Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol.67/No.32 i Beijing Review

Forty years ago when China secured its first Olympic gold medal in Los Angeles, the United States, the country’s 225 athletes competed in 16 sports. This year, Team China, consisting of 405 Olympians, is competing in 30 of the 32 sports featured during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games. It is participating in 236 out of the 329 medal events at the Games, which opened in the French capital on July 26 and will conclude on August 11. China has come a long way in its Olympic journey. But what matters is not just numbers; the country’s approach to sports has also evolved. While China’s prowess in sports like table tennis and diving is expected to be maintained, Gen Z athletes seek to capture global attention in emerging Olympic sports…

On July 20, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) under the U.S. Department of Energy revealed the country’s nuclear weapons stockpile, saying that from fiscal year 1994 to fiscal year 2023, the United States dismantled over 12,000 nuclear warheads. As of September 2023, the U.S. nuclear arsenal had been reduced to 3,748 warheads. The time of the announcement was carefully chosen. On July 22, the second session of the Preparatory Committee for the 11th Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons opened in Geneva, Switzerland. By announcing that it had significantly reduced the number of nuclear warheads, the United States apparently intended to exert pressure on other nuclear-weapon states. Despite the decrease in its nuclear warheads, the United States’ spending in the nuclear…

The mother of Li Meng (pseudonym), a resident of Tianjin Municipality, was recently misled by an article that had been posted on a social media platform. The article, framed as a popular science piece, described a girl who had developed a terminal illness after playing with a cat. Concerned, Li’s mother strongly opposed her daughter keeping cats, fearing she might also contract the “fatal disease.” Li and her mother had a heated argument about the article, according to a report by Beijingbased newspaper Legal Daily. Li’s mother believed in the authenticity of the videos, images and purported research by doctors and medical teams included in the article, assuming the information was all true. Upon further examination, Li discovered that the article had been generated by artificial intelligence (AI). The social…

Despite negative arguments about China’s growth and future policies in some quarters, senior Party leaders recently laid out a reassuring strategic framework. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, held in Beijing from July 15 to 18, focused on the further comprehensive deepening of the country’s reform. Decisions adopted at the session are expected to positively impact the business activities of market players. For foreign-funded enterprises, in particular, the meeting offered a better understanding of China’s economic policy directions and potential business opportunities. The plenum pledged to better leverage the market’s role, foster a fairer and more dynamic market environment, and optimize resource allocation efficiency. One important measure is “unswervingly consolidating and developing the public sector and unswervingly encouraging, supporting, and guiding…

In the recently released documentary Defenders of the Hidden, one young woman said that despite devoting several years to protecting Chinese pangolins in south China, she and her colleagues had never personally seen a pangolin in the wild, only occasionally coming across traces of them. “It’s very rare to see them in the wild. We’re working so hard to protect them,” she said. Slow-moving, secretive and nocturnal, pangolins are covered in protective scales and curl up into a ball when threatened. They are rarely seen, even by those who’ve studied them for decades, but despite their lack of discernible presence, they are of great ecological importance, influencing the structure, function and health of forest ecosystems. Pangolins are among the most common illegally traded wild mammals in the world. Before a…

As the rainy season begins in Beijing, Rocío Colón’s study in the city is coming to an end. The U.S. college student, from San Juan, Puerto Rico, arrived in China for the first time on June 21 for a two-month standard Chinese language course under a collaborative program between Princeton University and Beijing Normal University. “It’s been a great experience so far, even though two months is a very short time,” she told Beijing Review. “Why Chinese?” This is a question that many people have asked her, especially back in her hometown, where not many people speak the language. “I was drawn to Chinese calligraphy and I found the characters to be beautiful. Additionally, the language is unlike Spanish and English, which I had studied before,” she explained, adding that…

NEW SICHUAN GOVERNOR Shi Xiaolin, 55, was elected governor of Sichuan, a southwestern province with a permanent resident population of 83 million, at a July 31 session of the Sichuan Provincial People’s Congress. Shi graduated from Shanghai University with a major in electrical technology in 1990. She began her career at a wood factory in Shanghai, before joining the public service and rising through the ranks. Shi completed an in-service graduate program from 1997 to 2001 and received a master of business administration degree from Tongji University in Shanghai. Shi began working in Sichuan in 2021, and later became deputy secretary of the Sichuan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China. Currently, she is one of the three women heading provincial-level governments in China. Restrictions on Riders Yanzhao Evening…

The Chinese ethos has long held that “food is of primary importance to the people,” reflecting the nation’s enduring focus on food security as a central strategic element. China’s first food security law, which came into force on June 1, modernizes this principle. The country is enhancing its food production capacity and risk resilience through technological innovation and systematic improvements. At the same time, it’s strengthening grain reserve management and national food security measures. These actions ensure China’s food supply while contributing to global food security, demonstrating a sense of international responsibility. ‘Greater’ approaches On March 6, 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping introduced the “Greater Food” approach at a joint meeting of national political advisors from the agriculture, welfare and social security sectors attending the Fifth Session of the 13th…

For a nation, having a local legacy recognized as a World Heritage site is a prestigious accomplishment. It brings immediate global recognition, economic opportunities, and responsibilities, while supporting the preservation of the cultural and historical heritage. Located in the heart of Beijing, the Central Axis is a testament to China’s rich cultural heritage and architectural ingenuity. Stretching 7.8 km from the Yongding Gate in the south to the Bell Tower in the north, this historic axis is not just a backbone of the city’s layout but also a symbol of its enduring significance. On July 27, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced that the Beijing Central Axis had been included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List during the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee held from…

When choosing which college to attend, students often weigh a multitude of factors, including location, climate, campus atmosphere, reputation and available resources including equipment. Another aspect to consider is the school’s position in international rankings such as the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by U.S.-based Times Higher Education, the QS World University Rankings by British company Quacquarelli Symonds, and the Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News and World Report (U.S. News for short). These rankings are especially important for students worldwide who wish to pursue higher studies abroad. U.S. News released its list for the 2024-25 academic year on June 25, featuring 2,250 higher education institutions from 104 countries. The elements that determine the ranking include publications, research reputation, frequency of academic quotations and contributions to international cooperation.…

Recently, a young man in his 20s from Beijing has chosen to serve as a “shared son” for the parents of strangers. What’s more, he’s already successfully persuaded 100 of his peers to sign a mutual assistance agreement designed to help each other’s parents when they are out and about by themselves. This type of agreement has now become a social media trend, with many young people enthusiastically signing up. They are motivated by concerns that their parents, most of whom are in their 50s or older, may encounter different challenges during their outings, particularly ones generated by advanced technologies. These agreements are not legally binding, nor do they involve any institutional supervision. Some people have voiced opposition to the idea of performing good deeds based on signed agreements. Lending…