Indholdsfortegnelse for Vol.67/No.6 i Beijing Review

The Chinese Year of the Dragon will begin on the day of the Spring Festival, February 10, and last until the next Spring Festival on January 29 next year. The dragon is the fifth of the 12 animal signs that make up the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac. It follows the rat, ox, tiger and rabbit and is followed by the snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. The dragon is the only mythical creature in the zodiac. In traditional Chinese culture, the 12 zodiac animal signs embody different personality traits, and the dragon is revered as a symbol of imperial power, dignity, honor, strength and good fortune. Throughout history, emperors have adorned themselves with dragon motifs, associating it with authority and leadership. The Chinese dragon is typically…

Guided by our visionary leaders Chairman Mao Zedong and General Charles de Gaulle, China and France broke through the barriers of the Cold War and established diplomatic relations on January 27, 1964. The event constituted “a diplomatic nuclear explosion,” according to Western media observers of that time. During the following 60 years, the two countries have upheld the principles of independence, mutual understanding, strategic vision, and mutual benefit, a commitment they made when establishing diplomatic ties. These principles have allowed bilateral relations to stand the test of changing times, and remain at the forefront of China’s relations with the Western world. France can claim many “firsts” in its relationship with China. It was the first major Western country to establish a comprehensive partnership and conduct strategic dialogue with China, open…

China has recently introduced more than 50 new measures to open up its financial sector, including allowing foreign investors to hold up to 100-percent equity in its banks and insurance institutions. At a press conference on January 25, Xiao Yuanqi, deputy head of the National Financial Regulatory Administration (NFRA), said the administration had scrapped restrictions on the proportion of shares held by foreign shareholders in Chinese banking and insurance institutions, including restrictions on foreign investment participation, acquisition and capital increase. This means that all sectors of the financial industry have been removed from China’s negative list for foreign investment. The list defines industries in which foreign companies cannot invest and specifies restrictions or bans on certain types of foreign investment. The five-yearly Central Financial Work Conference, which was held in…

When visiting the Forbidden City, also known as the Palace Museum in Beijing, Tsai Shang Lin, a postgraduate student from Fu Jen Catholic University, a private university in New Taipei, a municipality in north Taiwan, China, was excited to pose for pictures against the ancient architectural backdrop. It is, after all, the largest and best-preserved ancient wooden palace complex in the world that housed China’s imperial palace from the 15th century to the early 20th century. “I’ve read about it in Taiwan’s textbooks and history books, and today, I finally got to see the real deal,” Tsai, also a culture and history lover, told Beijing Review. Cheng Huan Yu and Hsiao Nai Wen, two undergraduate students from the same university, echoed Tsai, adding that, “It is different from the Palace…

The Year of the Dragon comes with inspiration for fierce creativity, as well as the power to bring big ideas to life. Designer Wang Zijian’s Dragon Out of Water, a creative tea infuser, shines on the wall at the exhibition of the winning works of the 2024 Global Zodiac Design Competition at the Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchange Center (BOCEC). Its cute dragon design and special function are bound to appeal to young consumers. “It’s a unique product, and we expect a positive response from young customers,” Wang told Beijing Review. The item belongs to the China Chic category. China Chic, or guochao (which literally translates as “national wave”), which refers to products of all sorts incorporating traditional Chinese cultural elements. These products have been embraced by the country’s younger generations…

The ancient Chinese civilization, dating back five millennia, remains a point of reference and a reason for admiration in today’s era. So it makes sense that several Chinese governmental initiatives outline the link between past and present. The Global Civilizations Initiative, proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2023 and meant to promote humanity’s shared values, constitutes one characteristic example thereof. Also, the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, an initiative to boost connectivity along and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes first proposed by China in 2013, is based on the careful study of these routes and their modification amid new challenges and the current global landscape. Of course, the word “civilization” itself does not only refer to past achievements. It can also incorporate tendencies which are monitored in…

In the last three years, Ma Huiming has visited some 100 primary boarding schools in rural China, bringing him closer to a significantly large yet often overlooked segment of the country’s population—the roughly 9 million rural primary boarding school students. A project manager for Crowing Home, a Beijing-based non-profit organization committed to supporting rural boarding schools, Ma has dedicated more than a decade to this cause. Ma shared insights into the nature of these institutions during an online forum about education on January 24. The emergence of rural boarding schools can be traced back to a policy issued in 2001 to close and merge schools in rural China. The policy was introduced in response to demographic changes and to pool resources to improve merged schools. Since 2001, birthrates in China…

Yi Qunlin, a 58-year-old construction worker in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, recently received an invitation to join the audience of chunwan, also known as the CCTV Spring Festival Gala, on February 9 in Beijing. Watching the live TV show, which airs on each Chinese New Year Eve on China Central Television (CCTV), has become a tradition for tens of millions of Chinese families, to usher in the Chinese New Year. Since the first edition was broadcast in 1983, the program has developed to include diverse performances such as songs, dancing, cross-talk, acrobatics and traditional Chinese operas. While most people watch the gala on screen, some guests are invited to watch it in person each year. In addition to artists, outstanding representatives from other sectors of the society including scientists, soldiers and…

NEW FILM ASSOCIATION CHAIRPERSON Veteran actor Chen Daoming was elected chairperson of the China Film Association (CFA) at its 11th national congress on January 30. Born in Tianjin in 1955, Chen began his acting career in the 1980s and has since become one of the most respected actors in the Chinese entertainment industry. He has received widespread recognition for his versatility and ability to portray complex characters with depth and authenticity. He has appeared in several critically acclaimed films, including My 1919 (1999), for which he won Best Actor at the 20th Golden Rooster Awards, one of the most prestigious film awards in China. Chen has also performed in television dramas, with his performance in the historical series The Last Emperor (1988) further solidifying his reputation. This is Chen’s second…

The Year of the Dragon is named for the fifth animal and the only mythical creature of the Chinese zodiac. A host of creatives have seized the opportunity to ring in the year with their interpretations of the mythical creature through the language of art. At an art exhibition centered on the dragon and the other 11 Chinese zodiac signs opened in Beijing in December 2023, two large pieces, in particular, respectively created by Chinese and Mexican masters, have caught visitors’ eyes. One of them is a miniature version of Great Wall Dragon, its original being a 10-ton mecha installation artwork created by Sun Shiqian, a Chinese artist dedicated to robotic art and a lecturer at Beijing’s Central Academy of Fine Arts. The other piece is Red Dragon, created with…

Steadfast Defender 2024, a drill highlighting and honing NATO’s ability to promptly deploy forces from North America and other parts of the alliance to fortify Europe’s defense, officially got underway on January 24. Approximately 90,000 personnel from all 31 NATO member states and Sweden, which is actively seeking to join the alliance, are participating in the four month-long transatlantic undertaking, the biggest NATO military exercise since the 1988 Reforger drill during the Cold War. Top officers have said the drill aims to show that the alliance can defend all of its territory up to its border with Russia. In response, Russian diplomats have warned that NATO’s “deliberate provocations” may increase the risk of military conflict between Russia and NATO member states, causing “tragic consequences” for Europe. Additionally, Russian President Vladimir…

After going over her finances, Li Shiru realized she’d spent more on her furry companion than herself during last December’s New Year-themed online shopping festival, founded by Chinese e-commerce behemoth Alibaba—owner of popular shopping platforms Taobao and Tmall. “I ordered a set of makeup brushes, three packs of cat food, a cute cloud-shaped bowl, a box of hair ornaments… and 23 outfits for my cat Dabing,” Li told Beijing Review. “The total came to 8,986 yuan ($1,251), half my monthly income.” Her cat’s new clothes made up the biggest chunk of the bill. Li regularly takes her cat out for walks, and she ordered customized kitty outfits based on her own daily wardrobe from a pet shop on Tmall. Li was inspired by a few pet vloggers she follows. On…

Do we ever truly realize how lucky we are until we witness the suffering of others? Why do I get to live while my people are suffering? Thoughts like these crossed my mind all the time before I had the chance to come to China. People in Syria lack access to adequate food, healthcare, education and many other basic human rights that should be accessible to everyone, no matter where they come from. Witnessing the suffering of the people of my country on a daily basis, I doubted my own right to exist and to enjoy life and the opportunities it offered me. The year 2011 is considered by many Syrians, including myself, to be one of the worst years, if not the worst year, for our nation. The outbreak…