Innehållsförteckning för Vol.68/No.30 från Beijing Review

Green Finance-Supported Projects China’s financial authorities unveiled a catalogue of green finance-supported projects on July 14, as part of efforts to strengthen green finance’s role in driving the country’s green transition in economic and social development and advancing the Beautiful China initiative. The 2025 edition of the catalogue, jointly issued by the People’s Bank of China (PBC), the country’s central bank, the National Financial Regulatory Administration and the China Securities Regulatory Commission, covers projects across a wide range of industries, including energy conservation and carbon reduction, environmental protection, resource recycling, green and low-carbon energy transition, ecological protection and restoration, green infrastructure upgrades, as well as green services and trade. The publication of the catalogue aims to boost liquidity in the green finance market, improve the efficiency of green finance asset…

While there appears to be relative calm following the 12-day armed conflict between U.S.-Israeli forces and Iran in June, the conflict itself and the implications it has both for the region and the world represent a continuous threat to global peace, stability and prosperity. Understanding fully how and why the U.S. and Israeli forces launched this war of aggression against Iran should provide ample warning and lessons to learn regarding other nations the U.S. has designated “adversaries.” Premeditated The U.S.-Israeli war was predicated on supposed concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear program and alleged violations of the Non Proliferation Treaty. The U.S. appeared to pursue “negotiations” with Iran despite possessing no authority under international law to do so, let alone any authority to “act” if negotiations failed. While the fighting officially began…

China is ready to work with other countries in building a global network for dialogue and cooperation among civilizations, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on July 10. Xi, also General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the statement in a congratulatory letter to the Global Civilizations Dialogue Ministerial Meeting. The event, themed Safeguarding Diversity of Human Civilizations for World Peace and Development, ran in Beijing on July 10-11. It was co-hosted by the Publicity Department and the International Department of the CPC Central Committee and attracted over 600 participants from 140 countries and regions. A welcome initiative Xi pledged that China will work with other countries to champion equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness among civilizations, and implement the Global Civilizations Initiative (GCI), in a…

Fifteen years ago, when China hosted the Seventh World Congress on High-Speed Rail in Beijing, its high-speed rail network spanned just 7,531 km. Now, as the event made its return to China, the nation has an operational high-speed rail network of 48,000 km, reaching 97 percent of cities with over 500,000 residents and accounting for over 70 percent of the world’s total. Over the past 15 years, China’s high-speed rail mileage has increased more than fivefold, reshaping the global landscape. The 12th World Congress on High-Speed Rail, co-hosted by China State Railway Group Co. Ltd. (China Railway), the national railway operator, and the International Union of Railways, or UIC, the organization’s French acronym, was held in Beijing from July 8 to 11. It featured technical forums, roundtable discussions and an…

On the evening of July 12, the Communication University of China (CUC) was buzzing with energy. Young people from across China and around the world had gathered on the Beijing campus for a special occasion—the awards ceremony of the Third Global Youth Bilingual Broadcast Announcing and Anchoring Contest, hosted by CUC and organized by its School of International Studies (SIS). In front of flashing cameras and eager reporters, the spotlight was on the contestants—bright, articulate and brimming with global vision. That night, they were not only the stars of the stage, but also emerging messengers of intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding. Sharing realities In today’s global media landscape, bilingual anchors are becoming vital bridges between China and the world. This year’s contest was themed My China Story, encouraging participants to…

This image captured at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center on July 15 shows China’s cargo craft Tianzhou-9 approaching the orbiting Chinese space station Tiangong. Tianzhou-9 successfully docked at the rear dock port of Tianhe, the core module of Tiangong, that day, according to the China Manned Space Agency. Tianzhou-9 was launched on the morning of July 15. It is tasked with delivering propellants, science payloads and daily necessities to the Chinese space station.…

In a world increasingly marked by fragility and division, the need for dialogue among civilizations has never felt more urgent. That call to action lies at the heart of the Global Civilizations Initiative, introduced by Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting on March 15, 2023. The initiative calls for respecting the diversity of civilizations and promoting exchange among them. “It’s not just an initiative,” said Irina Bokova, former Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), as she accepted the Lifetime Honorary Award at the Second Orchid Awards Ceremony in Beijing on July 10. “It is a vision of a world that is peaceful, that collaborates, that is respectful and that respects all…

Harvested each May, the tart green plums flourishing across south China’s orchards have long been treasured as dried snacks or fermented into wines. Now, Anhui Province in east China is writing a new chapter, turning the fruit into an economic boon. Green plums originating from China boast a history of nearly 7,000 years. With over 3,000 years of culinary and medicinal use, the fruit is a treasured ingredient in traditional health practices. With an annual output of 1 million tons, China stands as the world’s leading producer of green plums. Based in Wuhu City, Anhui, Liuliu Orchard Group Co. Ltd., a food enterprise founded in 2009, has blossomed into a thriving industry leader. The company’s flagship dried green plum snacks, Liuliumei, are nationwide bestsellers and exported to countries including the…

The Xixia (“Western Xia”) Imperial Tombs in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, were inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List on July 11 during the 47th Session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris, France. These tombs are a group of imperial burial sites from the Xixia Dynasty (1038-1227), founded by the Tangut people in northwest China. Spanning nearly 40 square km, the site includes nine imperial mausoleums, 271 subordinate tombs, a 0.05-square-km northern architectural complex and 32 ancient flood control structures. As the largest, highest-ranked and best-preserved Xixia-era archaeological site, the tombs exemplify cultural fusion and the dynasty’s pivotal role in Silk Road exchanges. With this addition, China now boasts 60 UNESCO World Heritage sites.…

Power Expressway Loop China has finished construction of a 4,197-km extra-high voltage power transmission loop around the Tarim Basin, home to the Taklimakan Desert, the country’s largest desert and the world’s second largest drifting desert, marking a major infrastructure milestone in south Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The final section of the 750-kilovolt loop, now the country’s largest of its kind, was connected on July 13, capping a 15-year project involving nine substations and nearly 10,000 steel towers, according to a subsidiary of State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power Co. Ltd., which constructed the project. This move completed a “power expressway loop,” which is expected to become fully operational by November this year, the company said. For centuries, relentless sandstorms have battered the oases of south Xinjiang, isolating them not only in…

For decades, the Pengyi Community in Shanghai, constructed in 1958, was infamous for its 282 maze-like apartments—some barely larger than a parking space at 7.2 square meters. Families would be squeezed into windowless units, sharing communal bathrooms and navigating dark, narrow hallways. In late June, 2,110 households in the community finally moved into their new homes, capping off a stunning 20-year redevelopment that revitalized the entire neighborhood. For Zhao Qiming, a retired teacher and 40-year resident of Pengyi, the transformation is night and day: “We used to line up for the bathroom every morning. Now, I have my own toilet, a balcony bathing in sunlight and even an elevator!” Ongoing urban renewal and the renovation of aging, hazardous housing are essential for establishing a sustainable model for city development. China…

At a press conference on July 15, Sheng Laiyun, Deputy Director of the National Bureau of Statistics, highlighted four prominent features of China’s economic performance in the first half (H1) of 2025. Stability was reflected in the consistent performance of key macroeconomic indicators. In H1, China’s GDP reached 66.05 trillion yuan ($9 trillion), surging by 5.3 percent year on year. Growth came in at 5.4 percent in the first quarter (Q1) and 5.2 percent in the second (Q2), resulting in a 0.3-percentage-point increase over both the same period and the full year of 2024, when GDP growth was 5 percent. These figures suggest that while growth has remained steady, it has also shown a modest upward trend. Economic transformation and high-quality development made new progress. Innovation prompted the rapid rise…

‘Ladies, your performance was really amazing!” As the members of the Yuying Choir of Fuzhou No.16 Middle School stepped off the stage, many of their peers from across the Pacific rushed over, greeting them with typical American exuberance. After a brief moment of surprise, the Chinese girls—whose average age was just 15—quickly responded with the same warmth and friendliness. “Our American friends were so warm and enthusiastic, and in that moment, we felt deeply moved,” recalled Hu Zimo and Yang Ruichang, both 13-year-old members of the Yuying Choir, when speaking with Beijing Review. On July 10, at the Bond with Kuliang: 2025 China-U.S. Youth Choir Festival Opening Ceremony in Fuzhou, capital of southeast China’s Fujian Province, their choir performed the original song Kuliang! Kuliang! alongside the One Voice Children’s Choir…

Tang Dynasty poet Wang Bo (650-676) immortalized the Tengwang Pavilion in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, with his legendary lines: “Sunset clouds float with a lone duck in flight. The autumn river blends with the vast sky in one hue.” This poetic masterpiece not only stands as an eternal gem in Chinese literary history but also propelled this landmark to worldwide fame. The pavilion is revered as one of the “Three Great Towers of South China.” Originally constructed in 653 during the Tang Dynasty (618-907), it was commissioned by Li Yuanying, also known as Prince Teng, hence its regal name. Over its 1,300-year history, the pavilion has endured rounds of destruction and reconstruction, with records indicating 28 major renovations. The latest restoration, completed in 1989, faithfully revived its ancient grandeur. The pavilion…

Three top graduates from a high school in Jiangxi Province recently made headlines when they declined to apply to the country’s most prestigious universities, i.e., Peking University (PKU) and Tsinghua University. Their decision to instead apply to less elite (but still excellent) institutions that offered their preferred majors drew sharp criticism from their teacher, who accused them of being “self-centered.” This clash between student aspirations and traditional academic expectations has since ignited online debate about educational values in modern China. While some see their choice as a rejection of tradition, others applaud the students for valuing personal interest over institutional prestige—even if it means defying expectations. Shang Fan(Views.ce.cn): PKU and Tsinghua represent the pinnacle of higher education in China. Gaining admission to either one is thus widely considered a mark…