Nigeria Times

By Chen Junyi, People’s Daily

The Shui script is the unique traditional writing system used by the people of the Shui ethnic group in southwest China’s Guizhou province to keep records of their astronomy, calendar, meteorology, folklore, and religion, just like ancient China’s bronze and oracle bone inscriptions.

It serves as an encyclopedia for the Shui people and is hailed as a “living fossil” of pictographic writing. Even today, this traditional writing system still plays an important role in the Shui people’s social life. In 2006, it was listed as China’s national intangible cultural heritage.

The Shui script has been passed down for thousands of years and is primarily preserved in handwritten manuscripts. Due to the limited number of characters, it is common for characters to have multiple pronunciations and meanings, which require specialized scholars to interpret these polyphonic and polysemic words based on the context.

The scholars must be well-versed in Shui customs and uphold Shui moral principles toeffectively preside over local customs activities and provide guidance for important events such as weddings and funerals.

Yang Shengzhao is a 70-year-old Shui script scholar. He startedstudying Shui writing with the help of his elders when he was 14. Now, he has become a representative inheritor of China’sprovincial-level intangible cultural heritage.

According to Yang, the customs associated with the Shui script consist of two parts.The first part is the handwritten copies that have been passed down through generations, which he refers to as the “hardware.”The second part involves the contents such as essentials, rituals, and blessings that have been orally transmitted over time, which he calls the “software.”

“The second part represents a significant 70 percent of the Shui script customs,” Yang said.

The Duan Festival is the most important event of China’s Shui ethnic group, much like the Spring Festival is for the Han Chinese. The celebration typically occurs from late August to early October of the Chinese lunar calendar, with the precise timing determined by the Shui calendar.

The ancestral worship ceremony is an important ritual during the Duan Festival, during which a Shui script scholar often recites a passage to pray for blessings from ancestors.

“Thisoral passage is not recorded in the handwritten copies of the Shui script, but it follows a predetermined procedure and rhythmand must not be improvised,” Yang said. He believes that these orally transmitted contents are crucial in the customs of the Shui script, yet they are facing the risk of being lost.

After retiring from his position as a primary school teacher in 2015, Yang devoted himself wholeheartedly to the inheritance and preservation of the Shui script. He initiated Shui script courses at local schools, welcoming anyone interested in the Shui script to join. So far, the number of students has exceeded 100.

“Studying the Shui script might not bring immediate economic benefits, but currently, there are few successors to carry on the tradition. Without creative ways of inheritance, it would soon vanish,” said Yang.

Yang also joins the protection and utilization programs initiated by the local government. In November 2022, “Shui Character Documents, Guizhou Province” was included inthe UNESCO Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the PacificRegional Register, marking a historic achievement as the first of its kind for the province.

During the application process, Yang recorded the oral contents of the Shui script and recited and translated its texts, contributing tothe improvement of the application documents.

Because there are few written texts and the Shui script does not directly align with the everyday spoken language of the Shui people, teaching Shui writing cannot follow the same methods used for teaching Chinese.

“To save the Shui writing system, it requires a certain amount of financial support to annotate the script with international phonetic symbols, translate orallytransmitted materials into Chinese, and record them into videos and audio,” Yang noted. He believes that transforming the “software” of the Shui script into a tangible “hardware” is crucial for ensuring its continuity.

Promoting the Shui writing system to the world is also an aspiration of the Shui people. In 2014, at the 63rd meeting of the International Organization for Standardization, the Chinese delegation submitted a proposal on the international coding of the Chinese Shui script. Over the years, a local expert group has been continuously improving the application documents.

“If the application is approved, the Shui script will gain an ‘identity card’ globally, allowing the written manuscripts to be disseminated electronically across different parts of the world, thereby promoting our culture even further,” said Yang.

By He Yin, People’s Daily

“On the new journey of Chinese modernization, everyone is a key actor, every effort counts, and every ray of light shines,” said Chinese President Xi Jinping in his 2025 New Year message.

When delivering the New Year message, Xi reviewed the extraordinary journey completed by the Chinese people under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) over the past year, pooling the powerful collective force of all Chinese people striving in unity.

His message demonstrated to the world China’s firm determination and confidence in building itself into a strong country and advancing national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization.

The year 2024 was a crucial year for achieving the objectives and tasks laid down in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). In the face of challenges posed by evolving dynamics at home and abroad, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has united and led the entire Party and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups to respond calmly with a full range of policies, made solid gains in pursuing high-quality development, and successfully accomplished the main targets and tasks of economic and social development for the year. China’s GDP in 2024 is expected to pass 130 trillion yuan ($17.81 trillion) mark, as the country takes new solid stridesin advancing Chinese modernization.

An article published on the website of Kenyan newspaper The Standardsaid that China’s development story is “one of transformation and determination.”

The recently published results of China’sfifth national economic census showed that as the world’s second-largest economy, China’s average contribution to global economic growth has remained around 30 percent for the past five years, making it the largest driving force behind world economic growth.

Promoting green and innovation-driven development

Over the past year, China has made solid progress in green development and sci-tech innovation, continuously writing a new chapter of high-quality development.

Green and low-carbon development has been further enhanced in China, unfolding a more beautiful country.China has also fostered new quality productive forces in light of actual conditions.New business sectors, forms and models have kept emerging.

The Taklimakan Desert, the largest desert in China and the second-largest drifting desert in the world, has been completely encircled with a sand-blocking green belt stretching over 3,000 kilometers. Besides, China’s annual production of new energy vehicles has surpassed 10 million milestone for the first time.

A recent report by the Financial Times pointed out that electric vehicles are expected to outsell cars with internal combustion engines in China for the first time in 2025 in a historic inflection point.

According to the Global Innovation Index 2024 released by the World Intellectual Property Organization, China has moved up to the 11th place in the ranking of the world’s most innovative economies, making it one of the fastest risers over the past decade.

Putting people’s well-being front and center

“Of all the jobs in front of us, the most important is to ensure a happy life for our people,” Xi said in his 2025 New Yearmessage.

Everywhere in China, people in all fields – workers, builders and entrepreneurs, among others – are working hard to fulfill their dreams, enjoying enriching lives.

This vibrant scene fully demonstrates that China has followed a people-centered approach, insisting that development is for the people, reliant on the people, and that its fruits should be shared by the people, which is the precondition for the country to have the right view of development and modernization and build the great momentum of its march forward in the new era.

“China’sjourney of modernization is not just about material wealth; it is deeply rooted in a people-centered philosophy. The fruits of Chinese modernization have been transformed into tangible improvements in the quality of life for ordinary citizens,” as reported by Bangladesh’s Weekly Blitz.

Greeting 2025 with hope and confidence

“We will march forward in great strides to advance reform and opening up as the trend of our times. We will surely embrace even broader prospects in pursuing Chinese modernization in the course of reform and opening up,”said Xi.

At its Third Plenary Session, the 20th CPC Central Committee sounded a clarion call for further deepening all-round reform.

The year 2025 will see the conclusion of China’s14th Five-Year Plan.China will adhere to the general principle of pursuing progress while maintaining stability, fully and faithfully implement the new development philosophy on all fronts, and accelerate the building of a new development paradigm.

It will implement more proactive and effective policies, pursue high-quality development as a top priority, promote greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology, and maintain sound momentum in economic and social development. The country will fulfill the goals and tasks of the 14th Five-Year Plan with high quality, and lay a solid foundation for getting the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) off to a good start.

As the years turn and new chapters unfold, China will remain confident,continue to grow in the wind and rain, and get stronger through hard times as always. With unwavering determination, China will forge a new path of harmony and prosperity, making more contributions to world peace and development.

By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily

“Either way, China and America are compelled to work together if there is going to be a stable 21st century. If competition and collaboration give way entirely to confrontation, a disorderly 21st century awaits us both.”

This was written by American opinion columnist Thomas L. Friedman in an article after wrapping up a recent trip to China. He believes that America and China are the only two powers that together can offer any hope, as the world today faces runaway artificial intelligence and climate change.

Friedman’s opinion represents insightful Americans’clear understanding and rational thinking on how major countries like China and the U.S. should fulfill their responsibilities.

Humanity is faced with unprecedented challenges in this turbulent world suffering from frequent conflicts.Against this backdrop, major-country competition should not be the underlying logic of the times; only solidarity and cooperation can help humanity overcome current difficulties.

Both China and the U.S. must recognize that under the current circumstances, common interests between the two countries are expanding rather than shrinking. Their cooperation is crucial not only for the economy, trade, agriculture, counternarcotics, law enforcement and public health, but also for handling global challenges of climate change and artificial intelligence as well as addressing international hotspot issues.

Many in the U.S. believe that “with great power comes great responsibility.” China also holds that the international status of a country is measured by its openness of mind, breadth of vision, and sense of responsibility.

As the world’s two largest economies and permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China and the U.S. should always keep in mind humanity’s future and their responsibilities for world peace, provide public good for the world, and play an active role in addressing global challenges.

In today’s world, humanity is a closely entwined community with a shared future. Countries are not riding separately in some 190 small boats, but are rather all in a giant ship on which their shared destiny hinges. As such, they should see each other’s development as opportunities rather than challenges, and treat each other as partners rather than rivals. Global solidarity, cooperation, mutual benefit and win-win should become the defining theme of the times. This is how China views the world and its relationship with the U.S.

As China believes that humanity is a community with a shared future, it has always handled China-U.S. relationswith a sense of responsibility for history, for the people and for the world and based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation. China always holds thatthe two countries should be partners, not rivals. The Thucydides’s Trap is not a historical inevitability, and a new Cold War should not be fought and cannot be won.

China is committed to promoting stable, healthy, and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations, and exploring the right way for two major countries to get along well with each other. This in itself reflects China’s responsible attitude that puts the future of humanity front and center.

Major-country competition does not represent the trend of the times, still less can it solve America’s own problems or the challenges facing the world. China and the U.S. should jointly shoulder responsibilities as major countries and set an example in addressing global challenges.

In the past, China and the U.S. pulled the world economy out of the quagmire of the international financial crisis together with other G20 members, and jointly pushed to reach the Paris Agreement on climate change, bringing new hope for fighting global warming.

As the world economic recovery remains sluggish and global challenges keep emerging, it is even more imperative for China and the U.S. to take the lead in shouldering responsibilities as major countries, refrain from mutual attrition that drags down the world, and avoid coercing other countries into taking sides.

Tariff war, trade war and tech war are against the trend of history and laws of economics, and they produce no winners. For economic and trade disputes, neither decoupling nor supply-chain disruptionis the solution; common development can only be achieved through mutually beneficial cooperation. In the face of the burgeoning sci-tech revolution and industrial transformation, “small yard, high fences” is not what a major country should do; only openness and sharing can advance the well-being of humanity.

China and the U.S. should work together to promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, let the light of peace reach all corners of the world, and ensure that more development gains will be shared more fairly by people across the world.

“There are few certainties in world affairs. What we do know is that without much greater cooperation between the U.S. and China, the world will be in dire straits,” said an American scholar when analyzing the future development of China-U.S. relations.

China-U.S. cooperation may not solve all problems, but few problems can be solved without China-U.S. cooperation. The U.S. should fulfill its responsibilities as a major country, stand on the right side of history, and work together with China tostrengthen dialogue and communication, properly manage differences, and expand mutually beneficial cooperation, so as to inject more certainty and positive energy into the world.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)

By Li Xinping, People’s Daily

Prototypes of the CR450 bullet train, the world’s fastest high-speed train with a test speed of up to 450 kilometers per hour (km/h) and an operational speed of 400 km/h, were debuted in Beijing on Dec. 29, 2024.

The CR450 is significantly faster than the CR400 Fuxing high-speed trains currently in service, which operate at speeds of 350 km/h. Here are the secrets behind the higher speed.

Stronger Power

High-speed rail runs fast because it converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. The CR450, utilizing permanent magnet traction motors, has increased energy conversion efficiency by over 3 percent compared to the CR400, which uses asynchronous traction motors. The stronger power output enables the train to run faster.

Lower Resistance

As high-speed trains accelerate, aerodynamic resistance escalates exponentially with the velocity. When the speed rises to 400 km/h, the resistance will increase by 30 percent. This means that most of the energy generated by traction motors is expended in combating air resistance. With an innovative design, the CR450 has managed to slash operational resistance by 22 percent.

Lighter Weight

A lighter weight is crucial for high-speed trains. The CR450 has cut its weight by over 10 percent compared to the CR400, thanks to the adoption of new materials such as carbon fiber composites and magnesium alloys, as well as the topology optimization technique.

Better Performance

Apart from high speed, it is more important for bullet trains to have efficient braking. The CR450 now takes only 6,500 meters to achieve a complete stop from 400 km/h, the same braking distance as the CR400.

This outstanding performance has allowed the CR450 to reach a higher speed without increasing energy consumption. When running at 400 km/h, the eight-carriage CR450 consumes only 22 to 23 kilowatt-hours of electricity per kilometer, making it a cost-effective and eco-friendly choice for commercial operations.

The CR450 high-speed train also boasts many eye-catching designs.

More Intelligent

The CR450 is equipped with intelligent monitoring and diagnostic systems, which allow the train to collect data such as axle temperature and pressurefrom over 4,000 monitoring stations in real time. This advanced technology has enabled the train to recognize, assess and determine its actions by itself.

Besides, the CR450 has innovatively adopted time-sensitive network transmission signals, leading to a ten-fold increase in the efficiency of real-time data transmission. This has facilitated the communication among different systems on the train and enhanced the control precision.

Quieter Operation

The passengers’ level of comfort is greatly influenced by noise levels, which typically rise by two to three decibels for every 50 km/h increase in speed. The CR450 has managed to reduce its in-cabin noise by two decibels, making the overall noise level comparable to that of the high-speed trains currently in service, which operate at 350 km/h.

More Comfortable

The height of the CR450 has been trimmed from 4.05 meters to 3.85 meters to make the train more slender. Even with the reduction in the overall height, the height of the interior cabin remains unchanged. Thanks to this compact design, the CR450 offers 4 percent more room for passengers and has expanded the storage capacity for large luggage by 100 percent.

More functions

The CR450 is designed with adaptive lighting that can adjust brightness according to the outdoor environment, touchless restrooms with “airborne buttons,” and additional options like family compartments and multi-functional spaces.

“We are committed to providing passengers with diverse, convenient, and personalized services to enhance their travel experience,” said Ren Guangqiang, an executivewith the Locomotive & Car Department of China Railway.

The CR450’sdevelopment represents China’sventure into new and unexplored aspects of the high-speed train industry.

China Railway launched research on basic theories and key technologies for high-speed trains operating at 400 km/h in 2018, followed by the beginning of development efforts in 2021.

In 2022, the company released overall technical specifications and extensively carried out simulation calculations and ground-based tests, including technical parameter tests on the Zhengzhou-Wanzhou and Jinan-Zhengzhou high-speed railways, and new technology component replacement tests on the Mile-Mengzi and Fuzhou-Xiamen high-speed railways. The production of prototype trains officially commenced in 2024.

According to Li Yongheng, an executivewith the Department of Science, Technology and Information Technology of China Railway, the CR450’s successful completion was madepossible with the data collected from the extensive track tests of over 200,000 kilometers,as well as over 1,000 simulation calculations and ground-based tests.

“For the first time in the world, the CR450 uses actual track tests to determine boundary conditions and confirm top-level indicators, thereby creating technical specifications based on actual requirements,” said Zhang Bo, head of the Locomotive & Car Research Institute of China Academy of Railway Sciences Corporation Limited.

Sources say that the R&D team of the CR450has performed more than 100 experiments to explore how different parameters of the train are affected by the rising train speeds. They have gathered data features in different speed contexts and operating environments such as bridges, tunnels, and curves, laying a robust groundwork for the development of the CR450 high-speed train.

With the debut of the CR450 high-speed train prototypes, China has set a global precedent by establishing a standard system for the commercial operation of high-speed trains traveling at 400 km/h.

“The CR450 has demonstrated China’s overall capabilities in technological innovation and high-end equipment manufacturing,” said Li.

According to an official with China Railway,the company plans to conduct a range of line tests and assessments for the prototypes to further examine performance indicators, so as to expedite its entry into commercial operation.

By Guo Jiping, People’s Daily

International scholars have described the current global issues as a “multipronged mixed crisis.” The Ukraine crisis, the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, and the sudden changes in Syria are all major developments. Long-term challenges such as the development gap and climate change still require effective responses, while new governance issues like artificial intelligence and space exploration are urgently pressing. Old and new problems intertwine and resonate, presenting humanity with unprecedented challenges.

Focusing on major-power relations, are countries ultimately rivals or partners? In analyzing the global landscape, is it a new situation of multipolarity, or a precarious situation reminiscent of a “new Cold War”? In terms of human societal development, will we allow instability to spread, or will we steer the world back onto the path of peaceful development?

The questions of the times urgently need answers, and China’s perspective draws from long historical cycles. This year, Chinese President Xi Jinping attended three major diplomatic events, made four important overseas visits, and held over 100 in-depth discussions with leaders from across the five continents. The agenda of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics reflects visionary foresight, a pattern of win-win cooperation, and a global mind-set that seeks benefits for all.

President Xi has repeatedly delved into the analysis of the crises and opportunities, as well as the trends and dynamics facing the world. He has profoundly articulated that in the face of the unprecedented changes of the century, building a community of shared future for mankind is the way forward for all the world’s peoples.

Focusing on promoting the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence in the new situation, President Xi has called on the world to uphold the principle of sovereign equality, cement the foundation of mutual respect, turn the vision for peace and security into reality, unite all forces to achieve prosperity, commit to fairness and justice, embrace an open and inclusive mindset, and join hands together to take the lead in building a community with a shared future for mankind. The historical leap from peaceful coexistence to shared destiny represents a wise response to the questions of our time and a clear blueprint for a brighter future.

“As an old Chinese saying goes, ‘Passengers in the same boat should help each other.’ Today, dwellers of the same planet should help each other,” we should “encourage the international community to resolve differences through dialogue and rise above conflicts through cooperation, and build a beautiful world of harmonious coexistence together.” By deeply exploring the contemporary value and global significance of China’s outstanding traditional culture, President Xi uses Eastern wisdom to interpret the essence of building a community with a shared future for mankind. This sheds light on the direction in which changes unseen in a century should move for the progress of human civilization.

Visionary insights and concepts that align with the broader trends demonstrate China’s growing international influence and appeal. China and Brazil are jointly building the China-Brazil community of a shared future, working together for a more just world and a more sustainable planet. China and Serbia have launched the construction of China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era, making a breakthrough in the construction of a community of shared future in Europe. The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing witnessed the firm decision to build an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era… The consensus on building a community of a shared future is continuously gaining momentum, and a new realm of harmonious coexistence and civilization is steadily expanding.

“China is a great country with a splendid civilization of more than 5,000 years. Our generation and the new generation of young people are determined to strive for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. China not only strives for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, but also works for the welfare of people of the world. We not only pursue our own development, but also strive to achieve common development with other countries in the world – that is why I proposed the building of a community with a shared future for mankind,” Xi said.

This is the inheritance that transcends history and a declaration facing the future. By further integrating China’s development with global development and aligning the interests of the Chinese people with those of people worldwide, China will surely make new and greater contributions to the cause of human progress as it strides toward the dream of national rejuvenation.

By Guo Jiping, People’s Daily

“On the new journey, major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics will enter a new stage where much more can be accomplished,” stated the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs held at the end of 2023.

Over the past year, the profound meaning behind “much more can be accomplished” has been clearly demonstrated to the world. Chinese President Xi Jinping attended three major diplomatic events, made four important overseas visits, and held over 100 in-depth discussions with leaders from across the five continents. The agenda of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics reflects visionary foresight, a pattern of win-win cooperation, and a global mind-set that seeks benefits for all.

Standing at a new crossroads in human development and facing changes unseen in a century, China, in partnership with all sides, is navigating the waves of the times, upholding righteousness, and advancing along the grand path. Amid the twists and turns of history, China is steadily progressing toward the lofty goal of building a community with a shared future for mankind.

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International scholars have described the current global issues as a “multipronged mixed crisis.” The Ukraine crisis, the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, and the sudden changes in Syria are all major developments. Long-term challenges such as the development gap and climate change still require effective responses, while new governance issues like artificial intelligence and space exploration are urgently pressing. Old and new problems intertwine and resonate, presenting humanity with unprecedented challenges.

Focusing on major-power relations, are countries ultimately rivals or partners? In analyzing the global landscape, is it a new situation of multipolarity, or a precarious situation reminiscent of a “new Cold War”? In terms of human societal development, will we allow instability to spread, or will we steer the world back onto the path of peaceful development?

The questions of the times urgently need answers, and China’s perspective draws from long historical cycles. President Xi has repeatedly delved into the analysis of the crises and opportunities, as well as the trends and dynamics facing the world. He has profoundly articulated that in the face of the unprecedented changes of the century, building a community of shared future for mankind is the way forward for all the world’s peoples.

Focusing on promoting the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence in the new situation, President Xi has called on the world to uphold the principle of sovereign equality, cement the foundation of mutual respect, turn the vision for peace and security into reality, unite all forces to achieve prosperity, commit to fairness and justice, embrace an open and inclusive mindset, and join hands together to take the lead in building a community with a shared future for mankind. The historical leap from peaceful coexistence to shared destiny represents a wise response to the questions of our time and a clear blueprint for a brighter future.

“As an old Chinese saying goes, ‘Passengers in the same boat should help each other.’ Today, dwellers of the same planet should help each other,” we should “encourage the international community to resolve differences through dialogue and rise above conflicts through cooperation, and build a beautiful world of harmonious coexistence together.” By deeply exploring the contemporary value and global significance of China’s outstanding traditional culture, President Xi uses Eastern wisdom to interpret the essence of building a community with a shared future for mankind. This sheds light on the direction in which changes unseen in a century should move for the progress of human civilization.

Visionary insights and concepts that align with the broader trends demonstrate China’s growing international influence and appeal. China and Brazil are jointly building the China-Brazil community of a shared future, working together for a more just world and a more sustainable planet. China and Serbia have launched the construction of China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era, making a breakthrough in the construction of a community of shared future in Europe. The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing witnessed the firm decision to build an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era… The consensus on building a community of a shared future is continuously gaining momentum, and a new realm of harmonious coexistence and civilization is steadily expanding.

In clarifying the ideological fog surrounding major global challenges, China advocates for a multipolar world based on equality and order, as well as for inclusive and beneficial economic globalization.

An equal and orderly multipolar world addresses the question of the future direction of the global order.

Hegemonic schemes and the threat of a “new Cold War” are exacerbating global turbulence. Advocating for an equal and orderly multipolar world means breaking the outdated thinking that equates multipolarity with “great power balancing,””imperial rivalry,” and “chaos and disorder.” It emphasizes the equality of all nations, big and small, opposes hegemonism and power politics, and seeks to genuinely promote the democratization of international relations. This involves upholding the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, adhering to universally recognized norms of international relations, and practicing true multilateralism.

The collective rise of the Global South has become a significant force driving the development of multipolarity. In response to this trend, there are some doubters, pessimists, and those who move against the tide. President Xi has clearly stated China’s position: “The collective rise of the Global South is a clear sign of the great changes in the world.”

From the 24th summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) held in Astana and the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, to bilateral communications with leaders from the Global South, President Xi has discussed the rising trend of the Global South and elaborated on its role in the changes unseen in a century. He advocates for the Global South to unite as a stabilizing force for peace, a backbone for open development, a constructive force in global governance, and a promoter of mutual learning among civilizations. Chinese initiatives lead the Global South at the forefront of the times, injecting continuous momentum into the promotion of a more equal and orderly multipolar world.

A universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization answers the question of where global development is heading.

With the spread of unilateralism and protectionism, economic globalization is encountering headwinds. Advocating for a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization means resolutely opposing anti-globalization and the securitization of global issues. It also means responding to the universal demands of countries, especially developing ones, to address the development imbalances caused by the global allocation of resources between and within nations.

To promote stable and long-term economic globalization, it is essential to recognize the broader development trends. President Xi emphasized that despite headwinds and undertows, economic globalization has always been the general trend, and the driving forces still prevail. He warned that the attempt to block economic cooperation under all sorts of pretexts and break up the interdependence of the world is nothing but backpedaling.

In the face of the shadow of protectionism, China is leading the way in guiding all parties to correctly view the headwinds and setbacks encountered by economic globalization, striving to build an open global economic system.

To ensure that economic globalization remains steady and sustainable, it is necessary to identify the direction of transformation. “From Hangzhou to Rio, we have been working for one and the same goal, that is, to build a just world of common development”: This was the key message of China’s voice at the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, where “just” was the central theme.

From strengthening trade and investment to advancing development cooperation, from achieving sustainable development to building an ecological civilization, from fostering an open, inclusive, and non-discriminatory international economic cooperation environment to upholding multilateralism, the Chinese proposal aims to realize a more inclusive, universally beneficial and resilient global development. Only by ensuring that different countries, social classes and people can participate in and benefit from economic and social development, can we usher in a more dynamic, inclusive and sustainable new stage for economic globalization.

Many global initiatives proposed by President Xi are conducive to promoting peace and progress for humanity, and China’s approach has become a substantive force that is gradually uniting and mobilizing more people – these are the common feelings of the international community.

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From multilateral summits to bilateral interactions, China holds high the banner of peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, keeps expanding the common ground with other countries, and makes efforts to promote world peace and common progress of humanity.

Alleviating the instability and uncertainty faced by the world requires major powers to find a right way to get along with each other. In the interactions among major powers, China insists on promoting cooperation and emphasizing responsibility. It is always ready to do more and to strive for more positive results, to unequivocally oppose major-power competition and confrontation, and to unswervingly promote sound interactions with other major countries.

China-Russia relations exemplify friendly exchanges among major powers in today’s era. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia. President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin have met three times, providing strategic guidance for further deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination. The relationship between the two countries is becoming increasingly mature and stable, demonstrating prominent independence and resilience. Amid a fast-changing and turbulent international landscape, the profound and lasting friendship between China and Russia will not change, nor will their sense of responsibility as major countries for the world and for the people. Their mutual support for development and revitalization, as well as their unwavering pursuit to maintain global strategic stability, will not falter.

A healthier and more stable China-Europe relationship serves the fundamental interests of both sides and aligns with the global community’s expectations. President Xi’s historic visit to Europe in May outlined a new chapter in China-France relations and fostered progresses in China-Serbia and China-Hungary relations. At various multilateral and bilateral occasions, President Xi engaged in in-depth communication with leaders from European countries including the UK, Germany, Spain, and Italy. Europe is a crucial partner for China in its modernization efforts, and both sides should adopt a strategic outlook and long-term vision for their relationship. This entails mutual respect, finding common ground while respecting differences, mutual learning, and pursuing win-win cooperation. By seeing each other as partner, strengthening dialogue and cooperation, and properly addressing conflicts and differences, China and Europe can achieve mutual development and benefit the world.

The direction of China-US relations is crucial to the future of humanity. Progress in implementing the “San Francisco Vision” between China and the US clearly shows that cooperation between the two sides can lead to many significant and positive outcomes. Currently, the China-US relationship finds itself at a new crucial juncture. President Xi held talks with President Joe Biden and congratulated President-elect Donald Trump. He enumerated seven points for China-US relations, and reiterated that the Taiwan question, democracy and human rights, China’s path and system, and China’s development right are four red lines for China, which must not be challenged or crossed, which illustrates the stability and continuity of China’s policy toward the US and demonstrates China’s strategic resolution and broad-mindedness. China adheres to the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation in managing China-US relations and is willing to work with the US to explore the right way forward for the two major powers on this planet, injecting certainty and positivity into the world.

The collective journey of Global South countries toward modernization represents a significant progress in world history, marking an unprecedented achievement in the evolution of human civilization. On the path to realizing modernization, China and Global South countries support and assist each other, working together to promote peaceful development, mutually beneficial cooperation, and shared prosperity.

The top-level design for unity and cooperation among the Global South is becoming increasingly refined.

Systematic planning across regions brings together development consensus and strength, and enhances development momentum and confidence. China and Arab countries are building the “five major cooperation frameworks,” accelerating the construction of a China-Arab community with a shared future. The building of a common home of the SCO outlines the direction for the group’s development, and with China holding the rotating presidency, the SCO is writing a new chapter of cooperation. By jointly advancing the 10 partnership actions for modernization, China is also empowering African development. The vision for advancing modernization that is just and equitable, is open and win-win, puts the people first, features diversity and inclusiveness, is eco-friendly, and is underpinned by peace and security is a shared future not only for China and Africa but also for the entire Global South.

Leading global cooperation with actionable plans reflects a commitment to the well-being of the people and demonstrates the foresight to pursue long-term goals for the present and future. China’s eight measures to support Global South cooperation consolidate greater momentum for human progress. The building of a BRICS committed to peace, innovation, green development, justice and closer people-to-people exchanges outlines a blueprint for greater BRICS cooperation and China’s eight practical measures to support the high-quality development of BRICS cooperation inject strong impetus into building a just world of shared development.

These down-to-earth cooperation measures have made China’s firm commitment of “sharing weal and woe” with Global South countries more visible and palpable, reinforcing its image as a doer and go-getter working for the cause of global development within the international community.

The cooperation toward building a community of shared future in surrounding regions is becoming increasingly solid and assured.

President Xi’s visit to Central Asia has marked a new milestone in the friendships with Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. Meanwhile, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Vietnamese President To Lam paid a state visit to China this year, and Indonesia’s new president chose China as his first destination for two visits after being elected and taking office. As bilateral friendships deepen, the interests of China and its neighboring countries are becoming increasingly intertwined, and mutual trust continues to grow.

With the implementation of the “Lancang-Mekong Visas,” the China-ASEAN FTA 3.0 Upgrade Negotiations have been substantially concluded. The China-Europe Trans-Caspian Express and the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project are implemented from visions… These are all examples of thriving regional cooperation, which is unlocking new opportunities for mutual benefits and win-win outcomes.

It is clear that going alone is not feasible. We must engage in global actions, responses, and cooperation to effectively tackle global challenges.

China’s three major global initiatives provide strategic guidance for the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind. New stories of cooperation are being written. 82 countries have joined the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative, 119 countries and international organizations have given support to the Global Security Initiative, and the 78th UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution proposed by China to establish an International Day of Dialogue among Civilizations.

The approach of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits in global governance is the only correct choice for addressing global challenges and provides a pathway to realize a community with a shared future for mankind. At the Rio G20 Summit, President Xi offered a comprehensive and systematic exposition regarding the reform of global governance. He advocated for the improvement of governance in global economy, finance, trade, digitalization, and ecology, aiming to build a world economy characterized by cooperation, stability, openness, innovation, and eco-friendliness.

China adheres to the principles of openness, inclusiveness, fairness, and justice to guide the reform of the global governance system. From the UN Summit of the Future to platforms such as BRICS and the SCO, China elevates the representation and voice for Global South countries in global governance. China has proposed the AI Capacity-Building Action Plan for Good and for All and the Initiative on International Cooperation in Open Science. Additionally, China has played a role in pushing for the adoption of the New Collective Quantified Goal for climate finance, consistently addressing the legitimate concerns and safeguarding the common interests of developing nations. In response to pressing issues like the Ukraine crisis and the Palestine-Israel conflict, China stands firmly on the side of peace and fairness, playing a constructive role in political settlement.

China actively builds a symbiotic and mutually beneficial relationship that leads toward common prosperity and win-win cooperation. Its actions bring stability and confidence, which is conducive to strengthening unity among countries around the world and counteracting negative factors in international relations. Focusing on friendship and trust and advocating for cooperation and mutual benefit are key reasons why China continues to make significant contributions to world peace and development amid the challenges of the times.

III

“The future of humanity largely depends on China.” These words by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres express recognition and expectation of China’s role.

Let’s turn the clock back to November 2014, to the first Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). “China should develop a distinctive diplomatic approach befitting its role of a major country,” President Xi said. He emphasized that China should, on the basis of summing up its past practice and experience, enrich and further develop principles guiding its diplomatic work, and conduct diplomacy with a salient Chinese feature and a Chinese vision.

A decade has passed, and his words are still fresh in our ears. In the 10 years since, China’s major judgments on the evolution of the international order, the process of economic globalization, and the transformation of the international system have been confirmed by history. Every step of China’s major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics has followed the logic of historical progress and the trend of the times. In the past decade, China has firmly adhered to the path of peaceful development, expanded win-win cooperation with all parties, and upheld international fairness and justice, with each of its solemn commitments being put into practice in its efforts to build a community with a shared future for mankind. The principles of “self-confidence and self-reliance,openness and inclusiveness, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation” have become the key words for the international community to decode China’s major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

Currently, uncertainty has become a common forecast for the future, and the role of major countries is under global scrutiny. This is a new moment in the further evolution and development of China’s relations with the world, and a new moment for China to contribute more to human society’s development with its own progress.

Global attention is once again focused on China, recognizing its firm commitment to promoting peaceful development. “To understand China, one needs to understand China’s efforts to further deepen reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization.””The third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee has made systematic plans for further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization, which will provide more opportunities for the world…” President Xi vividly narrates the story of Chinese modernization to the international community, making the world more convinced that “the next ‘China’ is still China.”

“From French farm to Chinese dining table,””From Chancay to Shanghai,””China-Europe freight train service hits milestone as 100,000th train arrives in Germany” – these international news headlines serve as vivid footnotes to an open China, full of opportunities. China has removed all market access restrictions for foreign investors in the manufacturing sector, gave all the least developed countries with which it has diplomatic relations zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines, hosted the China International Import Expo for seven consecutive years, and expanded its visa-free policies, making “China Travel” a global trend. Against the headwinds of unilateralism and protectionism, China is opening its door wider to the world.

China has signed Belt and Road cooperation plans with countries including Egypt, Timor-Leste and Peru, and established synergies between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Brazil’s development strategies. The BRI, the road to prosperity, is growing wider and broader. Bringing together the peace and development aspirations of 155 countries, sticking to a single blueprint until the end, doing hard work one term after another, the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation will continue to expand new spaces for win-win development at a higher level, with greater resilience and sustainability.

Global attention is once again focused on China, recognizing its pioneering example in promoting mutual learning among civilizations. President Xi has always placed great importance on deepening people-to-people friendship and strengthening cultural exchanges. He has replied letters to American friends, Kenyan students, Serbian steelworkers and other friendly people from various countries; and sent congratulatory letters to events like the 2024 World Chinese Language Conference, the inaugural World Conference of Classics and the 2024 World Conference on Traditional Medicine. The streams of friendly interaction between people are converging into a powerful force that promotes human peace and development.

China is strengthening exchanges on governance and development experience, working together with others to write beautiful chapters of civilization, harmony and coexistence. “I have worked in Chinese counties, cities, provinces and at the central level, and poverty alleviation has always been an important part of my work in which I have invested the greatest effort.””If China can make it, other developing countries can make it too.” President Xi has shared China’s poverty alleviation story with the world, bringing confidence and inspiration to many other developing countries. President Xi’s important works have been translated and published in over 40 languages, with distribution covering approximately 180 countries and regions. The book Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, published 10 years ago, has been interpreted internationally as the “golden key” to understanding China’s reform and development in the new era, and as a “think tank” for solving global development challenges.

When Chilean President Gabriel Boric brought Xi Jinping: The Governance of China to a bilateral meeting, when Peruvian President Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra remarked, “From China we have learned that nothing is impossible,” when Serbian President Alexandar Vučić stated, “China has made remarkable achievements and has become a beacon of development and progress of the world,” the world has clearly seen that today’s China has become a more internationally influential, innovative and morally persuasive responsible major power. China’s major initiatives and ideas are welcomed and supported by the international community. Addressing various international challenges has become increasingly reliant on China’s active participation, and the path of Chinese modernization is gaining more recognition and emotional resonance worldwide.

On December 18, the Xin Shanghai, a vessel laden with Peruvian fruits, arrived in Shanghai’s Yangshan Port after a 23-day journey. Earlier, the first batch of Chinese Dongfeng Motor vehicles had arrived at the Chancay Port. A new dream-laden shipping route not only shortens the distance but also opens the door to new opportunities, reflecting the close and deep integration between China and the world.

“China is a great country with a splendid civilization of more than 5,000 years. Our generation and the new generation of young people are determined to strive for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. China not only strives for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, but also works for the welfare of people of the world. We not only pursue our own development, but also strive to achieve common development with other countries in the world – that is why I proposed the building of a community with a shared future for mankind,” Xi said.

This is the inheritance that transcends history and a declaration facing the future. By further integrating China’s development with global development and aligning the interests of the Chinese people with those of people worldwide, China will surely make new and greater contributions to the cause of human progress as it strides toward the dream of national rejuvenation.

(Guo Jiping is an international commentary column of the People’s Daily, founded in 2005.)

By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily

China and the United States recently signed a protocol toextend the 45-year-oldAgreement Between the United States and China on Cooperation in Science and Technologyfor additional five years.

The international community widely welcomes the renewal of the agreement. They believe that sci-tech cooperation between China and the U.S. not only serves the interests of both peoples but also facilitates their joint efforts in addressing global challenges.

This once again demonstrates that China-U.S. cooperation can lead to fruitful results that are beneficial to both countries and the rest of the world.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 45 years ago, China-U.S. relations have gone through the tests of winds and rains but have largely sustained a positive momentum.

From the “Ping-Pong Diplomacy” that broke the ice of bilateral relations to the group “Kuliang Friends” that continued the legacy of friendship, each small step of “harmony” and “cooperation” between China and the U.S. has injected impetus into the historical development of their relationship.

Over the past four years, China-U.S. relations have gone through ups and downs, but the two sides have also been engaged in dialogue and cooperation. The relationship has remained stable on the whole.

Facts have proved that when the two countries treat each other as partners and seek common ground while shelving differences, their relationship will make considerable progress. But if they regard each other as rivals and pursue vicious competition, they will roil the relationship or even set it back.

To steer China-U.S. relations to the right courseand foster a stable, sustainable and productive China-U.S. relationship, it is necessary to draw inspiration from the past experiences and grasp the general direction of bilateral cooperation.

The interests of China and the U.S. have been closely intertwined. Win-win cooperation is a defining feature of bilateral relations, and dialogue and cooperationremain the only right choice for the two countries.

The total trade between China and the U.S. has exceeded $660 billion. Over 70,000 American companies are doing business in China, earning a profit of $50 billion annually. In terms of employment, exports to China alone support 930,000 jobs in the U.S.

Chinese products have not only offered American customers more choices, but also lowered costs for them, and Chinese investment has not only created more jobs in the U.S., but also bolstered local economies.

Around two-thirds of Qualcomm’s global revenue and a quarter of Intel’sglobal revenue come from the Chinese market. Out of Apple’s 200 major suppliers worldwide, over 80 percent have set up factories in China. Tesla alone accounted for 28.6 percent of China’s new energy vehicle exports last year.

These examples illustrate the vast potential for China-U.S.cooperation. The two countries stand to gain mutual benefits and win-win outcomes from cooperation.

The two sides should expand the list of cooperation and make a bigger pie of cooperationbased on their complementary advantages. The success of one side should be an opportunity rather than a challenge for the other, and one’s achievement should help rather than hinder the development of the other.

The world economy is facing many difficulties and challenges, and each country faces its own set of challenges. The right choice is to build an open world economy through cooperation. Neither decoupling nor supply-chain disruption is the solution. “Small yard, high fences” is not what a major country should do.

History and facts have proved that tariff war, trade war, and tech war are against the trend of history and laws of economies. Imposing restrictions or engaging in unilateralism and protectionism will inevitably disrupt normal trade cooperation and the stability of industrial and supply chains.

It is a clear-cut choice that China and the U.S. should choose cooperation over confrontation, and win-win cooperation over zero-sum games.

Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers recently said that centuries of economic studies and past practical experiences have shown that for major economies, initiating a global trade war is a highly detrimental choice.

China’s foreign policy is open and transparent. It is focused on managing its own affairs well to bring better lives to its people. While realizing its own development, it is also ready to work with other countries for common development and to jointlybuild a community with a shared future for mankind.

China’s policy towardthe U.S. is highly stable and consistent. Its goal of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-U.S. relationship remains unchanged;its commitment to mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation as principles for handling China-U.S. relations remains unchanged; its position of resolutely safeguarding China’s sovereignty, security and development interests remains unchanged; and its desire to carry forward the traditional friendship between the Chinese and American peoples remains unchanged.

The one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques are the political foundation of China-U.S. relations. They must be observed. The Taiwan question, democracy and human rights, China’s path and system, and China’s development right are four red lines for China. They must not be challenged. These are the most important guardrails and safety nets for China-U.S. relations.

Misjudging China-U.S. relations and misinterpreting China’s development will mislead the people of both countries and the international community, resulting in more harm than good. The U.S. should view China and its development in a positive and rational light, so as to maintain a right strategic perception, which is fundamental to the China-U.S. relationship, just like the first button of a shirt that must be put right.

Both China and the U.S. are great nations, and cooperation between them is a noble endeavor. The U.S. should work with China in the same direction to find a right way for the two countrieswith different civilizations, systems, and paths to coexist in peace and achieve common development on this planet.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)

By Zhang Mingse, People’s Daily

The Commercial Press, a leading publishing house in China, just celebrated a remarkable milestone this year: the publication of the 1,000th title in its “Chinese Translations of World Academic Masterpieces Series.”

Over 42 years, this collection has grown to include 1,000 works, with cumulative sales reaching tens of millions books.

As one of the most ambitious academic translation projects in modern Chinese publishing history, the Series carefully selects and expertly translates seminal works from the vast expanse of global academic literature, contributing intellectual resources to national development and social progress.

The Series has become a highly respected and widely recognized hallmark of quality. Timeless classics such as Plato’s The Republic, Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s The Social Contract, Alexis de Tocqueville’s The Old Regime and the Revolution, and John Maynard Keynes’ The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money remain perennial bestsellers, consistently appealing to generations of readers.

This is a collection that has always been closely aligned with the times. In 1905, The Commercial Press published Yan Fu’s Chinese translation of Evolution and Ethics by Thomas Henry Huxley, introducing the theory of natural selection, which profoundly influenced modern China.

In subsequent years, manyseries brought together works reflecting diverse academic perspectives, acting as a beacon of knowledge and inspiration during pivotal moments of national rejuvenation and progress, akin to distant dandelions spreading seeds of enlightenment.

In the early days of China’s reform and opening up, the demand for academic reading material surged amid what was then a “book famine.” In the preface to the first book of the Series, Chen Yuan, then editor-in-chief of the Commercial Press, noted, “The publication of this collection is a response to the needs of the times.”

Thanks to the Series, translated works such as Lectures on Aesthetics by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, History of the French Revolution from 1789 to 1814by Francois Mignet, and Adam Smith’s An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations introduced a generation of young scholars to expansive academic vistas and intellectual exploration.

“Our generation of academics built the foundations of contemporary Chinese scholarship with the help of this collection,” remarked Han Zhen, director of the Academic Committee at Beijing Normal University.

Today, the era of the “book famine” is long past. Expectations for the Series have shifted from questions of availability to concerns about quality and diversity. The times call for more expansive disciplinary coverage, improved translation quality, and broader academic horizons.

“In recent years, the Series has evolved in two key ways: extending its temporal scope and expanding its geographic and linguistic range,” said Li Xia, deputy editor-in-chief of the Commercial Press.

The chronological scope, once informally limited to works published before 1848, has gradually extended to include titles from the mid-20th century, the 1980s, and even the late 20th century.

Additionally, the editors have increasingly turned their attention beyond Western civilization, incorporating significant works from Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and other regions. A growing number of these translations are rendered directly from the original languages, delivering authentic academic nourishment to Chinese readers.

Why has the Series gained such enduring popularity? Beyond its meticulous selection of topics, exceptional translation quality, and rigorous editorial structure, its success lies in its comprehensive inclusion of classics from diverse civilizations.

Chen Xiaowen, editor-in-chief of the Commercial Press, said that the translated masterpieces are characterized by their classic status and systematic approach. The selected titles represent the intellectual and cultural essence of various eras, nations, and peoples.

“Translating a classic is not merely about aligning two languages – it is about fostering a dialogue between two systems of thought.” This statement from one of the Series’ translators left a deep impression on Li Tingting, director of the academic editing center of the Commercial Press.

From the choice of a single word to the compilation of an entire anthology, the translations are imbued with the spirit of the times, reflecting how contemporary Chinese scholars view the essence of human thought.

“The goal of these translations is to anchor human spiritual achievements, serving readers of today and tomorrow,” Li said.

“The Series has opened a window into the world’s academic achievements, enabling us to learn from the entirety of human civilization with an open mind. It has played a pivotal role in the modernization and globalization of Chinese scholarship,” noted Gao Peiyong, former deputy director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

From the perspective of building an autonomous knowledge system in Chinese philosophy and social sciences, and advancing Chinese-style modernization, 1,000 titles are far from sufficient, said Gu Qing, executive director of the Commercial Press.

“We are undaunted by the scale, unfazed by the timeline, and undeterred by the challenges. From this moment forward, we set sail once again, aiming to expand the Series to 2,000 titles,” Gu added.