On Friday, in a televised statement before Independence Day celebrations, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva emphasized that "no country is truly independent if it tolerates threats to its sovereignty," referring to the country's decision to impose a ban on social media platform X, previously known as Twitter. 

This recent action by the Brazilian government has sparked widespread discussion in the international community. On the surface, this appears to be a controversy about freedom of speech, but in reality, it involves a struggle between national sovereignty and multinational corporations.

According to relevant reports, the Brazilian Supreme Court made this decision mainly because X failed to comply with the court's previous orders, including not appointing its legal representative in Brazil within the specified time limit. Furthermore, the platform did not take adequate measures against the spread of fake news, hate speech and anti-democratic rhetoric.

This decision reflects the Brazilian government's determination to maintain national stability, prevent political polarization and protect democratic institutions. It was made based on the requirements of Brazilian domestic law. However, Western countries, especially the US, have hyped this as a freedom of speech issue. This reaction, while seemingly concerning norms of free speech, is about protecting the interests of US multinational corporations. Beneath the guise of freedom of speech lies the greed of capital.

This brings to mind economist Thomas L. Friedman's view that "No two countries that both have a McDonald's have ever fought a war against each other." The error in this view lies in treating the institutional norms of Western countries, including free speech norms and rules, as universal standards. Promoting these so-called universal norms globally would benefit the expansion of Western multinational corporations and the colonization of ideas.

Respect for a country's sovereignty first involves respect for its laws. Brazil's decision pertains to regulating social media platforms, which encompasses both the boundaries of free speech and the management of these platforms. Brazil has punished X in accordance with its laws, rather than based on a "potential security threat," an excuse often adopted by Washington. The country wants to ensure that multinational companies like X can operate legally in Brazil without undermining its stability and economic order.

It's worth noting that while X is a social media platform, this doesn't mean it should enjoy privileges that other businesses do not. Any enterprise wishing to operate in another country must comply with local laws and regulations. This principle applies to all industries, and social media platforms are no exception.

In the current context of dramatic changes in global geopolitics, the importance of national sovereignty is becoming increasingly prominent. This trend is evident in Brazil, as well as globally and in Western countries. Global geopolitics is resisting the international flow of capital and the transnational expansion of enterprises.

The Brazilian government's decision reflects the attitude of an emerging power when facing multinational tech giants. It demonstrates that even in the internet age, nations still have the power and responsibility to regulate businesses operating within their borders to protect national interests and citizens' rights. This approach is not a suppression of free speech but a preservation of national sovereignty.

At the same time, this incident highlights the challenges facing global internet governance. As social media platforms' influence continues to grow worldwide, balancing the protection of freedom of speech with the maintenance of national security has become a common challenge for governments. Countries may adopt different strategies based on their political, cultural and legal traditions. The critical point is that the laws of each country must be followed.

When discussing global issues, it's essential to think beyond Western centrism and ensure that every country's laws, legal system, sovereignty and cultural norms are fully respected. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping held a welcome ceremony here on Friday for President of the Republic of Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso, who is on a state visit to China.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and foreign leaders gathered for group photos at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing prior to the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) on Thursday.

Workers are busy filling photovoltaic module orders on a production line in Suqian, East China's Jiangsu Province on August 28, 2024. From January to July, new solar installations in China totaled 123.53 gigawatts, a year-on-year increase of 27 percent, maintaining steady growth. Photo: VCG

On Thursday, at 11:23, an Air China C919 aircraft with the registration number B-919X, landed smoothly at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing. It taxied slowly through a water cannon salute, as it was welcomed at the airport. Air China's first C919 aircraft has now officially joined the fleet.

The C919 aircraft is an important milestone in the development of China's large aircraft industry. As the country's national carrier, the introduction and operation of the C919 is part of Air China's continued mission in the new era, and is a vivid example of transforming the company into a world-class enterprise.

Air China has consistently prioritized safety while introducing the C919. It has established four professional groups with the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) in terms of aircraft maintenance, personnel training, ground support, and operation control. It also selected business linchpins to participate in aircraft selection, production supervision, personnel training, and operation preparation.

In addition, Air China established a pilot team. The team completed the first round of high-quality pilot conversion training, completing the systematic training of dispatchers, flight attendants, safety officers, and ground support personnel, solidly promoting the creation of maintenance support capabilities, and comprehensively creating service quality risk management and operation service standards. This process directly contributed to the smooth introduction of C919, as well as safe and efficient operations.

Air China had a considerable selection of the C919 aircraft. The aircraft is an extended-range aircraft with a loose two-class layout of 158 seats, including eight business class seats and 150 economy class seats.

It has adopted domestically produced seats with full functionality, created exclusive cabin entertainment programs and safety instructions videos, and provided customized in-flight supplies and other exclusive configurations to provide passengers with a better travel experience.

Air China will work intensively, efficiently, and in an orderly fashion to complete various tasks including the testing of ground support, route verification flights, on-site training, emergency evacuation procedure demonstrations, and new model operation certification to ensure the first C919 is successfully brought into commercial operation.

Air China has long been committed to supporting the development of domestically produced large aircrafts. In July 2020, Air China's first ARJ21-700 passenger aircraft was brought into operation. So far, Air China has introduced a total of 29 ARJ21 passenger aircrafts, with more than 70,000 safe flight hours.

In April 2024, Air China signed a purchase agreement with COMAC for 100 C919 aircrafts, which are scheduled to be delivered to Air China in batches from 2024 to 2031.

In the future, Air China will actively work with partners such as COMAC to consolidate the aircraft operation guarantee system, give full play to its route network advantages, strengthen market promotion, and select high-quality routes, in a bid to lay a solid foundation for the large-scale operation of the C919.

The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's manufacturing sector, which gauges activity in the sector, came in at 49.1 in August, but multiple indicators suggest that the momentum of industrial upgrading remain strong.

The PMI in August was slightly down 0.3 from the reading in the previous month, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed on Saturday.

Zhao Qinghe, an NBS statistician, attributed the slight drop to factors such as extreme weather, off-season production in some industries, insufficient demand and fluctuations in commodity prices.

The PMI for high-tech manufacturing increased to 51.7 in August, up 2.3 from July. The equipment manufacturing PMI rose to 51.2, up 1.7 from the previous month, according to data from the NBS.

The fact that the two sub-indexes have returned to expansion territory indicates that China's manufacturing industry remains stable, with continuing momentum in industrial upgrading, despite external economic pressure and industrial structural adjustments, Tian Yun, a Beijing-based veteran economist, told the Global Times on Saturday.

The recovery in high-tech and equipment manufacturing, as highlighted by the August PMI, aligns with another indicator released by the NBS on Saturday.

The New Kinetic Energy Index of China's Economic Development increased by 19.5 percent in 2023 compared with 2022. All sub-indexes showed improvement over the previous year, with the innovation-driven index rising by 22.3 percent year-on-year, contributing 34.4 percent to the total index growth, according to the NBS.

The New Kinetic Energy Index is a representative indicator for observing the upgrading of China's industries and the development of new quality productive forces. The double-digit growth reflects the sustained momentum of China's industrial upgrading, countering unwarranted pessimism about the country's economic prospects, according to Tian.

The non-manufacturing PMI came in at 50.3 in August, according to the NBS data, indicating a faster expansion in non-manufacturing business activity.

The grand dams, whistling trains, bustling stadiums, magnificent parliament buildings, and various factories - these impressive projects of China-Africa cooperation have not only become landmarks across the African continent but also stand as symbols of the enduring friendship between the China and African countries.

The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) 2024 is scheduled to be held in Beijing from September 4 to 6.

Since the 2021 FOCAC, China-Africa economic and trade cooperation has continued to reach new heights, delivering tangible benefits to the people of both China and Africa, an official from the Ministry of Commerce said on August 20, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

A series of cooperative projects, such as the Lekki port in Nigeria and the Nairobi expressway in Kenya, have been completed over the past three years. Over the past 10 years, Chinese companies have signed more than $700 billion worth of contracts for projects in Africa, the official mentioned.

"To get rich, build roads first." Launched in 2017, the 472-kilometer Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) has drastically reduced travel time and emerged as the preferred choice for commuters in Kenya, playing a pivotal role in stimulating commerce and empowering smaller towns along its corridor.

In Sudan, the China International Water and Electric Corporation (CWE) undertook the construction of the Merowe Dam, Roseires Dam Heightening Project, and Dam Complex of Upper Atbara Project, which have become "China-Arab friendly landmarks." The Merowe Dam, standing 67 meters high and stretching about 9.7 kilometers long, is the world's longest dam.

In 2019, these three projects collectively appeared as the background for Sudan's newly issued 100 Sudanese pound banknotes.

According to the white paper, China and Africa in the New Era: A Partnership of Equals, Chinese companies over the last quarter century have helped African countries build or upgrade more than 10,000 kilometers of railways, nearly 100,000 kilometers of highways, roughly 1,000 bridges, almost 100 ports and 66,000 kilometers of power transmission and distribution lines.

After making history by becoming the first Asia-born player to claim gold in a tennis singles event at the Olympics on Saturday, China's Zheng Qinwen said that "national honor always tops individual achievements" and that she hoped the victory will inspire the younger generation of tennis players.

The 21-year-old overpowered Croatian Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 at the Olympics' women singles final and held high the golden trophy on Saturday.

It marked China's first gold medal ever in the Olympic tennis singles, and the country's second in tennis after Li Ting and Sun Tiantian won the women's doubles title at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

Zheng opened the year of 2024 with a runner-up finish at the Australian Open in January, but she thought the Olympic title to be "more important" than the Grand Slams.

"The honor of our country always surpasses individual achievements. I believe that every Chinese person agrees to this. So, when I was able to make history and become the first player to win an Olympic singles gold medal, I felt that all the sweat, effort, tears, and hardships were worth it at that moment," she said at the post-match press conference.

"I have always believed in passing on the torch. If today's victory can inspire more children to dream of tennis, then all of the efforts are worthwhile. I also hope that in 10 or 20 years, you will stand on this stage. Because this is the dream, the top stage, and experiencing what I am feeling at this moment will make you realize that life is worth living."

The World No 7 said that two-time Grand Slam champion Li Na has served as an inspiration for her when she started learning the sport as a kid. Li, who was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame member in 2019, is the only player from the Chinese mainland to win a Grand Slam singles title — at the 2011 French Open and 2014 Australian Open.

"I think Li Na will always be the first in Asia because she was the first Chinese female player to win a Grand Slam. And I am the first Asian player to win an Olympic gold medal, which is also a historical achievement," Zheng noted.

"I still have a long way to go. Every era has its heroes, and every generation has its successful individuals. I believe Li was the leader of her era, and I hope to become a better player and a better version of myself, and to lead the younger generation," she said.

Another Chinese athlete that inspired her is Liu Xiang, whose victory in the 110-meter hurdles at the 2004 Athens Games was the country's first gold in the men's track and field.

"I watched his race multiple times before my game, trying to draw strength from him. he won the title of Olympic champion at the age of 21, which was the peak of his life. Now, I am also 21 years old, and today, 20 years later, I stand on this stage, and I feel that I have achieved the same result," she said.

Zheng, who was dubbed "Queen Wen", ground out to victory through bruising and battling performances. In the quarterfinals, she outlasted the three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber in a three-set thriller that lasted over three hours. Later, in the semifinals, she ended the World No 1 Iga Swiatek's 25-match winning streak at Roland Garros.

"I have been in pain ever since I finished the third round, so I had to play with bandages since then," Zheng said.

"I feel like I broke through a limit because I knew that on the Olympic stage, no matter how my body felt, I had to fight until the very last moment. Perhaps it was this belief that left me with no way out, that allowed me to attain so many trophies," said she.

The four Grand Slam Tournament Australian Open, Wimbledon Championships, French Open and US Open all posted congratulatory messages on their Sina Weibo accounts to Zheng.

Major foreign news agencies also published articles to praise Zheng's historic accomplishment.

The Associated Press praised her resilience and determination, noting her remarkable performance, despite battling physical pain throughout the tournament, while Reuters emphasized the significance of her triumph for China and the tennis world.

In the vibrant atmosphere of the Paris Olympics, while the spotlight shines on the athletes, a group of unsung heroes works tirelessly behind the scenes--the Olympic volunteers. 

This year, out of 300,000 applicants, around 45,000 were chosen as volunteers, with 20 percent hailing from approximately 150 countries.

Donning bright green uniforms, these volunteers are easy to spot amid the purple venues. They offer assistance to spectators and media alike, making them a vital part of the Olympic experience.

On my first day at the press center, I encountered a technical glitch with my media system account. Thankfully, Chinese volunteer Guo Xiaofan came to my aid. 

"I hope to improve my language, communication skills, and problem-solving methods through this event," said 24-year-old Guo from Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province, who is studying wireless communication at the Paris Institute of Digital Technology. 

As a former national-level swimmer, Guo saw this as her chance to participate in the Olympics, albeit in a different role.

Another Chinese volunteer, surnamed Yang, faced challenges in balancing her work with volunteer duties. Despite sacrificing her holidays, she felt immense pride in contributing to the event, especially with her parents in attendance.

Volunteers are visible everywhere—from bus stops to competition venues—offering directions and assistance with a smile. When large crowds leave the venues after the events, causing congestion, some volunteers sit on high chairs with loudspeakers, providing directions to the exits in both English and French with a smile.

One of my most memorable encounters was with a French volunteer at the International Broadcasting Center. When I needed help finding the visitor center, a young man on a scooter appeared, like a sort of "Monkey King riding a cloud," and offered to take me there. His enthusiasm for the Olympics was contagious, and after helping me, he eagerly asked for a Beijing Winter Olympics badge, expressing his admiration for the event and his desire to visit China.

These dedicated volunteers, with their energy and commitment, truly embody the spirit of the Olympics, making both the event and the city of Paris shine brighter. 

As China-Africa cooperation continues to expand, the digital economy is emerging as a key area of collaboration between the two sides. China is assisting Africa's digital transition through the construction of digital infrastructure, provision of services and talent training, aiming to ensure that Africa does not miss out on valuable development opportunities in the digital age.

However, this has triggered a new round of attacks from the West. On one hand, there is stigmatization of China-Africa digital cooperation from the West, while on the other hand, there are demands for Africa to take sides in geopolitical games from the West. By using both soft and hard tactics, the West is attempting to obstruct China-Africa digital cooperation and reverse Africa's digital development process.

The West's demonization of cooperation between China and Africa continues to intensify. For a long time, the West has viewed cooperation between China and Africa through the lens of Cold War thinking, advocating negative narratives about China's development in Africa.

From smearing China's development financing to Africa as a "debt trap" during the COVID-19 pandemic, to stigmatizing digital cooperation between China and Africa as "digital infiltration," the West continues to find new attack lines, stemming from their envy and fear of China's rise.

Using data centers in Africa as an example, China is engaged in fierce competition in this field with companies from North America, with China offering more partnership opportunities and alternatives. African countries choose Chinese suppliers because China can provide the cost-effective technology and more attractive financing solutions. This is something that the currently protectionist and populist Western countries cannot provide, leading them to slander Chinese companies under the guise of digital security.

It has been shown over time that the Western model of development does not help Africa. From forced acceptance of African independence to the imposition of Western models on Africa, what the West has brought to Africa is not peace and prosperity, but turmoil and poverty. This is why Africa is fundamentally opposed to the conditions attached to Western aid.

Current digital technology is empowering the global economy's recovery and development, but there are technological and financial bottlenecks for Africa to achieve digital transformation. In the global information and communication technology infrastructure market, Chinese companies have a clear competitive advantage. While the West is concerned about investment risks, China provides more favorable support programs to help African countries build digital infrastructure, provide talent training, promote Africa to seize the opportunities of digital economic development.

The Digital Silk Road Initiative has injected momentum into Africa's development. Recently, China reached agreements with 26 African countries to strengthen digital partnerships in talent training, innovation, and infrastructure over the next three years. Over recent years, under the Digital Silk Road Initiative, African countries have made significant progress in digital development, with China's assistance often being cited as a crucial element.

As the digital competition among major countries intensifies, the West has increasingly viewed digital technology as a tool of strategic and "security" importance. Against this backdrop, the pressure exerted by the West on China undoubtedly adds uncertainty to the flourishing digital industry in Africa. For Africa, which is awakening to the importance of empowering its own development, missing the boat of the digital economy again would undoubtedly be disastrous.

Currently, the US' arbitrary "small yard high fence" approach and technology containment on China have extended to press China's digital cooperation with developing countries in Africa and other regions. Maintaining strategic autonomy is a frequent topic in African policy discussions, with a key diplomatic focus on leveraging China's support to advance the digital economy while mitigating potential US criticism.