Innehållsförteckning för Vol.66/No.22 från Beijing Review

Since the emancipation of 1 million serfs in Tibet 64 years ago, residents of the plateau region have become the masters of their house. In old Tibet, serfs accounted for 95 percent of the population. Today, the region has more than 35,000 deputies to people’s congresses at township, county, city, regional and national levels and more than 8,000 political advisors. The region’s people gained the right to vote and stand for election for the first time during the democratic reform that began in March 1959. The First Session of the First People’s Congress of Tibet Autonomous Region, the regional legislature, took place in September 1965. Democracy has permeated all aspects of life, from social administration to the public supervision of power. The people of all ethnic groups have embraced whole-process…

Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward four principles for building a China-Central Asia community with a shared future, namely, mutual assistance, common development, universal security and everlasting friendship, when he delivered a keynote speech at the China-Central Asia Summit in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province in northwest China on May 19. The heads of state of the five Central Asian countries, namely Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, also attended the gathering. The vision of a China-Central Asia community with a shared future came into being at a virtual summit commemorating the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Central Asian countries last year. Turning it into reality is essential for ensuring the fundamental interests and bright future of their peoples in the new era and brings the world one step…

Hiroshima, hometown of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, is also known as the world’s first nuclear attack target in history. From May 19 to 21, the Group of Seven (G7) summit took place in the city. Apart from the more common issues on the agenda, Japan’s main concern was seeking this club of rich nations’ endorsement for its nuclear wastewater discharge plan. Twelve years ago, on March 11, 2011, Japan was struck by a devastating earthquake that triggered a tsunami which in turn caused a leak at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in the town of Okuma, Fukushima Prefecture. It was the worst nuclear disaster since the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Soviet Union in 1986 as well as one of the most serious disasters…

In a courtyard in Xinsheng Village in Wuzhong City of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, apricot trees are beginning to bear fruit. The fruits are of a special variety that can naturally dry on the trees after they ripen. The dried fruit can sell for more than 100 yuan ($14.2) per kg. The trees belong to Tian Lin, a villager who grows them in and around his own courtyard. The practice of growing fruit trees in one’s own courtyard is part of the courtyard economy, a business form in which rural families carry out small-scale production at home or in surrounding areas to achieve self-sufficiency or make a profit. Learning from Tian’s experience, the village leaders decided to develop a courtyard economy to increase residents’ incomes. From the beginning of last…

On May 22, the 76th World Health Assembly (WHA) once again refused to include a proposal on “Taiwan’s participation at the WHA as an observer” in its agenda. For the seventh year in a row, the WHA has rejected Taiwan-related proposals, demonstrating the shared international commitment to the one-China principle affirmed by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758 and WHA Resolution 25.1, an overriding trend that cannot be challenged. The political manipulation of Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities is doomed to fail. Over the past seven years, the DPP authorities and certain countries have made attempts to seek Taiwan’s “presence” at the WHA. In particular, since the outbreak of COVID-19, the DPP and some countries have repeatedly sensationalized Taiwan-related issues at the World Health Organization (WHO), in…

The National Administration of Financial Regulation (NAFR), a new watchdog for the country’s financial business, was launched on May 18. This agency replaces the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, which was established in 2018. It also takes over certain functions from the People’s Bank of China (PBC), the central bank, including protecting consumers of financial services, as well as certain functions from the China Securities Regulatory Commission, including investor protection. The NAFR is in charge of regulating the entire financial industry except the securities sector. It is tasked with strengthening supervision over players in the financial industry and ensuring the supervision is penetrating and continuous. The launch of the NAFR contributes to the reshaping of China’s financial regulatory system. The system now consists of the PBC, the NAFR, the…

Ever since she was a young girl, Ge Shuhui, from Heze, Shandong Province, had been unhappy with the appearance of her eyes. She believed her monolids—skin folds on the upper eyelids that make it appear that there’s no visible crease line below the brow area—made her look lethargic. She’d dreamed about getting double-eyelid surgery that would make her eyes pop. And so, one day in 2015, her dream became a reality—marking her first dabbling in the world of medical beauty treatments. Today, the now 34-year-old office worker has upped the ante as she’s become somewhat of a pro when it comes to beauty salons and cosmetic surgery hospitals. She regularly injects Botox to make her face look smaller; she’s also experimented with forehead fillers to have a nicer-looking profile. But…

Traveling is an adventure that opens up your mind to new experiences, cultures and ways of life. During my study in China, I have had the opportunity to visit several cities in this vast country. Each city has its own unique charm and character. October 2017 was the first time I landed in Yibin, Sichuan Province. It is a city located in the southwestern part of China and is famous for its beautiful scenery. During my stay in Yibin, I had the chance to explore some of its natural attractions, such as the Bamboo Sea, which spreads across 120 square km. Another one is Cuiping Mountain, a 500-meter-tall mountain that is located in the middle of the city and is called the “green lungs” of the city. The stunning landscapes…

EX-VICE GOVERNOR TAKES OVER FINANCIAL REINS Li Yunze, former Vice Governor of Sichuan Province, has been appointed to head the newly formed National Administration of Financial Regulation (NAFR). Born in Yantai, Shandong Province, in September 1970, Li worked at the China Construction Bank and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, two of the country’s leading state-owned banks, before becoming a senior official in the Sichuan Provincial Government. The NAFR was inaugurated on May 18 as the country’s new financial regulator, in keeping with the Central Government’s plan for institutional reform unveiled two months earlier. Live-Streamed Sadfishing Guangzhou Daily May 19 The rise of live-streamed sales, a new mode of e-commerce by which consumers can directly shop via the links included in live-streamed videos, have provided a powerful tool for…

Some people living outside China might expect me to comment about the legendary landscapes of Tibet Autonomous Region or about Tibet’s people. Some might even ask me whether I saw the Snowman… When I was a child, my imagination was populated with such clichés and, for most foreigners, Tibet remains an unknown and mysterious territory—one giving free rein to their imagination. When you visit Tibet for the first time, as I did, it’s much more than a trip: It is a life experience that makes you think about yourself, about your relationship with life, with others, with nature. It is an experience that helps you grow. You will not be the same after having traveled to Tibet. The Tibetan landscapes are impressive and endless. They leave you with this unique…

Some tin-ear optimists tell us the anti-China rhetoric from the recent Group of Seven (G7) meeting in Hiroshima, Japan, could have been a lot worse. In addition to American President Joe Biden teasing the possibility of an upcoming thaw in China-U.S. relations, the world was reassured that decoupling was not an objective. Instead, the G7 countries of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States plus the “non-enumerated” European Union seek “de-risking.” For those unfamiliar with the term, “derisking” seems innocuous. Some equate it with risk management, hedging strategies, due diligence and so on—practices that nations, companies, families and individuals smartly embrace to better secure their interests and wellbeing. For example, China does not want to be energy-dependent on Russia. China buys a lot of energy…

In the eyes of the rest of the world, China is on the way to regaining its place at the center of the global stage and this scenario requires Chinese leaders to have the ambition to think that the future capital city of the world must be located in China. In this context it is natural to understand the reasons for the genesis of Jing-Jin-Ji, a city cluster incorporating Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province, which surrounds them and was called “Ji” in ancient times. As a key strategy initiated in 2014, its core objective is to create one of the most advanced urban regions in the world, able to attract a constant flow of investment, tourists and talent. Today what is the biggest urbanized megalopolis region in north China generates…

When Shenzhen was designated a special economic zone in 1980, the idea that the small port town in south China would one day become a megacity seemed a long way off. In the 45 years of China’s reform and opening up, countless people have flocked to this city of opportunity to start their own businesses, making fortunes for themselves and also making the city ever more prosperous. Over 30 years ago, a number of export clothing factories took root in Nanyou, in Shenzhen’s Nanshan District, due to its proximity to Hong Kong and the Shekou Industrial Zone, China’s first export-oriented economic development zone, located in the same district. Today, Nanyou has become fertile ground for independent fashion designers to create their own brands. Lin Dongnuan, founder of clothing brand LINDONG,…