A series of sculptures from Chinese artist Yuan Xikun were released at the National Indoor Stadium on Friday to express the sports culture of the dual Olympic city.
Beijing hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2022 Winter Olympics, becoming the worlds' first dual Olympic city.
In front of the National Indoor Stadium stand five sculptures from Yuan, each themed around the dual Olympics. These sculptures -—representing Ice Hockey, Gymnastics, Pair Skating, Layup, and Short Track Speed Skating -—were created to honor the spirit of hard work in sports and to express faith through art, embodying healthy and positive values.
Zhao Jiachen, head of the Beijing Performing Arts Group, which manages the stadium, said that these sculptures will help preserve the Olympic spirt and promote the integrated development of sports and culture.
Yuan emphasized that sports and culture will work hand in hand to create more inspiring works that convey positive values.
The stadium also unveiled a dedicated space for the artist to showcase his sculptures.
China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) on Monday unveiled a hacker organization called "Anonymous 64," saying that it was an “internet army” supported by “Taiwan independence” forces and has frequently launched cyberattacks against the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, attempting to infiltrate portals, outdoor electronic screens, and online television to spread disinformation and disrupt public communications.
National security agencies have identified individuals involved in the related cyberattacks, including three active members, whose names and photos have been disclosed. Legal investigations have been launched against the three individuals, the ministry said in a release on Monday.
The organization behind "Anonymous 64" is a cyber-environment analysis center under the “Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command.” This center is specifically responsible for conducting cyber cognitive warfare and public opinion warfare against the mainland. In June 2023, the center registered social media accounts under the name "Anonymous 64" and wantonly carried out cyberattacks and disinformation activities, MSS said in the article.
The “Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command” was established in June 2017 as the "fourth branch" of the Taiwan authorities and was restructured in 2022 as a direct agency of the “defense department” of the island. It primarily handles electronic warfare, information warfare, cyber warfare, and military line maintenance, serving as the main force for the island of Taiwan's cyber operations against the mainland.
Since its establishment, the “Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command” has launched various infiltration and sabotage activities against the mainland, posing a significant threat to cybersecurity. It targets areas such as the mainland's defense industry, aerospace, and energy infrastructure for cyberattacks, aiming to steal sensitive data and gather intelligence for the Taiwan authorities. It also frequently distorts online public opinion, employs internet trolls, exacerbates conflicts, and incites divisions for its own gain, according to MSS.
Since its establishment, the "Anonymous 64" has posted over 70 updates on social media, using so-called achievements to attract attention. The targets they claim to have attacked include outdoor electronic screens, vending machines, online television, as well as the websites of news media, airlines, and universities, attempting to hype a false image of severe?vulnerabilities in mainland cybersecurity.
However, investigations by national security agencies?revealed that many of the "achievements" showcased by "Anonymous 64" were exaggerated, with most targeted websites being counterfeit or zombie sites.
For instance, on August 2, when a small internet company’s website was attacked by "Anonymous 64" because it linked to several universities' official forum logins, the organization falsely claimed it had “gained control of the official forums of 40 universities in the mainland."
National security agencies also remind developers and operators of internet audio-video systems, portal websites, and internet users to implement cybersecurity measures, timely update and upgrade systems, close technical vulnerabilities, enhance password strength, and strengthen inspections to prevent various cyberattacks.
"We urge netizens not to believe or spread rumors, and to promptly report any cyberattacks or disinformation activities to national security agencies or relevant departments,” read the MSS article.
The ministry said in the article that national reunification is an inevitable historical trend. Taiwan authorities' attempts to provoke and pursue “independence” and seek confrontation with the mainland are bound to fail.
National security agencies will firmly implement a comprehensive national security strategy, enforce laws against "Taiwan independence" separatists engaging in separatism and incitement, and resolutely combat all "Taiwan independence" schemes to contribute to the complete reunification of the motherland, said MSS.
Fifty years ago, not only the archaeological community but also ordinary people were stunned by the excavation of the Mawangdui Han Tombs. Among the findings was a remarkable discovery known as China's "Sleeping Beauty" (Lady Xin Zhui), an over 2,100-year-old lady who looks nearly as good as she did when she was buried after her death at the age of about 50, during China's Western Han Dynasty (206BC-AD25). The world has marveled at the mystery behind her body, as well as the numerous precious treasures unearthed from the tombs, including textiles, bamboo and silk manuscripts.
In this Mawangdui trilogy, the Global Times Culture Desk explores how digital technologies have brought the public closer to the heritage and how the "Mawangdui IP" was revived by the creative industries. This is the third installment. Although there are many sites in China that can embody the country's Han Dynasty (206BC-AD220) history, Mawangdui is the most exceptional one mainly due to its mysterious finds like the 2,100-year-old mummified aristocrat that is known as Lady Xin Zhui.
Three excavations on the site were carried out from 1972 to 1974. At that time, such excavations brought a research craze to the academic field worldwide. Thanks to new means such as the digital technology, such a scholarly craze in the past 50 years has been extended to the public, especially among the young people.
Decoding mystery
Lady Xin Zhui's silk garments are Mawangdui Han Tombs' stellar artifacts. Due to their brittle and fragile nature, many original pieces are now only stored as archives at the Hunan Museum in Changsha, Central China's Hunan Province. To connect the heritage with people, making replication for public display was a crucial task. The task engages both technological tools and the ingenuity of textile experts like Yang Jiyuan.
Yang, a restorer of ancient silk textile in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province, has replicated seven Lady Xin Zhui's garments since 2016. She told the Global Times that the printed and painted floss silk-padded gauze robe was one of the most challenging tasks.
Through examination using a microscope and creating 3D modeling of the original "printed and painted gauze robe," Yang revealed to the Global Times that the piece's air-like fabric actually consists of seven sheerest silk layers, and the thickness of each one of them is like "one-third of the tissue's thickness."
Matching such almost disappearing silk textiles together was not the most challenging task. Yang told the Global Times that the "painting" process was even harder since the colors should keep looking "not too vibrant and new."
She said the gauze needs to be "1:1 the same to the original one" that has more than 2,000 years of history. Thanks to advanced technologies that can decode the ingredients and composition of ancient fabrics, Yang discovered that Lady Xin Zhui's garment was painted in natural mineral dye and was covered with an extra "glue-like substance" to make it look understated while in a good shape. She said that she was only one of the heritage protectors in China, who has "felt the responsibility to show the public a legacy's authentic aesthetics and story."
"Technological tools are our assistants. They ensure the history we deliver to the public is correct," Xiang Benshan, a restorer of underwater ceramic relics, told the Global Times.
Cross-field collaborations
Other than the research sector, technological innovations are now diversely applied on shows that relate to the Mawangdui Han Tombs.
Currently, a blockbuster show called The Art of Life: Multimedia Exhibition of Mawangdui Han Culture is ongoing at the Hunan Museum. The immersive digital project, a collaboration between the Hunan Museum, Digital Library of China, and the Harvard FAS CAMLab, presents a new model for showcasing the Mawangdui Han Tombs through multimedia installations.
The show includes three thematic sections such as "Time and Space." They highlight the artistic grandeur and spiritual reflections of ancient Chinese, giving insight into their concepts of life, death and afterlife.
Lü Chenchen, associate director of Harvard FAS CAMLab, told the Global Times that the future of Mawangdui-themed exhibitions lies in global academic collaboration and the integration of advanced technologies such as VR tools and interactive animations.
"By partnering internationally, institutions can leverage cultural IPs like the Mawangdui Han Tombs and digital tools to broaden access to historical knowledge from different perspectives and different disciplines," Lü told the Global Times.
If the research lab and the museum are where the Mawangdui IP provides intellectual inspirations to people, then the site's cross-field collaborations with the cultural and creative industries have made the heritage a joy of people's everyday lives.
The Hunan Museum recently collaborated with a food brand to launch a "Mawangdui spicy strip," one of the favorite snacks by young people that is also known as La Tiao.
At the museum's "digital Han lifestyle experiencing center," symbols of relics like the round lacquer plate and Lady Xin Zhui's garments have been printed on products like scarves, fans and cakes.
The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the China Film Group Corporation jointly launched the 2024 Netherlands Film Festival in Beijing on September 12.
The film festival selected 10 high-quality Dutch films in recent years to show Chinese audiences the real and vivid social landscape of contemporary Netherlands and the unique Dutch customs and practices. All of these films are premiered in China.
The 10 films screened are from various genres, covering a wide range of topics including the inspirational growth of teenagers, the emotional expression of senior citizens, the social concern of vulnerable groups, and family education. The movies interpret the true meaning of "love" from multiple emotional aspects such as family, love, and friendship.
Arriving at the ceremony by bike, André Haspels, the Netherlands Ambassador to China, said that in both China and the Netherlands, bicycles are far more than just a means of transportation. They also symbolize sustainability, health, team spirit, and a common commitment to building an inclusive society.
After the opening film was screened, director Camiel Schouwenaar and screenwriter Job Tichelman also visited the scene to share wonderful behind-the-scenes stories. Many audiences expressed their love for the film and were touched by the real power of persisting in dreams.
The Film Festival will run until October 31 and will be screened in seven major cities in China including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Xiamen, Chengdu, and Nanjing.
In commemoration of the National Day of Mexican Cinema 2024, the Embassy of Mexico in China will screen Cronos, a movie directed by Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro at the Beijing Yuan Museum on August 31.
In 1536, during the Inquisition, an alchemist builds a mysterious and sophisticated device named Cronos to provide eternal life to the owner in Veracruz, Mexico.
In the present day, antiques dealer Jesus Gris finds Cronos hidden inside an ancient statue while cleaning it with his granddaughter Aurora.
He accidentally triggers the device and soon his wife Mercedes and he note that he has a younger appearance.
Out of the blue, the stranger Angel de la Guardia visits Gris' shop and buys the old statue. On the next day, Gris finds his shop trashed and Angel's card on the floor.
He pays a visit to Angel who introduces him to the eccentric millionaire De la Guardia that explains the healing power and the eternal life bestowed by Cronos.
Angel is sent by De la Guardia to hunt down Gris to get Cronos no matter the costs.
The UAE Embassy in China hosted the first UAE-China Think Tank Forum with more than 100 experts and think tank leaders in Beijing from August 29 to 30, marking the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the UAE and China.
In his speech at the opening ceremony, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to China Hussain bin Ibrahim al Hammadi said that UAE-China relations, under the leadership of the state leaders, are witnessing remarkable progress across economic, trade, cultural, political, and diplomatic spheres.
Themed "Together to build a shared, sustainable, and ambitious future," the event aimed to bring together the wisdom of the academic and research communities, and build a platform to promote cooperation and dialogue between UAE and Chinese think tanks. The forum also explored potential opportunities for cooperation between the two countries' leading think tanks.
Nearly half of surveyed US firms have called for Washington to lower tariffs on Chinese goods, according to a latest business environment report on Thursday.
Chinese experts noted that the US government’s actions have persistently undermined fair and free trade, forcing American companies to adopt less-than-optimal growth strategies in an atmosphere of cascading uncertainty, while businesses are inclined to operate in stability.
“When asked how the US government could support foreign firms in China, 48 percent [of US firms] suggested it reduce tariffs on Chinese goods,” read the 2024 China Business Report released by American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai (AmCham Shanghai) on Thursday.
“Our member companies have acknowledged [Chinese] government efforts to improve the regulatory environment,” Eric Zheng, president of AmCham Shanghai, said in the report, noting that geopolitical uncertainties are weighing more than ever.
“We respectfully encourage both governments to continue to engage in bilateral talks so as to stabilize the relationship,” Zheng said.
Tariffs have indeed become a major disruptive factor in China-US economic and trade cooperation, Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Thursday.
The US government has continued to undermine fair and free trade, including the repeated imposition of additional high tariffs on Chinese goods, which has had a significant impact on American businesses, Zhou said.
The lack of stability in trade is affecting corporate decision-making. In this climate of uncertainty, businesses are more inclined to seek stability in China, Zhou noted.
Exactly half of respondents saw higher business revenues in 2023 than in 2022, with the rate highest for the retail sector and lowest for the manufacturing sector, the survey with 306 respondents showed.
Revenue expectations for this year are cheerier, with 54 percent of members expecting revenues to rise compared with last year, though only 37 percent expect China revenue growth to outpace global growth in the next three to five years, the report said.
A higher rate of the members this year noted improvements in government policies and regulations toward foreign companies and more transparency in the regulatory environment. Meanwhile, nearly one-third said that China’s enforcement of IP rights has improved, read the report.
Data from Chinese Ministry of Commerce showed that China saw the establishment of nearly 32,000 new foreign-invested enterprises from January to July, an increase of 11.4 percent year-on-year. This indicates that foreign investors remain largely optimistic about the long-term prospects of investing in China, the ministry said.
US electric car producer Tesla broke ground on another mega factory in Shanghai in May, marking the company’s first energy storage factory outside the US to manufacture its energy storage batteries known as Megapacks.
At the ongoing 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) held in Beijing, a total of 85 countries and international organizations set up exhibits and hosting events. Over 450 Fortune 500 companies and industry leaders participate in-person, with more than 100 activities scheduled and over 200 integrated innovation results to be announced. Tesla has participated in the CIFTIS for eight consecutive years.
China’s policies on openness and efforts to enhance regulatory transparency are boosting foreign companies’ confidence in their future development in the country. The continuous recovery of China's economy is providing businesses with higher profits, which is also a key reason why many are expanding their investments in China, Zhou said.
Recently, the "US-Philippines+N" has become an important form of interaction for the US and its allies in the Asia-Pacific region. This includes hosting the US-Japan-Philippines trilateral summit and conducting joint military exercises involving the US, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines. Some even suggested replacing India in the Quad with the Philippines to form a "Squad." This approach is a key strategy for the Biden administration to strengthen relationships with allies, aiming to advance its "Indo-Pacific Strategy" and "shape the strategic environment" around China. Noticeably, the "US-Philippines+N" serves the US policy goal of containing and restricting China's rapid development, which will inevitably worsen the security, political and economic environment in the Asia-Pacific region.
The US and its allies are accelerating the militarization of the South China Sea, worsening the security environment in the region. First, the US is expanding its military presence in the Philippines. It is continuously encouraging and supporting the Philippines in illegally occupying territory in the South China Sea and creating friction with China. Second, the US and the Philippines, among other countries, frequently conduct military exercises in the South China Sea. The US hopes to strengthen the military capabilities of the Philippines and enhance its ability to provoke China. Third, the US supports allies in strengthening military cooperation with the Philippines. This year, the Philippines signed a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation with Canada and signed the Reciprocal Access Agreement with Japan. Fourth, the US is deploying midrange missiles in the Philippines. Involving countries outside the region, such as the US, in South China Sea affairs has heightened tensions in the region, increasing the risk of military conflict in the South China Sea.
Furthermore, the US has deliberately smeared China, worsening the political environment in the Asia-Pacific region. American senior officials and government departments have offered "support" to the Philippines while repeatedly accusing China. By leveraging its dominance in international discourse, the US has fostered unfounded doubts and fears about China in the Asia-Pacific region, undermining China's efforts to peacefully resolve disputes in the South China Sea based on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.
The US and its allies have been intensifying their presence in the South China Sea, promoting "values diplomacy" under the guise of "freedom of navigation," while undermining genuine freedom of navigation and maritime security. They invoke a "rules-based international order" to disrupt global stability and pressure regional countries into picking sides, which further destabilizes the political environment in the Asia-Pacific region.
Together with its allies, the US has pushed for a "decoupling" from China, worsening the economic climate in the Asia-Pacific. Furthermore, it frequently accuses China of "economic coercion" while integrating the Philippines into its Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. In addition, the US aims to reduce the Philippines' economic dependency on China, realign its semiconductor supply chains and counter the BRI. Finally, the US has connived the illegal grounding of Philippine military ships, causing severe damage to the ecological environment of the South China Sea. The South China Sea Ecological Center and the South China Sea Development Research Institute of China's Ministry of Natural Resources published A Survey Report on the Damage to Coral Reef Ecosystem by Illegally Grounded Military Vessel at Ren'ai Jiao on July 8. The survey found that the grounding process has inflicted fatal damage on the coral reef ecosystem, and its prolonged grounding state has greatly inhibited the growth and recovery of corals in the surrounding area.
The US and its Asia-Pacific allies are establishing various bilateral and mini-multilateral cooperation mechanisms primarily to serve US national interests. However, these countries possess different capabilities and varying levels of willingness to confront China. More importantly, these US allies and partners have their own national interests, and their cooperation with the US is largely about leveraging American power to maximize their benefits. Meanwhile, China's commitment to regional peace and stability, combined with its growing strength and influence, effectively counters the strategic pressure from the US and discourages more Asia-Pacific countries from taking sides. As a result, the US struggles to fully integrate its allies and partners, complicating its efforts to achieve its policy goals regarding China.
A technician is busy at a factory in the Luyang Economic Development Zone, in Hefei, capital of East China's Anhui Province, on September 10, 2024. The factory is developing precision quick-return mirrors for aerospace laser communications. Since the beginning of this year, the economic zone, together with some key universities in Hefei such as the University of Science and Technology of China and Hefei University of Technology, has seized opportunities to build industrial clusters around intelligent sensors. Photo: VCG
Chinese companies have made marked progress in designing and producing high-performance, energy-efficient chips, as part of the nation's ongoing efforts to bolster its semiconductor sector, industry experts told the Global Times recently.
Although there has been a noticeable rise in the use of home-made chips by Chinese businesses, domestically produced AI chips still need further improvement in technology sophistication, market share, and brand recognition.
“The AI chip market is in the midst of intense competition with domestic manufacturers trying to find ways to keep up with top industry players. It is not easy for latecomers to integrate into the supply chain, but we are moving toward technological self-sufficiency,” an industry representative surnamed Yang told the Global Times on Friday at the Global AI Chip Summit 2024 held in Beijing.
Lately, China has ramped up investment in home-grown AI chips. Lead companies like Huawei, Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent have accelerated efforts in AI chip research and development, while a growing number of AI chip start-ups continue to emerge.
Some of these firms are now able to design and produce chips that deliver high performance and become more power efficient -- a development that is essential for boosting the core competitiveness of China’s semiconductor industry, the Global Times learned at the summit.
Chips play a vital role in handling a large number of computing tasks in various AI applications and are commonly known as AI accelerators.
The advancements made by Chinese technology companies are vital for improving the country’s computational technology and reflect the expanding market for domestic AI computing chips.
Data from the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics showed that year-on-year growth of the global semiconductor market is projected to be 16 percent in 2024, with market scale estimated at $611 billion.
While leading AI chip companies like Nvidia, ADM and Intel will continue benefiting from this trend, Chinese AI chipmakers have the opportunity to narrow the gap, Yang noted.
Industry experts said that China, with its vast data resource and diverse application scenarios for AI chips, has positioned itself as a new pace-setter and an innovation hub.
Leading Chinese startups such as Cambricon Technologies Co, Enflame Technology, and Moore Threads Technology Co, have shown impressive performance, approaching the level of their overseas counterparts and gradually closing the gap, Chinese media reported.
Chinese experts noted that the indigenous innovations by Chinese companies are starting to overcome the difficulties caused by the US' unilateral technological blockade in the past few years. And, Chinese companies are poised to continue to enhance their resilience and strengthen their research and development capability, analysts said.
In the first half of 2024, Chinese companies spent $25 billion on semiconductor related equipment, surpassing the combined spending of the US and South Korean companies, Nikkei Asia reported last week, citing a report released by industry association SEMI.
