Nigeria Times

By Wang Di, People’s Daily

Rural China is emerging as a runway online hit across international social media platforms. Growing numbers of overseas content creators are shifting away from China’s iconic mainstream tourist landmarks — the Great Wall, Shanghai’s Bund and other staple sightseeing hotspots — to pack up their cameras and journey into remote terraced fields, centuries-old hamlets and working farmsteads dotted across China’s countryside.

Their footage relies on no flashy special effects; it simply captures farmers tending to crops, kitchen smoke curling up from rural stoves, and warm grins from local villagers. These plain, unfiltered clips have struck a chord with countless overseas netizens.

What lies behind this growing trend? Put simply, it comes down to one word: authenticity.

First, this authenticity comes from unfiltered, unscripted real life, free from the biased framing long pushed by mainstream Western media.

For decades, many Western news outlets have framed China through a distorted dual narrative: either painting the country as underdeveloped and disconnected in negative, disparaging coverage, or stoking unfounded alarm to craft skewed public impression. Clouded by this fog of misinformation, most overseas audiences have never been able to catch a clear glimpse of the real China. 

This ongoing viral trend focused on China’s countryside, by contrast, opens up a fresh window for the world to observe China’s development through the most plainspoken lens. China’s rural areas manage to preserve timeless rustic charm while offering unexpectedly convenient amenities and tranquil living environments. This raw, genuine perspective proves to be the most compelling way to share China’s story.

Second, authenticity shines through the tangible beauty visitors can experience firsthand. 

For sheer scenic and cultural charm, China stands unrivaled worldwide, with 19 villages accredited as Best Tourism Villages by the UN Tourism, ranking first globally. 

From the exquisite ancient Huizhou-style architecture of Xidi in east China’s Anhui province and the rolling Longji Terraces in Dazhai village of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region to the time-honored grand song of the Dong ethnic group in Huanggang, Guizhou province in southwest China, rural China boasts diverse charms. It never fails to impress travelers, whether they are fond of stunning natural scenery or fascinated by profound cultural heritage.

Beyond visual appeal lies the reassuring sense of security that China offers. A German influencer released a video titled “People Warned Me Not to Visit Rural China,” directly countering widespread online hearsay. His on-location footage showed order and sound public security, complete modern amenities, and hospitable local villagers. 

Drawing on his firsthand experience, he fully debunked the alarmist hearsay. This peaceful, secure atmosphere has encouraged foreign travelers to explore remote rural areas that were once unfairly stereotyped.

Equally impressive is the convenience offered in rural areas. Highways extend straight to village entrances; network covers every corner of the countryside; grand bridges spanning mountains and rivers leave foreign visitors in awe. 

As commented by foreign media, these bridges are far more than transportation hubs, but are scenic landmarks in their own right, enabling truly seamless transitions between urban and rural life.

As long-held biased narratives lose their hold over global perceptions, international visitors gain a clearer path to connect with and truly understand China.

Third, cross-country global comparisons further amplify the authentic allure of China’s rural transformation.

At a time when some Western countries are grappling with social division, widening inequality, and public security challenges, China continues to make steady progress toward integrated urban-rural development, common prosperity, and sustainable growth.

This contrast has transformed global curiosity about China’s countryside into something deeper: a desire to understand how China has managed to achieve these outcomes.

Pakistani newspaper Pakistan Today observed that in China, rural areas are viewed not as burdens but as sources of potential, arguing that the Chinese model has opened a new development path for the world.

An Italian tourism website analyzed how rural tourism has created mutually reinforcing relationships with agriculture and cultural preservation. Meanwhile, the British platform Dialogue Earth spotlighted China’s rural bird-watching tourism, believing that it fosters deeper connections not only between people and nature, but also between people and environmental values.

Some scenery and charms can only be truly perceived and appreciated through in-person visits. With China’s increasingly accessible entry policies and upgraded services, more international visitors are expected to explore the country’s countryside for themselves, to see with their own eyes and experience the vivid vitality of Chinese modernization.

When these overseas creators return home, they carry back far more than social media likes, views or viral video clout. They bring firsthand anecdotes of a multifaceted, human-centric China: a nation defined by ordinary daily warmth, close-knit community ties and authentic real-life charm.

By Wang Yunshan, Wu Jun, People’s Daily

Advancements in artificial intelligence have pushed computing power to the forefront as an essential core digital resource worldwide. One pressing challenge is how to enable computing resources across different regions to work together efficiently and be accessed on demand.

China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) outlines the need to further advance the East Data, West Computing initiative, build a multi-tier computing infrastructure system, and establish an integrated nationwide computing power network.

What exactly is a computing power network? And how is China turning this blueprint into tangible infrastructure network? Real-world applications across the country are already offering concrete answers

At the First People’s Hospital of Jingzhou in central China’s Hubei province, radiologist Zhang Liren uploaded computed tomography images into an AI-assisted diagnostic system. In less than 10 seconds, a preliminary assessment of a patient’s condition was generated.

Such remarkable speed gains rely on robust network support. China Mobile Hubei, the Hubei branch of wireless carrier China Mobile, recently unveiled its Lingban Computing Network platform, engineered to build a multi-level latency coverage system. 

It delivers a 1-millisecond latency for intra-city access, 5 milliseconds across the province, 7 milliseconds between provincial capital Wuhan and key cities along the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and 10 milliseconds linking Wuhan to the nation’s eight core computing hubs.

Previously, computing tasks were sometimes processed locally and sometimes dispatched hundreds of kilometers away, resulting in delays that users simply had to endure.

China Mobile Hubei has deployed 27 municipal-level data centers and 42 operational or under-construction computing nodes across Hubei province. 

According to Gong Jian, head of a research institute under China Mobile Hubei, the company integrates edge computing resources from cities across the province while incorporating idle social computing resources under unified management. 

Paired with an intelligent task-scheduling platform, this enables AI startups to access fast computing services without massive upfront investment, Gong added.

The spatial distribution of 

China’s computing resources suffer from inherent geographic imbalance: eastern provinces host concentrated market demand yet face steep costs for new data center construction, while western regions boast abundant land and energy for server facilities but have far weaker local computing consumption. Meanwhile, computing demand fluctuates significantly across industries and time periods.

“Therefore, computing tasks need to be proactively assigned according to urgency, budgets, and chip requirements to determine where they should be executed,” said Zhang Huawei, product manager for China Mobile’s computing network scheduling platform.

Different tasks require different types of computing resources.

“To use a highway analogy, ambulances use emergency lanes while delivery trucks stay in regular lanes,” said Zhang Xianghong, head of the data infrastructure standards working group under the National Technical Committee 609 on Data Standardization Administration of China. 

“In practice, applications such as remote surgery occupy the equivalent of emergency lanes, whereas large-model training and film rendering can wait in line and utilize resources with less stringent latency requirements.”

According to Zhang, the integrated nationwide computing power network is essentially a form of digital infrastructure. Built on information network technologies, it enables highly integrated, large-scale scheduling and operation of computing resources nationwide.

“Put simply, it ensures that every computing task finds the most suitable lane,” Zhang added.

Beyond technological upgrades, building a unified national computing network also drives sweeping structural reform across China’s digital economy by reorganizing how computing power, raw data, communication networks and power supply resources are integrated and distributed.

The integrated nationwide computing power network represents not only technological innovation, but also a fundamental restructuring of how computing power, data, networks, electricity, and other resources are integrated and allocated.

Inside the monitoring system of a national integrated computing power network monitoring and scheduling test platform at the Pengcheng Laboratory in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong province, real-time data on computing resources nationwide is displayed clearly on screen.

Deng Qing, director of the computing network ecosystem at Pengcheng Laboratory, said the monitoring system provides a clear picture of intelligent computing capacity and resource distribution across regions. 

Currently, the system covers the 10 major clusters within the eight computing hubs established under the East Data, West Computing initiative, as well as computing resources from certain non-hub regions.

At present, 1.37 million PFLOPS of intelligent computing capacity has been incorporated into the monitoring system, accounting for approximately 72 percent of China’s total intelligent computing capacity.

“The monitoring system serves as the eyes of the computing power network,” Deng explained. “It is the prerequisite for efficient scheduling, resource optimization, and informed decision-making. Since computing resources built on different architectures vary substantially, the first requirement is visibility. Only when integrated real-time monitoring provides data on distribution, workload, and utilization can resources be effectively scheduled and efficiently used.”

According to Guo Mingjun, director of the computing economy division at the State Information Center under China’s National Development and Reform Commission, one defining feature of the integrated nationwide computing power network is intensive development.

The objective is to promote large-scale and concentrated development of diverse computing resources, including general-purpose computing, intelligent computing, and supercomputing within national computing hubs.

By the end of March this year, intelligent computing capacity built within the eight national computing hubs of the East Data, West Computing initiative accounted for more than 80 percent of the national total, highlighting a trend of increasingly concentrated development.

For computing resources built on different architectures, operated by different institutions, and located in different regions to be recognized, managed, and utilized under a unified scheduling framework, standardized rules are essential.

Zhang noted that the National Technical Committee 609 on Data Standardization Administration of China has already released nine technical documents, largely establishing the standard framework for computing networks. Moving forward, these standards will continue to be refined based on practical experience to strengthen their authority and guiding value.

By Huang Xiaohui, People’s Daily

As countries around the world look toward returning humans to the Moon, Chinese researchers are exploring an unusual building material for future lunar bases: fibers made from lunar soil.

Recently, samples of these lunar-soil fibers were sent to the Chinese space station aboard a Tianzhou cargo spacecraft, where they will undergo exposure tests in the harsh conditions of outer space, including high vacuum, intense radiation and extreme temperature fluctuations.

The lunar-soil fiber was developed by a research team led by academician Zhu Meifang from the College of Materials Science and Engineering at Donghua University.

The fibers produced from lunar soil are as thin as human hair, said Cheng Yanhua, a researcher on the team. The basic principle itself is relatively straightforward: lunar soil is heated until it melts, formed into tiny droplets and then drawn into ultra-fine filaments.

Lunar soil shares similar chemical and mineral compositions with basalt and contains a variety of trace elements. Fibers made from basalt are widely applied in high-end equipment manufacturing.

It is not difficult to produce simulated lunar soil via precise scientific formulation. The real challenge lies in recreating the lunar environment on Earth. According to Cheng, drawing fibers in lunar environment is akin to making sugar figurines in a vacuum, which cannot be accomplished with conventional methods.

To tackle the problem, Zhu’s team began researching materials for extreme environments in 2016 and independently designed a specialized spinning system capable of simulating lunar high-vacuum and microgravity conditions.

The research made a major breakthrough after the Chang’e-5 mission returned lunar samples to Earth in 2020. Using just 0.5 grams of actual lunar soil, the team successfully produced continuous fibers about three meters long, each strand as fine as human hair.

In April 2025, the slender but remarkably durable lunar-soil fibers were displayed at the exhibition “20 Years of Chinese Lunar Exploration Program” at the National Museum of China. Several months later, in September 2025, the fully homegrown technology won a top award at the China International Industry Fair.

Researchers believe such technology could play an important role in future lunar exploration because transportation construction materials from Earth to the Moon is extremely expensive..

“In the future, these lunar-soil fibers could potentially be used to build tents directly on the Moon,” a team member said, adding that they may be woven into flexible structural materials or used to reinforce lunar concrete, much like steel bars in construction on Earth.

For now, however, the technology remains in the early experimental stage, and practical applications are still some distance away. The current experiment aboard the Chinese space station aims to determine whether the fibers can withstand the severe conditions of space over long periods. Every piece of data collected will help support future efforts to build sustainable human habitats on the Moon.

By Dong Siyu, Pan Junqiang, People’s Daily

Located along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, Beijing has become one of the world’s most biodiverse major cities. The Chinese capital is now home to 531 recorded bird species, more than 1/3 of all bird species found in China — earning it the reputation as a true “city for birds.”

Why has the number of bird species in Beijing continued to rise in recent years? And how is the city preserving its rich avian diversity? 

At Changzinying Wetland Park in Beijing’s Daxing district, dense greenery surrounds clear waterways filled with birdsong. So far, 162 species of wild birds have been recorded in the park, including 25 species under second-class or higher national protection. More than 5,000 migratory geese and ducks spend the winter there each year.

In March this year, park staff spotted several common pochards feeding and resting in the park’s wetlands.

“Common pochards are highly sensitive to habitat conditions and only live in clean waters with high water quality and abundant aquatic vegetation,” said Chen Zhihui, a forestry official with the industrial development service center of Changzinying township, Daxing district. “Their appearance shows that the park’s water quality has improved significantly and that the ecosystem can now provide sufficient food resources.”

The park has created a self-sustaining habitat through a series of ecological measures. These include expanding green ecological spaces, planting food- and nectar-producing species such as hawthorn, mulberry, alfalfa and wild roses along forest belts and waterfront transition zones, preserving large areas of reeds and wetland grasslands, and adopting a three-stage water purification system combining sedimentation, biological treatment and cascading water filtration.

“With the upgrading of the forest-lake-grassland ecosystem, more and more rare bird species that once appeared only temporarily are now staying year-round and even breeding here,” Chen said.

To reduce human disturbance, the park has established dedicated biodiversity conservation zones. Artificial shelters made from stones and fallen branches have been installed around forest edges and wetland areas, while ecological monitoring systems enable discreet wildlife observation.

Since 2012, Beijing has launched two large-scale afforestation campaigns covering more than 667 square kilometers. The city has also built more than 100 urban and suburban parks, established 79 nature reserves and designated 47 important wetlands at the municipal level, creating a relatively comprehensive and widely distributed network of protected natural areas. These efforts provide birds with reliable conditions for feeding, nesting and migration.

The city has also created natural ecological corridors and installed artificial nests to provide shelter for birds. Carefully designed vegetation belts and fish restocking programs have further strengthened local food chains.

At the same time, Beijing has intensified habitat protection efforts along key points of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, including Miyun Reservoir and Yeyahu Wetland in Yanqing district, providing safe stopover sites for nearly three million migratory birds every year.

Bird conservation is now increasingly integrated into Beijing’s urban planning and infrastructure development as well.

“For example, the Yongding River restoration project was deliberately adjusted to protect nesting habitats for sand martins, allowing their population to grow from just dozens to more than 300 birds,” said Jiang Hongxing, director of China’s National Bird Banding Center.

At Cuihu Wetland, planners preserved dense trees on an island in the middle of a lake to create nesting grounds for grey herons and cormorants. The site now contains more than 300 nests and has become known locally as a “heron community.”

As bird populations continue to grow, public enthusiasm for bird conservation in Beijing has also become increasingly strong.

Early in the morning at Nanyuan Forest Wetland Park in Fengtai district, more than 20 birdwatchers can often be seen quietly waiting with cameras in hand for birds to skim across the water.

“Most of them are nearby residents who enjoy birdwatching and bird photography,” said Guo Wei, an operations manager at the park. “We invited 15 of them to form a volunteer birdwatching team and established with them a long-term cooperation mechanism.”

The team has offered suggestions on park construction and ecological protection while also gently reminding visitors not to disturb birds unintentionally.

During this year’s bird protection week, districts across Beijing rolled out distinctive activities.

In Changping district, themed publicity was held at Baifuquan Park. Authorities released birdwatching maps, arranged popular science lectures and bird nest donation events, and mobilized joint conservation efforts through the forest chief system. 

Huairou district organized science outreach and legal awareness campaigns on bird protection. Shunyi district hosted birdwatching competitions for primary and secondary school students, helping foster environmental awareness among younger generations.

Wild birds are widely regarded as an important indicator of a city’s ecological health, while biodiversity forms the foundation of sustainable urban development.

“If urban planning leaves a little more room for wilderness, if engineering projects allow a little more room for nature, if river restoration incorporates more ecological thinking, and if society works together to protect birds, cities can truly become shared homes where humans and birds coexist harmoniously,” Jiang said.

By Wang Pei, People’s Daily

For many adults with intellectual disabilities, one of the hardest challenges after growing up is finding stable work and living independently. In Qingdao, east China’s Shandong province, a small car wash center is trying to offer a different possibility by helping young people with autism, cerebral palsy and Down syndrome gain job skills, confidence and a greater sense of self-reliance through steady employment. 

As a car slowly pulled into Xihan’er Carwash in Qingdao’s Shibei district, it was soon surrounded by a group of car wash attendants. Tall in stature, they wore innocent smiles and had clear eyes, brimming with childlike purity. Among them was 26-year-old Wu Jilin, who immediately picked up cleaning cloths and got to work alongside his teammates. 

“These young people have intellectual development disorders, including cerebral palsy, autism or Down syndrome,” explained Cui Yonglan, director of the Chunyu employment assistance center for persons with disabilities, which is based in Shibei district.

“Although many of them are already in their twenties, some have cognitive abilities similar to children aged five or six. Their families often worry about how they will live independently in the future. Through vocational training, they’ve finally found jobs here,” Cui told People’s Daily.

In 2023, Cui founded the first Xihan’er Carwash outlet in Qingdao, creating employment opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities. In less than three years, the carwash has hired 15 employees and cleaned more than 7,000 vehicles.

Wu was diagnosed with autism at the age of four. Children with autism often struggle to build emotional connections and face challenges in language development and social interaction.

His mother, Li Dongmei, spent years coping with grief, confusion and self-doubt. After extensive research, she learned that while autism cannot be completely cured, early intervention can greatly improve outcomes. She eventually quit her job to accompany her son at a special education school.

Tasks that most children might learn in days could take Wu months or even years to master independently.

“If he can’t live independently, what will happen when we’re gone?” Li said. It is a question shared by many parents of children with autism.

A turning point came when Li met Cui during an activity organized by the Chunyu center. For the first time, she began to imagine a future in which her son could work and support himself.

At the center, Wu started with simple repetitive tasks such as threading cords and folding envelopes. Gradually, he found work that suited him. As his confidence grew, Li herself joined the center and became a vocational training instructor helping other people with intellectual disabilities.

Wu has developed a passion for cars since childhood, so when the Xihan’er Carwash opened, he became one of its first employees.

“I never dared even imagine he could have a job and support himself,” said Li. “We don’t expect him to make a lot of money. Just having steady work and being able to contribute to society already means happiness to us.”

While washing cars, Wu often repeats instructions softly to himself. A movement that most people can learn after watching a few times took him three months of repeated practice to master.

At the car wash, every task — from handling water hoses to cleaning tires, wiping doors and vacuuming interiors — is broken down into small, manageable steps. Trainers patiently guide employees through the same routines again and again.

Gradually, Wu has picked up the skills of car washing, and regularly shares his day with his mother after work, telling her he has cleaned the steering wheel without honking the horn and polished the car till it shone brightly.

Watching her son grow increasingly confident, Li could not be happier. “Since he started working, his communication skills have improved a lot, and he is always eager to tell me about his day,” she said.

The Chunyu center, located a few hundred meters from the carwash, was founded by Cui in 2014. 

“I sustained a work-related injury at the age of 25, which left me with a permanent impairment,” Cui recalled. “It was devastating, and I cried almost every day.” Later, with support from the local federation of persons with disabilities, Cui gradually rebuilt her confidence and decided to help others facing similar challenges.

Employment has long been one of the greatest difficulties for people with intellectual disabilities. Over the years, the Chunyu center has experimented with different employment models, working with more than a dozen companies to create tailored positions based on each individual’s abilities. Today, the center has more than 20 instructors and serves over 100 people with intellectual disabilities.

With support from the Qingdao municipal government, the local federation of persons with disabilities and social welfare organizations, the Xihan’er Carwash officially opened in October 2023.

Dou Yunfeng, manager of the partner carwash business, admitted he initially had doubts. “At first, I worried whether they could really do the job well,” he said. “But they learned much faster than expected. They are incredibly conscientious. If the rule says a wheel must be wiped three times, they will do it exactly three times, never less. Customers really like them, and some people travel from far away just to have their cars washed here.”

Sometimes customers try to leave extra money as tips, but the employees politely refuse.

“We can’t accept it. Rules are rules,” they insist gently but firmly. Rather than asking for sympathy or special treatment, they are earning respect through their own work.

They wash more than 10 cars a day on average. The number rises to over 30 on weekends and 50 on holidays.

“I like washing cars,” Wu said. “I want to make every car shiny.” 

Inside this modest carwash, Wu and his coworkers are doing more than cleaning vehicles — they are slowly building brighter, more independent futures for themselves.

By Shen Shaotie, Yin Xiaoyu, Jiang Xiaodan, People’s Daily

Latest figures released by China’s National Medical Products Administration show that China has approved 19 innovative drugs for market launch so far this year, 15 of which are homegrown.

In the first quarter alone, overseas licensing deals for Chinese innovative drugs exceeded $60 billion, nearly half of the more than $130 billion recorded for all of 2025, setting a new historical high.

Behind the rapid growth in overseas licensing transactions lies increasing international recognition of China’s capabilities and quality in innovative drug research and development.

How do these new medicines perform in real clinical settings? And how can the country accelerate pharmaceutical innovation while upholding rigorous quality standards? To find answers, People’s Daily had field interviews.

An elderly woman surnamed Zhang from Taizhou, east China’s Jiangsu province, suffered a sudden stroke. Doctors discovered extensive blockage in blood vessels in her brain, and her condition was complicated enough to require immediate transfer to Suzhou, a larger city in the province, for thrombectomy surgery.

Every minute after the onset of acute ischemic stroke leads to the loss of roughly 1.9 million brain cells. The golden time for thrombectomy is the first 4.5 hours after the onset, while the journey between Taizhou and Suzhou lasts about two hours.

To save critical time during transportation and prevent the patient’s condition from deteriorating, Li Jingwei, president of the Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, recommended a combined approach: providing thrombolysis during transit alongside edaravone-dexborneol sublingual tablets for neuroprotection.

“The surgery was a complete success. After discharge, she kept taking the medication for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant care,” Li said. “She recently returned for follow-up examinations and has recovered remarkably well.”

In the past, mortality rates for this type of patient were extremely high, Li told People’s Daily, adding that nowadays, this innovative drug is playing an important role in improving recovery.

Stroke remains the leading cause of death and disability among Chinese residents. More than 60 percent of stroke patients in China suffer from ischemic stroke, yet treatment options have long remained limited.

Approved for market launch in December 2024, the edaravone and dexborneol sublingual tablets were developed by pharmaceutical company Simcere and are primarily used for neuroprotective treatment during the acute phase of ischemic stroke, helping improve rescue success rates and patient prognosis.

A 76-year-old resident surnamed Chen in Guangzhou, south China’s Guangdong province has long suffered from hypertension and diabetes. He recently developed a high fever and severe cough. Doctors at Nanfang Hospital under Southern Medical University diagnosed him with influenza A.

Chen’s family members said that conventional flu medications previously caused either severe gastrointestinal reactions or unsatisfactory results.

Peng Jie, chief physician in infectious diseases, quickly decided to prescribe an innovative drug targeting the PB2 subunit of the influenza A virus, onradivir tablets.

“He took the medicine in the morning, and his fever broke by evening,” said a family member.

Influenza A has repeatedly triggered global public health crises, while drug resistance to conventional treatments continues to grow. Clinical demand for more effective, lower-resistance treatment options has therefore become increasingly urgent.

Developed over a decade by multiple institutions in Guangdong, onradivir tablets were approved for sale in May 2025.

“Clinical data for the drug has been impressive,” Peng said. “It offers strong safety performance, and there’s no need to adjust dosage for patients with mild to moderate kidney impairment, which provides additional protection for high-risk groups.”

In recent years, China’s innovative drug industry has made rapid progress, providing more treatment options for patients suffering from major diseases such as stroke and malignant tumors.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), China approved 230 innovative drugs, representing substantial growth. Among them, 76 innovative drugs were approved in 2025 alone, with more than 80 percent developed domestically. Advanced therapies, including targeted therapies, immunotherapies and antibody-drug conjugates, have continued to emerge.

On Feb. 5 this year, serplulimab injection, an anti-tumor drug independently developed in China, was licensed to Japan’s Eisai Co., Ltd. In December 2025, an oral small-molecule glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist and products containing the active ingredient were licensed to Pfizer. Both innovative drugs were developed by Chinese pharmaceutical company Fosun Pharma.

Since 2019, Fosun Pharma has received approval for more than 10 innovative drugs. The company has also strengthened overseas licensing efforts, sealing seven licensing and co-development agreements in 2025 with a potential total value exceeding $4 billion.

“Strong innovation results come from sustained strategic investment,” said Wang Xingli, co-president of Fosun Pharma.

In 2025, the company invested 4.30 billion yuan ($634.68 million) in innovative drug-related research and development (R&D), up 15.98 percent year-on-year and accounting for more than 80 percent of pharmaceutical R&D expenditure.

Developing innovative drugs is widely known to be costly and risky. On average, bringing a new innovative drug to market requires around 1 billion yuan in investment, approximately 10 years of development and carries only around a 10 percent success rate.

In recent years, innovative pharmaceutical companies have continued increasing R&D investment. Financial reports from listed innovative drug companies show that R&D expenditure typically accounts for more than 15 percent of revenue and exceeds 25 percent in some companies.

To further promote innovative drug development and market entry, the National Medical Products Administration has continued advancing reforms to the drug review and approval system.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, 369 applications were included in the breakthrough therapy program, 143 drug registration applications received conditional approval, and 554 applications were fast-tracked via priority review channels.

By Deng Jianyang, People’s Daily

After eight years of dedicated efforts, China has historically eliminated absolute poverty. Following a five-year transition period, the country has successfully completed the task of consolidating and expanding its poverty alleviation achievements while advancing rural revitalization, firmly upholding the bottom line of preventing any large-scale relapse into poverty.

China’s victory in the battle against poverty enabled the country to achieve the poverty reduction goals set under the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule. 

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), all of China’s 832 counties that had shaken off poverty had cultivated two to three leading industries, generating a combined output value exceeding 1.7 trillion yuan ($250.77 billion). 

Growth in per capita disposable income among rural residents in formerly impoverished counties has outpaced the national rural average for five consecutive years, making the foundations of poverty alleviation more secure and its achievements more sustainable.

The transformation of rural China has provided fresh insights into solving development challenges facing humanity. 

In recent years, books including Up and Out of Poverty and Eradicating Poverty have been translated into multiple languages, reaching readers across the globe. China’s fight against poverty has achieved extraordinary results: it has blazed a uniquely Chinese path to poverty reduction and formed a distinct set of anti-poverty theories rooted in its own real-world practices.

In Mbale, Uganda, a Luban Workshop was jointly built by Tianjin Polytechnic College and Uganda Technical College Elgon. Backed by the Sino-Uganda Mbale Industrial Park, it has provided skills training to over 1,200 personnel for the park since 2020.

In Kampong Chhnang Province, Cambodia, smart vegetable greenhouses under an agricultural technology and poverty alleviation project backed by China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region have helped local vegetable farmers bid farewell to weather-reliant farming. They now grow crops scientifically and enjoy steady yields.

With tangible cooperation projects taking firm hold, China’s experience in poverty reduction has continued to empower other developing nations, strengthening their resolve and ability to eliminate poverty.

Former Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova once observed that if China could achieve this, other developing countries could do so as well, which is a key lesson China’s poverty eradication campaign has offered the world.

China’s experience demonstrates that with perseverance, determination and sustained effort, poverty can not only be overcome but also prevented from re-emerging.

Among China’s poverty reduction concepts and practices, targeted poverty alleviation has become one of the most widely recognized experiences internationally.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres noted that the targeted poverty alleviation is the most effective way to help impoverished populations and deliver on the ambitious goals set under the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adding that China’s experience offers valuable reference for other developing countries.

“China’s targeted poverty alleviation strategy, tailored to local conditions and individual circumstances, has brought tangible improvements to the lives of impoverished populations and offers valuable lessons for African countries seeking solutions to poverty,” said Humphrey Moshi, director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

The concept of targeted poverty alleviation has gained growing traction around the world.

Uzbekistan has actively drawn on China’s experience: it set up dedicated government bodies for poverty relief and welfare monitoring, ramped up entrepreneurship training for low-income groups, introduced household-based assistance records, and launched training programs for poverty relief officials. 

By the end of last year, Uzbekistan’s poverty rate had fallen to 6 percent and is expected to decline further to 4.5 percent in 2026.

Thailand’s Khon Kaen province has also studied China’s targeted poverty alleviation experience and developed locally tailored paired assistance programs, shifting from simple transfer-based support toward capacity-building approaches and achieving more targeted poverty reduction outcomes.

A local official noted that China has not only helped the world understand the importance of targeted poverty alleviation and see that ending poverty is achievable, but has also provided the confidence and experience needed to tackle poverty.

Eradicating poverty is a shared goal for all countries. By promoting global cooperation through concrete actions, China contributes to building a fairer world of shared development, one where poverty becomes a thing of the past and better aspirations become reality.

China’s poverty reduction experience continues to resonate globally. China and the United Nations Development Programme jointly launched the Global Partnership for Poverty Alleviation and Development, and established a global poverty reduction online knowledge sharing database, which now includes poverty reduction cases from more than 100 developing countries and promotes global sharing of experience.

Development-oriented assistance is also contributing to global poverty reduction efforts. Through South-South agricultural cooperation programs, foreign agricultural assistance projects and demonstration poverty reduction cooperation initiatives, China is helping more developing countries strengthen independent development capabilities and explore poverty reduction paths suited to their national conditions.

China’s hybrid rice technology has been introduced to nearly 70 countries across five continents, while its Juncao technology has taken root in more than 100 countries and regions worldwide.

Looking ahead, China will continue contributing to global poverty reduction. By strengthening exchanges and cooperation with countries around the world, China will work together with others to advance international poverty reduction and build a better world free from poverty and marked by shared prosperity.

By Liu He, People’s Daily

Chinese cultural intellectual properties (IPs) are gaining widespread popularity across Europe, crossing geographical boundaries to win over local audiences. Spanning designer toys, animated films and video games, these cultural products have become fresh bridges connecting European audiences, especially young generations, with Chinese culture.

At the first store of Chinese toy brand Pop Mart in Germany, located near Berlin’s Alexanderplatz, customers have streamed through the doors since the store’s opening last year. Among its most sought-after products is Labubu, which has become a viral hit and a trending topic across local social media.

“I first got interested after watching Labubu unboxing clips on TikTok,” said a 23-year-old college student Anlist from Hamburg. 

“There’s something thrilling about the surprise when you open a blind box. It makes you want to give it a try yourself.” Anlist added.

Anlist is far from alone. Countless young European consumers discover Chinese cultural products through social media recommendations.

According to data from the Deutscher Verband der Spielwarenindustrie, or German Association of the Toy Industry, IP-themed toys account for around 28 percent of Germany’s toy market, while demand for collectible toys continues to rise.

The trend closely aligns with the growing phenomenon of “kidulting” — adults embracing childlike hobbies and consumption patterns.

These evolving consumer habits have provided fertile ground for Chinese cultural IPs to expand in Europe.

Interviewees shared various reasons why they are fond of Chinese IP products. Some said they love collecting these figurines, for these toys’ quirky yet endearing looks win them over at first sight. Some pointed out that designed as bag charms, blind box accessories can be carried outdoors. Matched with outfits, they look stylish and help people showcase their unique personalities. Though their reasons vary, all consumers share the same eager anticipation of getting their favorite pieces.

The growing popularity of Chinese cultural IPs has translated directly into rising sales. Pop Mart, for example, reported total revenue of 37.12 billion yuan ($5.48 billion) in 2025, up 184.7 percent year-on-year. Revenue from Europe surged even faster, rising by 506.3 percent.

Labubu’s success is just one example of a broader trend. Today, original Chinese IPs in animation, film and online gaming are increasingly becoming gateways for European audiences to learn about and engage with China.

In 2025, Chinese animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2 topped the global animation box office with worldwide revenue reaching nearly 15.95 billion yuan ($2.36 billion).

German audiences spoke highly of the production, noting that the film features breathtaking visuals and a dramatic plot, which has won them over. They also admitted that the exceptional craftsmanship of modern Chinese animation has greatly reshaped their views. These comments speak volumes about the charm of Chinese animated IPs.

A European film critic commented that Ne Zha 2 successfully blends the essence of traditional Chinese culture with modern storytelling, adding that it preserves the unique charm of Eastern culture while also matching global audience expectations, which allows European viewers to experience the depth of Chinese culture while enjoying the film.

Video games have emerged as another important vehicle carrying Chinese cultural IPs overseas. 

At Gamescom 2025, the world’s largest gaming expo held in Cologne, Germany, Chinese gaming products attracted considerable attention.

Chinese video game development studio Game Science unveiled Black Myth: Zhong Kui during the exhibition’s closing showcase trailer presentation, positioning it as the next major title following Black Myth: Wukong. It marked the first time a Chinese game appeared as part of the finale presentation at a top-tier international gaming exhibition.

The popularity of Chinese games has also fueled growing curiosity about Chinese culture among younger Europeans. On overseas gaming forums, players have actively explored Chinese classics while discussing games. Many have begun reading works such as Journey to the West, searching for historical and cultural materials, and discussing concepts such as heavenly palaces and dragon kingdoms, demonstrating growing interest in traditional Chinese culture.

The global rise of Chinese cultural IPs is far from accidental. Rather, it reflects the emergence of an increasingly complete ecosystem that integrates design, manufacturing, content creation, cultural adaptation and consumer psychology into a new model for global expansion.

German retail expert Ghalia Boustani believes Chinese companies have achieved “emotional resonance and cultural identification” with overseas consumers through IP exports.

She argued that this approach accurately matches younger consumers’ demand for individuality and emotional connection, an important reason why Chinese cultural IPs have gained traction across Europe.

Innovative storytelling formats, advanced technology and superior production quality are also key driving forces.

Ne Zha 2 took five and a half years to complete, involving more than 4,000 creators and nearly 2,000 visual effects shots, with attention devoted to even the smallest details.

The development of Black Myth: Wukong spanned more than six years, with the team investing heavily in art production to deliver premium visuals and performance.

Behind these successes stands an increasingly mature industrial ecosystem. From IP creation and product manufacturing to marketing and distribution, coordination across the entire value chain has provided strong support for bringing Chinese cultural products overseas.

Pop Mart illustrates this strength well. The company collaborates with artists worldwide and operates a diverse portfolio of IPs with different styles and audiences.

Supported by increasingly solid industrial capabilities and a vast domestic market, China is gradually becoming an important hub for original global creative IPs. More homegrown creations will continue to travel across borders and delight audiences worldwide.