The Unspoken Mastery - Lin Gang's Centenary Art Exhibition opened on Wednesday at the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) Art Museum in China's capital Beijing.
According to CAFA, as Lin, an outstanding professor at CAFA and a prominent figure in China's oil painting community, enters his centennial year in 2024, this large-scale retrospective exhibition is being held to showcase his prolific artistic achievements.
Having studied in the former Soviet Union, Lin was awarded the Pushkin Medal by the Russian Ministry of Culture in 1999 and was appointed an honorary professor at the Ilya Repin St. Petersburg State Academy of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture in Russia.
Lin applied his knowledge and insights to teaching, making significant contributions to the development of the oil painting education in China.
The exhibition features a vast collection of representative works from various periods of Lin's career, along with a wealth of related documents, creative notes, and other artistic materials. The exhibition will run until October 13.
The year 2024 ushers in the second golden decade of the joint building of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) after the initiative has already yielded many fruitful results worldwide. Looking forward to the new stage of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation over the coming 10 years, the Global Times Institute (GTI) recently conducted a public awareness survey of the BRI in 13 countries around the world to understand how people overseas view the BRI in relation to global affairs, their own country, and themselves, and to understand the future expectations of the overseas public for the Belt and Road cooperation.
The survey covered 12 Belt and Road partner countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, and Oceania, as well as one BRICS member state - Brazil, totaling 13 countries, and was conducted in 12 languages including English, Arabic, Russian, Kazakh, and Turkish.
The survey was conducted from May 27 to June 21, using online surveys, telephone interviews, face-to-face interviews, and other methods to collect data. Approximately 11,000 valid questionnaires in total were collected and the sample subjects were residents over 18 years old in each country. By GT staff reporters
In the annals of world history, the famous Silk Road once connected countries in Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and China. This route not only facilitated trade between the countries along its path but also promoted cultural exchanges and mutual learning of civilizations among different countries and regions.
Today, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by China is promoting joint development and prosperity among the countries along the Eurasian and African routes. This initiative is allowing people from various countries to share a harmonious, peaceful, and prosperous life, continuing the legacy of connectivity and cooperation that the Silk Road symbolized centuries ago.
The latest survey conducted by the Global Times Institute (GTI) found out that a significant number of respondents had heard of the BRI. Compared with plans or initiatives proposed by other countries or international organizations, more respondents expressed optimism about the role that the BRI plays in the world across different countries and regions, ranking above the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor proposed by the US and the Global Gateway strategy proposed by the European Union.
Vietnamese respondents had the highest awareness of the BRI, with 87 percent knowing about it. Respondents from Laos and Indonesia generally have higher rates of agreement with the main concepts or practices of the BRI.
Laotian respondents have the highest positive agreements on the initiative actively sharing poverty alleviation experiences and emphasizing green development (both at 95 percent), while Indonesian respondents were most in agreement with the BRI increasing technological investment to improve resource efficiency (91 percent).
Pakistan also has the highest agreement rate for actively sharing poverty alleviation experiences; respondents from Saudi Arabia and Turkey are most in agreement with emphasizing green development; and Kenyan respondents also have a 90 percent agreement rate for increasing technological investment to improve resource efficiency.
Muhammad Zamir Assadi, editor at the Internews Pakistan, told the Global Times on Sunday that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), one of the flagship projects under the BRI, has changed the overall economic landscape of Pakistan as it has successfully attracted the attention of other international community in addition to attracting foreign investment to the country.
"We have witnessed the interest of middle eastern countries to who have shown their intent to invest under the framework of CPEC that will again bring more positive impact to Pakistani economy in various fields," he said.
He told the Global Times that the BRI also had enormous impact on his personal career. Back in 2016, he was given his first opportunity to visit China under one of the BRI projects that opened new avenues for him to learn about China and the visit strengthened his professional skills and enabled him to get important position in Pakistan's news industry.
"I feel a pride for me to lead a dedicated team on China affairs and to act as a media guide for disseminating information on China affairs in Pakistan in various languages," he told the Global Times.
Respondents have confidence in China's future efforts to achieve greater success in promoting the BRI, and being part of the BRI and deepening cooperation receive strong support overall, the survey found.
The joint construction of the BRI will become one of the most important ways for China to fulfill its responsibilities as a major country in the international community, experts said.
A majority of respondents are happy to see more countries join the BRI, and look forward to its positive effects on promoting global development and narrowing the gap between rich and poor countries. Nearly half of the respondents would be pleased to see the US participate in the BRI.
The survey also showed that nearly 70 percent of Brazilian respondents support their country joining the BRI.
The long-term sustainability of Belt and Road projects is a priority for most respondents, with cooperation in infrastructure construction being the most anticipated in many countries.
In a new phase of the cooperation under the BRI, respondents are most looking forward to prioritizing cooperation on infrastructure construction, with 52 percent specifically mentioning this point; the proportion of those looking forward to cooperation in ecological environment protection, public health, daily life, and education fields is also around 40 percent. Assadi told the Global Times that Pakistan has prioritized its development needs as per the local requirements of the local people based on the national conditions aligning with their national interests.
"Pakistan is looking forward to the cooperation from China in the field of agriculture, industrialization, upgradation of the railway infrastructure as this is significant for the socio-economic development of Pakistan, investment in improvement of medical and education sector, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, internet of things, big data, the auto sector, science and technology, space sciences, logistics, aviation, oil and gas resources, and natural gas hydrate and others," he said.
Public benefits
The key to sound relations between countries lies in the affinity between their peoples. China announced at the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in October 2023 that it will carry out practical cooperation under the BRI, promoting both signature projects and "small yet smart" quality of life programs, including 1,000 small-scale livelihood assistance projects.
When asked whether they look forward to and are willing to participate in future BRI projects related to their own quality of life, over 70 percent of respondents in the 13 countries surveyed provided a positive response, with over half expressing a willingness to participate.
In Kenya, Indonesia, and Vietnam, the proportion of respondents looking forward to such projects was close to or exceeded 90 percent, with at least 70 percent willing to participate.
Under the BRI cooperation framework, more than half of the respondents were willing to work for Chinese enterprises/institutions/projects established locally, while over 30 percent was open to the idea.
The primary reason cited was the opportunity to learn more professional skills, which was mentioned by nearly 60 percent of respondents on average across the 13 countries. Many respondents also cited higher income, better career development opportunities, and a more stable labor market and social benefits.
Cui Hongjian, a professor from the Country and Area Studies Academy with Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times that BRI projects have delivered tangible benefits to local areas, most notably by helping to solve employment issues.
Regarding cultural exchanges and cooperation under the BRI, respondents were more willing to participate in cross-border tourism/festival activities, followed by experiencing or learning about traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) cultural projects. Applying for Chinese scholarships, education funds, and participating in university/student exchange programs were also popular.
He Wenping, a research fellow from the Institute of West Asian and African Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that "cultural exchanges should go hand in hand with infrastructure construction; wherever infrastructure projects go, cultural exchanges should follow."
Recently, "China Travel" has become a hot topic on overseas social media, with foreign YouTubers frequently visiting China. Not only have they gained views, but the realistic portrayals in their videos have also broken the longstanding information cocoon about China among foreign people.
Survey data shows that over 80 percent of respondents in the 13 countries were willing to visit China in the future, with 60 percent expressing a desire to travel to China, and over 20 percent willing to work, go on business trips, or study in China.
High hopes
Regarding the positive impacts the BRI can bring to the world, more than half of the respondents in the 13 countries expect the initiative to promote global development and narrow the international wealth gap.
Nearly half of the respondents hope that the BRI will unite countries, enhance mutual understanding and tolerance among people of different countries, promote cultural exchanges and integration, and foster a fairer world order.
Regarding media criticisms that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is "neocolonialism" and creates a "debt trap," 72 percent of respondents have a clear stance on this issue. Among them, an average of 13 percent of respondents across 13 countries believe these accusations are baseless attacks, 24 percent consider them misunderstandings, and 21 percent think they represent bias. Additionally, 28 percent view these claims as risk warnings.
When asked about the possibility of more countries joining the BRI in the future, 61 percent of respondents said they would welcome it, with particularly high proportions in Kenya (77 percent) and Brazil (73 percent).
Wang Youming, director of the Institute of Developing Countries at the China Institute of International Studies in Beijing, believed that the public confidence in the BRI stems from the tangible, visible, and substantial achievements made over the past 11 years.
"These achievements have taken root in the participating countries, bringing benefits to local economic development, employment improvement, and people's livelihoods," he said.
President Xi Jinping emphasized continuous efforts to uphold, improve and run the system of people's congresses, the country's fundamental political system, to good effect at a meeting held on Saturday to celebrate the 70th founding anniversary of the National People's Congress.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed the need to further firm up confidence in the path, theory, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
After Super Typhoon Yagi pounded South China’s Hainan Province, leading to power outages in many areas, a man was reported to have bathed in water collected from coconuts dislodged by the storm, Xiaoxiang Morning Herald reported on Tuesday.
The man mentioned that he used coconut water for almost everything from washing his face and brushing his teeth to cooking vegetables and preparing meals, according to media reports.
The man joked and referred it as “luxurious,” given that a tub of coconut water he used would normally cost up to 300 yuan ($42).
Many netizens were surprised at his innovative use of the fallen coconuts, though some questioned the practicality of his action.
Hainan has witnessed its production gradually resumed after Super Typhoon Yagi, according to Xinhua News Agency. China Southern Power Grid has deployed emergency power repair personnel and vehicles to support disaster relief and power restoration efforts in Hainan Province.
Chinese and international celebrities, including Jay Chou, Ye, and Mariah Carey, will perform in cities across China for the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival holidays.
These singing events are expected to be major holiday economy drivers, especially in second- and third-tier cities.
Chou, a singer from the island of Taiwan, is scheduled to give singing events four days in a row in South China's Shenzhen from Thursday to Sunday. The tickets, on sale for up to 2,000 yuan ($280), were sold out only minutes after they were released.
Li Jian, a Chinese mainland singer best known for his poetic musical style, plans to sing on stage in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on September 14 and 16.
In addition to Chinese artists, international celebrities are also planning to perform in China around the Mid-Autumn Festival holidays, which will be marked from Sunday to Tuesday. American rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, was set to hold a "listening party" for his new "Vultures" studio album in South China's Hainan Province on Sunday. Ticket for Ye's performance, also up to 2,000 yuan, were snapped up as soon as they hit the market.
Wuyuan River Stadium, where Ye's singing performance is scheduled to be held, was damaged by typhoon Yagi, which struck Haikou in recent days. The Haikou tourism authority said on Thursday that it was racing against time to repair the stadium so that the singing performance can be held on Sunday as scheduled.
Mariah Carey, another American singer, will be performing in Beijing from Sunday to Monday.
In the first half of 2024, the total box-office revenue from singing events across China has reached 10.14 billion yuan, with the singing events with 3,000 seats or more generating 10.08 billion yuan. This represents an increase of 8.37 billion yuan compared to the first half of 2023, according to an industry report by an independent research institute.
China's top diplomat Wang Yi attended the 14th meeting of the BRICS high-ranking officials responsible for security matters and national security advisors, in St. Petersburg, Russia on Wednesday.
This is the first meeting of BRICS High-Ranking Officials responsible for security matters/National Security Advisors following the historic expansion of BRICS. Analysts said that BRICS, as a crucial platform for developing countries, will enhance cooperation among the Global South and contribute to global stability.
During the meeting, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said he welcomes new members to join the BRICS family, stating that the world today is entering a new period of turmoil and transformation, with various security threats intertwining and resonating. Against this backdrop, it holds special significance for BRICS countries to discuss cooperation plans and seek peaceful solutions together.
Wang proposed four initiatives for BRICS countries to jointly address security threats. BRICS countries should take the lead in practicing peaceful coexistence, and adhering to independence and autonomy. They should also be guided by true multilateralism, reject exceptionalism and double standards.
BRICS countries should firmly promote the political resolution of hotspot issues, and respect each other's legitimate concerns. They must take the lead in speaking out for justice and handling affairs fairly on the international stage, and jointly advocate for an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, Wang said.
The BRICS meeting in St. Petersburg is addressing security issues of shared concern in response to rising security threats and risks, which indicates that BRICS is expanding beyond economic matters to explore a broader scope of multilateral cooperation, said Cui Heng, a research fellow with the Center for Russian Studies of East China Normal University.
As the Global South is playing an increasingly important role in international affairs, particularly in security and development, China and Russia, along with other BRICS members, aim to deepen ties with these nations to further enhance international influence while addressing the challenges from Western countries, Cui said.
Stanislav Byshok, an expert from the Faculty of Political Science in Moscow State University, said that a key issue for the meeting is how to support each other despite existing barriers, adding that peace initiatives are also anticipated to address the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
A team led by Chinese academician Fang Xiaomin from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research (ITP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has reached 750 meters, during their environmental science drilling in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, or the Tibetan Plateau, setting a new record, the Global Times learned from the ITP on Tuesday.
The project is currently ongoing in the Lunpola Basin with the goal of drilling beyond 1,000 meters, marking the first initiative of its kind on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, according to the ITP.
The Lunpola Basin is situated in the central part of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, with an average altitude of 4,600 meters. It contains the most continuous Cenozoic strata of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau dating back to 55 million years and is the first oil-producing basin in the core area of the plateau.
Numerous fossils, such as tropical palm trees, camphor trees, golden rain trees, split-belly fish and climbing perch, as well as water spiders, have been unearthed, along with multiple layers of ancient soils and volcanic ash. These findings provide a detailed record of the uplift of the central Tibetan Plateau and the historical changes in climate and ecological environment, making it one of the key areas for studying the co-evolution of tectonics, climate, biology and ecology.
In previous research, scholars have reconstructed the ancient elevation history of the Lunpola Basin using various methods, including the analysis of fossils as well as the oxygen isotopes found in ancient soil carbonates. However, significant debate remains concerning when the basin reached its present elevation. The comprehensive understanding of the co-evolution of tectonic, climatic, biological, and ecological processes has yet to be fully established. In the past 20 years, Fang and his team have utilized the absolute dating of volcanic ash to establish a high precision paleomagnetic chronological sequence of the Cenozoic strata in the basin. They discovered that the Lunpola Basin has a distinct history of two phases of formation, evolution, and deformation: the early phase involved slow subsidence from approximately 42 million to 26 million years ago, while the later phase involved rapid uplift from about 26 million to 20 million years ago.
In the future, the research team plans to combine analyses from paleoclimate, paleobiology, and paleoecological environments, along with tectonics, sedimentology, and geochemistry, to reveal the history of the Asian monsoon's entry into the Tibetan Plateau over the past 40 million years, the co-evolution of climate, environment, and biodiversity in the heart of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, as well as the formation processes of hydrocarbon source rocks and arid salt lake deposits. This will provide important scientific evidence for simulating and predicting the impact of global warming across the plateau, in addition to protecting its ecological environment, and guiding the exploration and development of hydrocarbon and salt lake resources, according to the ITP.
China-Africa cooperation has been very helpful in terms of "giving the financial boost that Africa needs" when there are constraints in terms of the FDI flows from the Western countries, Nardos Bekele-Thomas, the Chief Executive Officer for the Africa Union Development Agency-New Partnerships for Africa's Development (AUDA-NEPAD) stressed on Saturday on the sidelines of a financial forum.
Following the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) which concluded in Beijing on Friday, a forum co-hosted by the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI) and the African Union (AU) was held next day, with the theme of "Building Bridges: Cooperation for Growth between China and Africa Multilateral Financial Institutions."
Over the decades, partnerships between China and African multilateral financial institutions (AMFIs) have grown stronger, achieving fruitful cooperation in driving economic transformation across the African continent.
Nevertheless, the West has viewed cooperation between China and Africa through the lens of a cold war mentality. The Western media has portrayed the development financing provided by China to Africa as a "debt trap."
"This is not a reality. Some people decided to see the things in a different way, but it does not mean that is reality." Albert Muchanga, commissioner for Trade and Industry of the African Union Commission, responded to Western "debt trap" allegations during the forum. The reality on the ground is that there has been a substantive collaboration between Africa and China, and African countries and China are committed to moving in that collaboration to higher levels. That's what matters for the benefits of the people of Africa and the people of China, it's a win-win collaboration, Muchanga noted.
With regard to the truth of the debt issue in Africa, Bekele-Thomas explained that at the time when Africa was expanding in terms of economic growth, COVID-19 came, and then the Ukraine crisis which disrupted supply chains and created inflation, not only in Africa, but in the world.
As a strategic partner, China is coming out to help some Africa countries to lift them out of their debt crisis. And that's very helpful. Most importantly, building the economy and making it to be strong enough to withstand shocks is critical. So we're very happy and we're very proud that our path now is for China and Africa to come together and make out plan that is concrete with results, Bekele-Thomas told the Global Times.
A lot of Chinese investments have flowed into Africa, almost into every African country which has diplomatic relations with China. They are generating jobs, and promoting value addition, which is critical to the industrialization of Africa, Muchanga said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday that China stands ready to work with Africa to implement 10 partnership actions to jointly advance modernization.
To implement the 10 partnership actions, the Chinese government will provide 360 billion yuan of financial support through the next three years, Xi said.
It means that the money is going to be used productively. And certainly, the flows that will come from China are going to be used by member states to increase the levels of investment in the economies, so that promote higher levels of inclusive growth and sustainable development across the African continent, Muchanga explained.
The vision is that China-Africa cooperation is going to grow with the dynamism, and it will continue moving forward, he added.
The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) concluded in Beijing on Friday. The three-day event saw leaders from China and African countries gather under the theme "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future" to celebrate friendship and chart the way forward for cooperation.
This marks another grand reunion for the big China-Africa family following the 2006 Beijing summit, the 2015 Johannesburg summit, and the 2018 Beijing summit of the FOCAC. It is also the largest diplomatic event that China hosted in recent years, with the highest attendance of foreign leaders, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
A declaration on jointly building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era and an action plan for the FOCAC covering the next three years were adopted Thursday at the summit, Xinhua reported.
The event is a major gathering for China and Africa.
In the forum venue, the Global Times reporters observed lively discussions between African representatives and their Chinese counterparts, exchanging ideas and expectations for the summit. This gathering felt like a grand reunion of the big China-Africa family, radiating warmth and fostering connections, particularly among the youth. The venue was adorned with the national flags of the 53 African countries that have established diplomatic ties with China, alongside the African Union flag, symbolizing the significant unity and enduring friendship between China and the African continent.
Many journalists from African countries had traveled long distances to cover this important summit. The FOCAC media center offered multilingual services in Chinese, English and French, including consultation, reservation, material distribution, and equipment borrowing. Through the on-site LED screens, journalists could access live broadcasts of multiple meetings with simultaneous multilingual interpretations.
The center also embraced cutting-edge technology, offering an AI-powered "digital news anchor" system that journalists could use to create their own personalized broadcasts featuring Beijing landmarks and summit backdrops. Additionally, an interactive humanoid robot named "Xiao Qi" assisted staff in responding to journalists' inquiries, receiving widespread praise. Beyond technological wonders, the media center showcased rich Chinese cultural elements. African journalists experienced traditional Chinese crafts such as Chinese cloisonné, kite making, and Beijing Opera mask painting. During the summit, participants were also able to experience cutting Chinese seals and practice calligraphy, leaving their marks on summit memorabilia.
Some young African journalists expressed great interest in China's philosophy of governance. The media center featured an array of multilingual books in Chinese, English, and French to help African participants gain deeper insights into China's development path, governance, and principles. Additionally, special displays such as the "Double Olympics" commemorative newspaper (highlighting the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the 2022 Winter Olympics) and a hand-drawn map of Beijing's hutong offered attendees a glimpse into China's cultural heritage and modern achievements.
Theophile Niyitegeka, a reporter from Rwanda, shared his impressions with the Global Times.
"My initial impression of China is that it is a global powerhouse, characterized by impressive infrastructure and towering skyscrapers. Prior to my visit, I had seen media reports on China's development, but I could hardly believe it until I witnessed it firsthand," Niyitegeka said.
He also emphasized the strong relationship between Rwanda and China, highlighting cooperation in sectors like education, technology, and agriculture. Recently, 71 Rwandan students were awarded scholarships to study in China, further strengthening the bond between the two countries.
China's top public security and cybersecurity authorities have attached great importance to attention grabber and have asked internet platforms to jointly develop a clean cyberspace environment, CCTV news reported on Wednesday.
CCTV news said some video platforms have explicitly asked users not to profit improperly by taking advantage of smash-hit topics and imitating the people or brands involved to chase clout.
Douyin recently released tough rules that for the accounts to latch on to, the platform will resort to methods including banning the account and withdrawing live-streaming privilege, and in serious cases, Douyin will report to the public security organs. The rules are now on trial and will go into effect on October 1.
In addition, to effectively curb the toxic fan culture in sports, multiple internet platforms and companies have continued to strengthen efforts to conduct specialized campaigns including strengthening penalties for accounts that violet rules and enhancing user guidance, CCTV news noted.
According to The Paper, a Shanghai-based media outlet, Douyin, during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, cleaned up more than 38,000 pieces of videos concerning undesirable fan culture in sports, and 445 accounts were suspended temporarily or permanently based on conditions. Sina Weibo, China's X-like platform, said on August 4 that over 12,000 pieces of offending content were scrubbed in two days, and more than 300 accounts were banned for vicious posts.
