Innehållsförteckning för Vol.68/No.6-7 från Beijing Review

This year’s Spring Festival, which fell on January 29, was the first one since the celebration’s inscription on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2024. The related eight-day holiday ran from January 28 to February 4. The box office revenue of movies during the holiday was 9.51 billion yuan ($1.3 billion), and the number of moviegoers totaled 187 million—both figures surpassing previous records, according to the China Film Administration. Consumption in areas such as clothing, home decoration, food and beverages, and tourism was more robust during this year’s holiday than it has been in the past five years. The Spring Festival, also known as Chinese New Year, is the most important holiday in Chinese culture and…

On January 28, American pop rock band OneRepublic made history by performing at China Central Television’s Spring Festival Gala, the first time a foreign band had ever been invited to this prestigious event that takes place annually on the eve of the Spring Festival, which fell on January 29 this year. The gala, one of the most-watched television broadcasts in China, traditionally highlights the country’s abundant cultural canvas through performances by local artists, dance and traditional musicians. At the gala’s Wuhan venue in Hubei Province, the band performed their 2013 chart-topping hit Counting Stars, which achieved No.1 status in 54 countries and remains hugely popular in China. The performance has since garnered over 10 million likes and saves on NetEase Cloud Music, one of China’s leading music streaming services, and…

HARBIN ASIAN WINTER GAMES FLAGBEARERS Winter sports aces Ning Zhongyan and Liu Mengting on February 7 led the Chinese delegation into the opening ceremony of the 2025 Harbin Asian Winter Games as flagbearers. Ning, 25, is a star speed skater who has won multiple International Skating Union World Cup medals since 2019. Liu, 20, claimed her first International Ski and Snowboard Federation Freeski World Cup victory in the women’s big air event in Klagenfurt, Austria, in January. The 2025 Asian Winter Games takes place in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, from February 7 to 14 under the theme “Dream of Winter, Love Among Asia.” The Games feature 64 events in 11 disciplines across six sports—biathlon, curling, ice hockey, skating, skiing and ski mountaineering. It is the second time for Harbin to host…

Filipe Porto, a Brazilian editorial consultant with the Center for the Americas under China International Communications Group, is interested in traditional Chinese culture. In late January, he received an invitation to visit the home of Beijing resident Li Hongsheng and immerse himself in the customs of Spring Festival celebrations. A global affair The Spring Festival, also known as Chinese New Year, is the most important traditional celebration in Chinese culture. This year, the festival fell on January 29, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake, with the related holiday running from January 28, or Chinese New Year’s Eve, to February 4. At Li’s home, Porto and Li made preparations for the festival together. Li explained to Porto that in the leadup to the Chinese New Year, it is…

Events surrounding President Donald Trump’s imposition of additional tariffs are unfolding rapidly. On February 1, he signed an executive order imposing an additional 10-percent tariff on all goods from China and imports of energy resources from Canada, and a 25-percent tariff hike on all other imports from Canada and Mexico. However, the next day, Trump agreed to delay the imposition of tariffs on Canada and Mexico for 30 days. It is important to note that the U.S. imported a staggering $1.2 trillion worth of goods from Canada, Mexico and China in 2023, almost a third of total imports. Trump has long stated that tariffs will be a major part of his economic policy. During the Inauguration Day parade at Capital One Arena, he stated bluntly: “I always say tariffs are…

Every spring and autumn, thousands of migratory birds transit the skies over China, following well-established routes between their breeding and wintering grounds. This awe-inspiring migration is one of the country’s most remarkable natural spectacles. China is home to over 1,500 bird species—13 percent of the world’s total—and more than 800 of them move between homes during migration seasons. With four of the planet’s nine major bird migration flyways intersecting its territory, China plays a pivotal role in maintaining global avian biodiversity. However, the safe passage of these migratory birds is being increasingly threatened by mist nets. Almost invisible to birds in flight, mist nets are strung between trees in areas known to be frequented by migrating target bird species. Once caught, the birds become part of the illegal trade in…

As Valentine’s Day approaches, the excitement in China’s flower market is palpable. This holiday, embraced by young couples nationwide, has become one of the most celebrated occasions coming in from overseas. On this special day, couples express their love and commitment by sending flowers to their partners, a gesture that symbolizes loyalty and everlasting affection. This surge in romantic sentiment is giving a boost to the domestic flower market. Liu Junyi, marketing manager at Timeless Flowers, a local flower shop in Langfang, Hebei Province, shared some insights with Beijing Review, saying that the shop had already received online orders for over 1,000 bouquets that will be delivered on the evening of February 14. Some of these bunches will go to homes, while others will surprise recipients at restaurants and entertainment…

From January 12 to 15, I had the opportunity to participate in a cultural exploration event, held as part of the 2024 International Mini-Series Competition organized by China’s National Radio and Television Administration. Taking place in Sichuan Province and titled the Mystical Shu Rhythm—Tianfu Journey, the event explored how the ancient heritage of the province can be integrated into micro dramas—a video entertainment format that has gained traction in recent years. On the first evening of the event, we took a night tour of Jinli, a historical street in the heart of Chengdu, capital of Sichuan, where ancient architecture and modern cultural expressions intertwine. The next day, we visited the Jianmen Pass and Cuiyun Corridor, two major hubs on the ancient Roads to Shu, which connected Shaanxi Province and Sichuan…

The South China Sea has been a region of intense geopolitical tension in recent years, particularly between China and the Philippines, as the latter has intruded islands there. In this context, scholar of international law Anthony Carty did a meticulous research and wrote a book titled The History and Sovereignty of the South China Sea, published last April, in which he provides academic evidence supporting China’s claim to the South China Sea islands. Carty told Beijing Review he spent several decades gathering primary source materials from national archives, primarily from the United Kingdom and France, and a few from the U.S. Carty is now an honorary visiting professor at Peking University. In an exclusive interview with Beijing Review, he discussed the historical, legal and geopolitical factors underpinning his conclusions. Excerpts…

On January 27, a technology news story emerged from China two days before the Spring Festival: DeepSeek, a Chinese-developed artificial intelligence (AI) product, had surpassed American company OpenAI’s ChatGPT in free downloads on the Apple App Store in the U.S., leading to a sharp decline in several U.S. technology stocks. President Donald Trump described DeepSeek as a “wakeup call” for U.S. industries amid the global AI race. But why has DeepSeek generated such concern in the United States, even triggering panic in the stock market? The global market response indicates that DeepSeek’s rapid rise can be attributed to several key factors: its superior performance on essential tasks, a fully open-source strategy that lowers industry entry barriers and allows programmers worldwide to use and improve the system, and considerably lower costs…

Liu Yanlin, a teacher in the School of Life Sciences in Qinghai Normal University, has about 20 years of experience in studying wildlife in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. His deep connection to the plateau and wildlife can be traced back to his college years. In 1999, he enrolled at Beijing-based Peking University, one of China’s most prestigious educational institutions, where he majored in biology. His passion for adventure was ignited when he saw a recruitment notice from the Mountaineering Association of Peking University, seeking members to climb Mount Kezisele, which rises to an impressive 6,525 meters at the westernmost tip of China. Growing up in Beihai, a coastal city in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China, Liu had always been surrounded by relatively flat landscapes, with no opportunity to explore…

The 1,300-year-old Thangka art, a religious painting meticulously crafted on woven material, is often described as an illustrated encyclopedia of Tibetan culture. Celebrated for its artistic and cultural importance, Thangka was officially recognized as part of China’s intangible cultural heritage in 2006. One of the key institutions dedicated to the preservation and development of this ancient art form is the Tibet Academy of Thangka (TAT), located in Lhasa, capital of Xizang Autonomous Region. The academy specializes in the Mansar School of Thangka painting, known for its intricate designs and effervescent color palettes. Visitors to the TAT have the rare opportunity to witness the entire creative process of a Mansar School Thangka piece, from initial sketch to final brushstroke. Vitality from creativity “Traditionally, the subject matters expressed in Thangka masterpieces include…