Innehållsförteckning för Vol.67/No.16 från Beijing Review

Since President Xi Jinping introduced the Global Civilizations Initiative (GCI) a year ago, underlining respect for different civilizations and strengthened mutual learning, the term “civilization” has garnered increasing attention. But what exactly does it mean? Unlike culture, which is a shared pattern of behavior or a way of life passed down from generation to generation, civilization implies progress in social development. It is characterized by advancements in multiple fields, from technology to governance. From an archaeological perspective, there are several scientific criteria to define a civilization. Findings indicate that Chinese culture dates back 10,000 years, while Chinese civilization has a history of more than 5,000 years. Civilization, which references China’s time-honored history and ancient wisdom, entered the country’s political lexicon long before the GCI was proposed. In the late 1970s…

Serving as director general of the World Trade Organization (WTO), headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, from September 2002 to August 2005, Supachai Panitchpakdi made history as the organization’s first Asian leader. In an exclusive interview with Beijing Review reporter Zhao Wei on the sidelines of the third Oriental Civilization Dialogue, a cross-cultural dialogue event hosted by the Mencius Foundation in Chengdu, capital of China’s southwestern province of Sichuan, in early April, Panitchpakdi shared his views on the importance of cultural exchange between East and West and how these interactions can lead to a deeper understanding between diverse societies. During their conversation, Panitchpakdi also touched on the relevance of ancient Chinese philosophies in shaping a shared future for all of humanity. Edited excerpts of the interview follow: Beijing Review: What do you…

After a nine-month interval, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen returned to China. The 77-year-old official is highly respected in the country for her professional and pragmatic approach. Her “restaurant diplomacy” once again proved a success during this trip, which ran from April 4 to 9. Like her visit last July, Yellen chose to dine at popular local eateries in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, and Beijing. The menus of her meals and photos of her outings were widely shared on Chinese social media platforms, and her friendly demeanor endeared her to many Chinese people. Yellen was the first cabinet member of the Joe Biden administration to pay a second visit to China, and it was clear her intentions extended well beyond sampling the cuisine. Her recent six-day journey made significant progress from…

The Spring Equinox, the fourth Chinese solar term out of 24, symbolizes hope, renewal and the promise of a bountiful harvest. As daylight begins to exceed nighttime and the Sun travels northward, it represents the awakening of nature, growth, and new beginnings. In 2018, the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) initiated the Spring Equinox Project, a public benefit program offering science education lectures to primary and middle school students. The project’s name reflects its mission to illuminate the path forward for younger generations, fostering a bright future through enhanced scientific knowledge. Over the past five years, the project has reached more than 100 schools, libraries and scientific institutions in Beijing, delivering weekly lectures on topics including artificial intelligence, psychology, aviation, cybersecurity, chemistry, and many more. To date, over…

Shaanxi Province is rich in archaeological heritage. Its capital, Xi’an, was the capital of 13 dynasties up until the end of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), nine of which were stable, united, multiethnic societies that created rich cultures and left behind an abundance of precious relics. On March 22, the Zhaigou archaeological site in Qingjian County was included on a list of China’s top 10 archaeological findings for 2023 in recognition of its academic significance, historical and social value, and the innovation used in its exploration, preservation and management. The Zhaigou site contains the remains of a large settlement dating back to 1300-1046 B.C. in the late Shang Dynasty. It includes cemeteries, copper casting sites and residential neighborhoods with a total area of approximately 3 square km. Zhong Jianrong is the…

In celebration of the 60-year diplomatic bond between China and France and the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism, the Palace Museum in Beijing is hosting an exhibition showcasing over 200 cultural relics. The artifacts include scientific instruments, clocks, enamelware, porcelain, paintings and books collected by museums in both China and France. The museum, also known as the Forbidden City, housed China’s imperial palace from the 15th century to the early 20th century. Titled The Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles: Exchanges Between China and France in the 17th and 18th Centuries, the exhibition showcases the admiration of the French nobility for Chinese artworks and the mutual influence between the two cultures. According to the Palace Museum, the late 17th to 18th century marked a golden era of cultural…

There are differences among civilizations, but also a lot of parallels. “And it’s heartening that we are discovering more of these similarities,” said Herman Van Rompuy, former Prime Minister of Belgium and former President of the European Council, in a recent interview with Beijing Review reporter Ma Miaomiao in Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Edited excerpts of his remarks follow: We always speak about East and West as if we have totally different cultures, which is not the case. What is different is the general approach, but the values are the same—the values of togetherness, charity, compassion and humanness. Parallels We are all human beings, and we all want to have a normal life, a stable relationship with our parents and partners. Put it another way: What we want is…

In a recent interview with U.S. magazine Newsweek, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng shed light on the concept of new quality productive forces and the Chinese economy. The following edited excerpts from the interview are taken from the official website of the Chinese Embassy in the U.S.: Newsweek: The term new quality productive forces has emerged in recent months in reference to China’s efforts to accelerate economic growth. Can you explain the meaning of this term and the strategy behind it? Xie Feng: “New quality productive forces” is a major concept put forward by President Xi Jinping. In brief, it refers to innovation-led, reform-driven advanced productive forces that will boost total factor productivity and promote high-quality development. This includes: Making traditional industries higher-end, smarter and greener. In…

China’s clean energy sector has become a global focus. In recent years, China has achieved remarkable progress in clean energy development, maintaining the world’s leading position in installed capacity and making significant progress in improving technologies and industrial chains. China is increasing the share of energy that comes from greener sources, giving priority to non-fossil energy, low-carbon energy and renewable energy in its drive toward carbon peaking and neutrality. However, China’s achievements, technologies and market advantages in the clean energy sector have also led to criticism by trade protectionists overseas. They claim China’s “overcapacity” in the new energy sector distorts global prices and production patterns. But is there really overcapacity in China’s clean energy sector? The figures suggest otherwise. According to the National Energy Administration, natural gas, hydropower, nuclear power,…

Ten archaeological discoveries, the earliest of which date back to the Paleolithic age (2.5 million-10,000 years ago), have been included in a list of China’s important archaeological discoveries of 2023. The list was announced by China’s National Cultural Heritage Administration on March 22 in Beijing. The 10 discoveries are: 1. Bashan Paleolithic site in Yishui County, Shandong Province The Paleolithic site is located at the lower reaches of the Yihe River, which was first discovered in 2020 from a flood discharge downstream. The collected fossils and stone tools evidencing early human life could date back about 50,000 to 100,000 years. 2. Keqiutou Neolithic site complex in Pingtan County, Fujian Province Archaeologists discovered many human bones at the Keqiutou Neolithic site, dating back 7,300 years. The preliminary study shows that the…

For decades, the upper age limit for civil service applicants in China has been set at 35. Lately, however, there has been much (renewed) discussion on Weibo, a popular Chinese micro-blogging platform, about the possibility of raising the upper age limit for certain positions within the civil service to 40. While the topic is nothing new, it continues to ignite debates within Chinese society, particularly with an influx of recent college graduates and white-collar professionals reentering the job market to make a new start. The Civil Servant Law does not specify any age limit for civil service recruitment. The Provisions on Civil Servant Recruitment issued in 2019 stipulated that applicants must be at least 18 years old and under 35 years old, serving as the basis for the establishment of…

WORLD-RENOWNED MATHEMATICIAN’S NEW POST On April 3, French-Brazilian mathematician Artur Avila began a journey in international mathematical cooperation, taking up a position as guest professor at Nankai University in Tianjin Municipality in north China. Avila, who is a professor at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, is known for his profound contributions to the field of dynamical systems and spectral theory. In 2014, he was awarded the Fields Medal, one of the highest honors for mathematicians, also known as the Nobel Prize of Mathematics. Avila said China has been making good progress in mathematics, and he currently has five Chinese Ph.D. students, whose diversified research styles show the vitality and potential of China’s mathematical community. “Math is international. There’s not one style of doing mathematics. Different cultures can be developed…

As the world’s two largest economies, China and the United States have deeply intertwined economic interests. Amid the evolving landscape of China-U.S. economic and trade ties, what are the U.S. business community’s views on the Chinese market? In an exclusive interview with Beijing Review reporter Zhang Shasha, Michael Hart, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham China), shared his perspectives on foreign investors’ perceptions of the Chinese market, China’s present and future opportunities for overseas businesses, as well as the pivotal role of China-U.S. economic and trade relations for both nations and the world at large. Edited excerpts of the interview follow: Beijing Review: With many years of business experience in China, you have witnessed the changes in and developments of the Chinese market. What opportunities has…

China is projected to become the world’s largest economy, with its GDP surpassing that of the United States, by 2035. Two underlying reasons here are the country’s faster economic growth and its more internationalized currency. The ambitious forecast is one of the 10 predictions outlined for China over the coming decade in a research report titled China’s “Compounding Interest”: High-Quality Development and Outlook for 2035. The report was jointly released by the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China, along with four other think tanks from the United States, Russia, India and Canada, during a symposium on March 31. In recent years, China has achieved notable feats in high-quality economic and social development. These achievements are “a manifestation of China’s ‘compounding interest’,” the report read. Interest on…

Liu Chang, a Beijing resident who had been a stay-at-home mother for six years, decided to return to work earlier this year. However, finding a job was not easy. She visited three job fairs, but the positions that interested her either required shift work or had an age limit of 35. Unlike traditional job seekers who put more emphasis on salary and benefits, flexible working hours topped the list when Liu began her job search. “I need a job that allows me to drop my son off at school in the morning and pick him up in the afternoon, and I want to spend time with him on the weekends,” Liu told China Youth Daily. Finally on March 8, Liu visited a Women’s Day job fair organized by Shijingshan District…