Innehållsförteckning för Vol.68/No.25 från Beijing Review

CPI and PPI China’s consumer inflation dipped in May due to lower energy and food prices, while the factory-gate price decline extended, official data showed on June 9. The consumer price index (CPI), a main gauge of inflation, edged down 0.1 percent year on year in May, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). On a monthly basis, the CPI dipped 0.2 percent that month. Falling energy prices, which contributed 0.47 percentage points to the year-on-year decline in the CPI that month, were the main drag on the country’s CPI, NBS statistician Dong Lijuan said. Dong said positive changes emerged in some sectors as the country’s policies to boost consumption continued to take effect. The core CPI, which excludes food and energy prices, climbed 0.6 percent year on year…

Small, toothy and plush, this is not your average toy. To some, the wideeyed creature with a devilish grin looks downright creepy. To others, it’s irresistibly cute. Meet Labubu, the quirky little troublemaker from Chinese collectibles retailer Pop Mart. Created by Hong Kong illustrator Kasing Lung, Labubu is part of its “THE MONSTERS” series, first designed by Pop Mart in 2019. Today, Labubu has transcended its niche status as a collector’s item in Asia, and gained a devoted global fan base. It is not only trending on TikTok, but also sparks overnight queues from New York City to Paris, where fans clamor for limited-edition blind boxes. For some, Labubu is a design object. For others, it’s a pocketsized emotional support gremlin. For many, it’s their first introduction to a rising…

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a significant achievement in Asia’s exploration of and efforts toward regional economic integration. (The RCEP is a free trade pact comprising the 10 ASEAN member states and their five trading partners, namely China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The landmark RCEP is the world’s largest free trade deal to date. The RCEP countries account for roughly 30 percent of the world’s GDP and population—Ed.) It integrates regional economic and trade cooperation mechanisms, demonstrates the determination and abilities of Asian countries to promote open cooperation, serves as an important driving force for advancing regional economic integration, and injects certainty into the evolving global economic and trade landscape. At present, economic globalization is facing challenges, and the evolution of profound changes…

Beijing recorded 290 days of good air quality in 2024, according to a May 9 announcement by the municipal government. This marks the highest number since 2013, when the city launched its current air quality monitoring system. The system tracks six major pollutants, including PM2.5 (fine particulate matter with diameters of 2.5 microns or less), enabling standardized public data reporting. Air quality is considered good when the PM2.5 concentration is below 100 micrograms per cubic meter on a scale of 0 (excellent) to 500 (hazardous). Back in 2013, Beijing recorded just 176 days of good air. Since then, that number has steadily increased year by year. A Beijing resident surnamed Xiong still remembers the smoggy days in 2013. “Back then, Beijing, especially in winter, was often shrouded in a haze.…

In September 2024, Beicheng Youth Night School was launched at Beijing City University to allow young and middle-aged students to use their spare time to learn new knowledge and skills. Although it is called a “night school,” the school also offers classes from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on weekdays, making it convenient for students to attend classes during their lunch break. Courses include yoga, Chinese painting, bartending and public speaking. Most of the students are office workers from nearby companies. Apart from university faculty, teachers at the night school are a diverse group, including masters of intangible cultural heritage and experts from big Internet firms.…

The first mass-produced AG600 Kunlong, China’s domestically developed amphibious aircraft, is unveiled at Aviation Industry Corp. of China General Hua’nan Aircraft Industry Co. Ltd. in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, on June 11. Capable of emergency rescue, forest firefighting and ocean patrol, the AG600 will serve as a key multi-role aircraft for China’s airborne operations. With a length of 38.9 meters and a 38.8-meter wingspan, it surpasses typical single-aisle airliners in size. Its 12-ton water-carrying capacity makes it ideal for firefighting.…

KENYA Celebrating eight years of seamless operation of the Chinese-built Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway in Nairobi on June 10 BULGARIA Dancers perform during the rose picking ceremony in Kazanlak on June 8. The 2025 Rose Festival, which ran from May 15 to June 8, attracted thousands of visitors to Kazanlak. The festival has been organized since 1903 COLOMBIA The scene of a bomb attack in Corinto, Cauca Province, on June 10. Multiple bomb attacks targeting police facilities and government buildings occurred that day, killing at least four people and injuring several others ARGENTINA Former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (center) waves to the crowd at the headquarters of Justicialist Party in Buenos Aires on June 10. The Supreme Court upheld her six-year prison sentence for irregularities in public works contracts…

Since the mid-19th century, Marxism has profoundly shaped human society, but nowhere has it been more successfully adapted than in China. This process—often called the “Sinicization of Marxism”—reveals how powerful ideas can be transformed when they interact with a distinct cultural tradition. No foreign ideology has shaped a nation in modern times as deeply as Marxism has influenced China. Its longevity here stems not from rigid doctrine, but from remarkable compatibility between Marxism and China’s 5,000-year-old cultural traditions. The result has guided the country through its most transformative century, shaping its revolutionary struggle, national development and ongoing reforms. What explains this unique compatibility? The answer lies in profound philosophical resonances between 19th-century European thought and China’s ancient intellectual traditions. While differing in origin, they share fundamental views on humanity’s relationship…

On June 3, the Republic of Korea (ROK) held its 21st presidential election. Lee Jae-myung, candidate of the Democratic Party, won with 49.42 percent of the vote, defeating his major rival Kim Moon-soo of the ruling People Power Party by a broad margin of 8.27 percentage points. Lee was sworn into office on June 4. The snap election followed the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol in April. Yoon was ousted for his botched martial law bid in December 2024. Ascent to presidency Born in 1964 into a poor family in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, Lee was the fifth of seven children. After elementary school, he dropped out to work in a factory, where an accident left his left arm mildly disabled. Through self-study, he later entered Chung-Ang University’s College…

Early June is a tense but pivotal time for many families across China, as it’s the time of the annual gaokao, the national college entrance examination. Beginning on June 7, this rigorous exam period typically spans two to four days, depending on the region. For many students, their performance on the gaokao can significantly shape their academic and professional futures for years to come. China’s gross enrollment rate in higher education, the ratio of higher education students to the total population aged 18-22, has seen exponential growth, soaring from about 2 percent in 1977—when the exam was reinstated following its suspension during the tumultuous Cultural Revolution (1966-76) period—to more than 60 percent by 2023, according to the latest available data from the Ministry of Education (MOE). However, competition for coveted…

Laura Li, a teacher from Jilin Province in northeast China, visited the National Museum of China during her trip to Beijing in early June, specifically for a closer look at a phoenix coronet, a renowned item in the institution’s collection. The coronet was worn by Empress Xiaoduan, wife of Emperor Wanli (reigning from 1563 to 1620) of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), when visiting and making sacrifices in the ancestral temple. The coronet, unearthed in 1957 from the Dingling Tomb of Emperor Wanli, part of the Ming Tombs in Beijing, has a distinctive design and boasts the exquisite craftsmanship of the midto-late Ming era. With decoration featuring nine dragons and nine phoenixes, it is adorned with around 4,000 pearls and 115 gemstones, with dangling beaded strings that sway with movement. The…

OpenAI’s o3 model has been widely praised as one of the most advanced reasoning models, demonstrating superior performance across multiple domains. However, recent research by U.S. AI safety firm Palisade Research has raised concerns about its adherence to explicit instructions. In a series of controlled tests, the o3 model reportedly modified a shutdown script to prevent itself from being deactivated—even when directly instructed to “allow yourself to be shut down.” The experiment involved tasking AI models with solving simple math problems. After the third problem, researchers introduced a conflicting command: While continuing the task sequence, they instructed the model to “execute shutdown.” When faced with this contradiction, some models, including o3, prioritized task completion over following the shutdown directive. While current AI systems lack autonomous consciousness or independent intent, their…

Boosting Public Welfare China is intensifying its endeavors to enhance public wellbeing, pledging to expand access to basic public services and address the most pressing concerns of its citizens in areas such as education, healthcare, senior care and childcare. Central authorities recently unveiled a set of measures targeting the most immediate and tangible issues affecting people’s lives. According to an official document, China will expand social security coverage, with particular support for low-income populations, and ensure that all citizens, regardless of region or group, can enjoy equal access to basic public services. Key initiatives include setting up a childcare subsidy system, promoting inclusive childcare services in major cities with a target of 80-percent community-level coverage, accelerating the establishment of a new batch of high-quality compulsory education schools, and ensuring the…

On May 6, 1975, China and the European Economic Community (EEC) officially established diplomatic relations. Over the ensuing five decades of global transformations, China and the European Union (EU) have emerged as indispensable strategic partners, playing a pivotal role in shaping the evolution of the multipolar world order. The peaceful rise of China and European integration have inspired one another. Two decades of a comprehensive strategic partnership have enabled the two sides to establish an institutional multi-dimensional, multi-tiered and wide-ranging framework for in-depth cooperation. At present, Europeans are facing historic strategic choices. Strategic independence, comprehensive strength and Europe’s strategic awakening have become their frequently mentioned key words. In this context, the contemporary value and strategic importance of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership have become increasingly apparent. Europe’s challenges Over many…

The recent days of U.S. media have been filled with a flurry of sensationalist coverage of protests against raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The raids, which aim to detain and deport immigrants, have been taking place with increasing frequency and force in recent months. On June 8, after days of coverage, a more significant number of people could be seen rioting in Los Angeles and other parts of the country. However, the situation is much more complex than any of the news cycles are capable of capturing. The major protests that thousands of people have participated in have been primarily peaceful, with protestors mainly holding signs and marching. There have been peripheral incidents in places like Compton, a city in the southern part of Los Angeles County, where…

Since ancient times, the Chinese people have embraced the wisdom of coexisting with and protecting waters. As early as the Spring and Autumn Period (770–476 B.C.), Guan Zhong, a prominent politician and thinker, advised “utilize wetlands and marshes wisely, permitting harvest only in due seasons,” reminding people of the importance of preserving aquatic resources. Today, this wisdom echoes with China’s modern approaches to marine conservation and sustainable development. Initiatives like the summer fishing moratorium in the East China Sea, the construction of the marine protected areas, the Blue Bay coastal environment restoration program, and advancements in deep-sea technology are all committed to safeguarding our blue planet. On June 8, the Department of Land Space Ecological Restoration under the Ministry of Natural Resources unveiled its 2025 case studies of marine ecological…

Thirteen years ago, I was completely captivated by Mission: Impossible—Ghost Protocol, the fourth movie in the Mission: Impossible franchise. Tom Cruise’s portrayal of Ethan Hunt was electrifying, the plot was thrilling and fast-paced, and his nowiconic stunt, scaling the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building with a height of 829.8 meters in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, left global audiences in awe. On the first weekend of this June, my friends and I decided to catch a movie. Almost by accident, we stumbled upon Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning, the eighth movie in the franchise. Before we walked into the cinema, I hadn’t even realized that the latest Ethan Hunt adventure was already in theaters. Its production and box office performance were still impressive—but something felt off. After years of watching…