The EU has implemented measures aimed at restricting Chinese products through new rules, investigations and potential tariff policies. Now, it has its sights set on Chinese hydrogen electrolyzers. Chinese experts on Saturday said that it is "a move of self-limitation" that will undermine Europe's green transition goals.
The EU will conduct a second phase auction valued at 1.2 billion euros ($1.34 billion) through its hydrogen bank from December 3, and winning projects will have to limit the sourcing of electrolyzer stacks from China to not more than 25 percent of total capacity, according to the European Commission's auction guideline published on Friday.
"Chinese production capacity is already more than 50 percent of global production… it is assessed that there is a significant risk of increased and irreversible dependency of the EU on imports of electrolyzers originating in China, which may threaten the EU's security of supply," reads the guideline.
"Europe is currently in a contradictory position. Economically speaking, using Chinese products or bringing Chinese industries into its energy transition plans would be the most cost-effective choice," Cui Hongjian, a professor at the Academy of Regional and Global Governance with Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Saturday.
However, with its focus on the so-called reducing dependence and de-risking policies, Europe has effectively imposed self-limitations, thus avoiding the most economically viable path, Cui said.
Electrolyzers are key devices that use electrical energy to split water molecules and generate hydrogen. They account for about 50 percent of the total cost of hydrogen production systems.
Hydrogen electrolyzers could potentially be China's fourth major new-energy export products, following batteries, photovoltaics and electric vehicles, according to media reports.
"The development of China's new-energy sector is a result of our strong technology, robust market and full-fledged industrial chains. China's exports of related products have contributed significantly to the global response to inflation and climate change," Mao Ning, a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a routine press briefing on April 10.
"Protectionism does not solve one's own problems," Mao said.
The South China Sea is the world's most open sea, with tens of thousands of ship-days of surface force presence, sorties of military aircraft, hundreds of large-scale exercises, and thousands of smaller drills conducted annually by countries both within and outside the region. The Chinese military does not engage in confrontational encounters except in a few exceptional scenarios, including foreign military forces entering Chinese territorial waters and airspace, according to a latest think tank report.
The real threats to maritime freedom in the South China Sea come from the so-called freedom of navigation operations conducted by the US military, close-in reconnaissance operations, and intrusions into other countries' military exercise zones, while the disputes over islands and reefs in the South China Sea have little impact on navigation and overflight, the report said.
Beijing-based think tank South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI) released the report on the navigation and overflight situation in the South China Sea on Friday.
Countries both within and outside the region maintain a presence of over 20,000 ship-days and around 30,000 sorties of military aircraft in the South China Sea each year, along with hundreds of large-scale drills and thousands of various exercises, according to data released by the SCSPI.
Military activities by coastal countries are increasing, and extra-regional countries, particularly the US military, are conducting significant operations in the South China Sea. Every year, the US Navy maintains approximately 1,600 ship-days of surface vessel presence and an undisclosed number of submarines (combat vessels) in the South China Sea, as well as over 3,000 ship-days of auxiliary vessel activities. Overall, US Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Army conduct approximately 8,000 sorties of aircraft annually in the region, including reconnaissance aircraft, transport aircraft, refueling aircraft, fighter jets and bombers, the report said.
Air and maritime encounters between military forces, particularly between China and the US, occur frequently in the South China Sea. Over 10 China-US encounters occur daily and thousands annually, the SCSPI said, noting that the majority of these encounters are professional and safe.
For foreign military vessels and aircraft entering China's jurisdictional waters and surrounding airspace, the report said that the Chinese military follows and monitors the situation based on international practice for safety and security reasons. Frictions primarily arise only when foreign forces approach the Chinese mainland or Hainan Island territorial waters and airspace, when the US military enters the territorial waters and airspace of Xisha Qundao for so-called freedom of navigation operations, when foreign forces enter within 12 nautical miles of Chinese-controlled features in the Nansha Qundao and Huangyan Dao, and when foreign forces excessively approach or intrude into Chinese military exercises.
Some foreign militaries often complain about being intercepted by Chinese forces, portraying the South China Sea as restricted and unsafe. However, they conveniently avoid discussing essential information such as the specific locations of encounters and the reasons behind such incidents, clearly indicating a biased narrative, Hu Bo, director of SCSPI, told the Global Times.
Any country facing challenges similar to the scenarios above-mentioned would take decisive measures, with countries like the US responding even more assertively, Hu said.
The true threats to maritime freedom in the South China Sea stem from extra-regional military operations, including the US military's so-called freedom of navigation operations, provocations that approach or intrude into the coastal state's territorial waters and airspace, and intrusions into temporary military exercise areas of other countries, according to the SCSPI report.
The report also provided analysis on the impact of the South China Sea disputes on navigation and overflight, saying that the disputes overall remain manageable and have not spilled over to the passage of vessels and aircraft from other countries, adding that the activities of law-enforcement and maritime rights protection are not navigation issues in the first place.
The peace, stability, freedom, and security of the South China Sea are crucial not only for the well-being of the region but also for the development and security of the region and globally. Both regional and external countries should contribute their efforts, play constructive roles, and work together to make the South China Sea a sea of peace, friendship, and cooperation, Hu said.
Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, attended a China-U.S. youth cultural and sports exchange activity at Beijing No. 8 High School on Tuesday afternoon.
During the activity, Peng had a cordial exchange with a delegation of young people from the U.S. state of Washington. She welcomed the teachers and students to visit China, expressing the hope that the young people of the two countries will know each other better and inject positive energy into bilateral relations.
Peng watched a friendly match between Chinese and U.S. youth basketball teams and presented commemorative medals to the players of both sides.
Peng also watched a video documenting the delegation's visit to various places in China. American student representatives shared their unforgettable experiences during the visit, which has helped them learn more about different ethnic customs and the fine traditional Chinese culture.
The visit has a rich and colorful itinerary, helps foster a profound friendship between the American students and their Chinese peers, and will sure leave a deep impression on everyone, Peng said.
Noting that the future of China-U.S. relations rests on the young people, Peng expressed the hope that the American students will share their experiences with their families, friends and classmates when they return to the United States, carry home the friendship of the Chinese people, and help nurture the "tree of friendship" between the two peoples.
At the end of the activity, the Chinese and U.S. teenagers sang Chinese and English songs together. And Peng joined them for a group photo in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
In November 2023, President Xi Jinping announced in San Francisco an initiative to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs in a five-year span.
The delegation of nearly 100 teachers and students from more than 10 high schools in the state of Washington came to China at the invitation of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.
A series of global activities will kick off on Tuesday local time in Paris to mark the anniversary of the birth of Liu Hui, a prominent figure in ancient Chinese mathematics. Co-hosted by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), and the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization), the commemorations aim to show and share the brilliant achievements of ancient Chinese mathematics to the world, as well as to promote exchanges and mutual learning among global civilizations.
Liu, born circa 225-295, was one of the founders of classical Chinese mathematical theory. He made great contributions to the history of Chinese mathematics and also gained an important position in the history of world mathematics. Liu’s commentary in the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art had great a influence on a large number of mathematicians and mathematical works in later generations.
In November 2023, UNESCO held the 42nd session of the General Conference and approved the proposal made by the CAST to celebrate the anniversary of Liu’s birth. It was the first time China had successfully applied for a birthday anniversary event for a scientist at UNESCO, said the CAST.
A launch ceremony will take place at the headquarters of UNESCO in Paris on Tuesday, marking the beginning of a year-long global commemoration of Liu. A themed exhibition featuring Liu’s achievements in mathematics, and an international symposium on his academic thought, will also be held in Paris this week, according to the CAST.
Liu’s commentary on the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art, and his Mathematical Canon of Sea Island, were important achievements in ancient Chinese mathematics, said Zhou Xiaohan, an associate research fellow at the Institute for History of Natural Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, who is going to deliver a keynote speech at the symposium.
“With in-depth theory and comprehensive proof, these works embodied a distinct and unique algorithmic feature in the history of mathematics,” Zhou told the Global Times. “The terminology, expressions and ways of proof in his works had a profound impact on later generations.”
“Liu’s achievements are not only a treasure to China, but also a great legacy of human thought for the world,” noted Zhou.
Andrea Bréard, a professor and the vice president of the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, has also been invited to the launch ceremony and symposium in commemoration of Liu as an expert representative.
Bréard has affirmed the positive significance of the events in honor of Liu in promoting the world’s better understanding of the great achievements of ancient Chinese mathematics. “It is a good opportunity to raise awareness about the non-Western contributions to the history of mathematics in the past,” she told the Global Times via email.
Boasting elements like stone bridges, winding rivers and elegant above-water architecture, ancient towns are highlights to the landscape of China's Jiangnan. Jiangnan is a geographic area that is commonly known as the south of the mighty Yangtze River.
Built with a touch of garden aesthetics, these towns are popular touristic destinations. Comparing to renowned sites like the Zhouzhuang Town in Jiangsu Province, the Puyuan Fashion Resort, opened to public in 2023, is an emerging spot that shows how an old rural town can sustain people's modern and fashionable lifestyles.
Old yet fashionable
Puyuan is located in Tongxiang, East China's Zhejiang Province. Its history dates back to the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), and the town is one of the stops where the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal flows through.
To promote the protection of the ancient canal culture heritage, in 2016, a renovation project was carried out in Puyuan, covering an area of approximately 858,000 square meters.
In order to preserve the traditional look of the town's above-water architectures, the renovation project followed the concept of "repairing old buildings by keeping their old aesthetics while also integrating new cultural and commercial elements into the town," Yao Jie, a manager of the resort, told the Global Times.
Nine well-preserved ancient bridges, including the Zong'an Bridge and the Dayou Bridge are distributed along the "H"-shaped river system of the Puyuan Fashion Resort. Many of those bridges date back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
Some of those bridges connect to inns. For instance, an owner of the Xianzi Beach Inn told the Global Times that the inn is not the biggest one in the resort, but it can offer an "authentic taste of Puyuan" as guests can see the green and clear river flowing beneath their feet just by opening their bedroom's window.
Wooden boats and shuttle buses are always available in the resort. Boats take visitors underneath the bridges' arches to arrive at notable scenic spots in the ancient town. Two popular local destinations are the Meijing Theater, founded in 1947 and offering performances of the traditional Yue Opera, and the Xiangyun Taoist Temple, a symbol of the Taoist philosophy's development in the region, built in the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368).
The ancient town's time-honored locations are mixed with new buildings including modern hotels, performance plazas, and a visitor center that boasts a T-stage venue for fashion shows.
Puyuan, where the resort is located, is one of China's most dynamic centers for fashion production, especially in the cashmere and knitwear sectors. Around 700 million sweaters made in Puyuan are sold worldwide every year.
Relying on the Town's solid foundation in the clothing industry, the resort has found its niche character of promoting shows and exhibitions that connect to the international market.
One of its strategies is to collaborate with the entertainment industry. It has invited highly popular reality shows such as Funny Team 2024 to film at the resort. In the show, Chinese stars such as Na Ying and Huang Zitao run around the resort, taking audiences on a visual journey around Puyuan's beautiful scenic spots.
In 2023, the resort organized a successful campaign in collaboration with the Chinese version of the fashion magazine Gentlemen's Quarterly, also known as GQ. By having superstars such as Fei Xiang (also known as Kris Phillips, is a Chinese-American pop icon and musical singer) posting photos of the resort, the fashion title of the ancient town was accentuated.
"There are many ancient towns in China, and we need to give them unique themes to make them stand out. This is the creative strategy we need to promote Chinese ancient towns," Xiao Junfu, a marketer of the touristic industry, told the Global Times. Niche interests
Other than Puyuan, the Wuzhen Town and Xitang Town, two ancient water towns nestled in Jiaxing, East China's Zhejiang Province, have also embarked on a journey of remarkable transformation.
Wuzhen Town, whose roots trace back over 1,000 years, found a way to bridge the gap between past and future. Its once quiet canals, lined with Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1368-1644) buildings, became the stage for a new kind of digital dialogue: the town's transformation began with its establishment as the permanent home of the World Internet Conference, cementing its role as a digital pioneer.
But it was the birth of the Wuzhen Theatre Festival in 2013 that truly brought Wuzhen's spirit into full bloom. The event integrated Wuzhen's historical landscape with cutting-edge theater, making the town a beacon of artistic and cultural exchange.
A few kilometers away, Xitang Town embarked on its own revival journey. Originally created back in the Spring and Autumn Period (770BC-476BC), the town still thrives nowadays thanks to its own unique cultural initiatives. For example, the Xitang Hanfu Culture Week showcases not only the town's past but also its deep connection to Chinese tradition. During the week, people dress in elegant Hanfu attire strolling through the streets, bringing the past vividly to life as workshops and parades make the town a living museum of ancient fashion.
The Xitang Ancient Town Protection Regulations of Jiaxing City released in 2023, further promote the construction of an ecological cultural tourism zone and the integration of ancient town culture and tourism, while continuing to protect the cultural heritage and traditional architecture of the ancient town.
Together, the Wuzhen and Xitang water towns breathe a new life, exemplary for the cultivation of a new cultural ecology in historical towns, one that honors the past while embracing the future.
The Consulate General of the Argentine Republic in Guangzhou held an Argentine film tour themed "River, Dream, Distance," launched on September 19 and will run until October 10.
The event aims to attract all movie lovers and Hispanophiles to explore Argentina's rich natural scenery and wonderful human stories. It is presented as not merely a feast of movies, but also an exchange of hearts.
The Consulate General of the Argentine Republic in Guangzhou expressed hope that the audience would have an in-depth cultural dialogue with the culture and spirit of Argentina through movies.
The movie viewers were encouraged to explore the unknown river, chase the distant dream, and find the distance in the hearts in this feast of vision and soul.
With a rich and diverse history, Argentine films are also well-known around the world.
The Embassy of the Czech Republic in China and the Czech-China Contemporary Art Gallery jointly inaugurated the exhibition "My Room," which was opened at the Czech Embassy in Beijing on August 20.
Featuring artists Feng Runde, Li Lang, Jiri Straka, Wu Zixian and Yang Yuzhe, the exhibition provides a platform for young artists from the Czech Republic and China to learn and exchange ideas, and has won unanimous praise from Chinese and foreign visitors.
The people-to-people exchanges between the Czech Republic and China are expected to continue to expand into new areas. The exhibition aims to help young artists and show the public their ideas and experiences in the face of a complex world independently.
"The works of the five artists have some common features that impress me: The appearance of their works is very different from the works of their elders; regardless of where they live, their art is close to the real life," said curator and artist Shu Yang.
The year 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of German-speaking Bohemian novelist Franz Kafka's death. The Embassy of Germany in China held a session titled Literatur abend Der unendliche Kafka (or Literature Evening the Infinite KafKa in English) in Beijing on August 30.
A panel discussion was held among Professor Benno Wagner from the School of International Studies of Zhejiang University, Professor Han Ruixiang from the Department of German of Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU), and Professor Zhang Yan from the Institute of German Studies of BFSU.
The experts focused on the topic of the modernity of Kafka's works, Kafka's roots in China, and Kafka featured on social media.
As one of the most-read German-language writers in the world, Kafka's image and works are much more colorful than they are stereotyped to be.
He is the best writer at writing about Entfremdung, which has also strongly influenced the life in the digital age. There is a Kafka fan community on TikTok, and the number is growing rapidly.
Since 2000, there have been 11 collections of Kafka's essays, nine collections of letters, six diaries, five conversations, two collections of paintings, and one collection of proverbs on the Chinese book market, according to statistics from the data center of the China National Archives of Publications and Culture.
After setting up its first branch in Beijing in 2006, the Cervantes Institute opened its second branch in Shanghai on Tuesday, making Spain the first European country to have official cultural institutions in two Chinese cities.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez attended the opening ceremony of the Cervantes Institute in Shanghai on Tuesday morning amid his ongoing visit to China.
"Language and culture are the most useful links to unite civilizations and friendly countries like us [Spain and China]," said Sanchez in a speech delivered at the ceremony. The shared interest in languages between the people of the two countries has strengthened bilateral relationships, noted Sanchez.
Covering an area of 1,200 square meters in the downtown Xuhui district, the newly opened Cervantes Institute in Shanghai was transformed from the former Cervantes Library, which has more than 12,000 books in Spanish, Catalan, Galician and Basque.
The library, now a major part of the current institute, also has a China collection, including translated works from Chinese to Spanish and from Spanish to Chinese, as well as some earlier Spanish books about China.
The establishment of the Cervantes Institute in Shanghai shows the great importance that both the Chinese and Spanish governments and peoples attach to the friendly relations between the two countries, said Luis García Montero, director of the Cervantes Institute, who also attended the opening ceremony.
"I look forward to [seeing] more Chinese people learn about the Spanish language and culture at the institute, so as to further promote two-way communication between China and Spain," Montero told the Global Times in an exclusive interview on Tuesday afternoon.
The Cervantes Institute, or Instituto Cervantes in Spanish, is a public institution created by the Spain government in 1991 to globally promote teaching, study and use of Spanish, and contribute to the dissemination of pan-Hispanic culture.
The three-day Mid-Autumn holidays, which began on September 15, are creating opportunities for the catering industry. Analysts predict that the traditional family reunion holiday will boost local tourism, shopping, and dining sectors, providing a significant boost to economic growth.
As people gather for a big dinner, eating mooncakes, appreciating lanterns and enjoying a light stroll under the full moon, the charm of ancient Chinese festivals has sparked a surge in consumption within the catering industry, fueled by family reunions and holiday celebrations.
Data from the Douyin's local lifestyle services platform reveals an increase of 88 percent increase in searches for "family reunion meals" from September 7 to 13. Additionally, the volume of group meal deals for four or more people has tripled. The platform also reported a 111 percent surge in group orders for mooncakes, according to state-owned news portal southcn.com.
Boosted by festival season, the market for local specialties is in high demand. Hairy crabs from Yangcheng Lake in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province, as well as fruits and mushrooms from Southwest China's Yunnan Province, are gaining popularity, according to domestic media reports.
The surging holiday economy, enhanced consumer market confidence, and record high spending further strengthened the role of consumption as a primary engine for economic growth, said experts.
Data from China-based e-commerce platform Meituan reported a 433 percent week-on-week increase in searches for "Mid-Autumn restaurants," with themed group buying orders surging by more than 76 percent. A staff member at a long-established Baikui restaurant in Beijing told the Global Times that the reservations for Mid-Autumn banquets filled up quickly, with patrons lining up for available spots in the main hall.
The Mid-Autumn Festival also drives significant wine demand through gifts and banquets. Lei Yumeng, general manager of the Zhejiang-based wine importer Xuanyi International Trade Co, said his company saw a 30 percent increase in August sales compared to July, driven in part by a large order in preparations for the festive season. He attributed the surge to strong consumer confidence and a return of gift-giving.
"August sales were indeed substantial, showcasing higher demand for quality dining experiences," Lei told the Global Times on Monday.
Listed catering companies are employing innovative marketing strategies to attract more customers. Chinese restaurant chain Quanjude, for instance, launched a creative cultural event featuring activities including mooncake delivery by individuals dressed as Chang'e, the moon goddess in Chinese mythology, and limited-time online reunion meal deals Meanwhile, hotpot chain Xiabu Xiabu has introduced group meal packages to draw in more patrons.
For many young travelers, exploring local cuisine has become a primary motivation for holiday travel. A university student named Zeng Zhao, from Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, told the Global Times that he was inspired by food bloggers on China's popular video-sharing platform Bilibili. He planned to follow in their footsteps and embark on a food-hunting journey.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is not just a celebration of tradition but also a catalyst for economic activity, especially in the catering sector, highlighting the resilience and potential of China's consumption market, veteran industry observer Liu Dingding told the Global Times on Monday.
Official data showed that in the first half of this year, the income from catering was 2.6 trillion yuan ($366.5 billion), up by 7.9 percent year-on-year, accounting for 22.8 percent of the total retail sales of consumer goods.
