China's Supreme People's Procuratorate on Thursday stressed that procuratorate organs must fulfill their duties, cooperate with relevant departments to clarify facts, punish offenders in accordance with laws, manage the aftermath and maintain stability, so as to ensure public safety and social order, after a car ramming incident in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province, that killed 35 and injured 43 on Monday.
The car ramming incident occurred at the Sports Center in Zhuhai, resulting in significant casualties and severe consequences. Similar vicious criminal offenses should be rigorously reviewed for arrest and prosecution, with strict measures to deter crime, Ying Yong, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and the Prosecutor General of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, made the remarks while he led an investigation team of the Supreme People's Procuratorate in Shanghai on Thursday.
"President Xi Jinping recently made an important instruction regarding the car ramming incident, which is striking and enlightening, serving as a wake-up call. It holds significant guiding importance for us in lawfully punishing and preventing extreme violent crimes, as well as fully ensuring the safety of people's lives and social stability," Ying said.
Ying said the procuratorial organs must learn from the incident, thoroughly investigate risks and hidden dangers, and ensure fair and lawful handling of cases. They must promote the rule of law in petition work, and resolve conflicts involving prosecution cases to prevent the spread of risks, Ying said, noting that more efforts should be made to strengthen comprehensive governance of public security and to enhance risk prevention capabilities.
The procuratorial organs also need to intensify supervision, strictly investigate irregularities in judicial processes, prevent wrongful convictions, and combat judicial corruption to ensure justice, effectively fulfilling their duty, he said.
Ying also highlighted the importance of protecting the interests of key groups such as women, the elderly, the disabled, and children, while also addressing issues like wage claims by migrant workers and employment for college graduates.
He further called for clarifying doubts and resolving issues through public hearings, helping parties alleviate confrontational and dissatisfied emotions, smoothing the channels for the public to express their demands, improving the judicial relief protection system, and enhancing the mechanisms for safeguarding litigation rights in the prosecutorial phase, so as to ensure that the people feel fairness and justice in every judicial case and at every stage of the case.
China and Peru are located on opposite sides of the world, separated by the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. In the past, this distance seemed unimaginable.
However, a new port project is making such a distant journey less difficult.
The Chancay Port project is a collaborative project between China and Peru under the Belt and Road Initiative. Located in the Chancay district of the province of Huaral, Peru, the port is approximately 80 kilometers from the capital, Lima.
Chancay Port is positioned as Peru’s gateway port and regional hub, connected by a tunnel to the Pan-American Highway, directly linking it to the capital Lima. This enables goods to conveniently reach Peru and other Latin American countries, significantly enhancing trade efficiency, according to the People’s Daily.
On Thursday, this significant project, symbolizing the friendship between China and Peru, finally opened for operations.
The first phase of the Chancay Port project began in 2021 and includes four dock berths. The port’s maximum depth is 17.8 meters, allowing it to accommodate ultra-large container ships with a capacity of up to 18,000 TEUs.
The design throughput capacity is 1 million TEUs annually in the short term, and 1.5 million TEUs in the long term. With over 80 percent of the project completed, the main structures of the docks were finished earlier this year, according to the People’s Daily.
He Bo, deputy general manager at COSCO SHIPPING Ports Chancay Peru, has witnessed the significant progress of the port over the past three years. “Hills have been leveled, beaches turned into storage yards, breakwaters and docks stand tall in the water, port cranes are on land, and buildings for production and office purposes have sprung up,” He told the People’s Daily.
“From Chancay to Shanghai” is a phrase well-known among locals. He Bo explained that the Spanish pronunciations of these two important port cities, Chancay and Shanghai, are very similar. Initially, locals would confuse them, but now they are familiar with both names. Before Chancay, most of Peru’s cargo shipments to Asia and Oceania had to be transshipped through Central or North America, and port capacity could not meet the demands of growing foreign trade.
Today, the phrase “From Chancay to Shanghai” will become a reality. With the opening of the new land-sea corridor between China and Latin America, the shipping time between Peru and China will be shortened by about 10 days.
As the construction of Chancay Port progresses, jobs related to the project have become highly sought after locally. Sun Yan, the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at Ricardo Palma University, told the Xinhua News Agency that many Peruvian students from the institute are eager to use their language skills to apply at the port for positions such as translators, technical staff, and operators.
Moreover, thanks to China’s advanced technology and the environmental awareness of Chinese companies, Chancay Port is being developed as a green, low-carbon, and modern smart port. Dock workers demonstrated electric container trucks with autonomous driving technology, which travel quietly and precisely, Xinhua reported.
Near the entrance to the project site, there is a wetland. In the evening, birds come and go, bringing life to the area.
He Bo mentioned that Chinese companies constructing the port have paid attention to controlling noise, lighting, and dust during construction, minimizing the impact on the wetland “residents,” and have actively participated in rescuing seals, penguins, pelicans, and other animals to help improve local biodiversity.
With Chancay Port, the distance between China and Peru is no longer as far as it once seemed.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden reviewed the journey of China-US relations over the past four years, and drew experiences and inspirations from it. Their conversation was candid, in-depth and constructive, according to a handout published by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday.
On the afternoon of November 16 local time, Xi met with Biden upon request on the margins of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Lima, Peru.
The conversation focused on advancing dialogue and cooperation and properly managing differences during the transition period of the US government and on regional and international issues of mutual interest, and charted the course for bilateral relations, said the ministry.
Over the past four years, China-US relations have gone through ups and downs, but under the stewardship of the two Presidents, the two sides have also been engaged in dialogue and cooperation, and bilateral ties have remained stable on the whole.
In his interactions with President Biden, President Xi fully shared his views on how the two sides should approach bilateral relations, which provide strategic guidance and are important for the direction of this relationship. President Xi vividly compared the relationship between China and the US to a mansion.
He proposed in 2021 during the virtual meeting with President Biden that the two countries need to follow the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation—that is the dome of the mansion.
During the 2022 Bali meeting, he underscored China's four red lines on the Taiwan question, path and system, democracy and human rights, and right to development—that is the foundation of the mansion.
During the meeting in San Francisco in 2023, he stated that China and the US should jointly develop a right perception, manage disagreements effectively, advance mutually beneficial cooperation, shoulder responsibilities as major countries and promote people-to-people exchanges—those are the five pillars of the mansion.
In Lima, President Xi insightfully listed seven experiences and inspirations that the two countries should draw from the course of their relations, namely, to have a correct strategic perception, match words with actions, treat each other as equals, not to challenge red lines and paramount principles, conduct more dialogue and cooperation, respond to the expectations of the people, and step forward to shoulder the responsibilities of major countries.
President Xi Jinping stressed that the two sides should continue to add building blocks to the mansion, and expressed readiness to make joint effort with President Biden and his successor towards this end.
History tells us that China and the US stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. President Xi pointed out from his deep observation that the Thucydides's Trap is not a historical inevitability, a new Cold War should not be fought and cannot be won, and containing China is unwise, unacceptable and bound to fail. China and the US, as two major countries in the world, need to bear in mind the benefit of the whole world and inject more certainty and positive energy to today's turbulent world.
The common understandings achieved at the Lima meeting are as follows. The two Presidents reiterated the seven-point common understandings on the guiding principles for China-US relations, namely treating each other with respect, finding a way to live alongside each other peacefully, maintaining open lines of communication, preventing conflict, upholding the United Nations Charter, cooperating in areas of shared interest, and responsibly managing competitive aspects of the relationship.
The two sides are ready to uphold these principles, continue to stabilize China-US relations, and ensure a smooth transition of the relationship. The two Presidents spoke positively about the important role of China-US strategic communication, regular contact between the diplomatic and security teams, and dialogue mechanisms on mil-to-mil relations, economic and trade ties, and financial issues.
They agreed to maintain the momentum in communication and strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination. The two Presidents reviewed the important progress in dialogue and cooperation on counternarcotics, climate change, AI, and people-to-people exchanges since their San Francisco meeting.
The two Presidents believed that the two sides have had candid and constructive dialogue on AI. The two sides co-sponsored each other's resolutions at the UN General Assembly on AI. On this basis, they affirmed the need to deal with risks of AI systems, make AI safer, enhance international cooperation, and promote AI for good and for all.
The two Presidents affirmed the need to maintain human control over the decision to use nuclear weapons, and they stressed the need to seriously consider potential risks and adopt a prudent and responsible attitude when developing AI for the military domain.
At the meeting, the two sides did not shy away from differences. President Xi made China's principled position absolutely clear on several major issues.
On the Taiwan question, President Xi Jinping stressed that the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués are the political foundation of China-US relations. They must be observed. Cross-Strait peace and stability and "Taiwan independence" separatist activities are irreconcilable as water and fire. If the US side cares about maintaining peace across the Taiwan Straits, it is crucial that it sees clearly the true nature of Lai Ching-te and the DPP authorities in seeking "Taiwan independence," handles the Taiwan question with extra prudence, unequivocally opposes "Taiwan independence," and supports China's peaceful reunification.
On the South China Sea issue, President Xi stressed that China firmly upholds its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. Dialogue and consultation between states concerned is always the best way to manage differences in the South China Sea. The United States should not get involved in bilateral disputes over relevant islands and reefs of Nansha Qundao, nor should it aid or abet the impulsion to make provocations.
On US suppression against China's trade and technology development, President Xi noted that the Chinese people's right to development is not to be deprived of or ignored. All countries need to safeguard their national security. In the face of challenges, neither decoupling nor supply-chain disruption is the solution, and "small yard, high fences" is not what a major country should do. The US should not overstretch the national security concept, still less use it as a pretext for malicious moves to constrain and contain other countries.
On alleged "cyberattacks from China," President Xi noted that there is no evidence that supports the irrational claim and China itself is a target of international cyberattacks, and consistently opposes and combats all forms of cyberattacks.
On the US's smear and blame-shifting against China on international and regional issues, President Xi noted that China's position and actions on the Ukraine issue have always been fair and square. China conducts shuttle diplomacy and mediation to promote peace talks, makes every effort for peace, and strives for deescalation. China does not allow conflict and turmoil to happen on the Korean Peninsula, and will not sit idly by when China's strategic security and core interests are under threat.
President Xi in particular stressed that China's goal of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-US relationship remains unchanged. Its commitment to mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation as principles for handling China-US relations remains unchanged. Its position of resolutely safeguarding China's sovereignty, security and development interests remains unchanged. And its desire to carry forward the traditional friendship between the Chinese and American peoples remains unchanged. This shows that China is ready to engage in dialogue, expand cooperation, and manage differences with the incoming US government so as to maintain stability in China-US relations to the benefits of the two countries and the world at large.
China continues to advocate for setting aside disputes and pursuing joint development to achieve mutual benefits, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated on Monday, addressing a question about joint maritime development between China and Indonesia in “waters with overlapping claims.”
During a press briefing on Monday, Lin was asked to comment on the joint statement signed between China and Indonesia on advancing the comprehensive strategic partnership and the China-Indonesia community with a shared future, in which the two sides reached important common understanding on joint development in areas of overlapping claims and agreed to establish an Inter-Governmental Joint Steering Committee to explore and advance relevant cooperation.
In response, Lin said that China has consistently advocated for setting aside disputes and pursuing joint development, aiming to work with neighboring maritime countries to manage disputes, promote cooperation, ensure stability, and achieve win-win.
China is willing to work together with Indonesia to implement the leaders' consensus, aiming for cooperative benefits to reach both nations and their people swiftly, Lin said.
Meanwhile, China is willing to actively explore maritime cooperation, including joint development, with other neighboring maritime countries, Lin added.
Regarding the specific contents of the joint statement, Lin said that the joint statement clarifies the political consensus and direction for joint development in regard to conducting joint development and cooperation in waters of overlapping claims by the two countries. The two countries will further explore specific issues like cooperation content and methods, Lin added.
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro remarked on Tuesday that the Philippines is a "victim of Chinese aggression," to which Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian responded that every escalation of maritime disputes between China and the Philippines was triggered by the infringement activities and provocations of the Philippines. Observer said that the latest remarks of Teodoro are a manifestation of the Philippines' scheme of "a thief crying 'stop thief,'" adding that Philippine defense chief playing victim is staging a political show, which will not result in any effective interaction.
According to Reuters on Tuesday, Teodoro said that "What we see is an increasing demand by Beijing for us to concede our sovereign rights in the area," after meeting Australian counterpart Richard Marles, adding that the Philippines is a "victim of Chinese aggression."
In response to Teodoro's remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a regular press briefing on Tuesday that it was the Philippines who took infringement activities first and China had to take necessary measures in accordance with law to safeguard our lawful rights and interests. If the Philippines stops infringement activities and provocations, there will be no trouble at sea, Lin said.
Teodoro's remarks are a typical example of "a thief crying 'stop thief,'" Yang Xiao, deputy director of Institute of Maritime Strategy Studies at China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times on Tuesday.
It also shows that the Philippines has no other better way to pursue its illegal claim as it does not possess enough military capacity to carry out provocations, which is why it can only resort to hyping up the issue in the international community, attempting to make the South China Sea issue an international issue, Yang added.
Teodoro's remarks followed a recent series of provocative actions of Manila. The Philippine enacted the Philippine Maritime Zones (PMZ) Act and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes (PASL) Act on Friday, attempting to solidify the illegal ruling of the 2016 arbitration case through domestic legislation, illegally including China's Huangyan Dao (also known as Huangyan Island) and most of the islands and reefs in the Nansha Islands and their related waters in its maritime zones.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday summoned the Philippine Ambassador to China to make solemn representations, and China released the baselines of the territorial sea adjacent to Huangyan Dao. The China Coast Guard (CCG) also announced it will continuously strengthen patrols and law enforcement in the territorial waters of Huangyan Dao and related maritime areas on Sunday.
Yang said that there is no doubt that the latest situation has been inflicted by the Philippines itself due to the introduction of two laws which infringe on China's territorial integrity.
Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Beijing on Saturday, expressing the readiness to work with the new Indonesian government to continue promoting self-improvement, solidarity and win-win cooperation among major developing countries.
Prabowo is in China for a state visit at the invitation of Xi.
Xi noted that Prabowo visited China in his first overseas trip right after he was elected in March and chose China as the first country to visit after taking office, which speaks volumes about the great importance he attaches to developing relations with China and demonstrates the high level and strategic nature of China-Indonesia relations, Xinhua News Agency reported.
Xi went on to point out that the adherence to strategic autonomy, mutual trust, mutual assistance, win-win cooperation, fairness and justice represents not only a summary of the experience in developing bilateral ties over the past decades, but also an important principle that should be followed for ensuring the sustained and stable development of bilateral relations in the future.
The two sides also issued a joint statement on Advancing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the China-Indonesia Community with a Shared Future.
Both sides agreed to hold the first meeting of the 2+2 Dialogue Mechanism for Foreign Ministers and Defense Ministers in 2025, which serves as the primary platform to expand high-level strategic communication and political, security and defense cooperation between the two countries, according to the joint statement.
Experts said the partnership between China and Indonesia not only strengthens bilateral ties but also sets a model at regional and global level, highlighting mutual efforts in the drive toward modernization and joint rise of the Global South, with cooperation on security and economic affairs the most notable highlights for this meeting, they added.
"China is willing to work with the new Indonesian government to build on past achievements, promote building a community with a shared future with regional and global influence, and continue to write a new chapter of seeking self-improvement via solidarity, and boosting coordination and mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation among major developing countries," said Xi.
“The partnership between China and Indonesia holds significance not only for bilateral ties but also sets a model on regional and global levels,” Xu Liping, director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times. “The partnership highlights both countries' efforts to advance modernization and strengthen the resilience and rise of major developing nations through South-South cooperation.”
“The message is clear: regardless of shifting international dynamics, the fundamental of friendly cooperation between China and Indonesia remains unshakable,” Xu said.
In addition to reflecting his willingness to strengthen ties with major powers such as China, Prabowo’s choice also underscores that the Southeast Asian nation aspires to play a bigger role on the global stage, said Ma Bo, an associate professor at the School of International Studies at Nanjing University.
Ma believes that the relations between the two countries have entered a period of accelerated development, as Prabowo’s administration, building on the friendly approaches of his predecessor, is likely to strengthen strategic mutual trust with Beijing, especially when both sides share a commitment to regional peace amid recent instability.
Additionally, Indonesia holds high expectations for China’s support in its economic development and is eager to pursue complementary cooperation in areas such as infrastructure and industrial relocation, Ma told the Global Times.
The Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR), the first HSR in Indonesia and Southeast Asia and a landmark project under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), celebrated its first year of operation on October 17, having carried over 5.79 million passengers, according to the China State Railway Group Co.
Prabowo served as the minister of defense from October 2019 to October 2024, when he assumed office as the president of the Republic of Indonesia. He was elected for president in March 2024, according to Xinhua News Agency.
Xu said that China and Indonesia have considerable potential for security cooperation in both traditional and non-traditional areas.
In terms of traditional security, the two countries have consistently worked together to maintain regional peace and stability. Take the South China Sea issues, both countries have collaborated to advance the consultations on a Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea.
In the realm of non-traditional security, their cooperation is also extensive, covering areas such as climate change, financial stability, and joint efforts to combat transnational crime, particularly in targeting telecom fraud, Xu told Global Times, adding both sides have conducted effective cooperation in apprehending telecom fraud criminals.
Ma added that in light of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and ongoing war in the Middle East, Indonesia recognizes that regional peace is crucial for its economic development. Prabowo has laid out an ambitious goal of 8 percent annual economic growth during his first term, and reaching this target hinges on securing a stable and peaceful environment in the region, said the expert.
Cooperation on fisheries is a key area of collaboration between the two countries. With Indonesia's rich fisheries resources and China's vast consumer market, their cooperation in this sector is highly complementary and holds significant potential, Xu said.
Home to abundant aquatic resources, Indonesia is aiming to boost its fisheries production capacity via cooperation with China. Xu added that the China-Indonesia Joint Laboratory for Marine Sciences, established last year, and the "Two Countries, Two Parks" project between the two sides, which includes jointly building the fisheries industry supply chain, are proof of the mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries' marine sectors.
As the most closely watched event in the "super election year," the 2024 US presidential election is likely to have far-reaching implications for the international political and economic landscape, and has become an important window into the US for the world. How do the American people view themselves and the world? A recent public opinion survey conducted by the Global Times Institute (GTI) on "mutual perceptions between China and the US" shows that only 20 to 30 percent of American respondents view the country's current democratic system and social governance as successful. The vast majority of American respondents hope that the new president will focus on addressing domestic issues. At the same time, around 90 percent of respondents from both China and the US express concern over bilateral relations, with mainstream public opinion in both countries favoring strengthened economic and commercial exchanges, people-to-people exchanges, and cooperation on climate change. Calls for prioritizing domestic issues
From September 29 to October 16, the GTI conducted a public opinion survey on "mutual perceptions between China and the US" simultaneously in both countries. The survey utilized an online sample pool for invitations to participate, collecting a total of 3,134 valid responses in the US and 2,108 valid responses in China. This poll covered 50 states in the US as well as Washington DC, while in China, it covered 16 major cities across seven regions, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xi'an, and others. The survey results were weighed according to the latest demographic data on age and gender from both countries.
According to the survey data, the American public is not very optimistic about the current trends and state of the economy. Over 40 percent of respondents believe that an economic crisis is "very likely" (29 percent) or "definitely" (15 percent) likely to happen in the next four years, while more than 30 percent think it is "somewhat likely." At the same time, 38 percent of American respondents believe that the current economic situation is in a state of decline.
As the US federal government debt surpasses a historic high of $35 trillion, 40 percent of American respondents believe this means "the US government is on the verge of bankruptcy and its power has dropped sharply," a figure that is much higher than the contrasting option in the survey, which states that "the massive debt shows strong trust in the US government at home and abroad (16 percent)."
The survey also shows that around 30 percent of American respondents rate the US democratic politics as "successful," while 38 percent rated it as a "failure." Approximately 24 percent of respondents evaluate social governance in the US as "successful," which is nearly 10 percentage points lower than the proportion that rates it as a "failure" (33 percent).
Additionally, 75 percent of American respondents believe that the level of wealth disparity in the US is "large" or "very large." The proportions of those who believe that the rights and interests of minority groups are effectively protected and those who believe they are not effectively protected are 43 percent and 47 percent, respectively. Only 14 percent of respondents think that community safety has improved.
A "post-00s" American respondent living in Iowa commented in the survey that "I think the US government is paying attention to the financial well-being of citizens less and less, leading to more gaps in the economy and issues we are seeing now where people have like 3 jobs and still can't get a house or ever afford groceries. Not to mention the whole health care issue."
Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times that the current dissatisfaction among the American public mainly stems from the federal government's failure to fundamentally address and manage significant livelihood issues related to prices, healthcare, employment, and income. "The disappointment and pessimism are somewhat reminiscent of the public sentiment during the Great Depression of the 1930s and the economic crises of the late 19th century."
According to this survey, 69 percent of the American respondents hope that the new president will focus more on addressing domestic issues. When asked whether they support the US providing more grant aid to developing countries, 40 percent of American respondents expressed support while 38 percent opposed it, and 22 percent were uncertain. Over 80 percent of Americans support both Russia and Ukraine engaging in peace talks to end the conflict as soon as possible. However, on November 1, the US government just announced an additional $425 million in military assistance to Ukraine.
Xin Qiang, professor and deputy director at the Center for American Studies, Fudan University, told the Global Times that compared with the opinions of the US Congress and its allies, the views of the American public have relatively limited influence on the government. Unless opposition sentiment reaches a very strong level, similar to that during the later stages of the Vietnam War, public opinion is insufficient to affect decision-makers to change foreign policy.
Notably, nearly 40 percent of the American public opposes Washington providing more grant aid to developing countries, which, according to Xin, demonstrates a significant portion of the American public supports the "America First" policy.
"For the US government, when it comes to providing financial aid, it faces the issue of being 'financially constrained' on one hand, and on the other hand, the number of people, who believe that the US should not bear too much or too heavy international responsibility, has been increasing in recent years," Xin said.
US-China ties matter most
When asked which bilateral relationships are most important to the US currently, more American respondents chose the US-China relationship at 39 percent. The US-UK, US-EU, and US-Canada relationships came in the second tier at around 33 percent each.
Americans expressed widespread concern over US-China relations, with 87 percent saying they care about it, and 55 percent expressing high levels of concern.
"The American public's focus on US-China relations stems from both a clear understanding of the intertwined interests between the two countries and the deliberate portrayal of China as an imagined enemy by some American politicians and media," said Li.
Meanwhile, in China, over 90 percent of respondents expressed concern over US-China relations, with 67 percent expressing high levels of concern.
Regarding the 2024 US presidential election, 14 percent of Chinese respondents said they were "extremely concerned," and over half said they were "relatively concerned." When asked which bilateral relationships are most important to China currently, the US-China relationship came in second with a 43 percent selection rate.
The survey also revealed over 70 percent of American respondents are aware of US policies like additional tariffs, export controls, and technical sanctions against China. Around 60 percent also are aware of China's countermeasures against the moves.
There is a general consensus among Americans that US tech export restrictions have had negative impacts, with 29 percent believing the impact is equally negative on both countries, 24 percent believing the impact is more negative on the US, and 21 percent of respondents believing the impact is more negative on China.
Chinese respondents mirrored this sentiment, with nearly half believing that US export controls have had an equally negative impact on both countries. In response to the US abuse of Section 301 to hike tariffs on some Chinese goods, 77 percent of Chinese respondents said they support further retaliatory actions against the US.
Regarding perceptions of the China-US relationship, over half of the American respondents surveyed described the current US-China relations as "tense"; 30 percent see them as "friendly" or "normal." A concerning 44 respondents said they believe Sinophobia or anti-Chinese sentiment exists within American society.
Regarding the consequences of this tense relationship, 95 percent of respondents in the US believe it has negatively impacted their country, with a 2:5:2 split regarding the severity level extremely severe, slightly severe, and slightly.
Cooperation favored by both sides The survey also asked respondents in both countries to predict how US-China relations might change after the US presidential election. Almost 40 percent of American respondents chose "not sure, it's hard to say," while the number of respondents who predicted a "more tense," "eased" or " unchanged" each represented around 20 percent. Chinese respondents were more optimistic, with 30 percent predicting "unchanged" or "eased" in relations respectively.
In addition, 76 percent of respondents believe the US should avoid provoking or angering China in East Asia and Southeast Asia.
The survey also explored perceptions of China's rapid economic development and social changes. A majority (76 percent) of American respondents are aware of these transformations. Strikingly, 57 percent of them agree that the US could learn from China's experiences in certain areas - more than double those who disagree.
When asked specifically what the US could learn from China, "China's investment in science and technology R&D," "China's investment in infrastructure development" and "China's emphasis on high-quality growth, especially the capability of extensive generation of green technologies," were each mentioned by about half of the respondents.
Several American respondents shared their thoughts on China's successes during the survey.
A Pennsylvanian above 50 years old commented, "China is one, not divided like the US." A Rhode Island respondent in their 20s highlighted the value of China's manufacturing capabilities. A post-80s generation resident of Nevada praised China's speed and efficiency in building bridges and large structures.
At the same time, 60 percent of Chinese respondents said they were fairly interested in the US. On the impression of the US, "technology and innovation" received more positive comments.
The survey also revealed that over 70 percent of Chinese respondents and more than 50 percent of American respondents support strengthened collaboration on addressing climate change. A majority (80 percent) of Chinese respondents and 54 percent of American respondents expressed a desire for increased people-to-people exchanges.
Additionally, a significant number of Americans (44 percent) advocated for stronger economic cooperation and business interactions.
There are 75 percent expressed interest in Chinese cuisine. Over 50 percent were interested in Chinese history and traditional Chinese medical treatment. The arrival of giant pandas Yun Chuan and Xin Bao at the San Diego Zoo on August 8 was met with "happy," "looking forward" and "support" from many American respondents.
Li pointed out that currently, there are huge opportunities and space for expanding practical cooperation between China and the US in various fields, including agriculture, technology, energy, climate, and anti-drug efforts.
Harbin, the capital city of Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, is expected to embrace another wave of ice and snow tourism as several online travel platforms showing a rapid increase in search volumes for local tourism destinations, routes and products. The "ice city," which will host the 9th Asian Winter Games in February 2025, is carrying out various preparations and ice and snow tourism activities to welcome visitors from across the country.
On Chinese social media Sina Weibo, the trending topic "Harbin is really working hard for this winter" has surged to the hot search list, with a reading volume surpassing 127,000 as of press time. One related video showed the recent cleaning of St. Sophia Cathedral in Harbin, and the sweeper trucks are even covered with content recommending Harbin's special attractions.
According to Harbin News, in preparation for the upcoming peak season of ice and snow tourism, the staff of the Songhua River sightseeing cableway recently conducted safety inspections and maintenance on the cableway.
Online videos posted by netizens showed that in anticipation of the guests coming to their hometown, the people of Harbin began cleanup efforts in the streets, including cleaning the stone pillars along the roadside, staircases and lamp posts, as well as repainting the chairs on Central Street.
Data from Tongcheng Travel, a leading travel platform in China, showed that in the last week of October, the search volume for Harbin tourism increased by 156 percent compared with the previous week, while hotel bookings in the city for next three month rise by 78 percent year on year.
Statistics from Trip.com, another leading travel platform, showed that there is a high volume of bookings for Harbin travel-related products for the period from December 15 to 31.
In another development, according to data from China's e-commerce platform Meituan, since October, the search popularity for winter tourism activities such as skiing, snow hiking and viewing auroras and rime has increased by 72 percent compared to the previous month. Among these, Harbin is the city with the highest search volume, with popular related attractions including Harbin Ice-Snow World and Yabuli ski resort.
According to the Xinhua News Agency, Heilongjiang will launch a 100-day winter tourism initiative on Friday, aiming to establish itself as a world-class ice-and-snow tourism destination, the provincial department of culture and tourism said.
On Xiaohongshu, a Chinese lifestyle-sharing platform, many netizens have been looking for a travel companion to visit Harbin with, while others are asking for recommendations for local attractions, restaurants and accommodation, the Global Times learnt on Wednesday.
"I really want to go to Harbin to see the snow. Who can understand the persistence of a person born in Hainan in seeing snow?" wrote a netizen. "I can't wait to go to Harbin!" read another netizen's post.
Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy, told the Global Times on Wednesday that after the surge in popularity of winter tourism in Harbin in 2023, the city has made improvements in its public service capabilities. "Harbin is poised to achieve greater accomplishments during the ice and snow tourism in the coming season," Dai said.
The 9th Asian Winter Games will open in Harbin on February 7, 2025, which would welcome the highest number of participating countries and regions and athletes in the history of the event.
During the Games, a series of activities will be held in the Athletes' Village and the Ice and Snow World, including Heilongjiang's intangible cultural heritage experiences, ice acrobatics performances and an opera art parade.
According to Xinhua, the General Office of the State Council issued guidelines on Wednesday, which state that China aims to promote its ice and snow economy as a new growth point, with the goal of reaching an economic scale of 1.2 trillion yuan ($169 billion) by 2027.
The official social media account of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) News Media Center on Monday released a photo, hinting that China's long-anticipated J-35 stealth fighter jet might debut at the upcoming Airshow China 2024.
China Bugle, the official media account of the PLA's News Media Center, on Monday released the post titled "Super spoilers! Is the J-35 officially announced?" accompanied by a photo showing the vertical tail of an aircraft marked with the number "75."
"Is this an official image of the new aircraft?! Is it the J-35 that netizens have been eagerly anticipating? Do not rush, we will see you in Zhuhai in 3+5 days," China Bugle said.
The Airshow China 2024 is scheduled to be held from November 12 to 17 in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province.
While the post is short, it contained significant information, as it is the first time the long-anticipated J-35 has appeared on an official media platform.
Chinese military expert Zhang Xuefeng told the Global Times on Monday that while the post used the question marks, given the authority and reliability of the official media, this post indeed serves as a "spoiler" about the J-35, confirming the existence of this aircraft type.
Judging from the vertical tail's shape, it is very likely to be a stealth fighter jet, Zhang said after viewing the photo.
"The photo also displayed the number '75' painted on the fighter jet's vertical tail. This year marks the 75th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China, and November 11 also marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the PLA Air Force, indicating that this number represents the PLA Air Force's 75 years of glorious history from November 11, 1949," Zhang said.
The debut of the new warplane highlights the continuous development of the PLA Air Force over the past 75 years, particularly in terms of equipment development, Zhang said.
Despite China's ban on solid waste imports three years ago, developed countries continue to exploit regulatory loopholes to export waste to developing countries including China, avoiding higher recycling costs at home.
Other developing countries, such as those in Southeast Asia, alongside China, have increasingly restricted foreign waste imports, but this has not halted the practice.
A key driver of this issue is the profitability and low risk of waste trafficking. Developed countries, aiming to cut costs, use "waste colonialism" as a tactic, exporting plastic and other low-value waste, Ma Jun, director of the Beijing-based Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, told the Global Times.
Many of these wastes are contaminated with toxic heavy metals and other hazardous substances, leading to significant environmental and public health risks in receiving countries, Ma noted, calling for global efforts to tackle these issues.
'Low-risk crimes'
In China, the imported or smuggled waste is straightforwardly called "foreign waste." Those are low-value waste products from other countries, including untreated organic materials, household waste, medical waste, various industrial waste liquids and residues, as well as certain used electronics or components.
Although some items may hold limited recycling potential, they often fail to meet environmental standards and may release toxic heavy metals, organic chemicals or even radioactive substances during processing, leading to resource depletion and environmental contamination.
In September this year, Lianhe Zaobao reported that a ship carrying 102 containers departed from Albania's Durres port, only to be denied entry upon arrival in Thailand. Some reports indicated that these containers held toxic waste, prompting Thai authorities to reject them.
The term "waste colonialism," as The Guardian's article called it, aptly describes the practice by which Western countries export plastic and other types of waste to less-developed countries.
The EU parliament noted that in 2021 the EU generated 16.13 million tons of plastic waste, averaging 36.1 kilograms per person. Although 6.56 million tons were recycled, about half of the collected plastic waste was exported for processing, often to non-EU countries with fewer resources for safe waste management.
In 2022, the US exported more than 950 million tons of plastic waste meant for recycling and a significant portion of that ended up in Southeast Asia, PBS reported.
Historically, China was a primary destination for these exports, but recent restrictions have prompted the waste to go to other countries, primarily Turkey, India and Egypt, with increasing risks of incineration and landfill use, according to the EU parliament.
Southeast Asia is another destination of developed countries' dumps.
Nikkei Asia reported that from 2017 to 2021, ASEAN countries, which comprise less than 9 percent of the global population, received approximately 17 percent of all global plastic waste imports, based on UN data. A Greenpeace report from 2019 highlighted a sharp 171 percent increase in plastic waste imports to Southeast Asia, rising to 2.26 million tons between 2016 and 2018 alone.
Imported trash has swamped Southeast Asia, Nikkei Asia said.
Liu Jianguo, a professor from Tsinghua University's School of Environment told Global Times that the global flow of "foreign waste" from developed to developing countries has not significantly changed, primarily due to the ongoing disparity in global industrial division. Developed countries tend to focus on high-value industries like R&D and manufacturing, while lower-value waste recycling industries are relegated to developing countries.
"In today's globalized world, waste management has become an increasingly pressing concern in which production, consumption habits, waste crime, waste trafficking, corruption, organized crime, money laundering and the circular economy are intertwined," said Masood Karimipour, UN Office on Drugs and Crime Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific. "The crime of waste trafficking is taking away the value that legal, well-regulated waste trade brings to sustainable economies."
"Waste trafficking is a crime that has a profound impact on the environment, bringing high profits and low risks to perpetrators. If we are to fight this crime, we must change this by closing regulatory gaps, increasing enforcement, and strengthening cooperation at home and abroad," said Preeyaporn Suwannaked, Director General of the Pollution Control Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Thailand.
International push
In response to escalating global plastic pollution, ethical responsibility and strengthened regulation are emphasized as essential measures to address the problem of "foreign waste."
In March 2022, the resumed fifth United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) adopted a historic resolution to establish an international legally binding agreement on plastic pollution, including oceanic plastic pollution.
Following China's lead, several countries are also taking action. Thailand has announced a comprehensive ban on plastic waste imports, set to take full effect by January 1, 2025.
"To resolve this issue, there must be a balanced international industrial division and an improvement in developing countries' economic and regulatory capabilities," Liu emphasized. "For developed countries, voicing environmental slogans is futile without genuine accountability. They must both regulate waste exports and establish robust domestic recycling systems to avoid outsourcing the cost to less affluent countries," Liu said.
Ma also emphasized that the rising living standards in developing countries are leading to increased domestic waste production, which necessitates efficient waste management systems and stringent regulation.
He noted that China currently mandates waste incineration companies to install online monitoring systems and publicly disclose emissions data. This rigorous regulatory approach has garnered interest from other developing countries and serves as a model they could adopt.
