Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded a two-day state visit to China. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs described President Putin's visit as "importantly timed and fruitful." The two heads of state signed and issued a joint statement on deepening China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries (hereinafter referred to as the joint statement). The joint statement is over 12,000 words long, with the word "cooperation" appearing over 130 times.

Currently, China-Russia relations are at their best in history, and this year marks a milestone in the development of relations between the two countries. Looking back, pragmatic cooperation between China and Russia has a solid foundation and strong internal impetus, ensuring economic and social common development and integration of both countries. Looking forward, pragmatic cooperation between China and Russia is an important guarantee for tapping the development potential of both sides and exploring long-term autonomous development. Clearly, the development of relations between the two countries is not a temporary expedient but has strong internal impetus and intrinsic value.

The rich connotation of China-Russia cooperation will continue to be enriched and elevated, and this is highly certain. For example, in terms of economic and trade cooperation, the trade of traditional labor-intensive, low-value-added electromechanical products used to be the mainstream of China-Russia economic and trade cooperation. However, in recent years, high-value-added products represented by automobiles and engineering machinery have developed rapidly. In 2023, Russia became the top destination for Chinese automobile exports, with over 900,000 vehicles exported to Russia. Additionally, many Chinese brands of mobile phones, home appliances, engineering machinery and other products are gaining increasing recognition and popularity in the Russian market. With their high quality, durability, and cost-effectiveness, they are increasingly favored by Russian consumers.

Based on mutual benefit, China and Russia continue to advance practical cooperation, benefiting the people of both countries. Maintaining a solid foundation in traditional areas such as economic and trade, energy, and agriculture is an important basis for maintaining good momentum in cooperation. Cooperation projects in these areas are also important starting points for deepening future development. For example, in agriculture, China and Russia have highly complementary advantages. If the coordination efforts in standards certification, technical specifications, and other areas of bilateral agricultural product trade continue to increase, it will lay the foundation for the development of the China-Russia agricultural cooperation experimental demonstration zone proposed in the joint statement.

At the same time, new areas such as artificial intelligence, high-tech, and basic research are also realistic choices for cooperation between the two sides. Especially in the context of the continuous impact of anti-globalization trends such as "decoupling" and "small yard, high fence," deepening practical cooperation in the new era between China and Russia will help counter external obstacles and restrictions on the technological development space of both countries, ensuring the high-level development of technology on both sides. More importantly, unleashing the potential for cooperation in cutting-edge areas will help both countries grasp the future development trend. Therefore, the strategic cooperation between China and Russia is a proactive effort rather than a passive response.

In particular, with the deepening of the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, international cutting-edge technological development presents the characteristics of multiple breakthroughs and intersections in various fields. China's technology and industry are rapidly upgrading, with the obvious feature of the "engineer dividend," and the scale and intensity of basic research and development investment are continuously increasing. In the international cutting-edge technological competition, China is gradually shifting from "following" to "keeping pace" and even "leading" in some areas. This means that through cooperation with Russia in new fields, bilateral technological mutual benefit development can be effectively promoted, helping Chinese technology research and development expand into more application scenarios, benefiting both sides' enterprises and people, promoting bilateral and even regional technological standards and norms interoperability, and jointly catching up with or even leading the future trend of cutting-edge development.

The current period is an important window for practical economic and trade cooperation between China and Russia, and the two sides' connections in politics, economy, technology, and culture will continue to be strengthened. This will not only help promote bilateral economic development and stimulate growth potential, but also promote regional peace, stability, and prosperity, sharing the dividends of each other's development, gradually realizing global economic recovery and development, and making greater contributions to promoting inclusive and beneficial economic globalization. As President Xi Jinping said, steady development of China-Russia relations is not only in the fundamental interests of the two countries and the two peoples, but also conducive to peace, stability and prosperity of the region and the world at large.

Xiang Piao Piao's stock price soared on Monday and hit the daily up limit after netizens found one of its products sold in a store in Japan have cup sleeve satirizing Japan's handling of nuclear-contaminated wastewater.

The Chinese milk tea brand has reportedly seen a 400 percent surge on its live streaming sales in China as millions of netizens bought the products from Saturday to Sunday.

A Chinese netizen discovered that MECO fruit tea, a drink under the brand of Xiang Piao Piao, sells products in a store in Japan with slogans on their cup sleeves showing "the ocean is not Japan's sewer" and "0.1 percent of the land pollutes 70 percent of the ocean." The picture was then exposed on Chinese media social platform.

Tens of thousands of simultaneous viewers visited Xiang Piao Piao's  live stream over the weekend after the matter went heated, in which three of the six items were sold out during the live. The daily sales of its store have skyrocketed from 2,500 yuan ($346) to 1 million yuan, according to media reports. 

The cup sleeves have also been out of stock as the demand is increasing, and it will be replenished at a later date, according to the anchor of the event. 

The official Weibo account of Xiang Piao Piao also released a statement on Saturday saying that "our staff are awesome" after its action triggered heated discussion on Chinese social media platforms. According to media report, the president of Xiang Piao Piao said during the live stream on Sunday that he would award 100,000 yuan to the related employees and donate all the income from the live stream from 8 pm to 12 am that night to the Environmental Protection Foundation.

The hotline staff from Xiang Piao Piao said that it was a personal behavior of the employees, not an initiative of the company, according to the 21st Century Business Herald. The Kyowa store in Okubo of Japan also told the media that the store has not sold drinks with such cup sleeves.

According to previous reports, the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) started to dump the fifth batch of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean on April 19. In Japan's fiscal 2024, which ends in March 2025, TEPCO plans to release a total of 54,600 metric tons across seven rounds, the Japan Times reported.

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Hungary, the two sides decided to elevate the current comprehensive strategic partnership to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for the new era, which experts said on Friday will provide new economic and trade cooperation opportunities for the two countries. 

Embracing the elevated partnership, China and Hungary will eye strengthened cooperation in infrastructure construction, agriculture, digital economy, green development as well as other emerging industries. Moreover, the two countries' pragmatic and fruitful achievements have set a good example for China's collaboration with other European countries, analysts noted.

"Deeper and precise cooperation will become the key word between the two countries under the all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for the new era, which means both sides will formulate cooperation policies that are more closely aligned with each other's development strategies," Song Wei, a professor from the School of International Relations at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Friday.

According to the joint statement released by the two countries, emphasis is placed on enhanced cooperation in infrastructure construction under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). 

The two countries are willing to actively promote the construction of the Hungarian section of the Hungary-Serbia Railway, and jointly promote high-level connectivity in Central and Eastern Europe.

In addition, the two sides will support the sound and steady development of the China-Europe Land-Sea Express Line, and promote connectivity and trade between China and Hungary.

The two sides spoke highly of the development of the China-Europe Railway Express between China and Hungary, and agreed to establish an inter-governmental cooperation mechanism on the China-Europe Railway Express, promote infrastructure connectivity, and jointly take practical measures to ensure the security of the transport routes and improve the quality and efficiency of the China-Europe Railway Express, so as to provide important support for deepening economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

"From the Hungary-Serbia Railway to China-Europe Railway Express, infrastructure cooperation has promoted cross-border connectivity which then helps related countries become embedded in the European and global value chain, reducing the cost of logistics and personnel," Song noted.

Moreover, the two sides recognized the huge potential in agricultural cooperation between them and will strengthen economic, trade and investment cooperation between agricultural enterprises of both sides, widen market access, promote the cooperation of "small and beautiful" projects, and strengthen cooperation in areas such as animal health and joint research and development of deep processing technologies for agricultural products.

In the latest achievement in bilateral agricultural cooperation, China's General Administration of Customs announced on Friday that it has allowed, effective immediately, the import of Hungarian fresh cherries that meet the relevant requirements. 

According to the statement, the two sides will promote orderly cooperation in emerging fields including clean energy, artificial intelligence (AI), mobile communication technology and nuclear energy and technology. They will deepen cooperation in digital economy and green development, foster new drivers of trade and economic growth, expand the scope and depth of economic and trade cooperation, and jointly safeguard the stability and security of industrial and supply chains.

The two sides will also further deepen cooperation in finance, encourage financial institutions of both sides to provide financing support and financial services for trade and investment cooperation, further tap the cooperation potential in green finance and other fields, and continue to jointly issue green Panda bonds. 

"The joint statement covers a wide range of cooperation fields, including economy, science and technology, and culture, showing the comprehensive and multi-dimensional character of China-Hungary cooperation," Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday.

Looking ahead, Wang noted that with the transformation of the global energy structure, cooperation in the field of clean energy is particularly important. China and Hungary can develop in-depth cooperation in the fields of solar energy and wind energy. Moreover, there are also high expectations that collaboration in AI and mobile communication technology will be enhanced.

Wang said the pragmatic cooperation between China and Hungary provides a successful example of cooperation between China and other countries in Central and Eastern Europe. This model of cooperation can serve as a reference and a model for other countries and promote cooperation and development in the region as a whole.

"In the context of geopolitical tensions, especially the Russia-Ukraine crisis, Central and Eastern Europe itself is facing a series of challenges, and strengthening cooperation with China is conducive to its independent development and regional stability," Song noted.

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Paris on Sunday afternoon local time, the first stop of his visit to three European countries. In a written speech on Sunday upon his arrival for a state visit to France, Xi said over the past 60 years, China-France relations have long been at the forefront of China's ties with major Western countries, setting a good example for the international community of peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation between countries with different systems.

The development of China-France relations has not only brought benefits to the two peoples, but also injected stability and positive energy into the turbulent world, Xi said in the written speech.

Xi's visit to France comes at a time when this year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. Analysts believe the visit will boost leadership exchanges, strengthen political trust and offer an opportunity for China-Europe relations to move forward in a stable and steady manner.

"President Xi will have comprehensive and in-depth strategic communication with French President Emmanuel Macron on China-France and China-Europe relations, encourage France to uphold strategic autonomy and openness in cooperation, so as to drive Europe to form a more independent, objective, and friendly understanding of China and resist negative trends such as 'de-risking' and 'reduced dependence' on China," Chinese ambassador to France Lu Shaye told a press briefing on April 29 after China made the announcement of the visit.

Pierre Picquart, an expert in geopolitics and human geography from the University of Paris-VIII, told the Global Times that Xi's visit is significant on three levels.

"On the economic front, this trip could pave the way for reaching trade agreements and promoting mutually beneficial investments in key sectors such as technology, innovation, energy and infrastructure. Diplomatically, this visit provides an ideal platform to strengthen coordination and collaboration between China and France on major global challenges such as climate change, international security and public health. On cultural and educational level, this trip could open up new opportunities for cooperation in the fields of education, research and culture, thereby strengthening exchanges between our peoples and deepening their mutual understanding," Picquart said.

Commemorative events

The national flags of China and France have been raised at one end of the Avenue des Champs-Élysées as well as on the street in front of Les Invalides.

On Sunday afternoon, near the Arc de Triomphe in the center of Paris, many local Chinese residents and Chinese students waved the national flags of China and France to welcome President Xi. The red banners that read "Long live China-France friendship" and "Wish President Xi a successful visit to France" were very eye-catching. Some also staged dragon and lion dances in show of a joyful atmosphere.

Prior to Xi's visit, several events had been held in preparation for Xi's visit as well as to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France.

The Second Forum on China-France Global Governance was jointly held on Thursday by the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies and China-Europe-America Global Initiative. Themed "Deepening global governance reforms, jointly building the future of multilateralism," the forum invited more than 100 Chinese and French scholars to share their views on the role of China and France in building a more just world. 

Pascal Boniface, director of the Paris-based Institute for International and Strategic Affairs, told the Global Times at the event, hoping that Xi's visit can address such issues as preserving multilateralism, as "we are at a time when we have the war between Russia and Ukraine, the war in Gaza and a lot of turmoil in the Middle East." 

On Friday, a symposium themed "Exchanges and Mutual Learning between the Chinese and French Civilizations: Review and Outlook," was jointly organized by the Beijing-based Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and the Paris-based National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations. Around 100 researchers from the two countries held discussions on the practice of cross-cultural exchanges between China and France and scientific and technological innovation and the future of civilization.

Antoine Broussy, director of the Charles de Gaulle Foundation, told the Global Times that many commemorations are taking place in Paris. 

Seeking common interests

Sixty years ago, France became the first Western country to establish diplomatic relations with China. Broussy believes it was "the result of a rational analysis of the geopolitical situation at the time." Then French president, General Charles De Gaulle who made the decision, was a strong advocate for "strategic autonomy" of France. Nowadays, France's call for "strategic autonomy" of both France and Europe has been repeatedly coming from French President Macron. 

When co-chairing the 25th China-France Strategic Dialogue in Paris in February with French President's Diplomatic Counselor Emmanuel Bonne, Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, said China supports Europe in strengthening its strategic autonomy and holding its future in its own hands.

Nonetheless, the "strategic autonomy" of Europe has rarely been endorsed by Washington. During Macron's visit to China last year when he warned Europe against being drawn into a conflict between the US and China over Taiwan, US magazine Foreign Policy called strategic autonomy "a French pipe dream."

He Zhigao, a research fellow with the Institute of European Studies of CASS, told the Global Times that the US wants to hold tight control of Europe to tie it to the Western camp led by Washington. 

"If Europe views China from a global perspective that could benefit the world, then China is an opportunity. But if it stands by US' side, then China must be a challenge," said He, adding that China's engagement with Europe is for the common development. 

As of 2021, China has been the largest Asian country in terms of investment and job creation in France for three consecutive years, according to a report by Business France. China-France exchanges in core sectors such as aerospace, nuclear energy and trade have already realized fruitful achievements, and the development of emerging fields such as new energy and the digital economy are likely to become new growth engines.

Sun Keqin, a research fellow at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times that France also views China as an important external force to achieve strategic autonomy, as France has another ambition of strengthening France's leadership of Europe.

Xin Hua, director and chair professor of the Center for European Union Studies, Shanghai International Studies University, believes China-France relations serve as the ballast stone of China-Europe relations.

"France is one of the most important core members of the EU and its strategic orientations play a decisive role in the EU's integration process and the strategic and security pattern of the European continent. As long as China and France maintain positive interaction, China-Europe relations will stay stable," said Xin.

When my foreign friends asked, "Have you felt any discrimination in Xinjiang," I recognized how misinformation from Western reports affected people's impressions of Xinjiang. Such false narratives not only lead to some people from Western countries believing that Xinjiang is still full of ethnic conflict, but also create an air of mystery and suspicion among people yet to visit the region. 

This partly explains why Xinjiang has to stick to opening-up. Besides considering the national strategy, for the region itself, it is also time to step out of the shadow of Western political and media-driven propaganda to confidently show a real Xinjiang to the whole world. 

Forget the so-called genocide, forget the so-called re-education camps - Xinjiang is far more vast, far more beautiful, and has a far richer history and culture heritage than you can read in any biased and maliciously skewed reports.   

What is Xinjiang really like? 

It is a wonderful land comprised of three mountain ranges and two basins, a place where lush pastures stretch out as far as the eyes can see and is complete with four seasons from the south to the north. 

It is also characterized by the smiling Uygur concierge in the hotel waiting for you at midnight, extending services with the phrase "please come to me whenever you need any help." It is the talented young Kazakh men proficient in five languages conversing with guests from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Iran like old friends. It is also the Han resident who would simply and directly tell you: "Our Xinjiang is the best."   

It is a paradise of fruits, from figs and various kinds of grapes to pomegranates. It is known as the home of succulent lamb and beef. As the locals say, "when we eat lamb, we are receiving nutrients from nature as what our sheep eat is all the grass and herbs naturally grown on the land."

Xinjiang's beauty beats the limited imagination of some. In the past, Xinjiang has been unable to effectively protect itself against politically-motivated mudslinging. For its admirers, both in China and in the rest of the world, simply taking in its beauty through images available online is an overwhelming experience, but some have embraced the adventure it holds and visited the region of themselves. 

But as 2023 has witnessed historical opening-up efforts, it is certain that the region will shake off the haze of the malicious campaigns against it and firmly move forward on its own track of development, playing a better role in serving as the country's bridgehead in its westward opening-up.

Tianshui spicy hot pot, based in Northwest China's Gansu Province, has been trending on China's social media recently, attracting troves of tourists for this delicious and mouth-watering delicacy.

Driven by social media buzz and local marketing promotions, tourists and foodies alike have flocked to Tianshui.

Searches for travel to the medium-size city Tianshui have surged. Data from Chinese travel giant, Tongcheng Travel, revealed that, as of Thursday, searches for travel to the city surged by 186 percent during last week, which have kept on growing up. Bookings in Tianshui for hotels and attractions were up 40 percent year-over-year during the past month, another online tourism site Trip.com reported on Tuesday.

Related topics about Gansu Tianshui spicy hot pot have also appeared on Sina Weibo's trending list, garnering at least more than 94 million views as of press time on Sunday.

The Gansu-style spicy hot pot, with features fragrant splashed chili oil and distinctive and wide noodles, has recently been popular, attracting foodies from all over China. It is a tongue-numbing spicy dish loved for its satisfying flavor and the richness of colors.

Different from Sichuan cuisine, another place in Southwest China famous for its hot pot, the secrets for tickling the taste buds come from local specialty ingredients in Tianshui - Maiji peppercorns and Gangu chili peppers. Both belong to local specialty agricultural industries.

"I never thought that Tianshui would one day become an 'online celebrity' in the catering and tourism industry for the spicy hot pot, considering the city was once known as an important route of the ancient 'Silk Road' and blessed with a rich history, cultural heritage destination in northwestern China," Wang Kaixuan, a 23-year-old University student from Tianshui told the Global Times on Sunday.

While some say Tianshui's hot pot sensation is aimed at emulating the success of Harbin in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province and Zibo in East China's Shandong Province, two phenomenal travel hits thanks to social media promotion, hospitality of local people and the high level of services provided to vast tourists.

Wang said he plans to invite his friends to come for a visit to Tianshui and enjoy the local hot pot during the Qingming Festival in April. "I definitely hope my hometown to become the next Harbin, as my city is well prepared and is grasping the chance and welcoming tourists with sincerity and well-equipped facilities."

Domestic tourists made nearly 4.9 billion trips in 2023, with total tourism expenditure approaching 5 trillion yuan, Zhang Yi, CEO of iiMedia Research Institute told the Global Times on Sunday. "With such a tourism boom in domestic market, we have every reason to believe that in 2024, more internet celebrity tourism spots will emerge in China. And with favorable policy support from the authorities, China will see more robust recovery, and vigorous growth in cultural, tourism industries as well, Zhang noted.
Nowadays, a Tianshui spicy hot pot restaurant is a must-go visit in the city. To better allow tourist enjoyment of the delicious food, the local government not only provides special bus commute but also prepares agricultural specialties, boutique cultural tourism routes, and exquisite local products, allowing tourists to experience the charm of local culture while savoring the delicacies.

Meanwhile, local tourism authorities are capitalizing on the city's newfound fame to stimulate the local economy. Starting from Saturday, the local authorities launched a food festival to showcase a variety of Tianshui cuisine. The week-long event is expected to attract dozens of local businesses and hundreds and thousands of tourists from all over the country to join in the spicy hot pot "carnival".

The popularity of Tianshui's spicy hot pot has had a significant impact on local cultural tourism, consumption and boosted local service sector growth.

Meanwhile, the popularity of Tianshui spicy hot pot fuels stock market surge as well. On Friday, shares related to spicy hot pot, such as Junsun Fungi Co and Yatai Holding Group Co surged. Other food companies' stocks, including Lanzhou Huanghe Enterprise Co and Lanzhou Zhuangyuan Pasture Co have also made gains.

The Chinese economy has fared quite well and has showed strong resilience under the huge combined pressure over the past years. We still believe that China was, is, and will remain the factory of the world thanks to the improved productivity levels, broad and deep industrial clusters, and well-established infrastructure, Denis Depoux, Global Managing Director at Roland Berger, told the Global Times in an interview on Thursday.

"The combination of a broad local market and the strong legacy export base make China difficult to replace," Depoux said, noting that China's fundamentals will be solid in the long run amid continuous transformation of new growth drivers.

China is no longer a cheap labor market, neither is it environmentally permissive. Fixed-asset investments are shifting from infrastructure and real estate to industrial modernization, the energy transition, as the new engines of the Chinese economy. Global geopolitical tensions, supply chain reconfiguration and a slower global economy have accelerated this trend. Domestic consumption should top these new engines, he said.

During the ongoing two sessions - annual sessions of the National People's Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference - Chinese policymakers set an annual GDP growth target of around 5 percent for 2024, showing their confidence of maintaining high-quality growth despite uncertainties and challenges at home and abroad.
Achieving the target "is not a low-hanging fruit," Depoux noted, adding that ensuring economic stability continues to be an important task for the Chinese government in 2024.

In the short term, government stimulus should remain targeted and limited to support the country's long-term and major strategic planning and construction of key areas. Meanwhile, the central and local governments can activate more structural policy levers, with reforms that in some cases already have started, he said.

"2024 is an important year to transform. It provides an important opportunity for Chinese companies to push the transformation," Depoux said, urging companies to end their "wait-and-see" approach, face the changes and start to take concrete actions to implement the transformation to prepare themselves to better fit into the future and support the economy.

After decades of development, China's old engines of growth are gradually being phased out, but the powerhouse lives on, Depoux said. He said there are three key drivers that will structure China's future development, namely industrial modernization, energy transition and decarbonization, and transformation of domestic consumption.

We have seen China leapfrogging others in some new areas such as electric vehicles, energy storage, and more will be expected in healthcare, space, new materials and artificial intelligence, Depoux.

"In the area of decarbonization, technology is not everything, and services, activating specialized know how, are at least as important - a strong potential for foreign companies to strive in China," he said.

In recent years, China has been putting in effort to re-boost the confidence of foreign business and restated that foreign business would continue to play an important role in China's future economy, Depoux said.

This year's Government Work Report pledged that the country will pursue higher-standard opening-up and promoting mutual benefits in 2024. It stressed that all market access restrictions on foreign investment in manufacturing will be abolished, and market access restrictions in services sectors, such as telecommunications and healthcare, will be reduced.

"Given China's economic prospects, we expect our strategy and operations consulting business to continue to grow," Depoux said.

It was close to midnight Beijing time. In Taipan village, a small mountain village in Guizhou Province in Southwest China, a basketball game was underway. Tens of thousands of spectators filled the court, and every time when points were scored, the sidelines rang with cheers and the banging of pots and pans. Incredibly, millions of netizens watched the game on their cell phones.

Starting last summer, a phenomenal basketball tournament was born in this small village of 1,200 people, generating national attention. People call this village basketball tournament "Village BA," and some compare it to the famed Rucker Park, a basketball mecca in New York City.

The 28-year-old Ou Minghui is a Guizhou native. He led his team to win the championship in the previous Village BA tournament and he won the tournament MVP. Ou started playing basketball at the age of 8 and his idol is Kobe Bryant. Although Ou's current job is raising cattle, playing basketball has always been his dream.

In China, amateur basketball players like Ou are called "grassroots players." Most of the participants in the Village BA tournament come from Taipan and its surrounding villages, including farmers, cooks, drivers. Even people who work in nearby provinces, such as Guangdong, take time off to play in the tournament.

"The professional players have their dreams and we have ours," Ou said.

Basketball has a long tradition in Taipan, where the first basketball court, though substandard, was built in 1936. Since then, during summer festivals when the Miao people - one of the 56 ethnic groups in China, and many of the villagers in Taipan are Miao who still retain their own culture and customs - celebrate the harvest, Taipan village has organized basketball tournaments, inviting villagers from the neighboring areas to participate.

For decades, the prizes for contest winners were never paid in cash. In the past, villagers took out their own rice and gave it to the winners of the tournament. Nowadays, the top teams receive prizes such as cows, sheep and piglets, all of which are local specialties.

Whether on or off the court, the Village BA basketball tournament brings people a completely different feeling from professional events. Many spectators stand on hillsides and rooftops, or climb up ladders or treetops just to find the best viewing angle. Once these on-site spectators used their smartphones and social media networks to share their joy, viewers from all over the country were soon attracted to Village BA as well.

Lin Yongping, 55, and her family drove three hours from another city in Guizhou Province to the village of Taipan. It was her first time to see a basketball game live.

"It doesn't matter to me how the match result goes," Lin said. "I don't really know the basketball rules but we cheer for whoever scores."

Basketball is very popular in China and people are well aware of the NBA games. In July, Minnesota Timberwolves player Li Kai'er, formerly known as Kyle Anderson before his naturalization, became a player for the Chinese national team and participated in the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

China's basketball legend Yao Ming, who once played for NBA franchise the Houston Rockets, is currently the President of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). Speaking about the Village BA, Yao said he was afraid he wouldn't be able to snag a ticket, even though it's free.

There were quite a few NBA elements at the Village BA games. Many spectators wore jerseys of Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Tracy McGrady, Jeremy Lin and other stars when watching the games.

Not long ago, the NBA and Village BA established some connections. 

As part of his China Tour, Miami Heat player Jimmy Butler came to the village of Taipan. Wearing Miao silver jewelry and carrying Miao embroidery, Butler was applauded and cheered by thousands of fans. When asked about how he felt, Butler repeated the word "incredible" several times in his answer. When he left the village, he asked the staff for pictures and video footages and shared this unforgettable experience on his personal social media account. 

Wu Xiaolong, 31, a villager from Taipan village, was particularly excited by Butler's arrival. "I watch NBA games every year," Wu said. "Now foreign friends also see the games in our hometown, I feel very happy and proud."

US basketball star Stephon Marbury, who has worked for many years in China's top basketball league CBA, also came to the Village BA to train with local young players. Brooklyn Nets player Ben Simmons, on the other hand, donated a basketball court to a town in Guizhou. "I have visited China many times since I was a teenager, and I am deeply touched by the warmth and friendliness of the Chinese people and their love for basketball." Simmons said he hopes to bring the joy of basketball to more people by donating the court. 

An American netizen on Twitter commented that whether it's the NBA or the Village BA, the people of China, like the people of the US and the rest of the world, have the right to enjoy sports and to unite in the pursuit of a better life.

For Village BA spectators and local people, Village BA is more than just a basketball game, it feels like a carnival.

At halftime, there are various cultural performances - people dressed in ethnic minority costumes, audience members singing Cantonese songs from the 1990s, and children break-dancing to the tune of song "I will survive."

Outside the stadium, local villagers have set up stalls selling specialty snacks such as cold noodles, fried yam and ice jelly, most of which sell for less than $1 each. There are also villagers who offer ethnic minority clothing for rent for out-of-town visitors to use for photo shoots and social media posts.

Cen Jianglong, a villager from Taipan village, quit his job outside Guizhou last year and returned home, where he and his wife opened a restaurant near the stadium. The restaurant does very good business during the games in July and August. "The villagers hope that the Village BA will drive everyone to get rich together," Cen said.

Village BA offers opportunities and hope for Chinese villages like Taipan. During the 2022 games, the village welcomed over 400,000 tourists, generating combined tourism revenue of about $3 million.

In Rongjiang county, a few hours away from Taipan village by car, a local soccer tournament has had the same impact as the Village BA. At the recent China International Fair for Trade in Services in Beijing, the English Premier League signed a cooperation agreement with the village soccer tournament, with both sides planning training sessions and content interaction, and considering organizing friendly soccer matches.

This year, the Village BA is being held as a national tournament in villages across the country as part of China's plan to revitalize the countryside. In October, the Village BA finals will return to its birthplace in Taipan, where the game is often played from dawn to dusk. In this area, basketball games are often played from darkness to dawn, known locally as "dawn culture."

"Kobe once said, 'Have you ever seen the scene of Los Angeles at 4 am?'" A fan wrote on social media. "I'd say that you can see Taipan at 4 am through the Village BA."

China's Generation Z skateboarders have rocked the Asian Games like no one had imagined - bagging three of four gold medals of the discipline. It was not only just about the medals, but also about the energy, vitality and the uniqueness they inject into the Games.

On September 27, the youngest member of the Chinese delegation Cui Chenxi, 13, wrote her name in Chinese sports history after becoming the youngest Asian Games champion for her nation. In the same match, 18-year-old Zeng Wenhui bagged silver in women's street.

In the men's park, 15-year-old Chen Ye finished first. In men's street, China's 16-year-old Zhang Jie snatched a gold while his teammate 19-year-old Su Jianjun won a bronze. In the women's park final, Chinese athlete Li Yujuan, 20, won the silver medal, while Mao Jiasi, 15, won the bronze.

No doubt that skateboarding is a young and up-and-coming sport. Throughout the four days of the skateboarding competition, there was a friendly, young and relaxed atmosphere in the arena. In women's street final, seven of the eight contestants are under 18. Women's street final was even attended by the youngest athlete of the Asian Games at the age of nine. These athletes, however, showed the brilliant athleticism just like their role models, passed down from generation to generation. 

No pressure

Speaking with the Global Times, the young medalists displayed a similar  fighting spirit and the adherence to excellence just like the veteran athletes, but they also showed something noticeably different - their relaxed mindset toward pressure, their independence growing up as an athlete, and the unwavering support they received from their parents. 

After becoming Team China's youngest ever Asian Games champion, Cui told the Global Times that the title did not add any extra pressure. 

"I made a mistake in my first run, and on the second attempt, my coach wanted me to be steady, but I was eager to try a riskier maneuver on my own, and in the end, it worked out," Cui said.

The champion is always at ease. In the mix zone after the final, Cui instructed all the media reporters to line up and sought their opinions on where she should stand before patiently and frankly giving answers to all the questions. She said that she never actually expected the gold but she really wanted to win. 

"I might be telling some of these stories in Hangzhou to my classmates when I get back," said the middle-school girl. "I think they would be happy for me."

Different from traditional sports, there is no fixed action pattern in skateboarding. It requires skaters to freely use their imagination and creativity, which is challenging and makes the sport popular among fans. Similar to earlier generations, professional skateboards often mention that they started the sport because they found it fun. 

"When I started skateboarding, I felt that it was a very exciting and thrilling sport. I felt very happy after completing each move," Chen said, comparing it to the piano and other hobbies that his father, Chen Wanqin, tried to introduce to him, but which he found boring compared with playing with a skateboard.

When asked about his interest over skateboarding, Zhang Jie, who just won men's street, also shrugged grand expressions, but accredited all to "cool and fun."

Family support

The Gen-Z athletes also share similar positive family atmosphere. Usually training on their own without a professional team, they hailed the support they received from their family. 

After winning the final, Cui put on the Chinese national flag on her back and skated around the venue to a loud cheer. In the audience sat her father, who first introduced Cui to skateboarding and took her training at the age of nine.

For Chen, the training area made by Chen's father became the focus of media attention after his inspirational win. In an interview with the Global Times, Chen expressed his gratitude to his father as the person he most wanted to thank after winning the gold medal.

"I'm grateful to my father for building two bowls for training for me and studying skateboarding skills with me," Chen said. Chen said that he fell in love with skateboarding when he first encountered the sport in a shopping mall at the age of 8.

Once Chen Ye showed his true passion, his father respected him the choice and supported him. In 2019, Chen Ye joined the Guangdong provincial skateboarding team. To help his son's training, Chen Wanqin and his wife rented a warehouse of more than 200 square meters to build a practice bowl for him.  

After finishing second in the men's skateboarding park event at the 2021 National Games of China, Chen Wanqin built a new 900-square-meter skateboard park with a max height of nine meters in 2022 in order to improve his son's performance. Chen Ye said that during that time, his father quit his job and even spent all his savings to support his passion.

The Chinese skateboarding team, composed of athletes born after the year of 2000, continues to make breakthroughs, and the future looks promising. Showered by love, support and confidence, they are never afraid to share their ambition to go to the top. 

"First I will concentrate on getting there, then I can make a big attack," Cui told the Global Times when asked about Paris 2024.

China's first Student (Youth) Games concluded on Wednesday in Nanning, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Drawing about 20,000 young players, the Games awarded 805 gold medals across various sports. 

The Games showcased outstanding athletic achievements and the deepening integration of sports and education in China. Young athletes from different regions and schools competed and interacted in a display of youthful vitality. 

The Games marked the merging and upgrading of the National Youth Games and the National Student Games, providing a high-level competitive platform for young sports talents in China. Notably, 11 world youth records were exceeded, one world record was tied, and three Asian records were bettered.

Among all the 69 delegations participating in the open group, 64 won medals, with 54 winning gold medals. Delegations from the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions won gold medals in the equestrian events and swimming events, respectively.

Additionally, a number of national records, national youth records and national juvenile records were set in sports such as shooting, track and field and weightlifting. In the campus group, all 34 delegations won medals, with 30 winning gold.

The first gold medal of the Games was won in Beihai, Guangxi, where 19-year-old Huang Yaoshu from the Haikou team won the men's longboard surfing event, leading the runner-up by nearly five points. 

In less than half a year since he started surfing in July 2017, Huang was selected for the Provincial Surfing Team of Hainan, the southernmost island province of China. As a kid who grew up in a fishing village, he had a natural love for surfing, but he said that he was not a talented athlete and so had to train hard for a long time. He noted that mastering a new move gives him a sense of accomplishment.

In Mashan county of Guangxi, 14-year-old Li Yantan from Guling Town Junior High School, a rural school surrounded by cliffs and precipices, excelled in rock climbing. The girl from the Zhuang ethnic group improved her performance from 11.90 seconds in the preliminaries to 10.91 seconds in the finals, securing a gold medal. Her coach, Wu Guoyong, mentioned that Li had been training in rock climbing since primary school and had shown significant improvement over the past five years.

The Games serve as an important opportunity to showcase the development of youth sports in China and represent the latest attempt at integrating sports and education. This integration is crucial for the overall development and growth of young athletes in the country, sport commentator Luo Le told the Global Times.

Luo noted that the Games provide an excellent platform for selecting talents for China's competitive sports industry. It offers young athletes a rare opportunity to gain experience in major competitions, which is vital for their development and future success in sports.

Chinese star hurdler Wu Yanni, who won the women's 100-meter hurdles during the Games, hit back at online criticism after her win.

"Some people online were saying, 'Don't jump the gun again this time.' But I was thinking, even if I did, so what?" 

Wu was disqualified for a false start at the 19th Asian Games held in Hangzhou in October. She gained supports for her confidence and straightforwardness after her public push back at the Student (Youth) Games. 

The environment in which the current generation of young athletes is growing up is significantly different from that of earlier athletes. These athletes are maturing in an era dominated by new media, and they themselves are examples of how to spread the spirit and culture of sports to the wider youth community, experts said. 

"As representatives of the new generation and the future of China's sports industry, they play a pivotal role in guiding younger athletic talents. The channels through which they exert their influence and promote sports have evolved, reflecting the broader trends in societal development," said Luo.

"These athletes are not only embracing but also shaping the societal trends in sports, effectively communicating the values and culture of sports to the youth of today. The Games have also been a part of that chain," Luo said.