Editor's Note:

Under the auspices of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the narratives of cultural and educational exchanges between China and Africa have become increasingly captivating. Serving as a bridge for people-to-people interactions, these exchanges have not only fostered mutual understanding but also deepened the emotional bonds between the two regions. During the FOCAC, a reporter from the Global Times interviewed African and Chinese cultural messengers, exploring how education and cultural activities can build a bridge of hearts between China and Africa.

As Tungamirai Eric Mupona experienced rural areas in North China and Feng Xinxin kicked off her journey between China and Africa, they may not have noticed themselves taking on a new role - cultural envoys. Looking back, their endeavors have been valuable in people-to-people exchanges.

Favoring Chinese villages

The story of Tungamirai Eric Mupona, a young man from Zimbabwe, exemplifies the experiences of African students furthering their education in China.

Raised in a rural village in northeastern Zimbabwe, Mupona's first glimpse into the distant world of China came through the stories and documentaries he watched on television at his uncle's house.

"I watched Chinese movies and many documentaries about China, which sparked an endless longing for this Eastern country," he told the Global Times. After graduating from high school in 2017, Mupona decided to pursue his studies in China, where he is currently working toward a PhD at Zhejiang University.

"Upon arriving in China, I couldn't speak Chinese and faced numerous challenges, but the warmth and help from teachers and classmates helped me adapt quickly," says Mupona. He shared that both in and out of the classroom, he has found a rich and fulfilling life, participating in discussions, dragon boat racing, and volunteering with his peers. "China's educational environment and academic standards are attracting more international students," he notes.

Beyond his academic pursuits, Mupona has always sought opportunities for social practice, particularly in China's rural areas. With questions about China's success in poverty alleviation and rural revitalization, he has traveled extensively through provinces such as East China's Zhejiang Province, North China's Shanxi Province and South China's Guangdong Province, sometimes spending an entire month in a village to take part in learning experiences.

In 2019, Mupona founded the APL Public Social Service Platform, primarily focusing on international youth exchanges and volunteer and fieldwork activities. "The development of rural China is very worthy of studying," he stated.

Mupona believes that the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, the development of characteristic industries according to local conditions, and the stimulation of the internal drive of the masses are the inexhaustible forces behind rural revitalization and China's modernization. He speaks with evident pride and knowledge about what he has observed in China's countryside.

"China's practices have proven to the world that modernization is not a simple copy and paste… China's modernization offers a new paradigm to the world, one that starts from its actual conditions, suits its national context, and aims to develop for the people and relies on the people. I hope to bring back the experiences and lessons I've learned in China to Zimbabwe," he said.
Making connections

Tucked away in a cultural and creative park in northeast Beijing, there lies an African Cultural and Tourism Center. Here, visitors can savor authentic African coffee, peruse books about Africa, and admire African art, experiencing the charm and ambiance of Africa from all dimensions.

"Many people once harbored misconceptions about Africa. But through our efforts, they have changed their previous prejudices and are getting to know Africa anew," Feng Xinxin, the founder of the center, told the Global Times.Feng's journey with Africa began in 2008, shortly after her university graduation, with a desire to explore the world. She was struck by the vibrant energy and potential she found.

"At that time, Africa was much like China during the early stages of reform and opening-up, brimming with vitality and endless possibilities," she said. Feng recalled her first surprise while in Africa was the advanced 3G network that was supported by Huawei, a testament to the genuine assistance China has provided to the continent over the years, even surpassing the technology available in China where most people were still using 2G network at the time.

Feng's experience in Africa was transformative, leaving her with a deep appreciation for the continent's unique landscapes and relaxed pace of life. She was particularly captivated by the red deserts of Namibia, which offered a "serene escape from the world's troubles."

After a year working with a non-profit organization, Feng established a travel agency in Namibia, where she spent over a decade observing a fostering interest in African tourism among Chinese travelers.

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brought Feng back to China, where she noticed Chinese people's limited understanding about Africa.

This realization prompted her to open the cultural center in Beijing, aiming to create a platform for cultural display, experience, and exchange.

This year, Feng returned to Africa with her five-month-old child.

"When I got off the plane holding my child, I didn't expect the locals to recognize me. They looked at my child with great affection, and they treated my child as one of their own. This is the kindness and warmth of the African people, which is very similar to us Chinese," she said with a big smile. This return also allowed Feng to discover some big changes the local infrastructure construction in Namibia has undergone in the last few years.

"China has helped Namibia build highways, ports, and other infrastructure, aiding it in becoming a regional logistics hub in southern Africa, where the investment environment and geographical advantages are gradually emerging," she said, calling this as a "symbol of the Belt and Road Initiative's promise of opportunity and a win-win for the future."

Moroccan Ambassador to China Abdelkader El Ansari hosted a welcome ceremony at the Moroccan residence in Beijing on September 6 for the cyclist Karim Mosta, who had successfully cycled from Casablanca, Morocco, to Beijing.

Celebrating Mosta's cross-continent cycling journey, the Ambassador lauded the determination of the 70-year-old Moroccan cyclist, saying that the ride is so amazing that it is a vivid example of friendly people-to-people exchanges between Morocco and China.

Riding the entire route, Mosta also went through a number of countries that have joined the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The Ambassador said that the BRI has promoted the interconnection and economic development of these countries through the construction of infrastructure including roads, airports, ports and rail. Through his journey, Mosta witnessed the fruitful results of the joint efforts. 

Ambassador Ansari said that the two countries have a long history of friendly exchanges. In the 14th century, Ibn Battuta, a famous Moroccan traveler, visited China along the ancient Silk Road. It took him many years to reach China by camel, boat and on foot. In the 21st century, when airplanes, automobiles, trains and other means of transportation have been widely used, Mosta's bike ride from Casablanca to Beijing is a testament to his strong willpower and determination.

The Ambassador noted that this ride has many positive implications.

Several districts in Shanghai, China's financial center, have suspended classes, work and public transportation in the face of Typhoon Bebinca, which could become one of the strongest typhoons to hit the city since 1949. The typhoon landed in Shanghai on Monday.

Shanghai's Pudong, Jinshan, Fengxian and Chongming districts issued notices on Sunday, saying that except for government agencies and enterprises to the city's operations, other employers may implement temporary suspensions of work, operations, flights, park activities and business activities, to prepare for Typhoon Bebinca.

The typhoon, which formed on Saturday night, is expected to make landfall on early Monday between areas north of Qidong in East China's Jiangsu Province and south of Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang Province.

All flights departing or landing at either of Shanghai's two airports - Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport - after 8 pm Sunday have been canceled.

A total of 127 inter-provincial bus services from Shanghai to Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces have been suspended. The suspension range may be further expanded to include all services based on weather warnings and conditions.

As of Monday morning, more than 414,000 people have been relocated in Shanghai. Starting from 1:00 am Monday, Shanghai has implemented closed control on all expressways within the city.

More than 2,500 emergency response teams, 56,000 rescuers and 415 flood control material warehouses are fully prepared and on standby. Moreover, 12,000 firefighting and rescue personnel have deployed and are ready for action.

Shanghai's Yangshan Port has also evacuated all foreign container ships in preparation for the typhoon.

Li, a Shanghai resident, told the Global Times that she was woken up by the sound of rain tapping on her window and strong winds roaring through the city on Monday morning, knocking down trees in her compound.

"I feel like my building was shaking," Li said.

After Sunday night, many netizens in Shanghai said that they couldn't order takeout. Several media reported that they have contacted the delivery platforms and found out due to the impact of the typhoon, takeout and fresh food delivery services in Shanghai had been suspended. The timing for resuming activities will depend on the typhoon's actual impact.

On Sunday, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters initiated a Level IV emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention in Anhui Province, while maintaining the Level IV emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention in Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

The headquarters dispatched a working group to Shanghai to assist and guide typhoon prevention efforts, while the previously dispatched working group in Zhejiang continues to work on the front lines.

The Ministry of Emergency Management has mobilized 3,089 engineering rescue personnel, 992 sets of equipment, five helicopters, six drone communication platforms, and 598 social emergency response personnel in key areas such as Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Fujian.

After Typhoon Bebinca makes landfall, it will move further inland. As a result, areas in Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui will experience strong winds and downpour on Monday, with some regions facing torrential downpours.

The city of Haining in East China's Zhejiang Province also warned residents on Monday morning that they should cancel all group activities and schools were asked to suspend classes. All tourists and entertainment venues were closed.

On Monday morning, the expressways in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province were placed under closed management. During the traffic control period, only vehicles for public security, emergency rescue, disaster relief, medical emergencies, essential supplies, and other services related to the national economy and people's livelihoods are allowed to pass.

Editor's Note:

Over 700 years ago, Italian traveler Marco Polo journeyed through China, documenting his experiences and introducing the splendor of ancient China to Europe in his book. Fast forward to the present day, when people discover China through online videos. With China's visa-free policies and the introduction of 144-hour visa-free transit, a wave of international YouTubers and vloggers has flocked to China.

After exploring gateway cities, where they gain initial insights into China's modern cityscapes and rich cultural heritage, these YouTubers and vloggers soon turn their attention to localized regions, delving into frontier areas, revolutionary sites, and public infrastructure to find the answers to the questions: "What is modern China like, why is it the way it is, and how does it function?"

Through their cameras, they present a real, friendly, and vibrant China to the world. They are affectionately referred to by the Chinese as the "Marco Polos" in the New Era.

Therefore, the Global Times presents this "Marco Polo" Trilogy.

In the third installment, some foreign vloggers who were impressed by China's public healthcare services share with the world why they like the system and what they think other countries can learn from it.
"China's healthcare is so bad compared to the US and the West, that is what I often hear in my YouTube comments, but is it true?" a vlogger from the UK whose channel is called "Harvey in China" asks at the beginning of a video he posted on YouTube.

To clear up any misunderstanding and provide detailed insight into specific aspects of China's daily life to more people is the reason driving many vloggers like Harvey to make videos about China's public healthcare system in recent times amid booming travel to China and a growing curiosity about the country around the world.

According to the latest data revealed at a Chinese State Council press conference on Tuesday, from January to July, China recorded 5.722 million inbound international passenger trips, a 403-percent year-on-year increase.

So how is China's healthcare system and is it convenient for foreigners to see a doctor in China? Check what these vloggers say.

A detailed insight

In the less than 10-minute video, Harvey, who has been living in China for about three years, broke down how much it costs to see a doctor in China for the reviewers, how to make an appointment, and what the differences are between China's public healthcare system and those in the UK and the US based on his own experiences and comparisons.

In response to the misconception that healthcare service in China is expensive and only available to rich people, for example, Harvey said that, in a recent visit, he spent 30 yuan or around $4, to see a doctor at a hospital in downtown Shanghai, while the average salary in the city is reportedly about 13,500 yuan per month. "So, spending 30 yuan to be seen by a doctor is affordable to the general population."

The level of technological integration in China's public healthcare system also impressed Harvey. "Appointments, prescriptions, [and] even payments can be managed through a single app on the phone. This integration of technology has made the entire process smoother." Conversely, in the UK, "one still has to call at exactly 8 am as soon as the line is open to try and get an appointment to see the doctor."

"The combination of affordability, accessibility, and technological integration makes China's healthcare system a model worth considering for other nations while it is not without its challenges… hopefully we can take a thing or two from China's approach and implement it into our own systems," Harvey concluded.

Harvey's video has been watched nearly 18,000 times as of Tuesday.

It struck a chord with many viewers who also shared their experiences in the comments of how efficient China's public healthcare service is.

"I was in China and my daughter got sick. Being a foreign visitor, I was helped by our host to visit a doctor at a small simple clinic. She was attended to in a second, checked, and prescribed a bunch of medication. [It] cost us 15 yuan all in all and in two days my daughter got well. Amazing system," a YouTube user commented on Harvey's video.

An efficient system

Convenient and affordable medical services are major advantages of China's public healthcare system that have been mentioned by many foreign vloggers.

"I was really impressed by the facilities and efficiency. In one day, I completed all the examinations and received the results quickly," Thibaut Grzelak, a 27-year-old French engineer and vlogger, told the Global Times.

Grzelak has been working at a French company's branch in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang Province, for about one year.

He went to a local hospital for a routine examination and a blood test in July. He said that his only concern before going to the hospital was about the language barrier. "It's always difficult to describe symptoms and feelings, even in your mother tongue, so doing it in English or Chinese is challenging."

Grzelak asked his Chinese girlfriend to go to the hospital with him in case he needed help with translating. But it turned out that most doctors there could speak English. There were also English signs to help find doctors, and many people were willing to help if needed.

"The doctor identified my problem and provided the appropriate treatment. The total cost was very reasonable, at about 100 yuan. If I ever need to go back to the hospital, even for a major surgery, I wouldn't hesitate to do it here!" he said.

Mylene, a French food and fashion influencer, told the Global Times that, in France, it is unimaginable to finish seeing a doctor, conduct examinations, and receive a diagnosis within a day.

France does not have such a system for patients to make appointments and go to a hospital at any time. Moreover, each French doctor only accepts a certain number of patients. When Mylene's gynecologist retired, there was no other gynecologist with available slots for new patients. So, she waited for one to two years until a new gynecologist came to work in the city she lived.

Mylene was also a fan of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It costs about 70 euros in France to see a TCM doctor, but in China it only costs a normal appointment fee, usually 10 yuan, to see an experienced TCM doctor, she said.
A vivid China

China has impressed the world with its strength in infrastructure construction and its speed in technological innovation and application.

This time, a growing focus on the country's healthcare system is believed to serve as a specific opportunity that would allow the world to have a real and detailed glimpse into China's achievements in promoting people's living standards as the system is widely viewed as a fundamental aspect of a society that reflects not just the overall well-being of the population, but also the effectiveness of governance.

When vlogger Lizzy tried to search for Chinese hospitals in YouTube in May "there was actually nothing on there."

"There are a lot of bad things that are always on there because of COVID, but there's actually no normal video of Chinese hospitals," said Lizzy, a vlogger from South Africa, who has lived in China for about five years.

Lizzy thus decided to record the process of her seeing doctors at a hospital in Kunming, capital of Southwest China's Yunnan Province, after something went wrong with her knees.

The video did play a role in changing some foreign-held stereotypes about China and allowed more people to learn about the Chinese healthcare system. "Very nice video! You inspire me to visit China," a netizen commented while complaining that the media in their country barely reports positive things about China.

Chinese authorities and industries are also eager to seize this opportunity to expand the country's medical tourism market while showcasing the world its medical capacity and development.

In February, Sanya in South China's Hainan Province optimized its visa-free policy by expanding the reasons for entry without a visa for people from 59 countries to Hainan to include medical treatment purposes.

Famous for its tropical coastal scenery, TCM health preservation industry, as well as distinctive ethnic traditional culture, TCM hospitals in Sanya have been providing medical tourism services since 2002. So far, more than 100,000 international tourists entering China via Sanya have enjoyed the service, as reported by People's Daily on August 9.

Lieutenant General He Lei, former vice president of the Academy of Military Sciences of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), had a casual talk with Michael Chase, US deputy assistant secretary of defense, on Friday, as the recent momentum of China-US military engagement continues.  

The two sides met at a cafe in the Beijing International Convention Center that is hosting the ongoing 11th Beijing Xiangsha Forum, the annual military diplomacy conference with unprecedented participation this year from over 100 countries and organizations. 

Chase, who is leading a delegation of US Department of Defense at the Beijing Xiangshan Forum, shook hands with He, while He presented souvenirs to Chase and the US delegation. 

According to the reporter's observation at the scene, the conversation between the two sides was relaxed and pleasant. 

He also showed a photo between himself and Cynthia Xanthi Carras, China country director in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense, and asked Chase to pass the photo to Carras. Carras attended the 10th Beijing Xiangshan Forum in 2023 and talked with He.

"[I] hope you can have some gains in this event and take them back to the US," He told Chase. 

In an interview with the Global Times after meeting with Chase, He said the meeting was a chance encounter, but turned out to be a nice talk.

“During the coffee break of the conference, I happened to meet Chase in the cafe. I began by welcoming him to China,” He said. 

“The visit of Chase himself and the Pentagon delegation he is leading is a positive move to help implement the consensus reached between the two heads of state in San Francisco,’’ He said. “It is beneficial to enhancing strategic communication between the senior military officials from the two sides, and to avoid miscalculation and manage risks.” 

According to He, Chase has expressed his interest in China’s defense policy. 

In response, He said he has shown Chase a badge of the Academy of Military Sciences of the PLA, in which there are images of the Great Wall and an olive branch.

“The Great Wall represents defense, implying that China pursues a national defense policy that is defensive in nature and will not invade any country,” He said. “The olive branch represents peace, which he knows well.”

The PLA is a heroic force of resolutely defending national interests, and also a force of justice in safeguarding regional and world peace, He said. 

He expressed hopes that Chinese and US militaries could have more engagement during the forum, so that the US side could have a better understanding of China’s defense policy. 

Chase said he plans to visit the Academy of Military Sciences of the PLA in the coming days, to which He replied that it was “a good thing.” He also presented souvenirs of the PLA institute to Chase and other delegation members on site. 

He also mentioned that obstacles and problems between the two militaries and two countries cannot be easily solved through one or two talks. H owever, through communication, the two sides can further meet each other halfway and enhance mutual understanding.

“I expressed hope that the US delegation could make more contributions to the relationship between the two militaries and two countries,” He said. “I also hope that the US can make more contributions in terms of maintaining regional and world peace and stability.”

On August 31, the staff from the Xin Gao Service Center of State Grid Taizhou Electric Power Supply Company assisted the Taizhou First Aluminum Factory in formulating a personalized "photovoltaic + energy storage" integrated plan, providing customers with stable and efficient clean energy supply and promoting green and low-carbon energy transformation.

Amid the current backdrop of energy structure transformation and green development, an increasing number of enterprises aspire to achieve energy savings, consumption reduction, and cost optimization through photovoltaic power generation and energy storage systems.

As early as November 2022, the Taizhou First Aluminum Plant in Jiangsu Province adopted the carefully tailored photovoltaic energy optimization plan from the power supply company. By installing rooftop photovoltaic systems, it secured sufficient power supply for production, effectively reducing costs and improving efficiency. The plant's rooftop photovoltaic system was connected to the grid in December 2022, generating approximately 920,000 kWh of electricity annually. When the plant operates below full capacity, it can generate and consume electricity on its own, with excess power fed into the grid. When actively participating in grid demand response, the plant proactively reduces its load to prioritize power supply to households.

On August 26 of this year, fully responding to national energy policies, the factory submitted a request for a 250kW/524kWh energy storage project to the Xin Gao Center. The account manager immediately visited the site to thoroughly understand the user's electricity consumption habits, scenarios, and specific requirements for energy storage functions, thereby customizing a personalized energy storage plan for the user.

The factory's responsible person said "We integrate energy storage equipment to store low-demand electricity for use during peak production hours. This approach of energy storage and off-peak power utilization significantly reduces electricity costs." The organic combination of photovoltaic power generation and energy storage systems realizes multiple functions, including self-consumption, surplus electricity grid-feeding, and peak shaving and valley filling.

Enhancing enterprise quality and efficiency is inseparable from optimizing electrical energy. State Grid Taizhou Electric Power Supply Company vows to continue to advance on the path of promoting smart grid construction and serving green development, striving to provide users with cleaner and more economical electricity services and contribute to the high-quality development of the energy industry.

Canada has moved to impose additional tariffs on more Chinese products including batteries, semiconductors and critical minerals regardless of a consultation request from China at the WTO, marking a further escalation in trade tensions that will see the knot tightened between the two countries.

Chinese observers blasted Canada's risky move following in the US' footsteps, saying it indicates that its trade policies are increasingly unfriendly to China, and that it may further expand tariff measures on Chinese goods. 

However, Ottawa's escalation of economic and trade tensions with the world's second-largest economy will likely incur countermeasures from China, they said.

Observers urged Canada to maintain its own strategic autonomy, and act as a responsible country to develop its China policies by prioritizing the well-being of its people and stimulating the vitality of the Canadian economy. 

Escalating trade tensions

Canadian media outlet The Globe and Mail reported that Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Tuesday that the required consultation period to impose tariffs on more clean-energy goods coming from China are set to begin on the same day.

Freeland said now a 30-day Customs Tariff Act review will begin to study the need for tariffs on batteries, battery parts, semiconductors, critical minerals and metals and solar products, according to the report.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) on late Wednesday slammed Canada's move of blindly following certain country to take unilateral suppression measures against China. It hinders normal economic and trade cooperation between Chinese and Canadian enterprises, severely impacts bilateral economic and trade relations, and seriously undermines the global economic system and trade rules. 

"China will take all necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises," a MOFCOM spokesperson said.

"It's no surprise that Canada is expanding tariffs on more Chinese goods, as Canada, following the lead of the US, aims to prohibit Chinese new-energy products while establishing a new industrial and supply chain excluding China, citing the excuse of the so-called national security," He Weiwen, a senior fellow from the Center for China and Globalization, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

He projects that Canada will impose additional tariffs on Chinese goods including batteries, semiconductors and critical minerals after the 30-day review, although tax rates might be slightly adjusted.

In violation of its WTO commitments, Canada recently announced a 100 percent additional tariff on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) and a 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum from China, effective from October 1.

China on Friday put forward a consultation request to Canada at the WTO over Canada's plan to impose additional tariffs on EVs as well as steel and aluminum products imported from China.

"Canada's tariff threats against Chinese products are dangerous and risky, which underlines that its trade policies are increasingly unfriendly to China," Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

In the future, Canada may continue to closely follow in the US' footstep to impose higher tariffs on a larger number of Chinese products. However, Canada's actions will likely incur countermeasures from China, Li said.

Strategic autonomy needed

"Even as the US has twice delayed the announcement of a final determination for additional tariffs on a wide range of Chinese products including EVs, Canada is hasty in the imposition of tariffs on Chinese EVs in a bid to demonstrate its loyalty to the US," Li said. He noted that Canada is gradually losing its strategic autonomy.

One day ahead of Canada's announcement of additional tariffs on Chinese EVs and other products on August 26, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan traveled to Canada, where he met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and addressed Canada's annual cabinet retreat, according to the White House website.

Sullivan has previously said that the US was hoping that Canada and its other allies would take a coordinated approach to cutting off the sale of Chinese EVs, media reported.

Amid China's rapid development of green industries like the EV and solar power sectors, the US fears it will lose its leading position at the top of the value chain in international trade, and as a result, it continues to weigh pressure on its allies including Canada to curb and suppress China's emerging industries, Chen Fengying, a research fellow at the Beijing-based China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

"We hope Canada will not abandon its own strategic autonomy, and instead will act as a responsible country to develop its China policies by prioritizing the well-being of its own  people and stimulating the vitality of the Canadian economy," Li said.

Li warned that Canada's move to politicize trade issues will backfire as ordinary Canadian consumers will have to pay the price, in the same way US consumers had paid after the US imposed higher tariffs on Chinese products several years ago. 

"It's Canada's illusion that it can strengthen its own economy by bowing to the US and containing China's development," Li noted.

Trade between China and Canada dropped by 0.5 percent year-on-year in the first eight months of 2024 to $57.66 billion, reversing the 2.4 percent growth seen in the first seven months, according to data released by China's General Administration of Customs on Tuesday.

It is the high time now for Canada to abandon its ideological discrimination and the mentality of bloc politics to resume nondiscriminatory trade ties with China on the basis of WTO rules, He Weiwen said.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday reiterated China's stance on the Ukraine crisis, emphasizing that China is committed to promoting peace talks, and supports all efforts for peace, in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni reportedly expressing hope that China and other countries can mediate Russia-Ukraine conflict or play a role in resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

We stand ready to continue working with the international community to accumulate conditions for the political settlement of the crisis and play a constructive role for peace, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a routine press conference on Tuesday.

According to Reuters, Putin said on Thursday that China, India and Brazil could act as mediators in potential peace talks over Ukraine. Putin said a preliminary agreement reached between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in the first weeks of the war at talks in Istanbul, which was never implemented, could serve as the basis for talks.

In another development, Meloni, after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Italy's Cernobbio on Saturday, said that India and China have the potential to find a resolution to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, The Times of India reported on Sunday.

Chinese Foreign Ministry has repeatedly stressed that China's stance on the Ukraine issue is consistent and clear. China always believes that to end the hostilities as soon as possible and seek a political settlement is in the interest of all parties. China is of the view that dialogue and negotiation is the only viable way out of the Ukraine crisis. 

On August 27, Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Eurasian Affairs Li Hui held a media briefing on the recent fourth round of shuttle diplomacy on the Ukraine crisis. Li said that all parties are generally concerned about the risk of escalation and spillover of the conflict, concerned about the deep-rooted reasons for the protracted crisis, and highly appreciated the six common understandings issued by China and Brazil, which provide a valuable path for promoting the resolution of the crisis. 

"All parties have put forward their own ideas on the peace process and look forward to strengthening exchanges with China to promote a fair and just solution to the crisis," Li said.

"On August 25, when I logged onto the internet at 10 pm to give a lecture about our new brain-computer interface (BCI) program, 1,200 students and parents were waiting. This clearly demonstrates people's passion for the program, Liu Xiuyun, a professor in biomedical engineering from the Tianjin University (TJU) and director of the TJU School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, told the Global Times.

On August 24, the TJU School of Future Technology released an admission notice to the 2024 class of freshmen. Among the majors on offer, there is a biomedical engineering program majoring in the BCI technique, reportedly making the TJU the first Chinese university to off er such a program. The move soon drew the attention of the public on Chinese social media platforms as the country is at a critical stage of the development and application of BCI technologies and devices.

It is not only the first of such college programs in China, but probably the first in the world. It is an experimental project for us to cultivate talent for the future. That is not a small challenge, Xu Minpeng, vice dean of the Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine of TJU Medical School, told the Global Times.

The applicants from multiple disciplines attended a written examination on August 31, part of them further attended the interview on Sunday, according to Liu. At last, only 20 of them will be selected and officially become the first batch of bachelors majoring in BCI in China.

Technique for tomorrow
As a "revolutionary" technology representing a new form of productive force, the BCI technique aims to establish a direct information pathway between the brain and external devices, achieving so-called control by "thought," thereby revolutionizing human-computer interaction and transforming human production and lifestyle, according to a statement the TJU sent to the Global Times.

BCI is currently a focus of global technological competition and core area for cultivating new tracks, new momentum, and new advantages for future industrial development. In China, the development of BCI technologies and devices has entered a critical period of innovation breakthroughs and application expansion. This necessitates the cultivation of diverse and interdisciplinary talent to meet the demands of the BCI field, providing a continuous driving force for the development of technique, read the statement.

According to the statement, the BCI program is jointly built by the School of Future Technology and Medical School. It brings together advantageous resources from various departments and gathers a top-notch team of BCI talent in China, forming a comprehensive interdisciplinary research and teaching team that covers the entire chain of basic theories, device systems, and transformation in the BCI industry.

The program aims to create an integrated training model through a radiating discipline layout, project-based curriculum system, chain-oriented research training, and a collaborative teaching ecosystem between schools and enterprises. It seeks to cultivate a group of outstanding engineers and scientists who possess the ability to design, manufacture, and develop future bio-intelligent electronic interfaces in the field of bio-information integration, and can lead advancements in brain-computer interaction technology and industrial development, the statement noted.

"BCI is a very complex interdisciplinary field that is connected to, but not limited to, physiology, autopsy, medicine, physics, engineering, computational analysis, automation control, and mechanical design. This is why the new BCI program is put under the School of Future Technology, a platform that is designated to cultivate high-end interdisciplinary talents with strong hands-on skills and innovative capabilities," said Yuan Xubo, the executive vice dean of the School of Future Technology at TJU.

According to Xu, the training plan for the BCI program has significantly established a project-based curriculum that spans all four years of university. In the first year, students will learn the basic concepts of BCI and master simple brain system operations, such as controlling a small ball with their thoughts. In the second and third years, they will progressively grasp principles of neural engineering, analog and digital electronics, automation design, and AI algorithms, while also hands-on creating brain-controlled robots. By the fourth year, students are expected to integrate what they have learned and engage in more systematic paradigm design, algorithm improvement, and application testing aimed at real-world problems.

"This gradual training process aims to develop students' reverse thinking, innovative thinking, practical thinking, and theoretical design thinking step by step," Xu said.

"Through the training, the students will grow into advanced talents with interdisciplinary capabilities. In the future, they will not only be able to enter BCI laboratories to engage in specialized research on BCI, but also participate in the development of high-end medical devices, work in hospitals, or join relevant authorities to take part in the design of policies for related industries," Liu said.

Safe and accurate
Depending on the electrode position, the methods of BCI can be divided into invasive and non-invasive methods. The invasive method involves implanting electrodes or other devices into the brain or nervous system to achieve a direct connection with the brain. The non-invasive method, on the other hand, uses electrodes placed in the scalp or other areas to record and analyze the brain's electrical signals, thereby establishing an indirect connection with the brain.

Invasive and non-invasive BCI devices have their own advantages and disadvantages as well as applications.

The disadvantages of invasive BCI device include the need for high-risk craniotomy, as well as potential infections, safety concerns, and ethical issues. But it is an effective method for the treatment of severe conditions such as epilepsy. On the other hand, non-invasive BCI device collects comparatively poor-quality signals, but it has a wider range of application, according to Liu Shuang, vice dean of the TJU Medical School and director of the TJU Mental Health Center.

Elon Musk said in January 2024 that his BCI company, Neuralink, had successfully completed the first human brain implantation surgery of its invasive BCI device, called Telepathy, sparking controversy in terms of surgical safety and medical ethics in the world.

Neuralink said in May that a number of wires inside the head of Noland Arbaugh, who is paralyzed from the shoulders down, had been pulled out of position. The company did not specify why the detachment had occurred. Neuralink's implant uses 64 wires to link to the brain; just 15 percent of them were working after the connection severed, The Guardian reported on July 11.

In China the main contributors to the research and development of BCI technologies and devices are universities and hospitals, including the TJU, Tsinghua University, the Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and the Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University in Beijing. Especially in the field of non-invasive BCI, the country is currently taking the lead.

Also in January, a team led by Hong Bo from Tsinghua University announced that they had successfully implanted the world's first wireless minimally invasive BCI device NEO (Neural Electronic Opportunity) into two paralyzed patients' brain for BCI-assisted treatment trials in October and December 2023, respectively.

Hong told the Global Times in a previous interview that compared with Neuralink's technology, the NEO technology has the advantages of higher safety and long-term use.

In the TJU, Liu Xiuyun's team is the first in China to introduce cerebrospinal fluid dynamics assessment technology to help diagnose patients with hydrocephalus. Combined with BCI and proteomics, the team developed a precise diagnostic and intervention technique, which reduces the diagnosis time for patients with hydrocephalus from three days to 30 minutes. So far, the technique has been provided to more than 500 hydrocephalus patients.

Liu Shuang's team has developed the country's first BCI system for screening depression. This system can collect electroencephalogram (EEG) signals from the patient's head to detect brain activity patterns and assess the patient's depressive state, enabling objective screening for depression.

"Normally, the system can generate an auxiliary assessment report on the subject's risk of depression in 10-15 minutes," Liu Shuang said.

The team also developed a technique, the Chirp-based evoked paradigm, that enhances the signal-to-noise ratio of brainwaves gamma oscillations to make the results more accurate and reliable.

Immense potential

On July 6, 1924, German psychiatrist Hans Berger performed the first-ever recording of the EEG on a human, which for the first time allowed the visualization of the electrical activity of the human brain. 100 years later, interaction between human and machine through brainwaves is becoming a reality and such a technique - BCI - is viewed as holding the key to an "era of neuroscience."

The global BCI market size reached $1.5 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach $5.4 billion by 2032, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate of 11.5 percent during 2024-2032, according to market research company IMARC Group.

In early 2016, China launched the 15-year "China Brain Project," or Brain Science and Brain-Like Intelligence Technology, in which the interface played a key role, displaying enormous growth potential. By the end of January 2024, the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and six other departments issued the "Implementation Opinions on Promoting Innovation and Development of Future Industries," clearly outlining the goal of creating 10 innovative flagship products, including humanoid robots, quantum computers, BCI, and 6G network equipment.

Although mainly used in the medical field, the BCI technique is expected to enter all aspects of people's lives. For example, it can be used to detect whether the driver is fatigued, Liu Xiuyun noted.

TJU scientists have also successfully developed an open-source brain-on-a-chip (BOC) interface system, MetaBOC, which enables a "lab-grown brain" to conduct unmanned control of robots to perform tasks such as obstacle avoidance, tracking, and grasping. MetaBOC represented a significant advancement in the field of BOC technology, offering a versatile platform for exploring the computational mechanisms of biological intelligence, Li Xiaohong, a professor at the Medical School at Tianjin University and the head of the on-chip BCI team, told the Global Times.

BCI is certainly a trend of future technological development. To unlock the immense potential of BCI, it requires a large number of talents to dedicate themselves to the industry. This is why it is necessary to set up a specialized BCI program, according to Xu.

On the other hand, Xu called for patience and caution as it will be a long process to develop safe and high-quality products.

With this year's Mid-Autumn Festival drawing near, China's tourism market is gearing up for another surge in travel and consumption activity, building on the strong momentum from a just-concluded bustling summer travel season, industry insiders and experts said over the weekend.

They predicted that this year's Mid-Autumn Festival holidays, which runs from September 15 to 17, will see sustained high demand for short-distance travel. Combined with the upcoming National Day holidays (running from October 1 to 7）, this is expected to inject continued vitality into consumption, contributing to the country's economic growth in the latter part of the year.

Data from China's online travel services platform Fliggy showed a double-digit increase in bookings for hotels, domestic car rentals and tickets for this popular traditional festival compared with 2019. The overall booking volume for the Mid-Autumn Festival holidays is significantly higher compared with the Dragon Boat Festival in June, despite both having a three-day duration.

Several travel platforms in China have reported that the Mid-Autumn Festival travel trend is dominated by short to mid-distance trips, with "micro-vacations" to nearby cities and provinces being especially popular. Destinations within a two-hour drive or three-hour high-speed rail journey are particularly busy.

According to Tuniu, an online travel platform, nearly 40 percent of travelers are planning short trips to local or adjacent areas during the upcoming festival, with about 30 percent opting to start their journeys one day or two before the festival.

Experts attribute the strong travel demand to favorable weather, off-peak prices and the traditional cultural significance of family reunions during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

"Emerging travel trends, including cultural tours, urban leisure trips and sports tourism, not only reflect an expansion in the Chinese consumption preferences but also promise to inject sustained vitality into the domestic economy," Jiang Yiyi, vice dean of the School of Leisure Sports and Tourism at Beijing Sport University, told the Global Times on Saturday.

Tongcheng, another online travel services provider, reported a 77 percent increase in searches for ancient towns and gardens over the past week.

China's recent summer travel season had broken records for passenger volumes and witnessed strong growth in bookings and spending. Jiang expects this momentum to carry into October, potentially boosting sectors like transportation, hospitality and cultural products.