Innehållsförteckning för Vol.67/No.48 från Beijing Review

Sixteen years since it began to convene summits as the premier forum for international economic cooperation, the Group of 20 (G20) has reached another milestone. The African Union (AU), representing the continent with the largest number of developing countries, attended this year’s summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as a full member for the first time. Its inclusion has amplified the Global South’s voice, as evidenced by the greater prominence given to development at this year’s meeting. At the opening of the G20 Summit on November 18, Brazil launched the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. The alliance draws together 148 founding members including 82 countries to raise resources and pool knowledge for hunger and poverty reduction. When it comes to the fight against poverty, China has much to share.…

This year, the Group of 20 (G20) Summit took place in my home state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 18-19. The world’s attention was drawn not only to Rio’s breathtaking landscapes, but also to the pressing challenges facing emerging economies. In this sense, the city’s beauty provided a more pleasant backdrop for the tough decisions that will shape our future. From the towering Sugarloaf Mountain to the iconic Copacabana beaches, Rio set the stage for discussions that could redefine global cooperation. For those of us in the Global South, which refers to countries with a relatively low level of economic and industrial development that are typically located to the south of more industrialized nations, the summit was more than just a diplomatic event. It was a rare occasion…

A country’s neighborhood policy is generally considered a critical aspect of its foreign policy. Good neighbors are not just a geographic reality but a fundamental pillar of a nation’s stability, security and prosperity. The strength of a country lies as much in its borders as in the relationships it nurtures beyond them. For China, this is particularly relevant. As a vast country sharing land borders with 14 nations, China has long placed relations with neighboring countries high on its diplomatic agenda. A policy paper issued in October 2023, titled Outlook on China’s Foreign Policy on Its Neighborhood in the New Era, explicitly states that “the neighborhood is where China survives and thrives, and [is] the foundation of its development and prosperity.” It emphasizes that “as a member of the Asian…

How long does it take for a mango from Peru to journey across the ocean to China? The answer used to be 34 days. However, with the operation of the Chancay Port, shipping time between the two countries has been shortened to just 23 days, cutting logistics costs by over 20 percent. The Chancay Port, situated on the Pacific coast in Lima, capital of Peru, is a flagship project of China-Peru cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, a China-proposed initiative aiming to boost connectivity along and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes. The port was inaugurated by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Peruvian President Dina Boluarte on November 14. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Xi’s proposal to build a China-Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) community with…

On November 18 and 19, the 19th Heads of State and Government Summit of the Group of 20 (G20) took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Chinese President Xi Jinping on November 18 delivered a speech at Session I of the summit titled Building a Just World of Common Development. “I pointed out at this forum that prosperity and stability would not be possible in a world where the rich become richer while the poor are made poorer, and countries should make global development more inclusive, beneficial to all, and more resilient,” Xi said during his speech. “The day the world becomes more just, life will be simpler.” This is the English version of a quote by Oscar Niemeyer, one of the greatest architects in Brazilian history, whose works include…

On September 10, it became publicly known that Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment (SMEE), one of China’s leading lithography machine makers, had applied in March 2023 to the National Intellectual Property Administration of China for a patent for “extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation generators and lithography equipment.” EUV lithography uses light with a wavelength of just 13.5 nanometers (nm) to etch silicon semiconductor wafers. The wavelength is almost the same as that of X-rays and nearly 14 times shorter than that of the widely used deep ultraviolet lithography (DUV), which uses light with a wavelength of 193 nm. China’s ability to produce EUV equipment can be considered revolutionary for its development of semiconductors. EUV lithography systems are critical for printing the complex patterns on silicon wafers necessary to produce the most sophisticated…

‘What kind of spirit is this that makes a foreigner selflessly adopt the cause of the Chinese people’s liberation as his own? It is the spirit of internationalism, the spirit of communism, from which every Chinese Communist must learn.” At a hall in Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University on the morning of November 12, a dozen doctors made this recitation as part of an event in memory of Canadian physician Norman Bethune (1890-1939), who helped China during the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45). The eulogy was written by Chairman Mao Zedong (1893-1976) in 1939, the year Bethune died of septicemia after accidentally cutting himself while performing surgery on a Chinese soldier. Since then, Bethune has become a household name in China and a symbol of…

‘As a director, I hope that the audience will see a movie in cinemas instead of watching three-minute commentaries, about which I’m really speechless,” internationally renowned film director Zhang Yimou said in a recent interview. Zhang said he believes the ritual and immersive feeling brought about by watching movies in the cinema cannot be replaced by watching movie commentaries online, and calls on audiences to go to the cinema and experience in person the audio visual feast delivered by the big screen. Zhang’s views on the so-called “three-minute movies” have become a trending topic on social media. The new genre, in which content creators on short-video platforms create summarized versions of films, also includes the creator’s own observations. The rise of these platforms has lowered barriers to entry for aspiring…

Lithium-ion Battery Transportation China Railway has successfully conducted its first large-scale trial transportation of lithiumion batteries designed for electric vehicles. On November 19, three trains loaded with these batteries departed from Chongqing Municipality, Sichuan Province, and Guizhou Province, located in southwest China. As the world’s largest producer of lithium-ion batteries, China’s move to facilitate rail transport marks an advancement in the logistics of these vehicle batteries, which are classified as dangerous goods. Previously, their transportation was limited to sea or road due to safety concerns. Transporting lithiumion batteries poses risks due to their potential to burn or explode when jolted. “For this trial run, we are utilizing a new type of container specifically designed for the transportation of lithium-ion batteries. These containers are constructed from non-combustible materials and are equipped…

A NEW FIRST FOR THE NAVY Han Meng (left) and Wang Mengdi made their debuts among the Chinese Navy’s first female carrier-based aircraft pilot trainees at Airshow China in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, on November 14. This is the first year the airshow has featured female pilots from the Army, Navy and Air Force of the People’s Liberation Army. Han and Wang, both born after 2000, were mainly responsible for introducing recruitment policies and conducting flight simulation demonstrations inside the venue. The Chinese Navy first began recruiting female cadet pilots to fly carrier-based aircraft during its 2023 recruitment program. Wang, a procurement major at the Army Logistics Academy, and Han, an undergraduate from Xi’an University of Technology, seized the opportunity. After completing months of intense training, these trainees, who had no…

November ushers in early summer in the southern hemisphere. In Peru’s capital Lima, billboards and slogans decorate the facades of houses of varying sizes while vendors call out to bustling crowds. Eighty kilometers away, amid a vast stretch of barren sand, lies Chancay Port. A new gateway Located on Peru’s central coast, the Chancay Port faces China across the Pacific Ocean. A natural deep-water harbor, it can accommodate almost all types of ships from around the world, including container ships and ultra-large oil tankers. The area also boasts rich fishing resources and enchanting island scenery. For a long time, mentioning Chancay reminded Peruvians only of its fishing industry. It lagged behind the global maritime industry, and its dream of becoming a major international port appeared distant. However, in partnership with…

The meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting in Lima, Peru, on November 16 garnered worldwide attention. It was a moment for review and summary, as well as a demonstration of China’s commitment to global stability and progress. Amid an increasingly turbulent international environment, China remains steadfast in its pursuit of stability, cooperation and mutual respect. China approaches its relationship with the U.S. with a clear understanding that these two nations represent the world’s most consequential bilateral relationship. Over the past four years, despite the occasional commotion and challenges, China has demonstrated resilience and commitment to maintaining a constructive dialogue. Xi’s analogy of China-U.S. relations as being a “mansion” is both apt and insightful:…

Despite some Western politicians clamoring to suppress the development of China’s electric vehicles (EVs) and stigmatize them as being part of the country’s “industrial overcapacity,” China’s EV industry continues to maintain a good momentum of growth. According to figures released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), China’s 10 millionth EV this year rolled off the production line on the morning of November 14, making the country the first in the world to reach the milestone. China is not only a major producer of EVs, but also a major consumer and exporter. According to the CAAM, about 80-90 percent of the EVs produced in China are used to meet domestic demand, with the rest exported to international markets. China exported some 679,000, 1.2 million and 818,000 EVs in 2022,…

In winter, fishing villages are usually quite serene, but Yandunjiao Village in Lidao Town, Rongcheng City, Shandong Province, is remarkably vibrant, filled with the distinctive whooping of whooper swans (Cygnus cygnus), also known as common swans. “Though it’s only 1 square km in area, the village attracts over 1,000 swans each year to spend the winter,” explained Jiang Yuting, who works for the local government in Lidao, in an interview with Dazhong Daily, a Shandong-based newspaper. Rongcheng is China’s largest winter habitat for whooper swans. Starting in October, nearly 10,000 swans migrate thousands of km from Siberia and Mongolia to winter in this region. Yandunjiao has become one of the city’s primary gathering areas for these majestic birds. The swans have chosen Yandunjiao largely due to improvements in the ecological…