President Xi Jinping on Monday said Chinese people will score more remarkable achievements and make greater contributions to the noble cause of peace and development of humanity.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at a reception held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
The 11-year-old giant panda Meng Meng's twin panda cubs are now more than one month old, and have been developing well, gaining weight daily. They are set to make their public debut at Zoo Berlin in Germany on October 16, according to an email sent to the Global Times by Zoo Berlin.
Meng Meng gave birth to twins on August 22 at Zoo Berlin. Since their birth, the twin cubs and their mother have been cared for in the rear area of the Panda Garden at the zoo and have not been visible to zoo visitors, according to Zoo Berlin.
From October 16, visitors will be able to watch the twin panda cubs as they grow, according to the zoo. The twin panda cubs will be in the Panda Garden every day from October 16 for about an hour between 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm. This will not change the cubs' daily routine, said the zoo.
In the weeks since the twin panda cubs' birth, they have been developing splendidly, gaining weight daily. Having recently transitioned from the incubator to their own "panda bed," the cubs are now prepared for the next stage, and zoo visitors can take a first look at them, according to the zoo. The two cubs continue to take turns with their mother Meng Meng and drink exclusively from her. The zoo also said that the cubs are beginning to resemble "real" giant pandas as they have developed the typical black and white coloring. They have increased their birth weight more than tenfold.
Meng Meng and Jiao Qing, a male giant panda, arrived in Germany in 2017 from China. In August 2019, Meng Meng gave birth to the twin cubs, Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan, in Germany. In December 2023, the twins were returned to China, according to Xinhua News Agency.
On September 23, 2024, the Chinese national brand "YAYA Down Jacket" made its second appearance at Milan Fashion Week, unveiling the 2024 Black Label Goose collection. This collection features top-grade Siberian goose down, winning the attention of the global fashion industry with its fineness, fluffiness, and exceptional warmth.
Since its inception in 1972, YAYA has continuously explored high-quality down resources worldwide. In 2023, it established cooperation with Iceland for eiderdown. The introduction of the top-grade goose down during this Milan trip not only demonstrates an international perspective but also provides valuable insights for the globalization of Chinese brands.
The YAYA Black Label Goose embodies the transformation of Chinese brands from "Made in China" to "Created in China," marking YAYA Down Jacket's advancement into the high-end segment of the global value chain and a unique exhibition of oriental charm.
Chinese scientists have developed ancient DNA technology to systematically study the microbial genomes of the "oldest cheese," which was discovered from the Bronze Age at the Xiaohe cemetery in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. This research reveals two routes for the diffusion of cheese fermentation techniques in the prehistoric Tarim Basin, shedding light on the lifestyle and cultural exchanges of ancient populations in the region, according to China News Service.
Fu Qiaomei, a researcher from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, led the research, which was published as a highly recommended paper in the journal Cell on Wednesday.
The research team designed probes for the complete genome of Lactobacillus, raising the DNA concentration of lactic acid bacteria in the kefir cheese samples from around 0.43 percent to 0.55 percent, to 64 percent to 80 percent, making it the first successful case of ancient whole-genome research.
The cheese samples, identified as kefir through earlier ancient protein studies, date back approximately 3,500 years. They were made using kefir grains, which ferment milk into a distinctive yogurt.
By reconstructing the microbial communities involved in the fermentation process, researchers confirmed that the kefir cheese was produced by using lactic acid bacteria, with evidence suggesting that the goats used for milk production originated from a lineage that spread across Eurasia after the Neolithic period. This suggests a probable connection between ancient populations in the Tarim Basin and groups in the Eurasian steppe during that time.
The study also identified a previously unknown route for the dissemination of kefir bacteria. It found the lactic acid bacteria used for fermentation split into two main branches: One associated with strains from Europe and coastal regions of Asia, and the other linked to strains found in inland East Asia, including Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. This indicates that kefir production techniques likely spread from Xinjiang to other parts of East Asia through cultural exchanges.
Researchers believe this differentiation in kefir bacteria strains reflects how ancient populations adapted and shared fermentation practices. By comparing ancient and modern kefir bacteria genomes, the team explored the evolution of these microbes over thousands of years, revealing significant adaptations to environmental pressures and interactions with humans.
This research underscores the long-standing relationship between humans and microorganisms, highlighting the critical role of fermented foods in our dietary history. It provides new insights into how ancient peoples applied and adapted fermentation techniques, contributing to our understanding of cultural exchanges and human development over time.
The 2024 Beijing Culture Forum will kick off in the Chinese capital from September 19 to 21, according to its organizers. With a permanent theme of "Inheritance, Creativity, Mutual Learning," the forum has "Enhance Cultural Exchanges for Common Progress" as its theme for this year.
Over 800 participants, including 240 foreign guests from more than 70 countries and regions will attend a main forum, six sub-forums, and 32 professional seminars and relevant cultural activities during the three-day event.
The participants will hold in-depth discussions on topics including mutual learning between civilizations and common progress, spiritual life and industrial development, cultural heritage protection and inheritance, new cultural business forms, and technological integration.
The main forum takes the application of Beijing's Central Axis as a UNESCO World Heritage site as one of its important contents, and releases a special report on Beijing's experience during the application and protection of Beijing's Central Axis as a UNESCO World Heritage site and the relevant situation of further strengthening the protection of historical and cultural cities.
Meanwhile, the Ten Major Events in the Construction of National Cultural Centers in 2023 will also be announced.
The 2024 Beijing Culture Forum is committed to creating a cultural festival, in which all people can participate through hosting a number of cultural events including book fairs, film screenings and theaters staging.
As the performance of Team China at the Paris 2024 Olympics continues to grab headlines on Chinese social media, a debate is brewing in the country about the evolution of fan culture in the sporting field.
On August 4, several of China's social media platforms, such as Sina Weibo and Douyin announced that they were cracking down on over 800 accounts that had been spreading negativity and fomenting conflict during the table tennis events at the Olympics, removing more than 50,000 inappropriate fan posts.
This action was taken after an event on August 3, when Chinese paddler Chen Meng defeated her teammate Sun Yingsha 4-2, to win the table tennis women's singles gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, with numerous fans showing favoritism toward Sun while booing Chen.
During the match, the stands at the South Paris Arena were filled with cheers for Sun, and there were even jeers when Chen scored points. On the internet, the battle of insults started at the commencement of the match, when some fans posted inflammatory comments attacking the athletes and coaching staff.
This phenomenon has caused numerous Chinese people to worry about the visibly aggressive fan culture that threatens to erode the sporting world.
"Fan culture" is a subculture that originated in the entertainment industry and is based on idol artists and fan economics. With the vigorous development of the Chinese sports industry, sports stars are becoming more influential as role models. However, some fans are taking things too far by turning sporting events into battlegrounds. They attack athletes online, inciting public emotions to increase exposure and attention. The arbitrary and relentless hounding of athletes by some fans off the field also presents a series of problems for athletes' normal training and personal lives.
Where does this aggressive fan culture come from? What do these fans hope to achieve? Is this really representative of Chinese sports fans as a whole? These are questions that are being raised as the debate continues. Chaos abounds
"I wish Chen tests positive for a banned substance, then the gold medal can go to our Shasha (Sun's nickname)," one of Sun's extreme fans wrote online after the match. The inflammatory post soon caused widespread anger on both Chinese and international social media platforms, with many calling her "brainless."
"In that match, Sun was the biggest victim of her irrational fans," commented Zhang Fan, an associate professor at the School of Journalism and Communication, Shanghai University of Sport. She criticized the "fans" who kept cheering for Sun while booing her rival Chen, saying their impolite behaviors didn't do Sun any justice, but rather embarrassed and stressed her on the court.
In China, this voracious fan culture spread to the competitive sporting field during the Rio 2016 Olympics, according to Zhang. This unedifying "culture" quickly developed in the proceeding years and gave rise to many fan groups similar to those in the K-pop entertainment industry, Zhang explained.
China's Olympic table tennis champion Ding Ning will never forget August 20, 2016. On that day, the Chinese table tennis team returned home from the Rio 2016 Olympics with an impressive haul of four gold medals and two silver medals. As the team members arrived at the Beijing Capital International Airport, they were greeted by a throng of excited fans. "We were truly amazed by the outpouring of support from the fans at the airport. It was a sight we had never seen before," Ding told the Global Times in a previous exclusive interview.
The Global Times found that leading up to the Rio 2016 Olympics, it was rare to see more than a few dozen fans gathered at the airport to welcome national teams home. The majority of the crowd usually consisted of journalists, with only a handful of supporters present.
However, following the Rio 2016 Games, athletes from various sports, such as table tennis, women's volleyball, diving, and swimming, began to attract a larger following. Fans who previously had little interest in sports started to show their support. In particular, table tennis, which is considered the national sport of China, saw its fan base grow exponentially.
However, the chaotic growth trajectory within some Chinese sports fan communities from 2016 to 2024 reveals several key issues, particularly the extreme behaviors exhibited by fans.
Leading fans control comments and initiate scolding battles on social media, manipulating comment sections and attacking other athletes, referees, clubs, national teams, and governing bodies, which leads to fierce conflicts between different fan groups.
CP fans, who pair athletes or public figures as "couples" or "combinations," create specific fan organizations. They share related photos and videos on social media, flood comment sections with their views, and even write fan fiction, severely impacting the viewing experience of other fans and athletes, and causing undue stress to the athletes involved.
Additionally, the act of proxy photographing and privacy violations is prevalent, where individuals sell athletes' personal information and capture photos or videos of athletes at airports, hotels, training grounds, and competition venues, which are then sold publicly on social media. This seriously infringes on the athletes' privacy.
The sale of signed memorabilia is another issue, with fans haranguing athletes in public places to obtain signatures, later selling these signed items on second-hand trading platforms, with items for sale ranging from autographed photos to signed paddles.
Overzealous support also disrupts competitions, with fans causing disturbances through loud cheering and flash photography during matches, affecting athletes' performances.
These chaotic phenomena not only disrupt athletes' regular training and competitions but also damage the harmonious atmosphere among the athletes.
Fandom distortion
"In China, there used to be a perfect balance between athletes and sports fans where their distance and interaction was 'just right,'" 30-year-old table tennis enthusiast Wu Aichen told the Global Times.
Wu became a fan of Ding Ning after the London 2012 Olympics, and joined the fan group called "Ding Dang," which she believes was one of the earliest fan groups in the Chinese table tennis community.
"Back then, we mainly communicated and connected through QQ chat groups. Our group gradually released fan merchandise like calendars, mostly funded by the fan club leaders. They helped us secure complimentary tickets for the China Table Tennis Super League, and after the games, we could approach the athletes in the fan zone for autographs and photos in an orderly way," Wu recalled.
After the Rio 2016 Olympics, driven by her love for table tennis, Wu also joined other table tennis players' fan groups, where she noticed a change in the nature of these organizations.
"In the beginning, most table tennis fan groups were spontaneous, with no formal organization or decision-making process. But later, there were more leaders in the fan base, and the division of labor became more detailed. The leader became more aggressive in encouraging everyone to buy idol-related cultural products and would push fans to vote on various rankings to attract advertisers for their athletes," Wu observed.
Wu pointed out that most of the active fans of the Chinese table tennis team are young people, particularly teenagers. "This generation of fans sees their idols' growth as a form of self-realization. Idols represent the fans' own aspirations, fulfilling their self-image," she noted.
Zhu Wei, a vice director of the Communication Law Research Center at the China University of Political Science and Law, introduced that China's fan community has now experienced a phenomenon of "breaking the circle," meaning it is no longer confined to the cultural sphere but has extended to all areas.
"This is accompanied by a highly aggressive online environment. The fan community has also trended younger, with various chaotic phenomena emerging," Zhu told the Global Times.
These fans feel a sense of duty that "the idol needs me," constantly creating discussions, and investing to boost the market value of sports stars, hoping to elevate their favorite athletes to the top of the sports fan community, Wu said, also noting that they are not sporting event enthusiasts but just fans.
What are the differences between ordinary sporting event enthusiasts and irrational "fans?" Zhang explained that the unwelcome "fans" are those who unconditionally boast and defend their favorite players, making all sorts of excuses for their failures - even resorting to insulting other players.
"These behaviors have seriously contradicted the open and inclusive spirit of sports," Zhang noted.
Return to reason and faith
"During the current Olympics, the young athletes have actually set a good example for teenagers and young people. They inspired young viewers to put down their video games, develop a love for sports, and foster a sense of patriotism. This is a very positive development," Zhu said.
Facing the surging popularity of table tennis, Ding expressed that what athletes always care most about is their performance in competition. "We speak only with our event results, not exposure."
Conversely, this is a gratifying thing that China's youth are no longer satisfied with idolizing entertainment stars, but are pursuing higher, faster, and stronger quality idols, Wu said.
To some extent, the spread of fan culture in China's competitive sporting field does have a few benefits, such as boosting the promotion of some sports among the young generations, bringing them vitality and more attention, said Zhang.
"But the disadvantages of 'fan culture' far outweigh the benefits." Zhang stressed that the unhealthy "fan culture" harms the atmosphere of competitive sports.
In recent years, China has been trying to curb the spread and intensification of fan community culture.
In May, the General Administration of Sport of China stated that the national sports system will resolutely resist the erosion caused by abnormal fan culture in the sporting field throughout the whole process, stressing that sports should not become the "lead" and "hotbed" for abnormal fan culture to continue to proliferate.
In 2021, the Chinese Olympic Committee called on fans to respect athletes' rights and avoid improper behavior toward them, and resolutely oppose the use of fandom to engage in profiteering activities.
Fortunately, Wu noted that now, in the fan communities of various table tennis athletes, most people are looking at the controversy on the Olympic stage objectively and rationally.
"'Focus on the competition and have rational discussions' is the most frequently mentioned phrase in fan communities now. We can all agree that when athletes are showcasing the Olympic spirit and national honor at their peak. They should not be degraded through irrational fan behaviors," she said.
Wu believes that in the future, more fans will respect the sweat that each athlete puts in, willing to experience the pure charm that comes from sports and show the good qualities of Chinese audiences.
The 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) has become a hub for Chinese and international visitors to exchange ideas on the latest innovations and technologies across industries. Many foreign attendees are impressed by China’s innovation and technology advancement, as many Chinese firms showcased their latest products.
Chinese urban air mobility technology platform company EHang Holdings displayed its EH216-S - a domestically developed passenger-carrying unmanned aerial vehicle at this year’s CIFTIS. The electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft received approval from Chinese civil aviation authority in April to commence production.
Freshly stepping out of the cockpit of the aircraft after being briefed, Manfred Janssen, chief of KolnBusiness Economic Development Agency, told the Global Times that the experience was "very impressive."
“I learned that it is going to fly and operate this year. Good luck to it and I am looking forward to that. It is quite impressive to see how China has become a motor of innovation globally, and suddenly many things are going to happen in the aviation sector. It could be a nice solution to the big cities of the world,” Janssen told reporters.
CIFTIS has become a platform for people from around the world to exchange ideas, share expertise, and collaborate in the fields of green and digital economies.
Janssen, whose delegation signed a memorandum of understanding with their counterpart in Beijing, said the goal is to exchange ideas and explore cooperation between Cologne, Germany and Beijing in the pursuit of green transformation in the economy and industry. The official noted that among the Cologne delegation is Deutz AG, the inventor of internal combustion engine.
During the first two days of the exhibition, several hundreds of foreign guests have visited the booths with a keen interest on China’s emerging low-attitude economy, a staff member of the EHang told the Global Times.
The 2024 CIFTIS is the first large-scale international, comprehensive exhibition held after the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. It underscores China's commitment to further opening up to the world and its readiness to share the benefits of its economic opportunities.
A total of 85 countries and international organizations attended the 2024 CIFTIS, held under the theme "Global Services, Shared Prosperity."
From Thursday to Monday, the China National Convention Center and Shougang Park in Beijing, the venues of the CIFTIS, were crowded with exhibitors and visitors from around the world. Displays featured a wide range of cutting-edge technologies, including AI-powered surgical robots, hydrogen fuel motorbikes, cloud-based AI digital hosts for live-streaming e-commerce, and service robots designed to maintain and replace blades for tunnel boring machines. These exhibits showcased China’s latest advancements in green, digital, and smart technologies, highlighting the nation's tech-driven approach to modernization.
Chinese express delivery firm STO Express showcased its self-developed omnidirectional sorting robot, which can effectively improve efficiency of the sorting process during deliveries.
Mu Yu, a STO representative, told the Global Times that many foreign visitors have expressed interests in the company’s unmanned delivery systems, which include unmanned delivery vehicles and parcel-delivery drones. "They inquired about our overseas business, but for now, we are focusing on the domestic market," Mu said.
“We hope to get a better pulse of the latest technical applications within the domestic and international services industry by participating the CIFTIS, and to see how to best optimize our development path amid the atmosphere of communication and exchange,” said Mu. The emergence of cutting-edge technology has undoubtedly injected new vitality into services trade in China and around the world. These innovations not only enhance industry efficiency but also showcase China’s significant strengths in technological innovation, analysts said.
"These advanced technology displays at the 2024 CIFTIS are a concentrated expression of China's technological innovation strengths and are also strong proof that China provides innovative solutions to the world and expands opportunities for win-win cooperation," Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday.
"These innovative achievements have not only promoted the rapid development of related industries, but also contributed Chinese wisdom and Chinese strength to the prosperity of global trade in services. It is expected that China will achieve breakthroughs in more fields in the future and contribute more 'Chinese solutions' to global scientific and technological development," Wang said.
Three dock workers have been sentenced to prison after being convicted of stealing cultural relics from exposed Western Han Dynasty (206BC-AD25) tombs in the Three Gorges Reservoir area, according to a report by The Paper on Saturday. The three men, identified as Liu and two other accomplices, were sentenced to imprisonment ranging from three years and 10 months to four years and six months, and each was fined 30,000 yuan ($4,190).
In 2011, Liu and his co-defendants discovered exposed tombs when the water level in the Three Gorges Reservoir receded. The trio excavated the site and found 20 items, including Western Han Dynasty bronze drinking and ritual vessels. They later gave up to the police and confessed their crimes in March 2024.
China has a large number of buried cultural relics, especially in the Three Gorges Reservoir area. As early as 2 million years ago, the famous Wushan Man lived in this area. The region is also known for the Bachu culture as well as cultural relics.
With the box office of the film Decoded surpassing 300 million yuan ($42 million), it has become a standout work in the 2024 summer movie season. The film, adapted from the novel of the same name by Mao Dun Literature Prize winner Mai Jia, showcases a blend of cinema and literature.
Mai expressed his high regard for the film in an interview with the Global Times, calling it "the ultimate in artistic beauty." Mai said that Decoded is not only a faithful adaptation that adheres to the spirit of literature but also a bold exploration and attempt at artistic pursuit in Chinese cinema.
"I believe that whether it's a novel or a film, to reach the world, it first needs to be technically proficient. If the technical aspects are not addressed, it's difficult to move people," Mai noted.
Decoded demonstrates rare courage and determination in technical innovation. The film team boldly employs cutting-edge techniques such as IMAX photography, high-frame-rate shooting, and virtual reality pre-visualization to elevate the visual and auditory experience to a new level.
The film presents a series of spectacular scenes, including golden reeds, a shining Ferris wheel, giant walruses, deep-sea whirlpools, and enormous computers, all of which provide viewers with a visual feast. Many audiences regard Decoded as a visual effects blockbuster.
"Recently, the Chinese market has been flooded with a lot of popcorn movies, deliberately pandering to audiences without treating film as an art form, or lacking a cinematic dream. However, the dream in Decoded is particularly grand. For example, to achieve an aesthetic effect, the crew used 60 tons of sand to create a red beach," Mai told the Global Times.
One particularly striking scene takes place on this red beach, which was brought to life by the crew constructing a 5,000-square-meter soundstage and a 2,000-square-meter man-made red beach. It took 90 days to finish the entire process, from construction to filming.
Decoded made full use of innovative technology, presenting key scenes like the confrontation on the red beach and the dreamscape under the setting sun with grandeur and meticulous detail.
From the perspective of a literature enthusiast, Mai said that Decoded is a sophisticated film, turning a grand narrative of mainstream themes into something artistic and aesthetically pleasing.
In recent years, China's film industry has made continuous breakthroughs in technical innovation, artistic exploration, and market strategy, and Decoded has made a significant mark in this process. This film not only attracts audiences with its unique narrative style and visual impact but also promotes the upgrading and transformation of China's film industry on multiple levels.
Chinese humor in English has become a powerful tool for fostering global understanding through cultural products. Social media is buzzing with examples where this unique blend of English, infused with Chinese cultural nuances, not only entertains netizens, but also bridges gaps in cross-cultural communication.
A viral example of Chinese humor in English evolving appeal surfaced when a foreign blogger YourKris shared an emotional post on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu about seeing off her boyfriend at the airport.
Her comments quickly were filled with well-meaning but imperfectly translated messages from Chinese netizens, turning phrases like "You pretty, he ugly, u swan, he frog" into a source of both consolation and amusement.
This exchange highlighted how Chinese-style English, referred to as Chinglish, once seen as an embarrassing mishmash, has become a unique cultural bridge, resonating with humor and warmth across languages and borders.
Originally, Chinglish was often viewed as mistakes to be corrected or even ridiculed, especially in formal English education in China, where accuracy and native-like pronunciation were emphasized.
However, after the Beijing 2008 Olympics, when English speakers expressed a relaxed attitude toward Chinglish signs in China, this linguistic blend gained recognition, not just as a source of humor, but as a reflection of the cultural exchange and globalization that characterizes modern China.
The shift in perception is reflected in the gaming community, particularly in the recent hit video game Black Myth: Wukong, where terms from Chinese mythology, such as yaoguai, are no longer translated as "monster," but kept in their original form.
Chinese netizens have started explaining key game terms to foreign players to help them better understand the cultural background of the game. This effort fosters a deeper appreciation for the cultural richness of China.
A writing professor in the US told the Global Times on condition of anonymity that Chinglish is increasingly used by teenagers as a tool for better communication, citing phrases like "Long time no see."
He emphasized that language, as a form of communication, can evolve with cultural exchanges, making it acceptable to use Chinglish phrases in everyday conversation to achieve better understanding.
The story of German scholar Oliver Radtke also illustrates this shift. His curiosity about Chinese society led him to document the various Chinglish signs he encountered during his travels in 2019.
Initially, Oliver's project was met with criticism from some Chinese netizens who perceived it as mocking.
However, as he clarified his intentions - to highlight the charm and creativity within Chinglish - more people began to appreciate the unique cultural interplay these translations represent, according to the Chinese Consulate-General in Frankfurt.
Chinglish has not only captured the interest of individuals like Oliver, but has also entered broader cultural conversations.
The stage play Chinglish, written by David Henry Hwang in 2011, set in Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou Province, explores the complexities and humor of cross-cultural communication.
The play underscores how Chinglish can create both challenges and opportunities for understanding in an increasingly interconnected world.
Moreover, the incorporation of Chinglish into mainstream language resources, such as the Oxford English Dictionary, further solidifies its status as a recognized linguistic form.
Phrases like "add oil" - a cheer meaning "go for it" are now officially recorded in the dictionary, demonstrating how Chinglish captures uniquely Chinese expressions that resonate globally.
These entries, often related to Chinese culture and food, highlight the growing influence of Chinglish as a distinct variant of English.
However, the US professor also expressed concern over the potential misuse of Chinglish, emphasizing that while it can be effective in oral communication, it remains unsuitable for formal and academic settings. Learning and using standard English remains important in public and professional contexts.
The spread of Chinglish reflects a broader acceptance of linguistic diversity and the idea that language evolves with cultural exchange.
The playful mix of languages has become a way for people worldwide to engage with Chinese culture, often leading to moments of cross-cultural understanding and amusement.
