Nigeria Times

By Li Zhen

Chinese provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities recently released their 2023 government work reports as local “two sessions” were convened across the country.

Apart from reporting their performance in the past year, they also unveiled roadmaps for their development in 2023.

Taking high-quality development as the top priority, local governments will focus on stabilizing expectations, boosting confidence and building strength, and will strive to achieve new highs of development.

In their work reports, local governments stressed prioritizing stability while pursuing progress with regard to economic and social development in 2023 and the next five years. The major economic and social development goals they unveiled were inspiring.

According to statistics, 11 provinces and autonomous regions set their GDP growth targets at around 6 percent, and nine proposed to achieve growth of over 6 percent, including Chongqing municipality, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Hainan province, and Tibet autonomous region.

In particular, Tibet autonomous region, Jiangxi province, and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region said they would strive for growths of around 8 percent, 7 percent, and 7 percent, respectively.

Hainan’s target was the highest, reaching 9.5 percent. The province also planned to lift its general public budget revenue by around 15 percent, and fixed-asset investment by 12 percent.

These figures mirror the strong resilience, tremendous potential, and great vitality of the Chinese economy, heralding a pickup in China’s economy in the new year.

Local governments demonstrated strong confidence in the development in the next five years. Hubei, Hunan, and Anhui provinces said they would expand their economies to about 7 trillion yuan ($1.02 trillion) in the next five years, while Sichuan has set the number at more than 8 trillion yuan.

Zhejiang province is more ambitious. The province planned to lift its GDP to 12 trillion yuan by 2027, with a per capita GDP of 170,000 yuan and a per capita disposable income of 85,000 yuan.

Many local governments said they would prioritize consumption recovery and expansion this year.

Shanghai will make more efforts to build itself into an international consumption center, vigorously develop “first-launch economy”, night economy, and livestream economy, and foster a batch of featured local landmarks.

Shandong province proposed to implement a “consumption vitalization year” campaign to integrate online and offline businesses and forge a batch of e-commerce industrial belts.

Hainan province will strive to improve the number of visiting tourists and tourism revenue by 20 percent and 25 percent, respectively, and strive for offshore duty-free sales to exceed 80 billion yuan.

With regard to expanding effective investment, northwest China’s Shaanxi province has arranged 640 major projects at the provincial level this year, with a planned annual investment of 480.4 billion yuan. The province will work to expand fixed-asset investment by around 8 percent.

Liaoning province in the northeast of the country will complete the advanced layout of new infrastructure and accelerate the construction of “double gigabit” network infrastructure and charging facilities.

Qinghai province planned to implement over 800 major railway, airport, road, water conservancy, and energy projects, with a total investment of 1.3 trillion yuan.

Being mentioned about 500 times, “high-quality development” remained a buzzword in the government work reports released by the 31 Chinese provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities.

Chongqing municipality vowed to expand emerging industries with strategic importance and advance in-depth implementation of the plan on building world-class industrial clusters of intelligent connected vehicles and new energy vehicles.

Jiangxi province rolled out supportive policies for the digital economy, planning to build advanced computing centers to promote digital, network, and intelligent transformation of industries.

Gansu province said it would give more play to its advantages in energy resources this year and build the country’s first batches of major wind-photovoltaic hybrid systems.

Opening up is an important force driving economic and social development. Many provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities take advancing high-level opening up as an important task.

Zhejiang province said it would manage to maintain steady growth in the foreign trade sector and ensure that its exports make up around 14.5 percent of the country’s total. Besides, it will enhance efforts to attract business and investment. According to the province, its actual utilization of foreign capital will exceed $20 billion, and foreign investment will account for over 27 percent of the manufacturing sector.

Yunnan province proposed to accelerate 50 major projects along the China-Laos Railway and align the Lancang-Mekong Express service with China-Europe freight trains and the Lancang-Mekong international shipping route. The province planned to send over 10 million passengers and 13 million tons of cargo this year.

Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region said it would better build the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt and accelerate the construction of a distribution center for returning China-Europe freight trains, a national-level demonstration base of multimodal transport and a national level demonstration base for the processing of imported resources.    

By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily

The United States has long been considering itself a “beacon of democracy.” American politicians always lie through their teeth, claiming that “democracies have become stronger, not weaker,” despite the problems that plague their country, such as money politics, political polarization, social divide, wealth gap, racial discrimination and gun violence.

Obviously, American politicians are still in the dream of “a City upon a Hill” even though American democracy is experiencing a continuous decline.

American democracy is a “game of the rich” based on capital, and money remains a “strong currency” in U.S. politics.

American historian Charles Beard once said inexplicitly that the U.S. Constitution is essentially an “economic document.” As a matter of fact, American democracy represents and serves only the interests of a few capitalists. Money politics exists in the country’s election, legislation and governance, which turns economic inequality into political inequality and imperceptibly oppresses and restricts citizens’ right to political participation.

Money politics has pushed the cost of American elections to new highs. The total cost of the 2020 election reach an unprecedented $14 billion, making it the most expensive election in history. According to statistics, winners of 91 percent of U.S. Congressional elections are the candidates with greater financial support. And those so-called representatives of the people, once elected, often serve the interests of their financial backers.

Renowned American scholar Noam Chomsky once pointed out that the U.S. is a “really existing capitalist democracy”, where there is a positive correlation between people’s wealth and their influence on policy-making.

American democracy always flaunts the separation of powers, but it is gradually trapped in a whirlpool of partisanship. American political scientist Francis Fukuyama pointed out that there is an entrenched political paralysis in the U.S.

Political polarization continues to grow as the two parties drift further apart in political agenda and their areas of consensus have reduced significantly. The country is in a vicious circle where Democrats and Republicans dissent from each other and make political dilemmas.

Over the recent years, “vetocracy” has been staged in the U.S. continuously when it comes to the issues of COVID-19 fight, gun violence control and raising debt ceiling.

Both Republicans and Democrats take voting down each other as a weapon, which of course results in weakening governance, sabotaged rule of law, expanding social divide and residents becoming victims.

“The United States has long wasted and exhausted our precious democracy and it is now on the verge of committing suicide,” said former U.S. senator Tom Daschle in a recent article.

The disorder of American democracy has frequently triggered chaos and consumed people’s confidence.

The Capitol riot completely exposed the hypocrisy of American democracy. Systemic racial discrimination has made ethnic minorities in the United States “can’t breathe.” Frequent gun violence is taking away people’s sense of safety. The unequal distribution of economic development results has led to long-term stagnation in people’s income, exacerbating the progress that ” the rich become richer while the poor are made poorer.”

A survey by the Pew Research Center showed that 57 percent of international respondents and 72 percent of Americans believe that democracy in the U.S. has not been a good example for others to follow in recent years. The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, a Sweden-based think tank, listed the U.S. as a “backsliding democracy” for the first time in 2021.

The problematic American democracy is taking the general public increasingly farther from quality governance. However, the U.S. is not showing any will to get back to the right track.

Ian Bremmer, president of political risk consultancy Eurasia Group, noted that American democracy, which was once described as a “shining city on a hill,” is now under siege from within.

Facts prove that the U.S. has never been a “good student” in democracy, let alone a “role model.” The hollow slogans of American politicians won’t make the chaotic American democracy any stronger. American politicians, who are addicted to self-deception, make democracy a political tool and weapon, and interfere in other countries domestic affairs, should face up to the structural flaws of the American system and do something that’s good to Americans and the people in the rest of the world.

People’s Daily Quick News Review

The explosions at the Nord Stream pipelines, which once shocked the whole world, made a bigger headline on Feb. 8.

Renowned American journalist Seymour Hersh, who covered the Watergate scandal, said on the U.S. portal Substack that last June, U.S. Navy divers planted the remotely triggered explosives under the cover of a NATO military exercise, which destroyed three of the four Nord Stream pipelines three months later. According to Hersh, the explosives were triggered by a sonar buoy dropped by a plane of the Norwegian navy.

In this article titled “How America Took Out the Nord Stream Pipeline,” Hersh explicitly accused the U.S. military of involvement in the incident and blamed the Biden administration for approving the operation.

People’s Daily Quick News Review noted that Hersh’s article exposes two important factors about the explosions – motivation and capability. With detailed materials and complete evidence, it reveals Washington’s decision to destroy the Nord Stream pipelines, how the U.S. managed to cover the truth, and how “highly skilled deep-water divers” executed the explosions.

People’s Daily Quick News Review believes that the article has triggered worldwide questions for the U.S.

Sabotage and attacks on vital civil infrastructure are dangerous practices of a terrorist nature, which is equivalent to waging a war against European countries and not acceptable for every person that expects a peaceful life on this planet.

The countries involved should maintain a high level of concern, invest important resources in it, and reactivate the investigation mechanism led by the United Nations to find the ultimate truth.

By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily

U.S. President Joe Biden recently talked big about democracy once again, bragging that American democracy remains “unbowed and unbroken” and running his mouth to defame other countries.

However, the fact is just the other way around, despite his efforts to gloss over the problems of American democracy.

Political wrestling is getting increasingly fierce in Washington, and governance challenges are still troubling the United States. Democracy disorder and governance failure have become outstanding issues in the United States today.

The country is in no position to act as a judge of democracy.

The failing American democracy is causing pain for the American society. The Wall Street Journal recently said in an article that most of America does not seem to appreciate Biden’s bragging, and Americans also observe a fraying social consensus that has them worried about the country.

According to a new poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, only a quarter of U.S. adults say things in the country are headed in the right direction.

A previous poll by Gallup also suggested that over half of Americans considered that both the Democratic Party and Republican Party were doing poorly in representing the American people.

The recent news headlines in the United States well explain why American democracy has encountered a trust crisis –”A Wake of Tragedy in California After Mass Shootings”, “Protesters hit streets in U.S. after deadly police beating of Tyre Nichols”, “U.S. hits borrowing limit, kicking off fight between Republicans and Democrats”…

American democracy not only failed to make a prescription to the “diseases” that have long troubled the United States, but also made problems trickier. It’s not surprising that Americans are losing confidence in American democracy, which only stages shows and pursues no real outcome.

Rather than reflecting on the problems of American democracy, the United States takes democracy as a tool that helps it maintain its global hegemony.

It launched the War in Afghanistan that lasted 20 years and forced American democracy upon the country, which threw Afghan people into an abyss of misery. After ruining Afghanistan and the future of a generation of Afghan people, the U.S. realized its failure in transplanting American democracy to Afghanistan and withdrew its troops in panic. It even illegally froze the assets of the Afghan central bank.

The U.S. interference in Syria’s domestic affairs under the disguise of democracy also led to disasters. Today, the United States is still plundering petroleum from Syria despite a severe humanitarian crisis that the big earthquake has caused for the Syrian people. What it signals is only overbearing indifference.

Facts prove that the U.S. exportation of democracy is indeed a weapon of mass destruction that hurts other countries. Jeffrey Sachs, a professor from America’s Columbia University, once denounced the hypocritic American democracy, saying the most violent country in the world is the U.S. since 1950.

Since the Biden administration assumed office, it has always been playing the “democracy card” in its diplomacy and selling the hypocritic rhetoric of “democracy versus authoritarianism,” trying to build so-called “alliances of values.” However, as a matter of fact, it is just forming cliques against those that are different and making ideology and values a tool to oppress other countries and advance its geopolitical strategies, which is exactly fake democracy and true hegemonism.

The United States monopolizing the definition of democracy with its own standard is the best example of being undemocratic. Doing the opposite of democracy in the name of democracy and provoking separation and confrontation seriously undermines the stability of the international order and only brings turbulences to the world.

Paul Heer, a distinguished fellow at the Center for the National Interest of the United States warned that the Biden administration sees U.S.-China relations as so-called “democracy versus authoritarianism,” which would lead to risks of over confrontation.

Today’s world is different from what it was in the past. The U.S., trying to replicate a Cold War, has seriously misjudged the current international landscape and the trend of the times.

Democracy is a common value of humanity. It should not be merely a decorative vase or a tool to maintain hegemony. The international society is clearly aware of the dangers of the hypocrisy of American democracy and that as a hegemonic tool of the United States. The U.S. attempts to provoke confrontation, divide the world and suppress other countries in the name of democracy are doomed to fail.

The United States and the Biden administration had better face up to and well manage their own problems, and make Americans believe that their country is headed in the right direction, rather than pointing fingers at other countries and meddling in their domestic affairs.

By Meng Haiying, Zheng Zhiwen, People’s Daily

Hit by a heavy snow, Jingyuetan National Forest Park in Changchun, northeast China’s Jilin province, recently put on a “white coat”.

As far as the eye can see, there were towering pines and cypresses and a lake covered by ice. Squirrels were sometimes seen running in the woods.

“I’m here with my family to get some air. It took us around half an hour to get here by subway. It’s very convenient,” said a visitor surnamed Liu, who was strolling in the park.

Nowadays, spending some time in the parks has become a lifestyle of Changchun residents. According to statistics, the number of parks in the city increased from 66 to 186 in the past decade, and the total area of urban parks from 1,244 hectares to 4,761 hectares.

After decades of planning and construction, a man-made forest has been built in Jingyuetan National Forest Park, which is one of the biggest in Asia.

With 96 percent of it forested, the park covers 96.83 square kilometers and has a water area of 5.3 square kilometers.

Over the recent years, Changchun has been committed to strengthening urban governance, making huge efforts to expand green space and launching campaigns to rectify practices such as the violation of public green space.

Changchun has built a variety of featured landscapes by constructing green parks, reforming topography, and planting decorative vegetation. Besides, it also launches colorful activities centering around the culture of the city in parks.

The city has worked to advance the construction of pocket parks to further beautify its urban space over the past two years.

By the end of 2022, it had built more than 200 pocket parks, making park visits happy experiences that are easier to access for residents.

At the end of 2021, 37.17 percent of the city’s residential area was covered by greenery, and the figure stood at 42.17 percent citywide. Besides, the city’s per capita space of public parks reached 13.13 square meters.

In winter, mists are always seen on the Yitong River, the mother river of Changchun, and crystal-clear rime ice is formed on tree branches. They constitute a pure and clean picture together with the vast snow-covered ground on the banks of the river.

However, such a scene was rare years ago, as the river performed poorly in water security, environment, and landscape. Besides, riverside transportation and industries were also underdeveloped.

In 2016, Changchun launched a comprehensive treatment program for the Yitong River to improve riverside landscape, facilities, and functions.

“By adding greenery, establishing ped-and-bike systems, and building waterside pavilions, we have created waterside space with complete functions, which is pleasing to Changchun residents,” said Nie Tianpu, an official with the Yitong River management committee.

So far, 17 new roads, over 100 sightseeing and fitness sites, as well as 1,350 hectares of green space have been built along the whole course of the river, creating a soothing and comfortable environment for citizens to walk and ride.

Besides, Changchun is also working to improve the public services in parks. According to Yu Yang, an official with the Bureau of Forestry and Landscaping of Changchun, the city has built many footpaths, sports facilities, and intelligent gyms in recent years to meet the fitness demand of the citizens. It has also opened science museums, exhibition halls, and mini libraries to nurture a thick cultural atmosphere.

In addition, the city is launching various activities in parks such as flower festivals and square dancing, as well as those about animal and plant protection, science popularization, photography, calligraphy, and painting.

By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily

The United States has the worst drug problem in the world today.

Twelve percent of global drug users come from the country, three times the proportion of the U.S. population to that of the world.

During the past 12 months, 10.1 million Americans have consumed opium at least once, and 48.2 million Americans over the age of 18 consumed cannabis at least once.

These shocking statistics mirror the harsh reality of drug abuse in the U.S., which is getting worse and has become an “American disease” that cannot be fixed easily.

Drug abuse leads to enormous social cost in the U.S.

Drug overdose exacts a high death toll on the U.S. population, greatly eroding the base of labor force and weighing on life expectancy.

According to a 2018 report on the American journal Science, American death toll of drug overdose has increased exponentially over the past 38 years – up 9 percent almost every year and doubling about every eight years. A total of 72,000 deaths, a record high, was registered in 2017.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from April 2020 to April 2021, more than 100,000 people in the U.S. died from drug overdose.

Drug abuse also leads to problems like family discord, violent crimes, and psychological trauma in children.

Michael Botticelli, former Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said more and more deadly drugs have entered the market, leading to severer problems of drug and substance abuse. Drug overdose and the disasters it brings to the society are heartbreaking, he added.

Drug abuse in the U.S. is a reflection of deep-rooted social problems, and the result of an interplay of economic interests, lobbying, and social and cultural factors.

In order to maintain their profits, interest groups in the U.S. throw a large amount of money to peddle the narrative that “opioids are harmless.” What they want is to push for drug legalization and prod pharmacies into promoting drug sales and doctors into indiscriminate prescription of drugs.

After analyzing disclosed data from the U.S. Senate, the OpenSecrets website found that the marijuana and cannabis industry, which involved more than 20 businesses, spent as much as $4.28 million on lobbying in 2021 alone. With interest groups lobbying, the House of Representatives actively considered bills that promote the legalization of marijuana and cannabis.

“We don’t need to convince people to believe in cannabis. We need to convince them to buy legally,” said a vice president of a U.S. company in the cannabis industry.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made long-existing social problems even worse in the U.S., and the pressure caused by problems, including gun violence, racism, social injustice and huge wealth gap, is increasingly felt by young people. As young people’s confidence in the U.S. drops dramatically and the pressure they face keeps growing, more and more of them turn to drugs to relieve their stress.

The drug problem is a manifestation of America’s failure in social governance. Driven by economic interests, the U.S. government winks at drug abuse and even pushes for drug legalization.

The cannabis industry in the country surged despite the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Legal cannabis sales in the U.S. hit a record $17.5 billion in 2020, a 46 percent jump from that of 2019, according to BDSA, a platform providing cannabis sales data.

U.S. media reported that California has raised $1 billion in cannabis tax revenue in only two years since the industry kicked into gear.

The U.S. has a fentanyl problem more rampant than other countries, but it has not officially scheduled fentanyl substances permanently yet.

According to Howard Koh, former Assistant Secretary for Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, drug and substance abuse in the United States is one of the most devastating public health disasters. The crisis showcases the U.S. government’s failed regulation across multiple systems, and it is imperative to make prompt, unified and comprehensive response.

According to the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, an American think tank, one could hardly see in the National Drug Control Strategy issued by the U.S. government the important roles the government is supposed to play in fighting one of the biggest public health challenges. Instead, it has sat idle as drug and substance abuse worsens.

The U.S. government has always confused right with wrong and shifted the blame in the fight against drugs. It is not only deeply irresponsible for U.S. citizens, but also undermines international counter-narcotics cooperation.

The drug problem of America is a deep-rooted disease that is yet to be cured. The U.S. should face its own problem squarely, take actions to deal with the domestic issue of prevalent drug abuse, and protect the American people’s right to life and health. Even less should it mislead the public and shift its responsibility for ineffective response to drug abuse at home onto others.

A coalition of civil society organizations on Monday accused the Executive Chairman of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, of being disrespectful and disdainful, to the Nigerian judicial system.

In a statement jointly signed, adopted, and endorsed by some pro-democracy and human rights groups, which includes Agenda for Good Governance, Centre for Policy Development and Leadership,
Com Jude Ogah Obayi, Arewa Voters Assembly, Coalition of Civil Societies Against Corruption, United Nigerians Forum and Conscience Group,

It read; “We are well known for our principled stand on matters of democracy, human rights, rule of law, and good governance since the struggle against military dictatorship in Nigeria.

“We are highly piqued that Democracy in Nigeria, for which many had lost their lives to enthrone, is being disrespected by rascals and fellons parading themselves as government officials. The same band of adventurers who hijacked the anti graft crusade in our country for their selective war against corruption and persecution of perceived political opponents. They are the characters debasing the very laudable ideas, which gave many hope of a vibrant nation during the inauguration of the Buhari administration.

“We have chosen to address this press conference in solidarity with the recent contempt of court judgement given against Abdulrasheed Bawa of the EFCC by a competent court of jurisdiction. We must say that we have seen in some steps taken by Bawa as not only disrespectful but disdainful to the Nigerian judicial system.

“We recall the invasion of the Abuja residence of Chief Rochas Okorocha in a gestapo manner by operatives of the EFCC under the leadership of Bawa. That Bawa, who orchestrated the misadventure, can not comply with the order given by a court of competent jurisdiction is spewing nonsense in an attempt to circumvent justice. Just a few months ago, a similar court of competent jurisdiction gave another guilty verdict on Bawa for the contemptuous behaviour of disrespectful magnitude against the court.

“At this juncture, let us state that Abubakar Malami, the Minister of Justice is frustrating the enforcement of the court order against Bawa by frustrating all moves to bring him to justice in compliance with the valid order of the courts.

“We also frown at Malami’s collaboration with Bawa well known tendency for sweeping major constitutional – sometimes criminal matters professing to deal with them after self interpretation. Contempt of court is a very serious act that can not be overlooked by any sane judicial officer, law enforcement agencies, or any minister in the temple of justice. Sadly, today, Bawa is going about as if he is above the law, a situation which emboldened the likes of Godwin Emefiele of the CBN to instigate an unprecedented voodoo monetary policy, economic and banking arson worth billions of dollars and trillions of arson against the help less Nigerian citizens.

“We are aware of the several underhand dealings going on under the present leadership of Bawa. Ranging from the appointment of compromised individuals as departmental heads, wrongful arrests of suspects, inconclusive investigation of cases, selective arrest of suspects, persecution of perceived individuals, among others. There are several cases of failed investigations, lack of diligence in prosecution, and bungling of cases undertaken by him, among others. A case involving a former Northern Governor and the sales of seized trucks loaded with oil in Rivers State are evidence of the atrocities stated above.

n the past, operatives that infringed on the rules were merely removed to go and enjoy their loot rather than being there prosecuting, even when top military Generals were prosecuted. Unfortunately, what is obtainable under the current tainted lame duck leadership is the promotion and elevation of operatives that committed all sorts of infractions.

“We are afraid, and we have every reason to say so, that since Bawa refused to submit himself to the custodial service authorities, he should resign forthwith. He doesn’t have moral authority any longer to prosecute any suspect standing trying to trial for corruption investigated by the EFCC. It is ridiculous, scandalous and embarrassing that the same Bawa who arrested Senator Nwaboshi, a serving member of the red Chambers from Delta State for evading the justice, is the same person hibernating and refusing to comply with an order of the court bordering on contempt of court of competent jurisdiction.

“We are aware that any person sentenced by any competent court in our land ensures compliance with the order by submitting self to custodial service facility. It is after the submission that the convict can apply for stay of execution, appeal, or even serve the sentence as pronounced by the court. Therefore, in this case, Bawa doesn’t have a choice but to obey forthwith.

“We urge President Muhammadu Buhari to resist the temptation of standing aloof in the present circumstances, while the fabric of Nigerian democracy is being undermined by Malami, Bawa, Emefiele and their ilk. Their syndicates have been accused of large-scale embezzlement of tax payers funds running into billions of naira and allegations of bribery, self enrichment, and display of lifestyles above visible means of income.

“Under Bawa’s leadership and collaborators, politically exposed persons and financial rogues elements are being provided with soft landing while perceived rivals are being persecuted and court orders disobeyed. To think that Bawa would ever obey the contempt of court order against him requires some kind of leap of confidence and faith that many Nigerians, for us, don’t have.

“The EFCC, as presently constituted, is reeked with moral and financial burden. President Buhari’s anti corruption campaign which has already received national and international acclaim may suffer credibility problems should the President continue to sit atop an anti graft agency whose green horn head doesn’t obey court orders, treats judicial system and human rights with disdain and contempt while doing nothing about corrupt and lawless sick kick other than to cover up their wrong doings under the pretext to enjoy Villa soft landing.

“Lastly, let us put it on record that no power is conferred on anyone, no matter how highly placed, to override the court on the issue of contempt, except and only the court. As far as issues of this nature are concerned, there is no room for resorting to self-help. The only choice left to Mr. President in the present circumstances is to ask Bawa to turn in his resignation letter for bringing the administration and its anti graft crusade to disrepute and contempt. The anti corruption mantra of President Buhari would be called to question whether Bawa should be allowed to stay a day longer in office.” It added.

By Yuan Taoxiong, People’s Daily

Digital technology-assisted conservation of ancient city wall in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi province, was recently listed among the top-10 cases of digital innovation in the Chinese culture and tourism industry of 2022.

Assisted by digital technologies, the ancient city wall in the Chinese city is showing its attractiveness in more diverse aspects.

The ancient ramparts trace back to more than 1,400 years ago. As the city develops, they are now surrounded by busy commercial districts, and there are metro lines that cross them underground.

The conservation of the city wall is about not only the wall itself but also its wooden annexes and the city moat. Today, the digital technologies that are employed to protect the city wall are like sentries that never feel fatigue.

On the path over the Yongning Gate, the south gate of the ancient city wall, there are three small cylinders every few dozens of meters.

“They are vertical in-place inclinometers, which are able to precisely monitor the horizontal displacement of the inner wall of the barbican at the gate,” said Xie Zhiyuan, who works for the management committee of the Xi’an city wall.

According to Xie, devices are installed in all sections of the city wall that stretches 13,74 kilometers to monitor the safety of the wall and annexes.

“We have designated 31 underwater monitoring sites along the moat and set up vibration monitoring points at the gates that metro lines cross. These digital devices offer massive data and lay a solid foundation for targeted conservation of the city wall,” said Gao Heng, head of the cultural relics preservation and tourism department of the Xi’an city wall management committee.

Based on the data collected by the devices, the management committee built a warning system that sets four warning thresholds for the settlement and cracking of the city wall, Gao told People’s Daily, adding that response measures will be taken according to different levels of warning.

From adopting simplistic and palliative approaches to taking preventative measures, Xi’an’s city wall conservation has gone through fundamental transformation with the assistance of digital and information technologies, Gao said.

“We’ll further exploit 3D-scanning and automatic monitoring technologies to extend the life of the city wall,” Gao noted.

“It’s so high,” shouted tourist Zhao Yan, wearing a virtual reality (VR) headset and closely holding the hands of her friend. A drone had already flown far outside the glass ceilings above her head and begun filming the magnificent view of the city wall from above.

Apart from bikes, electric bikes, and rowing boats, VR drones have expanded the options for sightseeing along the city wall.

According to an employee of the city wall scenic area, the drones are remotely controlled by a cloud platform and very popular among tourists.

At the information center of the Xi’an city wall management committee, there’s a big screen that shows real-time passenger volume, temperature, and other statistics. The center has a big data management platform that is connected to over 1,000 sets of security equipment, which are able to monitor cultural relics preservation, record passenger flow, and perform other monitoring tasks.

“It’s necessary to upgrade cultural and tourism resources with digital means. Intelligent transformation of scenic spots brings newer experiences to tourists and makes management more efficient,” said Su Ning, general manager of Xi’an Qujiang City Wall Tourism Development Company Ltd.

Today, the development of online museums is creating opportunities for tourists who cannot make in-person visits.

A relics museum near the Hanguang Gate of the Xi’an city wall has made a digital replica of itself in a mini program based on 3D data capture. It also developed a H5 game that has aroused the interest of many children in the city wall. “Novel digital cultural products can better enhance the public’s sense of identity for and pride in traditional culture. We’ll keep working to find what tourists like based on digital information and better promote and display cultural relics with digital technologies,” Gao said

By Global Times

More than four months after the explosion of Nord Stream pipelines, a shocking report by US investigative journalist Seymour Hersh released on Wednesday has once again ignited international public opinion. The report provides details of how the US intelligence agencies planned the sabotage under the order of US President Joe Biden and how the US Navy carried out the bombing with the cooperation of the Norwegian forces. After the report was published, Washington quickly denied it. But simply using the phrase “fake news” is obviously not convincing. The international community needs to keep asking Washington until it gives a convincing explanation.

The 85-year-old Hersh is a famous Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. More than 50 years ago, his report that exposed the US military’s massacre of Vietnamese civilians significantly pushed the anti-war movement in the US. He was also behind the investigation of the notorious incident of Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse in 2003 and contributed to revealing the Watergate scandal, one of the most disgraceful political scandals in Washington’s history. Hersh’s latest report is not comparable to conspiracy theories in public opinion, nor are they something Washington can just gloss over.

To be honest, the suspicions about the US are not baseless, but the details that got exposed still send chills down one’s spine. For example, the report claims that Washington had been secretly planning the sabotage of Nord Stream pipelines since the end of 2021, long before the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. And in more than nine months of debate, Washington focused not on whether to blow up the pipelines, but on how to leave no evidence behind. Therefore, the execution forces, time, place, and the way the explosion was carried out were all carefully planned. Even the most imaginative screenwriter in Hollywood would not dare to write such a plot. If what is reported in Hersh’s article is true, then the world will probably have to reassess the US’ capability to disrupt peace.

The explosion of the Nord Stream pipelines, one of the world’s most important transnational energy supply infrastructures, was an extreme event in international politics. Under the fragile political mutual trust, the Nord Stream pipelines were once a main artery of energy connecting Western Europe and Russia, stabilizing the security situation by expanding common interests. Because of this, it has always been a “thorn in the eye” of Washington.

With the blast of the Nord Stream pipelines, the only remaining bridge to build common security in Europe was destroyed, which means that Western European countries have to choose to be deeply bound with the US at the crossroads of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Hersh also mentioned in his latest report that “Germany and the rest of Western Europe would become addicted to low-cost natural gas supplied by Russia – while diminishing European reliance on America.” This is one of the main reasons Washington decided to blow up the Nord Stream pipelines.

Attacking and destroying major civil infrastructure is a highly egregious act of terrorist nature and must not be tolerated. The international community has no dispute over this. After the explosion, many countries publicly condemned it, and the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also declared that sabotage on the Nord Stream gas pipelines would be “in no-one’s interest.”

The Global Times then published an editorial, calling for relevant international agencies to set up a joint investigation team to restore the truth as soon as possible, find out the perpetrators, and let them be punished. But as expected, some countries are blocking such an international investigation, and more than four months have passed, with little progress made. Hersh’s report now at least provides an important clue to the international investigation.

It is worth noting that the US mainstream media, which has always claimed to be “professional” and “independent,” was selectively blind to Hersh’s revelations or simply reported denials by the US government. Compared with their unanimously pointing their fingers at Russia after the explosion, this abnormal silence shows that American media agencies are very clear about when to be high-profile or low-key.

A large number of facts show that the US is the well-deserved leader in the “double standard arena.” It is obsessed with and good at fabricating rumors or making groundless accusations against others. But it will never admit its own mistakes or even crimes, even if the evidence is solid. It will instead try to blame others. Public opinion predicts that the US government will most likely respond to Hersh’s revelations in this way, which will leave another stain on its international credibility.

It is likely to become an event with the Rashomon effect in the 21st century for how the Nord Stream pipeline incident happened. But it does not mean that we should give up the pursuit of the truth, because it is not only about morality, responsibility, and conscience, but also about what kind of footnotes human beings will write for war and peace when looking back at this period of history in the future. This is very important.