Innehållsförteckning för Vol.68/No.52 från Beijing Review

On December 18, the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP), the world’s largest by area, officially launched its special customs operations. Under these operations, the Hainan FTP will implement a special supervision model: freer access at the first line, regulated access at the second line and free flows within the island. The “first line” refers to Hainan’s connection with overseas markets. “Freer access at the first line” allows overseas goods to enter the island more conveniently, with most benefiting from zero tariffs and expedited clearance. The “second line” refers to the customs boundary between Hainan and the mainland, where goods will undergo standard customs oversight to ensure fairness and prevent smuggling. The two-tiered customs system enables freer trade between Hainan and areas outside China’s customs borders. This move fully unlocks the…

In recent years, right-wing populism has profoundly influenced the United States’ political ecology. Centered on the populist ideology and President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) political movement, it is evolving into the core driving force reshaping America’s political landscape and impacting the global political and economic order. A deep analysis of the roots, characteristics and real-world effects of American right-wing populism is key to understanding the contradictions in U.S. society. The origins The rise of contemporary American rightwing populism is not an accidental political phenomenon but the result of intertwined economic, political and social factors within the U.S., coupled with certain right-wing politicians’ deliberate rhetoric and incitement. From the economic dimension, the imbalances of economic globalization and American industrial workers’ heightened economic grievances fuel the social mobilization basis…

EXPLORER OF FLAT METALS Zhang Guangyu, 48, a researcher at the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has pioneered a path into the unknown world of two-dimensional (2D) metals. In March, his team’s breakthrough—creating the world’s first 2D metals—was named one of Physics World journal’s Top 10 Breakthroughs of the Year for 2025. For nearly a decade, Zhang and his team pursued what many considered nearly impossible: crafting metals just one atom thick. Using a technique called “van der Waals squeezing,” they successfully produced ultrathin sheets of bismuth, tin, lead and other metals, opening up what Zhang describes as “a new treasure trove” for materials science. This breakthrough opens up a new frontier in 2D metal research, and it holds the potential to revolutionize technologies such as…

As 2025 enters its final week, media professionals on both sides of the Pacific appear to be taking stock of the year’s major events in China-U.S. relations. A prevailing view is that the U.S. is ceding ground in this latest round of competition with China. In this view, the outcome is clear: The tariff war launched by the U.S. has failed to cripple China’s economy and instead has strained U.S. supply chains while heightening inflation risks, forcing Washington back to the negotiating table. In technology, the U.S. has begun easing its previous blockade against China, particularly in advanced semiconductors. On December 8, President Donald Trump announced that he would allow U.S. chip maker Nvidia to supply H200 AI chips to China, with similar arrangements for AMD, Intel, and other U.S.…

Pengshui Miao and Tujia Autonomous County in Chongqing Municipality is located within the South China Karst, a vast area of mountains and geological formations covering much of southwest China. Sweet potatoes, potatoes and corn are better suited to Pengshui’s terrain and climate than other starch crops, and its innovative approach to the cultivation and processing of sweet potatoes received international recognition as means to alleviate poverty this month. Established in 2018, the Global Solicitation on Best Poverty Reduction Practices is jointly organized by the International Poverty Reduction Center in China, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the World Food Programme and the China Internet Information Center. With the aim of inspiring individuals and organizations to share case studies as reference…

Reducing Exams The Ministry of Education has ordered a reduction in the frequency of routine exams and tests for primary and secondary schools to alleviate the academic burden on students, Xinhua News Agency reported on December 17. A recent ministry circular states that written exams will not be conducted for first and second graders in primary schools. For other years of compulsory education, schools may organize one final exam per semester. For junior high school students, one midterm exam may be arranged based on the practical needs of different subjects, according to the circular. It also notes that examination papers should align strictly with national curriculum standards and actual teaching practices, with scientifically optimized question types and difficulty levels. Digital Consumers The number of digital consumers in China topped 958…

China’s Ministry of Commerce, the People’s Bank of China (the central bank) and the National Financial Regulatory Administration have jointly issued a new notice to strengthen coordination between commerce and finance, aiming to more effectively boost consumer spending. The notice outlines 11 policy measures designed to deepen collaboration between commercial and financial systems, enhance financial support in key consumer sectors, and expand cooperation among government bodies, financial institutions and businesses. Crucial initiatives include: encouraging local governments to use policy tools such as financing guarantees and loan interest subsidies to steer credit toward essential consumption areas, accelerating the development of personal consumption loans, and fostering new consumption models, including digital consumption. Stimulating consumption and expanding domestic demand are key strategies for the Chinese Government to drive economic growth. In 2024, consumption…

The skies over the Gobi Desert were the stage for a pivotal moment in China’s space industry on December 3: the launch of the Zhuque-3, China’s first reusable rocket. Developed by private firm LandSpace, the mission was a milestone that could redefine the country’s approach to spaceflight. After propelling its second stage toward orbit, the rocket’s first stage embarked on an audacious return to a landing site over 300 km away—a direct challenge to the traditional “launch and forget” model. The mission aimed to recover and reuse the first stage after its precise journey back to Earth. A narrow miss Following ignition and liftoff at the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Pilot Zone in Jiuquan, Gansu Province, the mission proceeded normally at first. Then, approximately 130 seconds into the flight, the…

Jimusar is a county in Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, where winter temperatures often plunge to minus 25 degrees Celsius and the Tianshan Mountains command the horizon. Local officials and residents in the county have been working together to create localized solutions to universal challenges. Their approaches are strengthening community ties, improving rural healthcare and fostering sustainable growth in a resource-rich region. What makes Jimusar’s approaches notable is not only the solutions themselves but the way they have emerged from practical, locally adapted initiatives that blend tradition with technology to improve everyday life. A potent remedy While winter winds sweep across northwest China, warmth and conversation fill the community center on Wenming Road in Jimusar’s urban area. People often cluster around with cups of steaming milk tea,…

China will enact a comprehensive ban on the production of mercury thermometers and blood pressure monitors (sphygmomanometers) starting January 1, 2026. This move phases out two familiar, low-cost staples found in household medicine cabinets across the country. The reasons for the ban are unequivocal: Mercury is a potent, persistent poison. Even at low levels, longterm exposure poses serious health risks, and environmental contamination from broken devices is a major concern. Despite these dangers, mercury thermometers have endured due to their perceived accuracy, simplicity and low cost. Their dependable, no-battery-required design has made them a hard habit to break. This leaves consumers with a pressing question: As they say goodbye to a classic, are modern electronic thermometers dependable enough to earn their trust? Luo Yi (Rednet.cn): The mercury thermometer’s low price…