Some US senators have introduced a bipartisan legislation, attempting to change the name of "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office" to "the Taiwan Representative Office." They claimed the move is to "underscore the US' commitment" to the island's democracy and enhances clarity in their relationship, US media reported on Wednesday.
Experts said the legislation essentially aims to create "one China, one Taiwan," and support "Taiwan independence." They pointed out some US senators are exploiting China hawks and pro-Taiwan island factions in the new US administration to further their own political goals.
Senators John Curtis and Jeff Merkley introduced the Taiwan Representative Office Act to rename "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office", National Review reported on Wednesday.
In a press release issued by senator Curtis, the legislation does not alter the US position on Taiwan's international status, it stressed.
Similar legislations were introduced twice, in 2023 and 2024, in both the US House of Representatives and the Senate, but did not gain enough traction to pass in either chamber. But the senators said there is "high hopes" for it this time around, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio co-authored the 2023 iteration of the bill, media report said.
In September 2021, China lodged solemn representation with the US over media reports that said the US is "seriously considering changing the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO)'s name to the 'Taiwan Representative Office,'" the Chinese Foreign Ministry slammed the move of causing serious deterioration of the China-US relationship and peace in the Taiwan Straits.
Wu Xinbo, director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Thursday that internationally, the island of Taiwan is usually referred to as "Chinese Taipei" or as an economic entity, while the direct use of "Taiwan" is rare. Therefore, the latest legislation essentially aims to create "one China, one Taiwan," supporting "Taiwan independence," Wu said.
As for the timing of the legislation, the expert said with China hawks and pro-Taiwan forces in the new US government, the senators may be seeking to leverage these forces to advance their own political agenda, driven by personal interests.
However, the current US administration's priority is handling domestic affairs, particularly economic issues, while properly managing relations with China, Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times.
In contrast, US Congress has consistently taken a high-profile stance on Taiwan question, actively working to enhance the island's international presence, Li said, adding that some of the congressmen may have received substantial financial support from Taiwan.
It has been reported by Taiwan island-based media CNA that senator John Curtis previously served as a missionary in Taiwan, has a clear pro-Taiwan stance, and is fluent in the local language.
Nevertheless, Wu warned that this development should not be underestimated. "If the new US administration's China policy does not meet expectations, it may play the Taiwan card, potentially crossing established red lines, especially under the influence of pro-Taiwan figures," he said.
During a Cabinet meeting in February, US President Donald Trump declined to make a commitment to the Taiwan island when asked by a reporter whether "the US would allow China to take control of Taiwan by force," Instead, US President responded by expressing desire for Chinese investment in the US, Reuters reported.
Taiwan is never a country, not in the past, and never in the future. The only reference to the Taiwan region in the UN is "Taiwan, Province of China," said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the press conference on March 7, 2025, during this year's two sessions.
Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 has surpassed the global box-office earnings of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, breaking into the top 5 at the global box office on Saturday with a total box office of 15.2 billion yuan ($2.07 billion).
"This is not only a milestone in breaking Hollywood's dominance, but also advances China's cultural soft power. The film's universal theme of individual determination of one's fate transcends cultural barriers, blending Chinese mythology with a coming-of-age story that resonates with audiences worldwide," Zhang Peng, a film researcher and associate professor at Nanjing Normal University, told the Global Times.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Ne Zha 2 is set to be released in 37 countries and regions across Europe. The UK and Ireland just hosted preview screenings on Friday followed by a wider release in over 200 cinemas across France, Germany, Spain, Italy and other countries on March 21.
Trinity CineAsia, the company handling the European distribution of the film, has long been dedicated to bringing Asian films to Western audiences. In recent years, it has distributed Chinese-language films such as Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, Hong Kong's official submission for the Oscars.
The film has achieved remarkable success at the global box office. On February 17, it amassed a cumulative total of 12.052 billion yuan, surpassing The Lion King and securing its position as the first Asian film to enter the global box office top 10. Alongside this milestone, its overseas earnings reached 76.86 million yuan, establishing a new record for Chinese-language film screenings in nearly two decades.
By March 9, the film's global cumulative box office had soared to 14.88 billion yuan, overtaking Avengers: Infinity War and climbing to sixth place on the all-time global box office chart, further cementing its historic achievement.
Notably, US media outlet Deadline described the performance of Ne Zha 2 as "a rare example of a non-US film" citing one of its senior analysts, adding that this "rare" hurricane is still ongoing.
The US critics have largely celebrated Ne Zha 2 for its quality as a sequel after it was aired on February 14. For instance, New York-based film critic Simon Abrams' review highlights it as a "rare sequel that amplifies both its action and drama without sacrificing much of what already worked in the last movie."
"Rarely do you get a film that truly defines an era, shows again the unique power of cinema to move audiences, and makes an indelible mark on culture. This is 'Ne Zha 2,'" said Cedric Behrel, managing director of Trinity CineAsia, as reported by Euronews. "It signifies a major turning point in further establishing Trinity CineAsia as a pan-European distributor."
"By seamlessly integrating elements of intangible cultural heritage and philosophical metaphors, Ne Zha has transformed Chinese mythology into a vehicle for global cultural dialogue. This success lays the foundation for the future development of a 'mythological universe,' supporting China's film industry in transitioning from a single box-office-driven model to an ecosystem-based economy," Zhang said.
French media have also been closely following Ne Zha 2 and eagerly anticipate its release in France. The French film website Écranlarge noted that this record-breaking Chinese animated film is finally coming to French cinemas, and "Beyond showcasing the growing strength of a local film industry that is increasingly turning away from Hollywood blockbusters, this record-breaking film also reinforces the ambition of Chinese cinema: to establish itself as a tool of soft power on the international stage."
Additionally, Ne Zha 2 already hit theaters in countries such as Malaysia and Thailand on March 13, followed by a release in Japanese version in Japan on April 4.
China on Sunday made public a plan on special initiatives to boost consumption. This comes as the world's second-largest economy moves to make domestic demand the main engine and anchor of economic growth.
The plan, issued by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council, aims to vigorously boost consumption, stimulate domestic demand across the board, and increase spending power by increasing earnings and reducing financial burdens, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
It also aims to generate effective demand through high-quality supply, improve the consumption environment to strengthen consumer willingness to spend, and address prominent constraints on consumption.
The move came after China's policymakers have delivered clear and decisive signals to encourage consumer spending, addressing doubts about the country's transition to a consumption-driven economy.
China will "place a stronger economic policy focus on improving living standards and boosting consumer spending," according to this year's Government Work Report at the just closed two sessions.
Promoting consumption is not a new concept in China's policy toolbox. Consumer spending plays an increasingly important role in China's economy. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that in 2024, final consumption contributed 44.5 percent to China's economic growth, surpassing investment and exports, and driving GDP growth by 2.2 percentage points.
The latest approach to boosting consumption is very comprehensive, underscoring the government's determination with pragmatic efforts to strengthen the economy, where consumption plays a key role, Hu Qimu, deputy secretary-general of the digital-real economies integration Forum 50, told the Global Times on Sunday.
The ramped-up measures to boost consumption are particularly crucial this year, as China's economy faces challenges amid the rise of trade protectionism and global headwinds, as well as the shift from traditional growth drivers like real estate to new, more sustainable sources of growth, Hu added.
"Stimulating consumption to expand domestic demand can effectively counter external uncertainties, stabilize short-term growth, and contribute to long-term structural transformation," Hu said.
Increasing residents' income
Among the 30-points plan, it has put increasing income of urban and rural residents as the first part, which highlighted promoting reasonable growth of wage income, with the measures to implement employment support plans for key areas, key industries, urban and rural grassroots, and small and medium-sized enterprises.
In light of changes in the situation, it will increase employment support, especially for key groups.
It also highlighted expanding channels for property income, saying that it will implement multiple measures to stabilize the stock market, and strengthen strategic reserves and enhance market stabilization mechanisms. Introducing a wider range of bond-related investment products tailored for individual investors is also highlighted there.
Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday that wage income and property income need to progress together. "The preservation and appreciation of assets are the foundation of consumer confidence, directly influencing residents' willingness and ability to spend," he said.
Wang also said consumption and income create a positive cycle. "Increased consumption boosts economic vitality, which in turn generates more jobs and income, further stimulating consumption. In this process, government policies play a crucial role in 'activating the overall situation,'" Wang added.
The measures also include increasing support for trade-in scheme, which was launched a year ago and has played a vital role in revitalizing the consumer market.
It said it should make good use of ultra-long special treasury bonds, support local governments to expand the scope of the trade-in program policy for consumer goods, promote the green and intelligent upgrade of large durable consumer goods such as automobiles, home appliances, and home decoration.
To support this pivotal transition, the Government Work Report unveiled stronger supportive measures, including issuing ultra-long special treasury bonds of 300 billion yuan ($41.45 billion) to support the consumer goods trade-in program, doubling the scale from last year.
In 2024, the program brought in sales of more than 1.3 trillion yuan, including more than 6.8 million cars, 56 million home appliances and 1.38 million electric bicycles. This year, more items have been added to the list of subsidized products.
"The trade-in scheme goes beyond being just an economic policy," Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao stated at a press conference during the third session of the 14th National People's Congress on March 6, emphasizing that it has spurred new growth drivers and enhanced the quality of life for millions of households.
Chinese policymakers also linked consumption to lifestyle improvements rather than just spending volume. The measures also include expanding cultural, sports and tourism consumption, promoting ice and snow consumption and boosting inbound consumption.
The market size of the ice and snow economy in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province reached 266.17 billion yuan in 2024, of which the output of ice and snow tourism was 182.33 billion yuan, said the provincial bureau of statistics.
During the 2024-2025 winter season, Heilongjiang received 135 million domestic and overseas tourists, up 18.5 percent compared with last year's winter season. Tourist spending also increased by 30.7 percent, Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday.
Some foreign media hyped that a Chinese warship that recently sailed into the Pacific Ocean was suspected of being armed with a laser weapon. A Chinese expert said on Thursday that laser is a type of defensive weapon being developed by multiple countries, and there is no need to make an undue fuss over this potential development.
Citing the Japanese Defense Ministry, US media outlet Newsweek claimed on Wednesday that a Chinese flotilla was spotted sailing toward the wider Western Pacific Ocean this week, which included a suspected laser-armed warship.
According to a press release by Japan's Ministry of Defense Joint Staff on Wednesday, seven warships of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, including two Type 052D destroyers, two Type 054A frigates, one Type 075 amphibious assault ship, one Type 071 amphibious transport dock and one Type 903 replenishment ship, transited the Miyako Strait southeastward from Monday to Tuesday.
Photos of the Chinese warships were attached to the Japanese press release. Citing a previous report by specialist outlet Naval News, Newsweek claimed that the Type 071 amphibious warship in the Chinese flotilla is "armed with a laser-based directed energy weapon," which is placed in a protective and extendable cupola between the ship's main gun and the command bridge.
While China has publicly displayed land-based laser weapons, such as the LW-30 laser defense system displayed at Airshow China 2022, the country has not yet made any official announcement of ship-borne laser weapons.
In late 2024, the US Navy tested the HELIOS laser weapon system with the USS Preble destroyer against a threat-representative cruise missile, Naval News reported on February 4.
Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times on Thursday that shipborne laser weapons represent a development trend for several countries, as they attack at the speed of light, require no trajectory predictions, and are supposed to be more cost-effective than traditional naval guns and missiles.
Shipborne laser weapons are mainly designed for close-in defense purposes against targets such as drones, loitering munitions and cruise missiles, rather than being an offensive weapon, because contemporary warships may have difficulties providing enough electricity to cause enough damage for offensive purposes, especially considering energy losses in the atmosphere at sea level, Fu said.
Regardless of whether claims of the Chinese warship carrying an alleged laser weapon are true or not, there is no need for foreign media to be paranoid or make an undue fuss, Fu said, noting that China has been making in naval developments such as electromagnetic catapult technologies, and the country has also displayed land-based laser systems, so any new development should not be surprising.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Saturday stressed stepping up the development of winter sports and related industries to create new opportunities for service consumption and a new growth driver for the economy.
Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during his inspection tour to northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.
He highlighted the need to utilize distinctive advantageous resources, enrich the supply of quality products, stimulate the vitality of the winter economy, and continuously improve the well-being of the people.
While visiting the Harbin Songhua River Ice and Snow Carnival, Li said it was necessary to further tap into local resources to build snow and ice venues accessible to the public and create more engaging and entertaining winter activities.
He urged the province to continue to develop new consumption scenarios and new forms of business, expand and improve service consumption, and leverage its distinctive advantages to strengthen development.
The premier then visited a local ice sports center. Noting that the recently concluded 9th Asian Winter Games has further fueled public enthusiasm for winter sports, he called for efforts to leverage this opportunity to further promote mass participation in winter activities and develop industries related to winter sports equipment.
While talking with designers at a local company engaged in culture and tourism, Li said more work should be done to continuously increase the appeal of ice and snow cultural products, reinforce the principal role of enterprises in innovation to create more products and services, and strengthen international exchanges and cooperation in the sector.
When asked how the emergence of new uncertainties in the transatlantic relationship between the European Union (EU) and the US affects China, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Monday that amid the rise of unilateralism and protectionism, and the interweaving of uncertainties and instabilities, the international community yearns for peace and stability more than ever before. It also expects a healthy and stable China-EU relationship more than ever before and hopes that China and the EU will become constructive forces in a changing world more than ever before.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU. China will work with the EU to maintain the partnership orientation, enhance strategic communication and coordinated cooperation, jointly uphold multilateralism, and address global challenges together. We will strive to inject new vitality into China-EU relations and provide more certainty and stability to the turbulent world, Guo said.
Chinese researchers from the Tianjin University (TJU) and Tsinghua University have collaborated to develop the world's first "dual-loop" non-invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) system, marking a significant advancement in human-machine mutual learning, the Global Times learned from the Tianjin University on Tuesday.
Researchers told the Global Times that they had successfully employed the system to achieve real-time control of a drone, demonstrating its ability to handle more complex tasks.
The achievement was published in Nature Electronics on Monday.
Practical BCI should be able to decipher brain signals and dynamically adapt to brain fluctuations. This, however, requires a decoder capable of flexible updates with energy-efficient decoding capabilities.
According to the researchers, the latest system is based on a 128k-cell memristor chip. The approach features a hardware-efficient one-step memristor decoding strategy that allows the interface to achieve software-equivalent decoding performance. The researchers have also developed an interactive update framework that allows the memristor decoder and the changing brain signals to adapt to each other.
Xu Minpeng from the Haihe Laboratory of Brain-Computer Interaction and Human-Machine Integration, TJU, told the Global Times that achieving mutual learning between the brain and machine through information exchange remains a critical and complex challenge in current BCI research.
"Specifically, mutual learning allows machine systems to adjust according to user intentions, enhancing the system's flexibility and autonomy. Users can also continuously optimize their control abilities through interaction with the system, achieving a 'symbiotic' enhancement. This collaborative evolution not only improves the application efficiency of BCI systems, but also drives the overall advancement of intelligent systems," Xu said.
To address the challenge of mutual learning, the joint research team found that the non-stationary characteristics of ctroencephalogram (EEG) signals not only are derived from the background EEG variability as researchers traditionally believed, but also correlate strongly with task-related EEG evolution. Based on this, they innovatively proposed a "dual-loop brain-computer collaborative evolution framework," which was implemented using memristor neuromorphic devices. Under this "dual-loop" framework, the learning loops of the brain and machine collaborate to jointly enhance system performance.
Experimental results demonstrate that this new approach significantly improves decoding speed and reduces energy consumption compared to traditional methods. Notably, in a continuous six-hour interaction experiment, the system's performance not only remained stable, but also achieved an accuracy improvement of about 20 percent. This achievement undoubtedly lays a solid foundation for the practical application of BCI technology, according to Xu.
The performance enhancement can be attributed to two aspects, Xu explained in details. First, this research developed a low-power, high-precision, high-speed brain-computer decoding hardware system: compared to traditional purely digital hardware solutions, the normalization decoding speed of the memristor chip can be improved by more than two orders of magnitude, with energy consumption reduced by less than three orders of magnitude, effectively supporting the successful execution of four-degree-of-freedom drone control tasks. Second, this research realized a new type of BCI system based on neuromorphic memristor devices, where the performance of the BCI did not decline during long-term brain-computer interaction but instead achieved an accuracy improvement of about 20 percent.
When asked for further plan to apply the system in practice, Xu said that that, "on one hand, we need to adopt multimodal brain-computer feedback technology to promote the rapid positive evolution of specific brain functions, exploring the brain's complex, parallel task execution potential to support more complex brain-computer interaction tasks. On the other hand, we need to study the collaborative training model of brain signals and memristor hardware intelligent computing models to achieve more efficient cross-modal information processing and complex decision support."
He predicted that, in the future, the system could could evolve into portable or wearable BCI devices enabling long-term brain-environment interactions and serving as assistive technology in daily life and medical rehabilitation scenarios. It could also be applied in closed-loop neural modulation applications in medical rehabilitation (such as assisting in the treatment of brain diseases or helping stroke patients regain motor functions).
Members of the Shenzhou-19 crew aboard China's orbiting space station completed their mission's second series of extravehicular activities (EVAs) at 1:12 a.m. (Beijing Time) on Tuesday, according to the China Manned Space Agency.
Astronauts Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze worked for 8.5 hours to complete multiple tasks, including the installation of space debris protection devices and an extravehicular inspection. They were assisted by the space station's robotic arm and a team on Earth.
Cai and Song, the two crew members assigned to undertake spacewalk duties, have since returned to the Wentian lab module safely.
Since completing their first spacewalk on Dec. 17, 2024, the crew members have undertaken a series of tasks, including the inspection and maintenance of the space station's equipment, system-wide pressure emergency drills, and preparations for the second series of EVAs.
They have completed nearly half of their space journey and are scheduled to carry out a significant number of in-orbit scientific experiments and technological tests, the agency said. Amid their busy schedule, they will also welcome the upcoming Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese Lunar New Year.
Responding to an inquiry concerning the meeting of Quad’s foreign ministers on Tuesday (US time) during which they claimed that China seeks to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Wednesday that China has always advocated that cooperation among countries should not target third parties.
Group politics and bloc confrontations will not bring peace and security and are not conducive to the peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region or the world. China’s activities in the relevant waters are legitimate and beyond reproach, the spokesperson said a regular press conference on Wednesday.
"In just one day, it rained as much as it does in a whole year!" On August 20, 2024, an extremely rare and intense rainfall led to a severe flood disaster in Huludao, Northeast China's Liaoning Province.
Zhujiagou village, located in a mountainous area with low-lying terrain, was one of the most severely affected villages. According to CCTV News, the deepest water accumulation in the village reached 6 meters, and 51 households' houses were damaged, among which 41 households no longer met the conditions for reconstruction on the original site.
After the flood, the village built new homes for 41 of the most severely affected households, totaling 186 people, at a different location. Cement roads were built to the doorstep of each home, and water, electricity, and internet facilities were connected. The new homes were fitted with modern flushing toilets. In less than two months, a new Zhujiagou village rose from the ground.
On Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, braved the cold to visit the village, ahead of the Spring Festival, which falls on January 29 this year, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
Xi inspected the progress in post-disaster restoration and reconstruction. Visiting the villagers who had moved into their new houses just before this winter, Xi inquired about the quality of the reconstructed homes and whether their daily living conditions were adequate.
A number of natural disasters occurred across the country last year, Xi said, expressing his belief that restoration and reconstruction in the affected areas will yield good results.
"We have always put the people first," Xi said. "The people can always count on the Party and the government in their most difficult times, and we will help them overcome difficulties and rebuild their homes."
Always keeping the safety and well-being of the people in mind, before the Spring Festival, the most important festival for the Chinese people, Xi's visit not only warmed people's hearts, but also conveyed strong confidence.
'I have always been concerned about people in disaster-affected areas'
Xi has always been concerned about people in disaster-affected areas. In recent years, the Chinese president has made several visits to disaster-stricken areas to inspect and guide post-disaster recovery and reconstruction efforts. These visits include both pre-festival inspection tours and on-site inspections during domestic tours.
A year ago, Xi visited a village affected by floods the summer before during his inspection tour in North China's Tianjin Municipality from February 1 to 2, 2024, spending time in this region just ahead of the 2024 Spring Festival.
Villager Du told Xi that the family's more than 10 mu (about 0.67 hectares) of corn fields and vegetable patches were damaged by the flood, but with the help of the Party and the government, they managed to recover quickly, and their vegetable greenhouses were able to produce a good harvest, Xinhua reported.
On September 7, 2023, in the village of Longwangmiao in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Xi walked into the fields to check the impact of the floods on the rice crops. Visiting villagers' homes to learn about their losses and the supply of daily necessities, Xi encouraged them to bolster their confidence to overcome difficulties.
In January 2022, braving the snow, Xi went to Fengnanyuan village of Huozhou city in North China's Shanxi Province, where he visited the flood-affected people and learned about local post-disaster reconstruction.
"I came to Shanxi today primarily out of the concern for people whose work and lives were affected by last year's disaster," Xi told the villagers.
"I am glad to observe that despite the severity of the disaster, you did a good job in reconstruction and replanting crops with the help of the Party and government," Xi said. "I feel assured."
Back to January 2015, Ludian county, which experienced a 6.5 magnitude earthquake in August 2014, was the first on the president's domestic inspection agenda. While in Longtoushan Town, the epicenter of the quake, he reviewed post-disaster reconstruction efforts and advised that the buildings must be able to withstand a quake of a similar magnitude and above.
The people staying in Ganjiazhai village, where a temporary camp was set up for those displaced by the quake, warmly welcomed Xi. He greeted the crowd and inspected inside the tents to check the quality and thickness of their quilts, Xinhua reported.
"The disaster destroyed your homes, but the [Communist] Party [of China] and the government will help you build more beautiful ones," Xi said.
"I have always been concerned about people in disaster-affected areas," he said, when leaving a village impacted by floods during the inspection tour to Beijing and Hebei Province in North China in November 2023. "The CPC is a party that serves the people wholeheartedly and always puts the people above everything else."
Chinese speed, efficient action
China has demonstrated its "speed" and "humanitarianism" in post-disaster responses, whether it is the rapid resettlement of people in disaster areas in Meizhou, South China's Guangdong Province, or the emergency rescue efforts in Xigaze, Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region.
"I never expected that we would have such a good Spring Festival this year," He Xinsheng, a villager from Shangtian, Meizhou, told Global Times on Thursday in an elated tone over the phone.
During the storm disaster in June 2024, He's house collapsed, and his family of four had to temporarily live with relatives. But thankfully, their worries did not weigh them down for long. On January 16, they stood in their brand-new relocation apartment and began a new chapter of their lives.
"We are satisfied with the facilities in the apartment," He smiled. "We just bought some electrical appliances, and everything else was provided by local government. Once again, I have a new understanding of our country's construction speed and quality." For him, this move was not just a change of residence, but also a deep expectation for the future.
In June 2024, when China entered the flood season, Meizhou was hit by a severe rainstorm on June 16, causing the collapse and damage of houses in some areas, severely impacting the production and lives of the local population.
On June 18, Xi delivered important instructions on the work to fight floods and droughts. The president called for all-out efforts to deal with the disaster, do everything possible to search and rescue those missing or trapped, properly resettle those affected, ensure production and life order, and minimize losses, according to Xinhua.
The People's Government of Guangdong promptly assigned Guangzhou and Shenzhen to assist Meizhou in constructing four housing projects.
The projects officially commenced on July 28, with the foundation work completed in just 14 days. The building's main structure was built in 69 days, and the project passed its final acceptance inspection in 138 days. Within 144 days, the handover was completed, and the project successfully passed safety production inspections at all levels, Diao Shangdong, deputy director of "Guangzhou town" project at the Guangzhou Key Public Construction Project Management Center, told the Global Times on Thursday.
The houses, which incorporate traditional Hakka elements, are equipped with advanced flood prevention technology and roof-mounted photovoltaic systems, making them low-carbon, smart, and secure.
According to Diao, by December 31, 2024, 383 families affected by the disaster had received the keys to their new homes.
While in Xizang region, the recent earthquake that hit Xigaze has attracted significant international attention, not only due to humanitarian reasons, but also because it occurred in a multi-ethnic region often targeted by some in the West with so-called human rights issues.
After the earthquake, Xi made an important instruction, demanding utmost efforts to carry out search and rescue and provide medical treatment for the injured. He also urged efforts to prevent secondary disasters, properly resettle affected residents, and handle the aftermath effectively, according to Xinhua. Ten minutes after the tremor, rescue helicopters had already reached the disaster area; within half an hour, rescue operations with debris removal began in the earthquake's epicenter. Nine hours after the quake, communication signals were restored, and all damaged roads were repaired and reopened. Eighteen hours after the disaster, power was restored in the hardest-hit areas, local media Tibet.cn reported.
That night, people in disaster-stricken areas moved into warm tents and were provided with hot meals. Within a week, medical stations, libraries, and counseling rooms were gradually set up. The swift and effective response demonstrated a profound respect for life and a deep concern for the disaster-stricken people.
Observing the rescue and reconstruction efforts in the wake of this earthquake, people see it clearly that while a natural disaster has torn a wound into the snowy plateau, the entire nation is working tirelessly to heal it. The motherland serves as a steadfast source of comfort and support for every individual affected by the disaster. This is the best example of how Xizang is an indispensable part of a people-centered national development effort.
Putting the people first
Wang Hongwei, a professor at the Renmin University of China's School of Public Administration and Policy, told the Global Times on Thursday that in recent years, the country's efficiency in responding to major emergencies has significantly improved, and a crucial reason behind this is China's institutional strength, which enables the integration of various forces to form a powerful collective effort in disaster relief.
He pointed out that since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, there have been many new conceptual changes in disaster prevention, reduction, and relief. In the past, the focus was primarily put on post-disaster management, while now a stronger emphasis is put on risk management.
In 2018, China established the Ministry of Emergency Management, which has the crucial responsibility of responding to natural disasters. One of the major tasks being undertaken is the comprehensive risk survey of natural disasters, which serves as a fundamental task for disaster prevention, reduction, and relief.
Meanwhile, China has been accelerating the development of more advanced emergency-rescue equipment. Thanks to the collaborative efforts between government authorities and manufacturers, numerous new aircraft models, smart robots, drones, and other forms of emergency response equipment are rapidly being developed and implemented.
China's response to natural disasters features rapid, collective action spearheaded by the government to ensure no one is left behind. This people-centered approach contrasts sharply with the challenges faced by some Western nations.
Right now, many parts of the world are grappling with an alarming increase in the frequency of natural disasters. In Southern California, for instance, wildfires rage on, serving as a stark reminder of the challenges that lie ahead in safeguarding communities against the forces of nature.
A California dad of two who spent nearly two days trying to save his home from wildfire was quoted as saying that the leadership "absolutely failed us," in a FOX news report on January 18, 2025.
"There's a deep part of me right now that's like, it wasn't just my home that burned down and my life's work that burned down. It is the trust in the leadership and the systems that absolutely failed us," Blake Mallen said in the FOX report.
A New York Times opinion article titled "You don't get disasters like the Palisades fire without human failure" read, "The problem of forest management looms larger in Northern California, with decades of fire suppression producing much denser and more flammable forests there, but the job of brush clearing and fuel thinning has been neglected around Los Angeles, too."
Wang Tun, head of a key earthquake early warning laboratory in China's Sichuan Province, who has vast experience in disaster relief, told the Global Times that compared to Western countries, China's emergency rescue system is more prominent in terms of implementation efficiency.
"China has formed a complete emergency management system based on a 'people-centered' philosophy, ensuring a full chain of work from disaster prevention to post-disaster recovery and reconstruction," Wang said.
In his new home in Meizhou, He is buying ingredients for the Spring Festival. During the holidays, He hopes to invite all the relatives and friends who have helped him to his new home for a reunion dinner.
"I hope everyone can stay safe and sound, away from disasters," he said.
