Innehållsförteckning för Vol.67/No.20 från Beijing Review

During a trilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in the French capital of Paris, visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed a simple fact: China-EU cooperation is “complementary and mutually beneficial.” This is not mere diplomatic talk, but a pertinent characterization of their relations. Xi’s trip to France, Serbia and Hungary from May 5 to 10 came at critical juncture. Some European quarters are skeptical about the benefits of economic collaboration with China. Washington is maneuvering to rally allies to “de-risk” from China. In addition, rhetoric concerning China’s so-called “overcapacity” in clean energy sectors has fueled protectionism in the West. But the facts and figures reveal the real nature of China-EU economic and trade cooperation. France serves as a case in point.…

This year marks the 60th anniversary of Sino-French diplomatic relations. This is not a typical anniversary. Looking back to 1964, it becomes evident that international conditions did not necessarily favor such a breakthrough at that time. China and the U.S. would only establish diplomatic relations 15 years later, and most Western countries were following their post-World War II arrangements. The French decision to establish a diplomatic relationship with China reflected a strategic determination. Sino-French contacts had already existed in the period before 1964. On June 19, 1954, Chinese Premier and Foreign Minister Zhou Enlai and French Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pierre Mendès France first discussed establishing diplomatic relations at the Chinese Embassy in Switzerland, and there were interactions and visits by individual French officials to China. However, it was…

This year’s May Day holiday (May 1-5) experienced a surge in both domestic and outbound travel. While domestic tourism continued its rise, overseas destinations saw a return of Chinese tourists. Approximately 8.5 million exit and entry trips were made by Chinese nationals during the May Day holiday, a 35.1-percent increase compared to the same period last year, according to the National Immigration Administration. According to data from Fliggy, one of China’s leading travel platforms, outbound travel experienced a peak in bookings during the May Day holiday, with bookings for travel services seeing strong growth of nearly 100 percent compared to the May Day holiday last year. Data from another online travel agency, Trip.com Group, showed that Chinese tourists traveled to nearly 200 countries and regions around the world during the…

After performing a near-moon braking procedure, spacecraft Chang’e-6 successfully entered lunar orbit, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) said on May 8. China launched the lunar probe on May 3, with the mission to collect and return the first ever samples from the moon’s mysterious far side in the history of human lunar exploration. The Chang’e-6 was carried by a Long March-5 rocket, which blasted off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in the southern island province of Hainan. Approximately 37 minutes after liftoff, the spacecraft separated from the rocket and entered its planned Earth-moon transfer orbit, which had a perigee altitude of 200 km and an apogee altitude of about 380,000 km, according to the CNSA. As the time it takes for the moon to orbit once around Earth…

Last year, Xia Ziqing made the decision to open her own nail bar in a shopping mall in Langfang, Hebei Province. Her decision was based on her extensive experience. With over five years in the industry, she noticed the significant growth and expansion of the nail business. “As the saying goes, ‘Hands are our second face’,” Xia, the 26-year-old entrepreneur, told Beijing Review. “In recent years, I have noticed a growing number of individuals, particularly women, seeking ways to both protect and enhance the appearance of their hands. Their indulgence in manicure extends beyond a mere pursuit of beauty; it’s a form of self-care and a way to relieve stress and promote mental wellbeing.” According to data from Qcc.com, a platform for enterprise credit inquiry, the number of registered nail-related…

‘Unity in diversity” is a fundamental concept in traditional Chinese culture, rooted in the coexistence of different ethnic and regional sub-cultures, as well as the exchange between and integration of Chinese and other civilizations. Throughout China’s extensive history, the Chinese people have developed a set of shared values and aspirations that embody a strong sense of identity intertwined with moral principles such as filial piety, brotherhood, loyalty, propriety and integrity, as well as a keen sense of right and wrong. These are all manifestations of the harmonious blending of diverse elements within Chinese culture. The dynamic interplay between “diversity” and “unity” contributes to the unique creativity and coherence of Chinese culture, making it a civilization with unique features and far-reaching influence. Digging in The concept of “unity in diversity” was…

‘Having food brings peace of mind” has long been the cornerstone of China’s approach to food security. With a population of over 1.4 billion, ensuring an ample food supply remains a primary concern. However, China’s perspective on food security is now evolving toward an all-encompassing approach. Since China attained the status of a moderately prosperous society in all respects in 2020, with the majority of the population enjoying a certain level of economic prosperity and wellbeing across various aspects of life, the people have raised the bar in terms of food expectations. The traditional view on food focuses on having an adequate supply, whereas the all-encompassing approach goes beyond mere sufficiency to encompass both food quality and safety. On March 6, 2022, when visiting national political advisors from the sectors…

China’s Chang’e lunar exploration program is named after the mythical Chinese goddess Chang’e, who took a longevity potion and floated up into the sky, eventually landing on the moon, where she became the moon goddess. Here is a brief introduction to the Chang’e series lunar probes. Chang’e-1 On October 24, 2007, China launched Chang’e-1, its first lunar probe, making China the fifth country to independently develop and launch a lunar probe. Orbiting 200 km above the moon, Chang’e-1 took images to create a 3D map of the lunar surface, analyzed the distribution of elements, measured the depth of the lunar soil, and explored the environment between Earth and the moon. It made a controlled crash on the lunar surface after orbiting the moon for about 16 months. Chang’e-2 Launched on…

On April 27, curious visitors flocked to Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) in the capital city’s Haidian District to catch a glimpse of the school’s multinational student parade, with a colorful array of national flags and costumes sweeping through the main street of the campus. This was part of the one-day World Cultural Carnival, a cultural festival that has been hosted annually by BLCU for 20 years running, usually taking place in April or May. This year’s edition gathered students from 103 countries. They joined the parade, staged shows and hosted booths where they showcased their cultures through music, costumes, food, illustration boards and handicrafts around the large sports field sitting at the heart of the school’s campus. “The festival provides a platform for students of different nationalities to…

NINGXIA ARTIST GOES GLOBAL Zuo Wenjun, a Chinese painter with cerebral palsy, had his work exhibited at the three-day La Lumiere exhibition in the Louvre in Paris, France, in April. The painting, Mount Kangrinboqe, depicts a mountain in Xizang Autonomous Region. Admitting he hadn’t been to Xizang, Zuo said that the work was based on his observation of photos and philosophical thinking. The 34-year-old was born into a working-class family in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when he was a child. Despite his hardships, Zuo found his passion in art and became a student at Ningxia University majoring in art in 2010, before beginning further studies at the Chinese National Academy of Arts in Beijing two years later. In 2017, Zuo donated more than 400,000…

In March, Apple opened its largest retail store on the Chinese mainland in Shanghai—the company’s second largest flagship store after its Fifth Avenue outlet in New York City, the U.S. The new addition brings Apple’s store tally in Shanghai and the Chinese market to eight and 57, respectively—a significant milestone for the company, which opened its first store in China in 2008. During his high-profile China visit, Apple CEO Tim Cook, who opened the doors to the new store in Shanghai and welcomed the first Chinese customers at the opening ceremony, reiterated the company’s steadfast commitment to the Chinese market, saying, “We are continuing to invest in China, in the supply chain, in research and development, and in our stores.” Interestingly, Apple is just one of the many foreign companies…

With the U.S. presidential elections six months away, everything President Joe Biden says and does this year will be analyzed through crass political calculus. Will his decisions appeal to the American public? That reality alone should make the Biden administration wary of how they respond to the growing protests throughout the U.S., and especially on the country’s college campuses, about the crisis in the Gaza Strip. The White House is the only international voice Israeli leaders might listen to as they continue to fight a war against Hamas, the Palestinian political and military movement. But will Biden use that voice powerfully, publicly and often in demanding an end to the fighting? Many doubt he will. Diverging directions Before we go any further, it is important to understand the purpose of…

The 2024 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, or Auto China 2024, a 10-day event that kicked off on April 25 after a four-year hiatus, made a resounding comeback. Taking social media by storm, its resurgence catapulted auto-related topics to the summit of trending lists. At the automotive spectacle, tech titans stole the spotlight from the usual celebrities and car models. These new industry celebrities have been igniting Internet fervor, and propelled the auto show into the digital limelight. Clad in vibrant green attire, Lei Jun, founder and CEO of tech giant Xiaomi, stepped onto the stage of the auto show to announce a new era for the company as it ventures from electronics into the automotive realm for the first time. Xiaomi released its first self-developed electric vehicle (EV) model SU7…

As a graduate student studying in China, I was eager to see places that were off the beaten path and lesser known to Western people. The first province I wanted to explore was Yunnan Province in southwest China. The moment you start reading about this area, rich in history and diverse beyond measure, you know you’re about to embark on a journey into a new world. From the moment I walked out of the train station, Lijiang caught my eye and heart. It was my first time having a female taxi driver taking me anywhere. She dropped me off right by the gate of Lijiang Old City and, in true foreign backpacker form, I grabbed my bags and started to make my way through the narrow streets of the labyrinth…