevent further escalation of confrontation, Wang said.

Wang also pointed out that the urgent priority is to strictly implement UNSC Resolution 2728, to immediately achieve an unconditional and lasting ceasefire, to protect civilians effectively, and to ensure humanitarian aid.

The failure of the Palestinian people to achieve their legitimate national rights has been the longest-standing injustice of our time, the root of the Israel-Palestine issue, and the core of the Middle East problem. The direction for solving this issue is to quickly implement the "two-state solution," establish an independent Palestinian state, restore the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, and achieve peaceful coexistence between Israel and Palestine, Wang said.

On April 8, the UNSC president referred the Palestinian Authority's application for full membership to the committee on new members. The council is expected to decide at an April 18 ministerial meeting on the Middle East, according to Reuters.

Faisal expressed that Saudi Arabia and China have highly consistent positions on the current Middle Eastern situation. Both countries advocate resolving differences through dialogue and are committed to maintaining peace and stability in the Middle East.

Also on Monday, the Chinese government’s special envoy Zhai Jun on the Middle East issue met with Israeli Ambassador to China Irit Ben-Abba Vitale at the latter's request.

China is deeply concerned about the current escalation of regional tensions, and conflicts and bloodshed serve the interests of no one. All parties concerned should exercise maximum calm and restraint, Zhai said.

The Chinese diplomat emphasized the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, ensuring humanitarian aid, the release of all detained personnel, and a political settlement of the Palestinian issue based on the two-state solution to ensure peaceful coexistence between Israel and Palestine.

In response to the situation on the Ren'ai Jiao (also known as Ren'ai Reef), the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines said Saturday that if the Philippines truly wants to ease tensions on  Ren'ai Jiao through dialogue and communication, the key is for it to honor the commitments and understandings and stop provocations.

China remains committed to managing South China Sea disputes with the Philippines through dialogue and consultation, and we have made ongoing efforts in this regard, the embassy said in its statement published on Saturday. On how to deal with the current situation at Ren'ai Jiao, China's position is clear-cut, the statement added.

The statement came after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday called on China to engage in dialogue to prevent more incidents like ramming vessels and the use of water cannons in the South China Sea, Voice of America reported.

The Philippines continues to talk with China, and is exhausting all options to speak to Chinese leadership so as not to heat up tensions in the waterway, Marcos claimed, according to media reports. 

On Saturday, the Chinese embassy listed three key points of China's views on handling the current situation at Ren'ai Jiao.

First, by keeping a warship grounded at Ren'ai Jiao for decades running, the Philippines has been violating China's sovereignty and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), especially Article 5 which says refraining from action of inhabiting on the presently uninhabited islands and reefs. 

We demand that the Philippines tow away the warship as soon as possible and restore Ren'ai Jiao's state of not hosting personnel and facilities, the statement said.

Second, before the warship is towed away, if the Philippines needs to send living necessities, out of humanitarian considerations, China is willing to allow it if the Philippines informs China in advance and after on-site verification is conducted. China will monitor the whole process, according to the embassy's statement.

Third, if the Philippines sends large amount of construction materials to the warship and attempts to build fixed facilities and permanent outpost, China will not accept it and will resolutely stop it in accordance with law and regulations to uphold China's sovereignty and the sanctity of the DOC.

China's maritime law enforcement measures are aimed at safeguarding its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and are justified and beyond reproach, said a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in response to recent remarks on the South China Sea by US Admiral John Aquilino. The spokesperson pointed out that the recent heightened tensions in the South China Sea have a lot to do with US meddling.

The spokesperson's remarks came after Aquilino, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, said China's actions in the South China Sea are dangerous and illegal, and that they are "destabilizing the region."

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a Wednesday briefing that the Nansha Qundao are an inherent part of China's territory. If the US truly wants peace and stability in the South China Sea, it should stop fueling the tensions, forming gangs and inciting confrontation, Mao noted.

At a regular White House briefing on Tuesday to preview the summits between leaders of the US, Japan and the Philippines, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that more joint patrols can be expected in the South China Sea after drills by the US, Australia, the Philippines and Japan last weekend. Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. said he will discuss an agreement with leaders of Japan and the US to maintain security and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, according to media report.

"There is no issue with regard to the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea," Mao said in response, adding that peace and stability in the South China Sea have been generally maintained under the joint efforts of China and ASEAN countries.

Mao said countries outside the region, led by the US, have been cobbling together small groupings in the South China Sea. They have been stoking confrontation in the name of cooperation, flexing muscles in the name of peace, and sowing chaos in the name of order. This is no doubt an act of hegemonism.

"No external interference will deter China from defending our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests," said Mao.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Monday slammed the US for creating obstacles for cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and the US over reports revealing Chinese students and scholars being arbitrarily revoked visas and forcibly deported without concrete evidence.

The US keeps overstretching the concept of national security, arbitrarily revoking visas, restricting entry, and forcibly deporting Chinese students without concrete evidence, causing great harm to the individuals involved and creating obstacles for cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and the US, Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the ministry said at Monday's regular press briefing. 

At US airports, especially Washington Dulles International Airport, cases of Chinese students being deported have begun to rise again, according to media reports. 

In March, the Washington Post interviewed six Chinese students and two visiting scholars who had been questioned upon landing the US. Visas for a pair were cancelled and they were immediately deported. 

Previously in January, Chinese Ambassador to the US Xie Feng had revealed that dozens of Chinese arriving in the US, including students, were being denied entry every month over the past few months. They held valid visas, had no criminal records, and were returning to school after travelling elsewhere or reuniting with their family in China. But when they landed at the airport, what awaited them was 8-hour-long interrogation by officers, who prohibited them from contacting their parents, made groundless accusations against them, and even forcibly deported them and banned their entry. 

Mao said that recent cases have shown that US law enforcement officials are deporting individuals solely for the purpose of deporting, demonstrating typical political discrimination and selective law enforcement.

Mao urged the US to immediately cease unwarranted harassment and deportation of Chinese citizens, stop suppressing and persecuting Chinese students. 

The US should take practical actions to fulfill its commitments to support and facilitate cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and the US, rather than saying one thing and doing another, Mao said. 

The spokesperson also stressed that China will take resolute measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will visit China from April 4 to 9 and is scheduled to discuss a number of macroeconomic and financial issues between the two countries during her meetings with top Chinese government officials. The visit is seen as a positive sign by both sides to seek consensus amid stabilizing China-US relations that have seen growing negative factors in recent months.

The announcement of Yellen's visit to China followed a phone call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden on Tuesday at the request of the latter.

The Chinese side welcomed scheduled visits to China by Treasury Secretary Yellen and Secretary of State Blinken , according to Xinhua News Agency. It will be Yellen's second-in-person visit to China as the Treasury Secretary, after a visit in last July.

Chinese experts view the upcoming visit by Yellen in a positive light, and expressed hope that the visit could foster consensus built on the San Francisco vision articulated last November, despite the US' crackdown on China in the technology field, tariffs on Chinese imports and rising nontariff barriers.

During his phone call with Biden, Xi pointed out that the US side has adopted a string of measures to suppress China's trade and technology development, and is adding more and more Chinese entities to its sanctions lists, according to Xinhua.

This is not "de-risking," but creating risks, Xi said. "If the US side is willing to seek mutually beneficial cooperation and share in China's development dividends, it will always find China's door open; but if it is adamant on containing China's hi-tech development and depriving China of its legitimate right to development, China is not going to sit back and watch."

According to a press release posted on the US Department of The Treasury website on Tuesday (US time), Yellen's visit will include stops in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province and Beijing.

In a visit that "will build on the intensive diplomacy she has engaged in to responsibly manage the bilateral economic relationship," Yellen will meet with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Vice Premier He Lifeng, Finance Minister Lan Fo'an, People's Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng and other officials from Beijing and Guangdong, the press release said.

Yellen will discuss issues including what the US claims are China's unfair trade practices and industrial overcapacity, bilateral cooperation on countering illicit finance and climate change, according to the press release.

"There are reasonable expectations for Yellen's visit to build on the consensus reached by the two side since last November," Gao Lingyun, an expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Gas said among the many objectives listed by the US' press release, Yellen's focus will most likely be on financial stability, a core concern of the Biden administration.

Gao noted that as the global price of gold soars, China has more options in the management of its assets portfolios and this could affect China's holding of US Treasury bonds.

The expert said that one meeting alone could not iron out all the differences between the two countries but "it is hoped that the incoming visit by Yellen could help address the core concerns of the two sides, which have been articulated by the two presidents in their phone talks, to a certain extent to meet mutual interests."

Chinese analysts believe the US needs to stop using bilateral meetings to push for its unilateral agenda, as this will reduce the likelihood of positive results from the "positive" dialogue.

According to Reuters, a US Treasury official told reporters that Yellen during her upcoming China trip would "make clear the global economic consequences of Chinese industrial overcapacity undercutting manufacturers in the US and firms around the world."

"The US should view China's capacity issue from an objective point of view, as China's production capacity is determined by global market demand, its efficiency and the scale of its vast domestic market," Li Yong, a senior research fellow at the China Association of International Trade, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

"To label it as overcapacity would be a stray from facts, if not an ill-intended campaign to smear China following the de-risking theory," Li said.

Li noted that the US has a number of domestic financial issues to address, including inflation and rising debt levels.

US national debt, at $34 trillion, is almost equal to the combined value of the economies of China, Germany, Japan, India and the UK, Li said, citing data.

The US has maintained its crackdown tactics on China in the technology sphere, with newly updated exports control rules that will come into effect on Thursday and expanding the restrictions to laptops containing AI chips.

China's Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday strongly rejected the US' National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers, which listed China as the country of "primary concern."

Despite Western media hype claiming that China is losing attractiveness to foreign investors, executives from a large number of top US firms come in flocks to China last month, pledging their commitment to the Chinese market, announcing new investment deals and setting up new shop or factory floors.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang called for the building of a stable China-France relationship and jointly injecting more certainty into world development through multilateral cooperation as he met with visiting French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Stephane Sejourne on Monday in Beijing.

Some Chinese experts said that Sejourne's visit, his first to China as French foreign minister, aims to pave the way for future high-level interactions between the leaders of the two countries. It also signals that China and France share more common strategic interests and can overcome some differences in cooperating on major issues of concerns such as the Ukraine crisis and the Palestine-Israel conflict. 

China-France relations have long been at the forefront of China's relations with Western major powers, benefiting not only the peoples of both countries but also having a profound impact on the world, Li said on Monday. 

The stability of China-France relations will promote better development for both countries, and by strengthening multilateral cooperation, both countries can inject more certainty into world development, Li said. 

Li also noted that the Chinese and French economies have strong complementary advantages and many points of mutual interest. China has always regarded France as a priority cooperation partner and hopes that by continuing to deepen traditional cooperative relations, both countries can further tap into cooperation potentials in areas such as green energy, technology innovation, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, digital economy, and better achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, Li said. 

We hope the French side can provide a business environment that is open, fair, and non-discriminatory for Chinese enterprises, while actively promoting the European side to follow economic rules and market principles, and properly resolve concerns of both sides through consultation, Li said. 

"Lack of cooperation and lack of development pose the greatest risks," Li noted. He said China is willing to strengthen multilateral cooperation with the French side to make positive contributions to solving international hotspot issues and improving global governance.

This year is the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, and also the Year of China-France Cultural and Tourism Exchange. 

China and France are both great nations with a spirit of independence. The historical wealth of friendship between the two countries is something to be cherished, and the responsibilities and missions they share are undeniable, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said when meeting with Sejourne. 

Both sides agree that under the leadership of their heads of state and taking the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France as an opportunity, they should closely communicate and coordinate, deepen exchanges and cooperation, and make China-France relations more strategically stable and forward-looking.

The two sides should continue communicating closely on major international and regional issues, deepen cooperation in traditional fields such as aerospace, nuclear energy, agriculture and finance, and actively explore cooperation in emerging fields such as green transformation and intelligent manufacturing, according to a readout from the Chinese Foreign Ministry. 

"This visit by the French foreign minister also laid the groundwork for upcoming high-level visits," Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Monday. 

The French side also hopes that China can undertake some positive coordination efforts on both the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine issues, the expert said. 

"The Russia-Ukraine conflict has impacted France's status as a major power and the multipolar world. The conflict has led to France's increased dependence on the US, in terms of both security and energy. For France, ending and resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict would reduce its dependence on the US," Song Luzheng, a Chinese scholar residing in France and a research fellow at the China Institute of Fudan University, told the Global Times on Monday. 

Since the beginning of 2024, China-France and China-Europe exchanges have seen significant positive momentum. For example, China eased its unilateral visa-exemption policy for several European countries and Wang Yi's visit to Europe at the beginning of the year also sent out a positive signal. 

Since the beginning of this year, exchanges at all levels between China and Europe have fully resumed, and cooperation in various fields has been comprehensively unfolded. There is an increasingly rational recognition of China in Europe, and the willingness to cooperate with China is strengthening, Wang Yi said on Monday. 

"Facts have proven and will continue to prove that China is an opportunity, not a risk to Europe; a partner, not an adversary," the Chinese top diplomat said. 

"From China's perspective, in the strategic competition with the US, we need Europe, and we need to engage with France," Song said. As France is a nuclear power and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, it plays a crucial role within the EU, he noted. 

Despite the fact there are currently some trade frictions between China and Europe, such as those involving electric vehicles and brandy, some compromises can be reached, Wang Yiwei believes. 

During the meeting between Chinese and French ministers, Wang Yi said China is also willing to import more high-quality French products and services, and create more convenience for enterprises from various countries including France to develop in China. We also believe that the French side will provide a fair, just, and predictable business environment for Chinese enterprises investing in France, he added.

"De-risking" should not target specific countries, should not violate WTO rules, and should not create negative expectations for the business community, Wang Yi said, noting that some insightful individuals in Europe are also reflecting on this, believing that decoupling from China is the real risk.