Technical teams from China and the EU are actively negotiating a flexible price undertaking solution, as directed by the consultation of Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao and European Commission (EC) Executive Vice President and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, regarding the EU's ongoing anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), He Yongqian, spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), said on Thursday.
He's remarks came after Wang and Dombrovskis held a comprehensive, in-depth and constructive consultation in Brussels on September 19 on the EU's anti-subsidy investigation into China-made EVs.
During the meeting, both sides clearly expressed their political willingness to resolve differences through consultation and agreed to continue advancing negotiations on price commitments, and to spare no effort to reach a mutually acceptable solution through friendly dialogue and consultation, He noted.
"The technical teams from both sides are currently working diligently on negotiating a flexible price undertaking solution, as directed by the consultation, striving to reach a consensus on the solution before the final ruling," He said, noting that China has the utmost sincerity to properly resolve differences through dialogue and consultation, as well as the firmest determination to safeguard the legitimate interests of Chinese enterprises.
The bloc is currently working to add a provision to the draft legislation to allow talks to keep going, which member states are now expected to vote on by early next month, according to a report by Bloomberg on Wednesday.
The EU's executive arm has repeatedly said that any alternative to tariffs has to have strict requirements. It must align with WTO rules, address the impact of China's subsidies and be something the EU can monitor for compliance, the report said.
Lin Jian, spokesperson of China's Foreign Ministry, told a press conference on September 18 that China has, since the very beginning, shown utmost sincerity, been committed to settling the issue through dialogue and consultation, and made flexible proposals.
"We hope that the EU will show sincerity, take action and take a serious look at the Chinese EV sector's legitimate concerns and proposals," Lin said.
If the EC is bent on making the wrong decision, China will take what is necessary to firmly safeguard the lawful rights and interests of our companies and the EV sector, Lin noted.
Saudi Arabia is working with international partners and prioritizes cooperation with China to achieve its goal to a regional hub, Saudi Arabian Ambassador to China Abdulrahman Ahmad Al-Harbi told the Global Times.
He also expressed a willingness to welcome more Chinese companies to invest in Saudi Arabia across various sectors such as the petrochemical and oil, the automotive industry, and infrastructure, which, he pointed out, would be in the interests of Saudi Arabia and China.
Al-Harbi made the above statement during an interview with reporters at Saudi Arabia's 94th National Day Reception event held in Beijing on Monday.
He noted that the bilateral relationship between Saudi Arabia and China is an outstanding example of inter-state relations, characterized by deep friendship, mutual trust, and respect for each other, continuously advancing forward. In recent years, high-level exchanges between the two countries have been frequent, and cooperation in various fields has yielded remarkable results.
Saud Arabia and China signed the implementation plan for the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 in 2022. The Saudi diplomat said the plan laid a strong foundation for bilateral cooperation, and noted that both sides not only share many common interests but also match in various sectors.
According to him, both sides have already cooperated across various sectors, including petrochemicals and oil, the automotive industry, technology, logistics, and infrastructure.
"We believe there are many sectors and sub-sectors in which we have common interests. Joint investments have already taken place between both sides, and we welcome more Chinese investment," he said.
When discussing the role of China-Saudi Arabia cooperation in addressing the challenges of conflicts in the Middle East and achieving regional peace and security, Al-Harbi said that the two countries share similar positions on many regional and international issues. Both countries' foreign policies support the realization of global security and peace, respect for the sovereignty of other nations, and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. As important members of the international community, Saudi Arabia and China have significant influence globally. Their productive cooperation has already had a notable positive impact on regional and international stability, and is expected to play an even more important role in the future.
According to Saudi Arabia's media reports, the Saudi Ministry of Education recently officially announced the inclusion of Chinese language courses in the country's primary and secondary school curriculum, designating Chinese as one of the main teaching languages. The aim is to teach students the basic skills of reading, writing, and conversing in Chinese. The Ministry of Education has begun to take necessary measures to adjust the curriculum and class hours, as well as provide professional teachers to accommodate the new teaching system.
In that regard, Al-Harbi further explained that learning Chinese is of great significance for enhancing mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries, and cultural exchanges fully reflect the friendly bilateral relations between them. More than 170 Chinese teachers have recently arrived in Saudi Arabia to teach Chinese in public schools. Additionally, about 100 Saudi students have gone to China to study Chinese, preparing for future careers as Chinese language teachers in Saudi Arabia.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has emphasized the importance of continuing the endeavors to promote ethnic unity from generation to generation.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a reply letter to descendants of the representatives from diverse ethnic groups who erected a monument in 1951 in southwest China's Yunnan Province and made a solemn pledge to stay united and follow the Party.
Grammy Award-winning rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, performed a sold-out show for his album series "Vultures" in Haikou, South China's Hainan Province, on Sunday night, marking the start of the Mid-Autumn Festival holidays of the tropical island.
The "Vultures Listening Experience World Tour Listening Party - Haikou" marked Ye's first performance in the Chinese mainland since 2008, aligning with Hainan's efforts to position itself as a hub for world-class music events.
Sporting a T-shirt that featured Chinese characters "告诉过你" (I told you so), Ye brought out all his family members, including his four children, to the stage at the packed Wuyuan River Sports Stadium, where all 42,000 tickets, ranging from 680 yuan ($96) - 2,000 yuan, sold out in minutes as 96.5 percent of the tickets were purchased by people living outside the island. The cities with the highest number of buyers were Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Beijing and Chengdu, according to Hainan Daily. "Ye performed many of his classic songs, singing along with the audience. At one point of the party, he said, 'I love you, Haikou.' The live atmosphere was absolutely electrifying, especially since the show lasted for three hours. At one point, he even sang along with the crowd," a 20-year-old fan surnamed Li, who flew from Beijing to attend the show, told the Global Times on Monday.
Prior to the show, Ye shared on his social media account a childhood photo of himself in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province, with the caption: "BACK."
Ye lived in China for a year when he was about 10 years old. His mother was an English professor and worked as a visiting scholar at the Nanjing University in 1987.
As one of China's top tourist destinations, Hainan has been committed to boosting its tourism sector by promoting cultural events. Local authorities even offer financial incentives to attract international performers.
Since 2023, local authorities have been promoting large-scale concerts and music festivals in Hainan as part of a new "performance tourism" model, aimed at revitalizing the tourism industry, according to a statement released by the Hainan Provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television, and Sports in February.
Introducing internationally renowned concerts or music festivals can enhance Hainan's image and international influence as a tourist destination while driving the "cultural and entertainment" transformation of the local tourism industry. This approach is expected to attract younger consumers, shifting Hainan's tourism focus from primarily older visitors to a more youthful demographic, Sun Xiaorong, a member of the national tourism reform and development advisory committee, told the China News Weekly.
In May, Hainan released several measures to further promote the integration of culture, sports, tourism, and exhibitions to expand consumption. The policy offers a one-time reward of 3 million yuan for events that meet specific criteria: featuring international or top-tier domestic acts, selling at least 100,000 tickets, generating over 50 million yuan in ticket revenue, and attracting more than 50 percent of the audience from outside the island.
Since July 30, overseas travelers with regular passports from countries that have diplomatic relations with China can enjoy visa-free entry to Hainan for up to 144 hours. This is applicable after they have visited Hong Kong or Macao special administrative regions and joined a tour group of at least two people arranged by a legally registered travel agency in those regions.
The move is part of broader efforts to make Hainan a global tourism hub and increase its openness to international visitors.
Featuring multiple activities including forums, cultural exhibitions and artistic performances to showcase China's rich cultural heritage and promoting dialogue on global cultural cooperation, the seventh Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo is set to take place in Dunhuang, Northwest China's Gansu Province, on Saturday.
Taking the theme "practicing the Global Civilization Initiative, deepening cultural exchanges and mutual learning," the forums will cover diverse topics, such as new directions in Dunhuang Studies, the literary expressions of Dunhuang culture and innovative practices in the protection of intangible cultural heritage.
Other areas of focus include the development and modern dissemination of Dunhuang dance, international youth dialogue on mutual cultural appreciation, and discussions on China's collaboration with Central and South Asia under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
The forums will also explore the continued development and preservation of Chinese national cultural identity, according to the organizers.
A total of over 300 domestic and international experts, scholars, and representatives are expected to attend the event.
First held in 2016, the expo is considered a key player in promoting cultural exchanges and economic cooperation and trade among countries and regions along the Belt and Road.
Dunhuang, a tourist city that is known for the ancient Mogao Caves, attracts large numbers of domestic and international visitors every year.
In the year 2024, Dunhuang's four major artistic performances have continued to be immensely popular, especially during the peak tourism season. High-profile immersive shows Encore Dunhuang and Ancient Sound of Dunhuang have added extra shows to meet the increasing demand of tourists.
According to local media, the four major performances in Dunhuang have staged a total of 1,225 shows, attracting 582,100 visitors and generating a revenue of 143 million yuan ($20.23 million) as of the end of July.
Digital technology is driving the diverse development of cultural performances.
The "Digital Dunhuang" project stands as an exemplary initiative by Gansu in the protection and preservation of cultural heritage.
Using advanced digital scanning, modeling, and virtual reality technology, it preserves the caves, murals, and sculptures in the Mogao Caves in a digital format, ensuring the permanent transmission of these invaluable cultural artifacts.
This summer, an immersive exhibition launched by the Dunhuang Academy is among the most popular experience project by the visitors. Another notable digital experience is the project Wonders of Dunhuang: Treasures and Sands, which recreates the ancient city of Shazhou from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) by applying cutting-edge, large-scale, and multi-user VR technology.
"Driven by the Expo, local cultural enterprises are making use of digital technology to enhance visitors' understanding of Dunhuang culture without damaging the heritage itself. This has elevated the quality of tourism and visitor experience," a local cultural official surnamed Zhao told the Global Times.
"The use of digital technology has facilitated the global dissemination of Chinese culture through the internet, attracting wider attention and expanding the market for Gansu's cultural tourism industry."
The discovery of the Malangxia Site in Yuyao, East China's Zhejiang Province has contributed to a more comprehensive understanding of the social development and way of life in the Yuyao region from the Shang-Zhou (c.1600BC-256BC) to the Ming-Qing (1368-1911) dynasties, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
The site has five distinct cultural strata, with each layer representing different historical periods: the Shang-Zhou dynasties, the Han-Northern and Southern Dynasties (206BC-589), the Tang-Five Dynasties (618-960), the Song-Yuan dynasties (960-1368), and the Ming-Qing dynasties. This rich archaeological record offers a comprehensive look into the social development and daily life of the people in the Yuyao region across over three millennia.
Local experts have emphasized the importance of the Malangxia Site, noting that it is the most extensive and well-preserved site found in Yuyao to date. The cultural significance and the clear historical timeline uncovered at the site make it a crucial reflection of the region's long-term social evolution.
Among the oldest finds are ash pits and a single tomb from the Shang-Zhou period containing stamped hard pottery and primitive celadon items. These artifacts, which include jars with patterns resembling rice sieves, hemp, and mats, are characteristic of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.
The Han-Northern and Southern Dynasties layer reveals a wealth of relics, including house sites, ash pits, tombs, wells, roads, and ditches.
The Tang-Five Dynasties layer is relatively sparse, featuring only a single tomb with a few artifacts, primarily daily-use ceramics. The Song-Yuan dynasties layer is represented by a variety of relics, including ash pits, tombs, ditches, and postholes. These artifacts highlight the exchange of aesthetic styles between northern and southern kilns.
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.
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.
