Innehållsförteckning för Vol.68/No.23 från Beijing Review

China is in the process of drafting its 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development covering the period of 2026-30. The document will serve as one of the major roadmaps toward China’s goal of modernization by 2035. As part of the drafting process, a one-month online public consultation began on May 20, with the collected opinions and suggestions to be summarized and provided as reference for decision-making by the central leadership. China’s five-year plans are formulated on the principles of sound, democratic and law-based decision-making. In May, President Xi Jinping provided core instructions on the work concerning the compilation of the new plan, emphasizing the need to continue adhering to these principles to create a strategic blueprint that integrates top-level design with advice sought from the public. Earlier,…

During a recent seminar hosted by Beijing Review, key opinion leaders and influencers from China and the U.S., Gao Zhikai (Victor Gao), Vice President of the Beijing-based think tank Center for China and Globalization and former interpreter for Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, and Danny Haiphong, an independent journalist and researcher on geopolitics in the U.S., discussed the current progress between China and the U.S. on tariffs, and the shifts in today’s world, as well as China’s role in the international community. Edited excerpts of their conversation follow: Danny Haiphong: The U.S. and China have been locked in a cycle of tariffs for quite some time. Recently, however, during talks in Switzerland, the two nations reached what Western media has referred to as a “truce”—or at least a pause—in the imposition…

‘We’re becoming a negative example,” Lawrence Summers, former U.S. Treasury Secretary, 27th President of Harvard University and now President Emeritus, said during a May 23 interview, in which he openly criticized the Donald Trump administration’s international admissions ban targeting the university. One day earlier, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced that Harvard University’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program had been revoked. As a result, as of the 2025–26 academic year, Harvard will no longer be permitted to admit new international students, and those currently enrolled must either transfer to another institution or leave the U.S. immediately. International observers widely interpret these actions as attempts to suppress ideological opponents, reinforce loyalty among Trump’s voter base, and simultaneously advance his goal of reducing government spending. Harvard, which…

Deqing, a county in Zhejiang Province, is known as a “land of water” for its intricate network of waterways, canals and lakes. This abundance of water provides a strong foundation for freshwater aquaculture, fostering the production of lustrous pearls. For centuries, the people of Deqing have practiced a unique freshwater pearl composite farming system centered on “fish-mussel co-culture.” In this integrated aquaculture model, fish feed on aquatic plants, mussels absorb nutrients from fish waste and purify water, and pearls are cultivated within the mussels. The system simultaneously enhances water quality, restores ecological balance and generates dual economic value—from both fishery yields and premium pearl production. This model, officially called the Zhejiang Deqing Freshwater Pearl Mussel Composite Fishery System, or simply the Deqing Pearl System, received global recognition on May 21,…

DIRECTOR WINS SPECIAL AWARD AT CANNES FILM FESTIVAL On May 24, director Bi Gan won the Special Award at the 78th Cannes Film Festival Cannes for his epic fiction feature Resurrection, known in Chinese as Kuang Ye Shi Dai. It was the first time in a decade that a Chinese-language film has been honored in the festival’s top-tier main competition. Resurrection, Bi’s third directorial feature, consists of six chapters and is set in a post-apocalyptic future where humanity has lost the ability to dream. A self-taught filmmaker born in Guizhou Province in 1989, Bi’s previous credits include Long Day’s Journey Into Night (2018), which had its world premiere at the Un Certain Regard section of the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, and Kaili Blues (2015), which won him the best new…

The International Organization for Mediation (IOMed), the world’s first intergovernmental legal organization dedicated to the settlement of international disputes through mediation, was established in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on May 30. First proposed in 2022 by China along with 19 other countries, the organization has drawn broad initial support and participation, with representatives of nearly 60 countries from across Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe, along with about 20 international organizations, including the United Nations, attending the signing ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation. According to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the IOMed is a key mechanism designed to promote the peaceful resolution of international disputes through mediation, as enshrined in the UN Charter. It presents a new option for peacefully settling…

A cross China, local governments are implementing the urban renewal guidelines issued by the general offices of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, the country’s highest state administrative organ, in early May. These policies target the transformation of aging cities through several key pillars including renovating old residential communities, upgrading urban infrastructure, restoring ecological systems, preserving historical heritage and optimizing city functions. The campaign sets 2030 as its benchmark year, by which time Chinese cities are projected to become models of high-quality urban living. This nationwide renewal effort represents a strategic shift in China’s urbanization approach. As of late 2024, the country’s permanent population urbanization rate, which measures the ratio of permanent urban residents relative to the total population, had reached 67 percent,…

From the 50,000 pieces of Changsha Kiln ceramics recovered from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) shipwreck Black Stone to today’s weekly cargo flights between China and Africa, Changsha’s trade with the African continent has spanned over 1,000 years. This historic cultural city, capital of Hunan Province, is playing an increasingly vital role in China-Africa economic and trade cooperation, with a spirit of innovation and openness. Over a millennium ago, Changsha Kiln ceramics were already being exported to the African continent via the Maritime Silk Road. In 1982, Changsha forged a sister-city relationship with Brazzaville, capital of the Republic of the Congo, becoming a pioneer in China-Africa city-level diplomacy. Today, as the permanent host of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE) and the core city of the Pilot Zone for In-Depth…

As part of continued efforts to increase cultural understanding between China and other countries, four international experts embarked on an exploration of Chongqing Municipality and Sichuan Province from May 24 to 27. Dubbed the “Understanding China” tour, the program was organized by China International Communications Group (CICG) for the judges of the second Orchid Awards, whose shortlist of 30 nominees was announced on May 22. The Orchid Awards are presented to foreign nationals or organizations that have been committed to the promotion of Chinese culture, and have made important contributions to promoting exchange and mutual learning among civilizations. Established by CICG, the awards aim to implement the Global Civilizations Initiative; promote the common values of humanity of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom; consolidate the cultural foundation for building…

In an interview with Beijing Review reporters, Artem Goncharuk, Director General of the Rosatom East Asia Company in Beijing, shared his views on the critical role of nuclear power in facilitating sustainable development, the deepening cooperation between China and Russia in the field and the future of atomic energy in a rapidly decarbonizing world. Edited excerpts of their conversation follow: Beijing Review: Given the continuous growth in global energy demand, what role does atomic energy play in accelerating decarbonization, increasing people’s access to affordable and reliable energy and meeting other sustainability goals? Artem Goncharuk: Nuclear power plays a crucial role in the transition to a low-carbon future. Unlike fossil fuels, nuclear reactors do not produce direct carbon dioxide emissions during operation. Moreover, over their entire life cycle—including equipment manufacturing, plant…

As trade tensions sharpen between major economies and geopolitical conflicts reshape the contours of the global order, the 11th China and Globalization Forum convened in Beijing from May 22 to 24 to explore new pathways for global cooperation. The event was co-convened by the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), a non-governmental think tank based in Beijing, and the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and was co-organized by the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies (ACCWS) and the China-United States Exchange Foundation. Roughly 300 experts, economists and policymakers from almost 60 countries attended the forum, including Zhang Jun, former Chinese Permanent Representative to the United Nations and current Secretary General of the Boao Forum for Asia, a non-governmental and non-profit international organization, and Kang Kyung-wha, former…

As China’s first historically verified dynasty, confirmed by ancient oracle bone inscriptions and archaeological discoveries, the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.) played a pivotal role in the formation of early Chinese civilization and statecraft. Its cultural and political legacy shaped the nation’s social and cultural trajectory for millennia. To mark the International Museum Day on May 18, the Beijing Grand Canal Museum unveiled The Exhibition Series on the Origins of Chinese Civilization: This is the Shang, an exhibition featuring 338 meticulously curated artifacts from 28 archaeological and cultural institutions nationwide. Through ritual bronzes, jades and inscribed oracle bones, the exhibition reveals the dynasty’s technological mastery, including its advanced bronze-casting techniques, societal innovations and the ideological roots of imperial rule. “We previously visited the Sanxingdui Museum in Sichuan Province to see its…

Recently, small footprint stickers have appeared on escalators in some subway stations in Beijing. Subway operators say these “footprints” are placed there to remind passengers they don’t have to “stand on the right and walk on the left” of escalators but can instead stand side-by-side with another passenger. “Stand on the right and walk on the left” was once regarded as a symbol of caring for others, with escalator users standing on the right side to leave the left side open for people in a hurry. After years of widespread adoption, the inherent safety flaws of this convention have become increasingly apparent and are triggering doubts about its possible merits. Jiang Debin (Workers’ Daily): Escalators were not initially designed for pedestrian traffic, so walking on them can easily lead to…