China once again dominated the Asian Games by bagging 201 gold, 111 silver and 71 bronze medals in Hangzhou, surpassing its record of 199 gold medals in 2010. But the harvest in Hangzhou goes beyond winning medals.

The national swimming team is the biggest contributor to the medal tally, as they took home 28 gold, 21 silver and nine bronze medals in 41 disciplines. 

The leading athletes, male breaststroke world champion Qin Haiyang, who won five gold and one silver medals, and female butterfly star Zhang Yufei, who collected six gold medals, were named the MVP of the Games. 

But the touching moment culminating the swimming competition came when Zhang and her arch-rival but friend Rikako Ikee, who won the previous Asian Games MVP in 2018, shared a tearful embrace following the 50-meter butterfly podium.

Ikee, who won six gold and two silver medals at the Jakarta Games, was the bronze medalist in the 50 butterfly, her first international podium finish since being diagnosed with leukemia in February 2019. 

Zhang said it is Ikee's story of fighting back from the disease that inspired her to continue to race after coming down sick when the competition was in full swing. 

"I wasn't feeling well during the Games and would have wavered in my goal," Zhang told reporters. "But when I saw that Ikee was still competing, I felt that I mustn't give in as she is there [after overcoming the disease]."

Nineteen-year-old swimmer Pan Zhanle also made history in men's 100 meters with a sensational 46.97-second finish, becoming the first Asian athlete to clock under 47 seconds in the discipline. His result, only 0.11 seconds behind the world record, is the fifth fastest in all-time history. 

Athletic breakthroughs

In athletics, veteran Chinese sprinter Xie Zhenye, who leveled his personal best in the 100-meter dash at 9.97 seconds to win the gold medal, is also among the Chinese quartet who claimed the men's 4x100 meters relay final. 

Xie, now 30, who was in the squad that won a silver medal at the 2015 world athletics championships, paid tribute to his younger teammates Chen Guanfeng, Yan Hai­bin and Chen Jiapeng, who are all under the age of 23, for the achievement made in Hangzhou.

"In the past two years, the relay team has experienced the pain of a transition between the old and the new," Xie told reporters. 

"The win is undoubtedly a shot in the arm for us, giving us more confidence in our younger generation to compete in the future."

Xie also received a reallocated Tokyo Olympics bronze medal in Hangzhou with his elder sprinting quartet led by star Su Bingtian, who was sidelined in 2023 due to injury. Female veteran racewalker Qieyang Shijie was reallocated a 2012 London Olympics gold medal, making her the first ethnic Tibetan Olympic gold medalist from China. 

Male tennis player Zhang Zhizhen, who is having a breakthrough season, also helped China to reclaim the gold medal in tennis men's singles since Pan Bing did so in 1994. 

The win earned him a berth at the Paris Olympics, when he will play on clay court again at Roland Garros where he made history by becoming the first Chinese tennis player to make it into the last 32 at the 2023 French Open.

Warning signs

China's sports authorities have vowed to revitalize the three "major balls" - soccer, basketball and volleyball in 2023. But the result for these high-profile sports remains an ongoing project after falling short at the Asian Games.

Among the highlights, the Chinese women's basketball and volleyball teams have successfully defended their titles, the men's volleyball team made it to the finals again after 17 years and the men's soccer team also made it into the last eight again since 2006. 

Zhou Jinqiang, deputy chef de mission of the Chinese delegation at the Asian Games, said on October 8 that though there are bright spots in the three major ball games, generally the performances of a number of teams were unsatisfactory. 

"The men's basketball team lost the semifinals to the Philippines, whose squad is not their first team, and the women's soccer team lost the semifinals to the second-tier Japan team, there is still a gap between the overall performance of the 'three major balls' and the people's expectations," Zhou said. 

He further underlined the underachievement of the men's basketball team, who suffered a defeat to the Philippines in the semifinals in which the Filipinos only led 24 seconds in the 40-minute game. The men's basketball team have already missed the Paris Olympics after a disappointing run at the FIBA World Cup in 2023.

"The men's basketball team did not withstand the pressure in the key games and key moments, and was reversed in the case of a big lead, once again exposing the problems in the management of the national team," Zhou said. 

Emerging hopes

Flashback to China's very first gold medal at the Asian Games. It comes in rowing when Chinese pair Zou Jiaqi and Qiu Xiuping won the women's light-weight double sculls.

Rowing remains a new sport for the Chinese public as traditionally it is the names of shooting, weightlifting or wushu - Chinese martial arts - where the Chinese delegation have claimed gold medals at past Asian Games. 

The rise of Chinese rowing could indicate that Chinese athletes are able to compete internationally in some more sports and disciplines, rather than relying only on the traditional sports where China excels, said Cao Yaqi, deputy editor-in-chief of Titan Sports newspaper. 

"The Paris Olympics are less than a year away. Winning medals could make those Chinese athletes who have qualified for the Olympics prepare and compete with confidence, just like what they did in Hangzhou," Cao told the Global Times. 

"Chinese athletes are starting to develop confidence when competing, which will accelerate the transition of China from a medal powerhouse to an overall sports powerhouse."

Zhu Qinan, a former Olympic champion in shooting and now a spokesperson for the Hangzhou Asian Games Sports Operations Center, believed the Hangzhou Asian Games is an opportunity to demonstrate national spirit.

"The power of sports and the Asian Games has united the spirit of our countrymen and the nation, and cultural self-confidence has been further manifested," he said, before noting his career spanned the development of sports in China. 

"We have made new breakthroughs in various international competitions in competitive sports, while the grassroots sports and the sports industry in these years have also continued to grow. I believe things will get even better."

With the rise of social media networks and involvement of capital, fandom culture as a niche subculture has attracted more and more attention from the mainstream. 

From an external perspective, the rapid advancement of technology and social media platforms have served as prerequisites, while investment from the capital market has fueled its development. As to the internal factors, the formation of fan communities meets people's psychological needs. For one thing, in today's fast-paced modern society, some young people have made online platforms their first choice to ease loneliness and express their feelings, while fan clubs allow people to show off their personality, achieve self-satisfaction and gain a sense of community and belonging. 

Debate about fandom culture tends to focus on its potential dangers. 

To begin with, the distortion of values caused by group polarization, especially for younger generations, leads to shocking incidents like pouring out drink bottles just to obtain a QR code inside the bottle cap to support an idol. Besides wasting resources and over-consumption, craze-driven irrational behavior such as stalking, doxing, fighting, and invading people's privacy have endangered public safety. 

More seriously, the uneven occupation of online resources by celebrity topics or entertainment events triggered by a large amount of fan participation and capital manipulation takes atte  ntion away from significant issues that involve public life. Under such circumstances, our culture, sports, education, and businesses would likely be reduced to entertainment accessories, and the final result might lead to actually "amusing" ourselves to death. 

However, as some observers fret about these dystopian scenarios, others focus on the potential rewards.

First, personalized consumption in fandom culture boosts the economy. In August, a popular Chinese idol group fueled a ticket-buying binge in which the first batch of over 33,000 tickets were snapped up in a few seconds. Revenue on ticket and live-streaming platforms reached more than 100 million yuan ($13.6 million) and drove local tourism revenue up to 416 million yuan. With social media, forces converge quickly, and fans can do great things for their idols. Their desire for expression, interactivity, and participation leads to a long tail effect in the vast fan market, which contains enormous consumption potential and benefits upstream and downstream industry development. 

Secondly, fandom culture alleviates the crisis of contemporary social identity and soothes our souls. As a social subculture system, fandom culture is based on seeking social interaction and identity recognition. Fans build emotional trust, form a community with common ideals, and find a new identity and a sense of belonging through communication and interaction with group members in an increasingly atomized society. For fans who have gone through their youth accompanied by some idols, nostalgia reveals their inner desire for a familiar, safe, and stable environment that serves as a spiritual sanctuary and utopia for rosy memories, helping them confront the fragmentation of the modern world and the discomfort of the rapid changes under globalization.

Fandom culture also empowers society. An idol who constantly contributes positive energy is an essential source of cohesion in society. Fans' heartfelt wishes to become better people alongside their idols have led them to ask idols to behave with higher standards and set good examples. 

For instance, some celebrities encourage fans to develop good reading habits, promote Chinese traditional culture, which is increasingly favored by young people, and participate in activities such as environmental protection and poverty alleviation. Several public benefit activities have benefited from the tremendous force and passion of fan communities, which are mainly composed of the Post-1990 and Post-2000 generations, who possess a higher level of education and more self-discipline. 

A fan may be a company staff, a professional photographer, or an illustrator and designer. They all have proficiency in a particular line. Thus, their efforts not only bring more energy and sunshine to society but also enrich the cultural ecology.  

So, fan culture is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, based on similar interests or shared memory, it allows fans to build social networks to find a new identity, accumulate real or virtual resources both online and offline, and form informal organizations. On the other hand, it also causes the group to get stuck in information cocoons and possibly tend to behave irrationally due to the existence of the "echo chamber effect." Fans are easily reduced to digital laborers and "one-dimensional people." 

Fan culture, driven by technology and capital, alters what we think and how we behave without us realizing it, making a difference in the overall cyberculture and even society as a whole. Whether it is a bane or boon depends on how we lead and guide. 

Accordingly, we should, above all, realize the pros and cons brought about by the development of fan culture and strengthen top-level design to shape a comprehensive paradigm featuring multi-party collaboration, namely government, platform, and fan groups, which will promote economic development, generate positive energy and minimize adverse effects. 

In celebration of its 90th anniversary, the Nanjing Museum in East China's Jiangsu Province has opened a jade-themed exhibition with more than 600 exhibits exploring the country's 10,000 years of jade culture.

Held by the Nanjing Museum and drawing on collections from 40 archaeological and cultural institutions across China, the exhibition showcases a diverse array of jade artifacts, spanning a period of nearly 10,000 years. 

"Among the more than 600 exhibits, at least one-third are national-level cultural relics, and more than half are treasured pieces at various museums," said Gao Bo, a staff member of the museum.

The exhibition is divided into three sections, each exploring a different facet of the relationship between jade and Chinese civilization. The first section mainly revolves around the cultural landscape of prehistoric jade, telling how jade artifacts helped integrate and promote China's prehistoric civilization.

Among the highlights of the first section is a jade ring unearthed from the Xiaonanshan Ruins in Raohe county, Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. Dating back around 9,000 years, this ancient piece of jade is believed to be one of the earliest known examples of the usage of jade in China.

The second section of the exhibition centers on the participation of jade rituals in the formation of the state, the establishment of community spirit, and the development of jade as a metaphor for virtue, highlighting the significance of jade in the state system and individual spirituality.

One remarkable artifact on display in this section is a C-shaped jade dragon, unearthed from a Hongshan Neolithic culture site dating back 5,000 years, the dragon has a long cylindrical bent into a C-shaped rainbow curve. 

According to Zuo Jun, a staff member of the museum, it was a ritual jade and is considered to be the original model for the dragon totem in China. It is one of the earliest jade dragons found in China and also the largest C-shaped jade dragon ever found.

This section also showcases a range of jade artifacts from the 5,000-year-old Liangzhu culture, including representations of deities and symbols of authority, such as scepters. These objects offer insight into the social status, political organization, and religious beliefs of ancient Chinese communities.

"During the Liangzhu period, jade was transformed from an object of beauty to being a socialized, ritualized and religious product," Zuo said.

The third section examines the development of jade from the Three Kingdoms period (220-280) to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, presenting the peak of the development of Chinese jade civilization in terms of materials, craftsmanship, cultural meaning and other aspects.

An exquisite jadeite carving of a bunch of grape displayed in the third section shows the delicate and fine jade grinding skills of the Qing Dynasty. The curator introduced that in the Qing Dynasty, jade carving reached its peak, thereby occupying a pivotal position in the history of ancient Chinese jade.

Jade culture is a witness to the continuity, innovation, unity, inclusiveness and gentleness of Chinese civilization, showing the internal drive and profound meaning of today's Chinese path to modernization, Gao said.

Editor's Note: 

Over the last decade, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has yield fruitful achievements and greatly enriched China-Africa relations. As this year marks the 10th anniversary of the proposal of BRI, Global Times reporters Liu Xin and Xing Xiaojing (GT) interviewed Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Zhou Pingjian (Zhou) and Chinese Ambassador to Madagascar Guo Xiaomei (Guo), to learn about their views on the BRI's achievements in the two African countries and their expectations for future cooperation.

GT: Over the last decade, China and Kenya have achieved fruitful results in their cooperation under the Belt and Road initiative (BRI). What do you see as the biggest highlight?

Zhou: The Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) is a landmark project by China and Kenya under the BRI, and it is also an exemplar of many fruitful results. In Kenya, the railway is affectionately called the SGR, and is well-known to almost every single Kenyan. As Kenyan President William Ruto said, the railway has completely changed the national landscape of Kenya.

The BRI has transformed Kenya's dreams into a reality. The narrow-gauge railway in Kenya was built in 1895 and has long been in disrepair. The country has always wanted to build a standard-gauge railway, which is also a key project in its Vision 2030 plan formulated in 2007.

Since the inauguration of the SGR, it has transported about 11 million passengers and about 28 million tons of cargo. It is worth mentioning that the official name of the railway in Kenya is "Madaraka Express" - "madaraka" means independence in the local Swahili language. Therefore, the most important significance of the railway is to enhance the confidence of the Kenyan people in their own development and make them proud.

GT: How do cooperation projects under the BRI, represented by the SGR, promote the development of other sectors by supporting infrastructure construction in Africa?

Zhou: Infrastructure construction is one of the key focuses of comprehensive cooperation under the BRI, and has unique significance for Kenya. 

Kenya itself does not have abundant mineral resources, but its geographical location and regional centrality are very important. Without necessary infrastructure, it cannot consolidate this advantage. That is why Kenya attaches great importance to cooperation with China in building railways, roads, airports, and other forms of infrastructure.

In the construction of these projects, China and Kenya adhere to the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, and implement the concepts proposed by the BRI. Each project effectively addresses Kenya's development concerns and brings significant benefits, such as creating job opportunities, consolidating regional centrality, and enhancing the confidence of the Kenyan people. No one agrees with the smear of the so-called debt trap.

GT: Based on your understanding, how do people from all walks of life in Kenya respond to the BRI? What role does the initiative play in communicating with the local people?

Zhou: The BRI has an excellent reputation in Kenya, and local friends highly praise the practical changes brought about by China-Kenya cooperation under the initiative. 

In 2013, China and Kenya established a comprehensive cooperative partnership of equality, mutual trust, mutual benefit, and win-win cooperation. In 2017, China-Kenya relations were upgraded to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. In the last 10 years, the exchanges between China and Kenya at the head-of-state level have provided strong strategic guidance for the joint construction of the BRI.

In addition to the connectivity of facilities such as the SGR, "soft connectivity" in terms of standard rules and regulations has also been well-coordinated, ensuring smooth trade. A decade ago, the bilateral trade volume between China and Kenya was about $2.8 billion, and in 2022 it reached about $8.5 billion, growing rapidly. The cooperation between the two countries in financial connectivity over the last 10 years has also made great progress.

In the process of jointly building the BRI between China and Kenya, due to the high visibility of projects such as the SGR, the Lamu port, and the Thwake Dam, some people may think that the joint construction mainly focuses on infrastructure. 

In fact, the achievements in people-to-people connectivity and cultural exchanges between the two countries are also very prominent. Kenya currently has four Confucius Institutes, the most in any African country. There are also scientific research institutions such as the Sino-Africa Joint Research Center and the Kenya-China Joint Laboratory for Crop Molecular Biology at Egerton University. The embassy staffers always feel enthusiasm when communicating with local people.

GT: We have noticed that many elites in Kenya have a Western education background, but in recent years, more and more young people have tended to opt to study in China. How do you view this change?

Zhou: In Kenya, we hardly hear any negative comments about China. The local people have confidence in China's development prospects, and naturally want their own future development to be related to China.

Officials from the Kenyan Ministry of Education have expressed that many Kenyan students want to study in China, which also reflects the increasing importance of cooperation with China in Kenya's consideration of future development. Before visiting China, a high-ranking Kenyan official told me that he needed to bring his 15-year-old son along to let him understand that the world is not only about Europe and America, but also about rapidly developing China.

Kenya is an open country, and both in the business and academic fields, more people are indeed turning their attention to China. The people-to-people exchanges between China and Kenya have laid a solid foundation since the time of Zheng He's voyages to the coast of East Africa. With the strong driving force of jointly building the BRI, the friendly exchanges between the two countries are expected to deepen further.

GT: While achieving fruitful cooperation with mutual benefits, Western media outlets have intensified their attacks using the so-called debt trap. How do you view this?

Zhou: There are always people who can't stand others' success. During our exchanges with local friends in Kenya, no one has agreed with the so-called debt trap insinuation. Even if some people are influenced by such rhetoric, misunderstandings can be eliminated as long as there is clear communication.

A country needs capital for development. If it lacks domestic capital, it needs to find ways to utilize external capital appropriately. Many Kenyans believe that it is good to borrow money to help in development.

As far as I know, the smear of the so-called debt trap lacks credibility in Kenya. China's financing in Kenya is based on the development projects in the Kenya Vision 2030 plan. Before these projects started, China was not the only country Kenya had contact with. After analyzing different options, Kenya independently chose China. The reason behind this is that Chinese financing brings project implementation and provides Kenya with the fairest and most reasonable financing arrangements within its capacity.

Other speculations such as "neocolonialism" have no standing in Kenya either. My feeling is that when certain media outlets hype such topics, the local media in Kenya reacts minimally because the people here have benefited from pragmatic cooperation under the BRI.

GT: What is the current status of the focus to align the BRI with Kenya's Vision 2030?

Zhou: The development of each country has different stages, and the demands at each stage are not the same. Any cooperation between China and other countries is based on the needs and absorptive capacity of the partners, as well as the assistance that China can provide, striving for win-win outcomes.

Infrastructure construction remains a priority for Kenya's national development, and China and Kenya will continue to promote cooperation in this area through innovative approaches. In addition, based on its own development needs, Kenya has a growing desire to cooperate with China in other fields. 

For example, the Kenyan government has proposed a bottom-up economic transformation agenda with agriculture at the core, covering areas such as micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, affordable housing, universal healthcare, and the digital and creative economy. There are broad prospects and ample space for cooperation between Kenya and China in these areas.

Taking the digital and creative economy as an example, China and Kenya have a good foundation for cooperation. Both countries have good cooperation in building 4G and 5G base stations, national fiber optic networks, and national data centers. How to improve and make better use of the infrastructure in these areas is a topic that can be further explored in the future.

There is even greater potential for cooperation between China and Kenya in the tourism industry. More and more Kenyans now recognize that China represents a huge opportunity. They say that China has over 100 million outbound tourists each year, and if even a small fraction of them could come to Kenya, the country's tourism industry would develop well. Additionally, there is also great potential for cooperation between China and Kenya in the film and television production industry, including animation.

GT: What are your expectations for the development prospects of the high-quality BRI in Kenya?

Zhou: The prospects are very broad. Kenya has its own advantages, and the two countries have gradually explored good methods of cooperation. The most important thing is that both sides adhere to the principles of consultation, joint construction, and shared benefits, aiming for win-win cooperation and promoting their respective development.

Kenya's leaders, government officials, and ordinary people from all walks of life have highly praised the joint construction of the BRI between China and Kenya. 

When the former Kenyan Minister of Transport participated in a live broadcast on a local TV station and was asked why many projects were cooperating with China, he used the example of the SGR to explain how Kenya's century-old dream became a reality through cooperation with China. He mentioned that they had been talking about building an expressway to the airport for 20 years, and China helped them achieve it within one or two years. 

His argument was simple: The projects carried out in cooperation with China are of good quality, cost-effective, and are completed quickly. What's wrong with that? It also explains, to some extent, why the BRI has borne fruitful results in Kenya. It is because of China's sincerity and correct concept of righteousness and interests in practical operations, which have helped Kenya achieve its own development.

At the same time, China has also enhanced its own experience, technology, and equipment through cooperation with Kenya, expanding the market for Chinese companies. From August 2008 to July 2011, I served as a counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Kenya. At the time, there was only one Chinese community here, but now there are 18. The number of Chinese tourists visiting Kenya was very small at that time, but before the pandemic, this number had exceeded 80,000. 

Looking ahead, I believe that China and Kenya will achieve new breakthroughs in jointly building the BRI and implementing global development initiatives.

Thousands of Cambodians on Wednesday evening celebrated the inscription of the country's Koh Ker archaeological site on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)'s World Heritage List.

Built in the 10th century by Jayavarman IV, the Koh Ker archaeological site was listed as a world heritage site during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday.

It became Cambodia's fourth tangible cultural property that has been inscribed on the World Heritage List. "This archaeological marvel offers a profound insight into its era's well-organized projects of regional, social, economic, and architectural development, town planning, and rural infrastructure," the UN cultural agency said.

Speaking to the revelers at the event held at the Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said it was a new historic event for Cambodia in safeguarding, preserving and developing cultural properties.

Koh Ker had suffered widespread looting during civil conflicts between the 1960s and 1990s, and the Cambodian government has since sought to repatriate stolen antiquities exhibited or sold on the international market.

"As a Cambodian citizen, I'm thrilled to hear that the Koh Ker temple has been included in the world heritage list," Em Sreysros, a 55-year-old reveler, told Xinhua.

She said the inscription truly reflected the government's strong efforts to protect and conserve the country's cultural heritage sites.

"I would like to urge international tourists and overseas Cambodians to come and visit Cambodia, and please come to see our ancient Koh Ker temple," Sreysros said.

Located in Preah Vihear province's Kulen district, roughly 370 km northwest of the capital Phnom Penh, Koh Ker was the capital of the Khmer Empire for a brief period between 928-941 C.E., according to UNESCO.

The 87.8-square-km ancient site boasts several archaeological remains, including unique-in-style temples, sculptures, inscriptions, wall paintings, and impressive Shiva-lingas sanctuaries, as well as civil structures, ponds, dykes, reservoirs, and ancient roads that reflect the influence and grandeur of the Khmer Empire.

To date, four tangible cultural properties in the Southeast Asian country have been placed on the world heritage list. The first three listed properties are the Angkor Archaeological Park inscribed in 1992, the Temple of Preah Vihear in 2008, and the Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk in 2017.

The Indonesia-China Business Forum and Indonesia Night were successfully held in Beijing to promote Indonesian culture and seek economic cooperation between the two countries.

A total of 250 people from the Chinese business community and various business sectors in Indonesia attended the event. 

Indonesian Ambassador to China Djauhari Oratmangun presided over the forum and stated that on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between Indonesia and China this year, the business forum has built a platform for potential cooperation between the two countries.

During the event, China and Indonesia signed a memorandum of understanding on strengthening mutual cooperation.

In order to promote Indonesian culture and traditional textile fabrics (Batik), more than 200 entrepreneurs, scholars, and officials from China, Indonesia, and other countries, as well as media professionals, attended the banquet. 

In his speech, Oratmangun noted that, "this is the first Indonesian night to be held in China since the start of the epidemic. This Indonesian night will showcase Indonesia's rich and colorful culture, music, traditional dance, coffee, and traditional textile fabrics."

The governor of the Bank Indonesian also presented traditional Indonesian clothing to 16 individuals who have contributed to the promotion of relations between Indonesia and China, including the Indonesian Ambassador to China and his wife, as well as the Indonesian Consul General in Guangzhou.

Editor's Note:

On October 18, 2023, as the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) came to a conclusion, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced eight major steps China will take to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation in a keynote speech. Benefiting over 150 countries, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has become the most popular international public good and largest international cooperation platform in today's world.

The year 2023 marks the 10th anniversary of the BRI and 10th year since China first proposed building a closer China-ASEAN community of shared future. The ASEAN is the priority and key region for the implementation of the BRI, and is an active respondent and beneficiary of the framework. 

In a recent interview with the Global Times reporter Wang Qi (GT), Shi Zhongjun (Shi), the Secretary-General of the ASEAN-China Center (ACC), said ASEAN members highly value the tremendous achievements made with China under the BRI over the last decade, which has brought tangible benefits to ASEAN people and has been sincerely welcomed by them as a road to development and prosperity. He said ASEAN members generally look forward to the continued promotion of mutually beneficial cooperation, rather than becoming geopolitical pawns. All-round cooperation between China and ASEAN has also injected more positive energy into regional and global peace, stability, and prosperity amid global uncertainties and chaos.

GT: How do you interpret the outcome of the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) and what is the response from ASEAN members? 

Shi: The third BRF has just been successfully concluded, with representatives from 151 countries and 41 international organizations participating, and more than 10,000 registered participants, which fully demonstrates that the BRI has taken root in people's hearts worldwide, and the global influence of the concept is increasing. 

President Xi Jinping met with heads of state, including leaders of ASEAN members, to reaffirm the broad consensus to continue to build a high-quality BRI. A total of 458 outcomes were delivered during the BRF and 369 practical collaboration projects have been inked, of which nearly 80, or more than one-fifth, are related to ASEAN members. These outcomes have drawn a new blueprint, opened a new phase, and injected new momentum into the BRI's future.

I've noticed that the leaders of the participating ASEAN members highly value the tremendous achievements made in the last 10 years of the joint construction of the BRI. They have expressed their willingness to continue to participate in the BRI, and hope that more pragmatic projects that are beneficial to the people will be implemented. They also welcome more Chinese investment to maintain the positive momentum of high-quality and inclusive development.

GT: What can we expect from future cooperation between China and the ASEAN, and what roles can the ACC play in this regard?

Shi: China and ASEAN members will work together to implement the important outcomes of the BRF. 

First, we will further promote the BRI to dovetail with the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025, and the development strategies of each ASEAN member. Second, we will continue to strengthen infrastructure development in railways, highways, ports, airports, electricity, and communications to build a three-dimensional network of connectivity. Third, we will further enhance economic and trade exchanges, stabilize and smooth the supply chain and industrial chain, and cultivate new growth points for cooperation in emerging areas such as the digital economy, green transformation, and scientific and technological innovation. 

Regarding promoting policy communication, the ACC will continue to maintain close communication with government departments and embassies of China and ASEAN members, and promote exchanges and docking of policies through co-organizing briefings and other activities.

In terms of promoting trade, the ACC will continue to build platforms, actively matchmaking enterprises and products from both sides to enter each other's markets, inviting ASEAN business to participate in economic and trade activities in China, and organizing face-to-face exchanges between governments, businessmen, and enterprises from the two sides, so as to facilitate the landing of more projects.

When it comes to promoting people-to-people exchanges, the ACC will continue to actively carry out exchange projects in the fields of education, culture, youth, tourism, and media between China and the ASEAN, to promote tourism recovery, and cultivate a positive atmosphere of public opinion for the China-ASEAN relationship.

GT: How do you view the cooperation between China and the ASEAN under the BRI in the last decade? What does it mean for the development of ASEAN members?

Shi: China and most ASEAN members are developing countries, which makes development a common goal for both sides. Over the last decade, China and ASEAN members have continuously strengthened their strategic synergizing, and have achieved fruitful results and joined hands to build a high-quality BRI model.

China and all 10 ASEAN members have signed bilateral cooperation documents on the joint construction of the BRI. The two sides have been each other's largest trading partner for three consecutive years and are accelerating version 3.0 of the China-ASEAN free trade agreement.

Facts have proven that the joint construction of the BRI has brought ASEAN members greater opportunities for cooperation and development dividends, as well as a greater sense of gain and happiness to the people on both sides.

For instance, the China-Laos Railway. It has been hailed by the Lao people as a "landmark project" that has transformed Laos from a "land-locked country" to a "land-linked country." 

The railway has been in stable operation for 22 months, carrying more than 20 million passengers and 26.8 million tons of goods. Through the railway, fresh fruits from Southeast Asia can be delivered to Chinese consumers in a shorter period of time and at a lower cost. The project has provided more than 110,000 jobs for the Lao people and trained local technical and managerial staff, leading to the economic and social development of Laos.

GT: Since you became the Secretary-General of the ACC in September 2022, you have visited a number of ASEAN members. What are the attitudes and feelings of ASEAN members toward China and the BRI? What has impressed you the most after one year in office?

Shi: This year, I have visited six ASEAN members, including Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Cambodia, and Myanmar, and met with high-level officials from the foreign affairs, economic and trade, investment, education, culture, and tourism departments of the host countries, as well as exchanging views with people from all walks of life, such as local chambers of commerce, universities, think tanks, and the media. 

I feel that all sectors of ASEAN members welcome the BRI and highly appreciate the results achieved. ASEAN members generally believe that jointly building the BRI can improve the infrastructure of ASEAN members, narrow the development gap between regions, promote the region's post-COVID recovery, and effectively benefit the local people.

I have a deep impression that locals often talk about two BRI projects. The first is the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, which has just come into operation. 

When I was in Jakarta, many local people said to me, "In the 1990s, it took a whole day to go to Bandung, but now it only takes 40 minutes through the high-speed railway, which is incredible!" 

The second is the Chinese-invested Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway in Cambodia, which connects the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh with the largest deep-water seaport, Sihanoukville. Locals in Phnom Penh say that it takes more than 5 hours to drive between the two places, but now it takes less than 2 hours, which brings great convenience to people.

At the same time, some media sources and think tanks in ASEAN members have told me that some ordinary people still do not have a comprehensive understanding of the BRI. In the future, the two sides should carry out more economic and livelihood projects, especially small but practical projects, so that more people in the ASEAN can share the dividends of the BRI.

GT: Under the US "Indo-Pacific Strategy," more external factors are intervening in the Asia-Pacific region. What is the importance of practical cooperation between China and the ASEAN under the BRI to maintain the peace, stability, and prosperity of the region?

Shi: China-ASEAN cooperation under the BRI has brought tangible benefits to ASEAN people and has been sincerely welcomed by them as a way to development and prosperity. ASEAN members generally look forward to continuing to promote mutually beneficial cooperation, rather than becoming geopolitical pawns. Regional countries are well aware of the motives and intentions of the interfering external forces.

At present, the recovery of the global economy from the pandemic is still generally weak, while the geopolitical situation is still strained and chaotic, with the issues of inflation, environment, food, and energy security still complex and grim. This poses a number of challenges to regional peace and stability.

The jointly construction of BRI has allowed for a large number of infrastructure projects to take root in the ASEAN, which not only improves local production and the living environment, but also effectively reduces the cost of participation in international trade for ASEAN members, strengthens their ability to integrate into the world economy, and stimulates the region's potential for greater development.

In addition, China and the ASEAN have been cooperating on trade facilitation, accelerating the process of regional economic integration, promoting the stability and smooth flow of the regional and global industrial chain supply chain, and injecting strong impetus into a steady recovery after the global pandemic.

In general, the all-round cooperation between China and the ASEAN under the BRI has injected more positive energy into regional and global peace, stability, and prosperity, and has become the greatest certainty amid current global uncertainties.

GT: What are the lessons that partners can learn from the successful China-ASEAN cooperation under the BRI?

Shi: China and ASEAN members are natural fellow travelers in the construction of the BRI, and have been working hand in hand for 10 years, achieving fruitful results along the way and bringing great benefits to the people of both sides. I believe that there are at least three aspects of experience that are worth learning from:

First, focusing on strategic synergizes. Over the last decade, the BRI has not only been designed to dovetail with the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025, but also has been customized to dovetail with the development strategies of each ASEAN member. 

Second, we insist on mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. China and ASEAN members have been practicing the principle of joint construction and sharing and have deepened cooperation in these fields with complementary advantages.  

Third, it's always keeping pace with the times. Both sides attach importance to "hard connectivity" in infrastructure, "soft connectivity" in education, culture, and tourism, and now, the "new connectivity" in green, digital, and artificial intelligence. 

The core idea is to ensure that cooperation remains at the forefront of innovation, leading the trend, and truly benefiting the region.

Italian Ambassador to China Massimo Ambrosetti recently visited South China's Guangdong Province and met with Chen Jianwen, a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Guangdong Provincial Committee and director of the Publicity Department of the Guangdong Provincial Committee.

Ambassador Ambrosetti recalled Italy's long history of cooperative relations with Guangdong. This relationship is rooted in history and has matured over the centuries through the efforts of important historical figures such as Matteo Ricci, he said. 

During the meeting, Ambrosetti and Chen discussed deepening trade and cultural exchanges, and strengthening of people-to-people contacts between the two countries. Meanwhile, Ambassador Ambrosetti also met with Sun zhiyang, acting mayor of the Guangzhou, capital city of Guangdong . The ambassador recalled the excellent cooperation that has always existed between Italy and Guangzhou, which builds on the friendship that the capital of Guangdong Province has with the Italian cities of Bari, Genoa, Milan, Padua, and Turin.

The ambassador also visited Shenzhen and experienced the rapid development of the city compared to his first visit in 1992. Shenzhen Vice Mayor Wang Shourui introduced its economic and social development situation to the ambassador, while Ambrosetti pointed out that Italy has unrivaled advantages in the fields of industry and fashion, and that there is huge cooperation between Italy and Shenzhen in these fields. 

"Italy is the world's fashion capital and has had a positive impact on the design sector in Shenzhen, where the creativity of Italian designers is particularly appreciated. This year, the relation links between Shenzhen and Italy have also been gradually strengthened due to increased direct flights," he alleged. 

The ambassador also awarded the Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy to Sun Qijie, who is responsible for the Sea World Culture and Arts Center. This is a great honor in Italy, and was awarded to Sun to recognize his contribution to the dissemination of Italian culture in South China.

The Central Conservatory of Music held a China-Argentina Friendship Exchange Concert  with the support of the Embassy of Argentina in China and the National University of the Arts in Argentina.

The finale of the concert, "Jasmine Tango," was performed by the Central Conservatory of Music Chinese Chamber Orchestra. This piece was composed for the Tango Art Research and Practice Center project by the Central Conservatory of Music, using the familiar Chinese folk song Jasmine Flower and the well-known Argentine tango Por una Cabeza as the music material. It highlights the diversity of Chinese music, inclusiveness of Chinese culture, and expresses best wishes for the long-lasting friendship between China and Argentina.

Among the numerous tourist destinations in China, a couple surnamed Wang from Yantai, Shandong Province, have set their sights on the Changbai Mountain. "It's cooler up north, and upon arrival, we discovered that not only is the air quality good here, but the water is also clean."

In the hot summer, the temperature in many cities has exceeded 30 C, and in some cases even 40 C. Under the low flying clouds, Changbai Mountain, a summer resort located in Northeast China's Jilin Province, still refuses to shed the dimly silver yarn. The water surface of Heavenly Lake, also known as Tianchi, in Changbai Mountain has just begun to break the ice and melt after more than 200 days of frozen. Compared with the dry heat in the city, the comfortable "cool" here has precisely spawned the "heat" of tourism.

As the temperature rises, the ice on the Tianchi Lake gradually thins, breaks up and melts, and the water also reveals its turquoise appearance.

"So beautiful! Changbai Mountain has always been my heart to punch the clock, fresh air, magnificent landscape, worth the trip," said Wang.

Changbai Mountain is one of the ten most famous mountains in China. Every December, the crater lake Tianchi will begin to freeze , the lowest temperature reaches minus 44 degrees Celsius, until the ice melts around the middle of June of the next year. With the frozen Tianchi Lake ice begins to melt, Changbai Mountain ushered in the summer tourism peak.

As of July 20, 2023, the number of visitors to Changbai Mountain Nature Reserve has exceeded one million, surpassing the one million mark seven days earlier than in 2019, the Global Times learned from the Management Committee of the Changbai Mountain Conservation and Development Zone on Tuesday.

The influx of tourists has not only driven the local tourism economy but also brought more challenges and opportunities for ecological protection and scenic area development.

Breathtaking wonderland

The Changbai Mountain scenic area is located in the northeastern part of China, spanning across the border of Jilin Province and North Korea. It is a vast and picturesque region known for its stunning natural beauty and diverse ecosystems.

The centerpiece of the scenic area is Changbai Mountain, also known as Mount Baekdu in Korean. It is an active volcano and the highest peak in northeastern China, standing at an impressive height of 2,744 meters. The mountain is covered in snow for most of the year, creating a breathtaking winter wonderland.
One of the most famous attractions within the Changbai Mountain scenic area is the Tianchi Lake. It is a crater lake formed by volcanic activity and is renowned for its crystal-clear blue waters. Surrounded by lush forests and snow-capped peaks, the lake offers a serene and tranquil atmosphere.

The scenic area is also home to numerous waterfalls, hot springs, and alpine meadows and is rich in biodiversity, with a wide variety of flora and fauna. It is home to rare and endangered species such as the Siberian tiger, red-crowned crane, and Korean pine.

To gear up for tourism boom in peak season, Changbai Mountain scenic area has completed upgrades and renovations in various areas to create a comfortable and safe tourism consumption environment for visitors.

Bao Gang, deputy manager of the Management Committee, told the Global Times that in the past month, the staff of Changbai Mountain have carried out large-scale repairs and renovations on the plank roads in preparation for the peak tourist season. Currently, the refurbished plank roads are open to visitors, providing a comfortable experience for sightseeing.

Han Quan, in his 30s, stood out this recruitment process and joined the driver team at the scenic area. During the training period of over a month, Han gradually adapted to the altitude and local environment. With the guidance of experienced drivers, he gained a deep understanding of the driving routes and can complete a one-way trip within the designated 16-minute time frame.

To effectively alleviate the pressure of tourist flows during the peak season, the management committee limits the ticket sales, and guides tourists to use online booking system and make scheduled entry with different time slots.

"The management committee never blindly increases the limit in pursuit of economic benefits Overtourism would not only exert negative impact on the experience of visitors, but also cause environmental degradation and ruination of fragile natural habitat," Bao said.

Transformation of small towns
With its natural scenery, rare species, and folk culture, Changbai Mountain has gained nationwide recognition and attracted tourists from all over the world, leading to changes in the small town Erdaobaihe and improvement in the living standards of its residents.

Sun Minzhong, who lives in Erdaobaihe town, used to be a taxi driver. About 10 years ago, he passed the assessment in the public recruitment conducted by the Changbai Mountain Tourism Management Committee and became a shuttle bus driver at the scenic spot. During each peak tourist season over the past decade, he has driven the specially customized off-road shuttle bus up and down the mountain more than 10 times a day. Through this process of transporting tourists while enjoying the beauty of Changbai Mountain, he has developed a unique attachment to the mountain.

According to his recollection, Erdaobaihe town relied heavily on logging as a source of income many years ago, with many residents making a living as forestry workers. In the Forestry Culture Park in Erdaobaihe town, people can still sense the scenes of workers engaging in forest logging, sawing, lifting, and transporting from the standing bronze statues.

However, now "relying on the mountain for sustenance" has taken on a new meaning. Protecting the forest and developing the tourism industry have become a consensus among more and more residents, and the tourism boom has attracted an increasing number of people from outside settle in the town.

With active policy guidance, a favorable investment and business environment, and breathtaking natural scenery, the catering and homestay industries in Erdaobaihe have rapidly developed, and their capacity to accommodate tourists has gradually increased.

More and more ordinary people like Sun have found ways to improve their quality of life, whether as drivers, forest protection officers, tour guides, homestay staff, or scenic area managers.

When talking about the development of his hometown, Sun is full of gratitude and hope. "Without Changbai Mountain, I wouldn't have this job. When the high-speed railway to Shenyang is completed, there will be even more tourists coming here."

'We become Changbai Mountain people here'
Sustainable development serves as the foundation for ecological tourism at Changbai Mountain. The management committee emphasizes ecological protection while promoting ecological tourism and prioritizing ecological conservation.

Starting from 2019, the Changbai Mountain Nature Reserve and 12 small hydropower stations in the surrounding area were all dismantled. This move not only alleviated the road traffic pressure in the northern scenic area but also protected the local ecological environment.

In 2022, efforts were made to strengthen coal pollution control, ensuring that four centralized heating companies meet emission standards.

From past to present, one of the most noticeable changes is that the management area of private vehicles has extended to the foot of the mountain. In 2021, the northern section of the Changbai Mountain scenic area relocated its entrance gate to the tourist distribution center in Changbai Mountain Legendary Town, located in the Chibei District. Along the 45-kilometer route from the tourist distribution center to the transfer center in the scenic area, private cars are no longer allowed in this area. Instead, tour buses with a capacity of up to 50 people are taking visitors to their destination. These changes not only alleviate the traffic pressure and reduce waiting times for the visitors, but also minimize human interference with the surrounding environment.

"In the past, people used to say that they had to take train to visit our hometown. Now we have highways, high-speed trains, and air routes. This proves that Changbai Mountain's tourism development has been recognized in recent years," Bao, who graduated from university in 2007 and entered the industry, sees no distinction between outsiders and locals. "We all become Changbai Mountain People here."

According to Bao, there exists a dynamic balance between the maintenance of the ecological environment and human activities. On one hand, the ecological environment requires not only the efforts of scenic area staff but also the adherence to proper visitor behavior by every tourist. On the other hand, a good environment will also encourage tourists to cherish the natural wonder.

On the road departing from the nearby Erdaobaihe town, the Global Times reporter saw wild ducks, deer, and other wildlife, feeling that the harmonious co-existence between humans and nature has already taken shape.

The Global Times learned from the management committee that relying on the advantages of border scenery and folk culture, the management committee will focus building an industrial system for border trade and developing themed tourism such as ecological tourism, hot spring health preservation, summer retreats, and winter ice and snow activities.

"We not only want everyone to see Changbai Mountain during the peak summer tourism season but also want to showcase the beauty of Changbai Mountain throughout the year," said Bao.

Zhou Qian, Chen Zihan, Ji Jiaxin, Xiang Yi, Zhang Yaoyu, Kang Huaishuo from Communication University of China contributed to the story