Innehållsförteckning för Vol.68/No.3 från Beijing Review

As winter has truly set in, China’s ice and snow economy is thriving. The city of Altay in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in the northwest, known as the “snow capital” of the country, is seeing a rise in hotel bookings, while China’s northernmost city, Mohe in Heilongjiang Province, is attracting more visitors to its ski resort. Meanwhile, the 11th National Public Ice and Snow Festival kicked off in Hulun Buir, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, on December 21, 2024. The ice and snow economy spans a range of industries, including sports, tourism, culture and equipment manufacturing. Boosted by the success of the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, ice and snow sports are expanding rapidly nationwide, from northern ski resorts to southern indoor rinks, driving the growth of…

During a routine press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on January 2, China unveiled a new emblem to mark its assumption of the rotating presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) for the 2024-25 term. As the year progresses, China’s role in the SCO is set to gain momentum. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning emphasized that China is accelerating its agenda with a range of initiatives, including hosting a summit focused on “friendship, solidarity and fruitful outcomes.” In addition, over 40 institutionalized meetings will be organized to advance the SCO’s goals. Among the primary initiatives outlined by Mao are several high-profile events, including the SCO political parties’ forum, a forum on poverty reduction, a forum on people-to-people exchange, and a forum on friendship cities. China will also host…

Pasang Tsering, a 49-year-old villager from Metog Village in Tsogo Township, Dingri County, Xizang Autonomous Region, felt a strong shock wave before dawn on January 7. The lights and furniture in his home trembled with the shock wave. “Then came a second, stronger one, so I dashed outside immediately,” he told Xinhua News Agency. Another villager named Pasang from the same village remarked, “I’ve never seen an earthquake this big before.” He said he saw many people seeking safety in open spaces. It was later determined that Tsogo Town was the epicenter of this 6.8-magnitude earthquake. As of January 8, 126 people had been confirmed dead and 188 others injured. The earthquake also destroyed over 3,600 houses. All-out rescue Dingri County, where the earthquake hit, lies on the northern slope…

Increasing accessibility, better catering to the needs of seniors and offering more personalized forms of care have all been major trends in the development of China’s healthcare industry in recent years. To achieve these goals, major apps and online platforms, as well as individual hospitals, have been using technology to increase the availability and efficiency of in-home nursing care. As a result of their efforts, calling a nurse to your doorstep is now as easy as ordering food delivery. One of these nurses is Liu Qinglan, who works at the Sichuan Provincial Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital (MCHCH) in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. One November morning in 2024, Liu was enjoying her day off and after dropping her child off at kindergarten, a notification popped up in her Weixin (China’s…

In the 21st century, as various industries are shaped by advances in information and digital technology, games offer more than just an escape from the mundane. They provide visual stimulation, imaginative realms, immersive experiences and a sense of community that connects people across continents. In the digital landscape of the gaming world, players can go on virtual dates with idealized digital lovers, battle monstrous non-player characters using their chosen weapons, explore exciting destinations within seconds and celebrate their accomplishments with fellow players. Ultimately, the gaming world allows individuals to transcend time and space, completing tasks and experiencing adventures that would be impossible in the real world. “Over the past year, China’s game industry has seen breakthrough achievements. With steady revenue growth in the domestic market and the expansion of the…

New Year’s Day fell on a Wednesday this year, so after a one-day break, people in China returned for two days of work or school before the weekend. This extra day off prompted netizens and media pundits to discuss the virtues of a four-day workweek. At the same time, the city government of Tokyo in Japan announced that from April this year, its employees will begin to enjoy a four-day workweek, in a bid to reverse the country’s low fertility rate and help parents balance work and child care. As for whether this work model can prevail in China, opinions vary. Wu Lichuan (Jiupai News): In a four-day workweek, people have more time to be with their families or go out to travel, which greatly improves their sense of happiness.…

On January 6, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation as leader of the Liberal Party, bringing an end to nearly a decade of his political leadership. Though long anticipated by Canadian media, his bowing out reflected the mounting discontent both within his party and across the country. Economic challenges severely eroded Trudeau’s popularity. While his government initially responded with financial aid packages and targeted support, issues like inflation, rapid housing price rise and stagnant wages have taken a toll on Canadians in recent years. Trudeau’s resignation marked the culmination of years of internal strife within the Liberal Party, which has seen substantial fragmentation. One major blow to his leadership came on December 16, 2024, when Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned, citing disagreements over major issues like economic…

Michael’s German Bakery in Beijing is not big or flashy, nor is it located in a busy downtown area, but the authentic German bread baked there attracts customers from all over the city. The bakery’s German roots come from one man: Michael Bock, a 62-year-old master baker from Hesse in Germany. Bock’s father was a baker, but he did not wish for his son to follow in his footsteps. “Being a baker means working before dawn every day, hands soaking in lye, carrying a 10-kg bag of flour… He knew all of this so well, so he didn’t want me to suffer the same,” Bock told Beijing Review. Eager to work with his own hands, Bock still resolutely chose the road that was foretold to be hard. At the age…

HEROIC TEENAGER HONORED Guo Qing, a high school student at Yinchuan Foreign Language Experimental School, has been commended for his response during an earthquake in Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, on January 2. During the 4.6-magnitude earthquake, Guo carried a classmate with limited mobility on his back and made a safe exit from the school building. This act was captured on school surveillance cameras and quickly went viral online, earning widespread media coverage and praise from netizens. In recognition of his actions, the school awarded Guo an honorary title, a cash reward of 9,000 yuan ($1,227) and a full scholarship for his future studies, including an opportunity for public-funded study in Germany, contingent upon meeting the required admission score in China’s national college entrance exam. The Money Behind…

When Donald Trump takes the oath of office for the second time later this month, he will face a world quite different from eight years ago. In response to more complex global challenges, President-elect Trump seems willing to shift his previous China policy of containment. In the United States, there is an increasing call for the incoming administration to reassess its strategy toward China. Over the past eight years, the U.S. has failed to achieve its intended outcomes in efforts to contain China in areas such as trade, technology, military and public perception. The trade war, which has endured for more than six years, has neither reduced the U.S. trade deficit with China nor impacted China’s share in global trade. In the first 11 months of 2024, total value of…

The People’s Bank of China, the country’s central bank, announced during its work conference, held in Beijing on January 3-4, that it will implement a moderately loose monetary policy in 2025. The bank also stated it will reduce the reserve requirement ratio and interest rates at an appropriate time to ensure adequate liquidity and stable growth of financial aggregates. Since China began gradually establishing and improving its market economy in the late 1970s, its monetary policy has been adjusted as needed to keep pace with economic changes and demand. Monetary policy can be classified as tight, moderately tight, sound, moderately loose or loose. Following the international financial crisis of 2008, China adopted a moderately loose monetary policy to stimulate economic growth. This approach, which aims to provide some relief by…

After about a month of rehearsals, Wang Guifen, a resident of Xihu Town in Wusu City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, took the stage at the local cunwan (Spring Festival Gala held in rural areas of China) to usher in the Spring Festival. The term cunwan is a play on chunwan, the name of an official Spring Festival Gala broadcast by China Central Television (CCTV) on the Chinese New Year’s Eve on January 28 this year. At 75 years old, Wang is a custodian of Xihu Xiaoqu, a recognized intangible cultural heritage of Xinjiang that represents a distinct branch of the region’s music. This traditional form of musical storytelling is known for its melodious tunes and lyrical narratives, which capture the history, folklore and cultural values of local communities. Accompanied by…