China's health authority issued a guidance on preventing pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough or 100-day cough, on Tuesday, while the disease has reportedly been surging in many countries and regions across the world.  

Pertussis is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by Bordetella pertussis. It is highly infectious, mainly spread through respiratory droplets, while recovery tends to take a long while. It is one of the most common childhood diseases and also one of the major causes of infant and young child mortality worldwide, according to a post released by the Chinese National Disease Control and Prevention Administration on its social media account. 

Vaccination is the most economical and effective way to prevent pertussis, and is important in reducing the severity and mortality after pertussis infection, the post noted, citing Zheng Hui, an expert from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China's CDC).  

Zheng urged Chinese parents to get their children vaccinated against pertussis as soon as possible. "The protective antibodies obtained through natural recovery or vaccine immunity against pertussis cannot last a lifetime. With time, the protective effect of antibodies will decrease, so pertussis can occur in people of all ages, with infants and young children at higher risk. The younger the child, the higher the risk of complications and severe illness," he explained.

China included the vaccine protecting against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP3) into the national immunization program in 1978. 

Since then the reported incidence rate of pertussis had decreased by about 900 times by 2013, according to the Science and Technology Daily. 

However, the incidence rate has been on the rise since 2014. This year, the trend of sharp increase is even more pronounced with the total number of pertussis cases in January and February reaching 32,380, nearly 23 times higher than the same period in 2023 and close to the total number of cases for the entire previous year. There were also 13 deaths from the disease reported in the two months, according to data released by China's CDC.

Besides China, spiking pertussis cases have also observed in many other countries and regions across the world.

According to a report from the South China Morning Post on Tuesday, the number of whooping cough cases recorded in the first three months of 2024 in the Philippines was 30 times that of the same period in 2023, when the health department tallied just 28 infections. The climbing infections have led to at least 49 deaths among young children in the Philippines this year. 

Pertussis has also been spreading across Europe in recent months, according to Politico. In 2023, a total of 853 cases were recorded in England. In February of this year alone, there were 913 cases, Politico said citing the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The figures reportedly constitute the biggest outbreak of whooping cough in England in at least 10 years.

The current European hotspot is Croatia, which reported 6,261 cases in the first two and a half months of this year, according to Politico. 

In 2022, there were more than 62,500 cases of pertussis globally and nearly 39,000 cases were reported in the Western Pacific Region, according to the World Health Organization.

The reasons for the increasing incidence of pertussis include weakening of vaccine immunity over time, according to Chinese experts. They called for improvement of pertussis monitoring systems, promotion of pertussis vaccine research and development and optimization of immunization strategies.

The DTP vaccine includes whole-cell and acellular vaccines, which have undergone three generations of processes. The earliest whole-cell process used inactivated bacteria, which had good efficacy but caused strong reactions after vaccination. Starting in 2007, China gradually implemented the strategy of replacing whole-cell DTP vaccines with acellular DTP combination vaccines, completing the full replacement by 2012, Tao Lina, an expert on Chinese vaccine industry, told the Global Times on Tuesday. 

Currently, the acellular DTP vaccine widely used in China is a co-purified process vaccine, which belongs to the second generation of pertussis vaccines. However, the effective antigen components cannot be accurately quantified, and production and quality control faces challenges. In contrast, the DTP vaccines applied in developed countries are all third-generation component pertussis vaccines, with higher technical requirements and vaccine costs. The main manufacturers are Sanofi Pasteur and GlaxoSmithKline, according to Tao.

As to the optimization of the country's immunization strategy, Tao said that one adjustment that can be made is to advance the first dose from 3 months to 2 months of age.

Several Chinese vaccine companies have been reportedly investing in developing third-generation DTP vaccines, including Chongqing Zhifei Biological Products, Hualan Vaccine Inc and CanSino Biotech.

According to an announcement released by CanSino on August 14, 2023, their acellular DTP vaccine for infants and young children has started Phase III clinical trials and completed the enrollment of the first subject. In addition, the company is also developing a vaccine for adolescents and adults, which was officially approved for clinical trials in June 2023.

Hualan Vaccine's 2023 annual report also revealed that their acellular DTP vaccine has entered clinical trials, with Phase III clinical trials expected to begin in 2024.

During the Qingming Festival, a total of 5.189 million passenger trips were recorded across Chinese border ports, an increase of 69.6 percent year-on-year. Among them, foreigners made 500,000 passenger trips, marking a significant increase of 163.2 percent compared to last year amid a series of measures to facilitate entry of foreign nationals.

According to China's National Immigration Administration (NIA) on Sunday, during the Qingming Festival holidays, a total of 5.189 million passenger trips were recorded across Chinese border ports, at an average of 1.73 million trips per day.

Among them, residents from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan made 2.267 million passenger trips, an increase of 35.9 percent compared to the same period last year.

According to the NIA, in response to the influx of Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan residents returning hometown to honor their ancestors, special inspection channels were established to facilitate their entry and exit during the holidays.

According to China Central Television (CCTV), during the Qingming Festival holidays, multiple entry and exit ports in Hong Kong experienced a peak in the number of people passing through, with many Hong Kong residents choosing to travel to mainland.

From March 28 to April 4, there have been over 7.8 million entries and exits in Hong Kong, with an average of approximately 980,000 entries and exits per day, a 46 percent increase compared to the same period last year. On the day of the Qingming Festival, which falls on April 4 this year, over 1.01 million passenger trips were recorded through Hong Kong, an increase of about 52 percent compared to last year, with around 70 percent being Hong Kong residents, according to CCTV.

High cost-effectiveness and diverse choices are important reasons why many Hong Kong residents choose to travel north during the holidays, while continuous innovation in customs policies and increasingly improved transportation infrastructure also provide more conveniences for traveling to mainland.

Some Hong Kong residents said that they have been frequently traveling to mainland for shopping during the holidays, finding cities such as Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province better value for money and offering excellent service, with smooth customs clearance and convenient entry and exit procedures. Hong Kong residents are full of confidence in the development of the Greater Bay Area, they said.

The NIA revealed that mainland residents made a total of 2.422 million passenger trips through Chinese border ports, marking an increase of 101.7 percent compared to the previous year. Additionally, 500,000 foreigners passed through the country's border, reflecting a 163.2 percent increase over the same period last year.

The remarkable growth in the number of foreigners arriving in China after a series of measures facilitating entries of foreign nationals were conducted. On March 1, the People's Bank of China (PBC) announced measures to guide Chinese payment platforms to increase the single transaction limit for foreign nationals using mobile payment services from $1,000 to $5,000 and the annual transaction limit from $10,000 to $50,000, as part of efforts to enhance payment convenience.

China's leading payment platforms Alipay and Weixin Pay have also introduced a series of measures to improve payment services for foreign nationals. Major Chinese cities like Beijing and Shanghai have stepped up efforts to improve means of payment for foreign travelers, a move to promote inbound tourism and high-level opening-up.

In January, the NIA announced that foreign nationals can enjoy 24-hour direct transit without undergoing border check procedures at nine major airports in cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Xiamen, and Guangzhou, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Additionally, multiple-entry visas are available for foreigners, while the application requirements for visa documents have been streamlined for foreigners visiting the country, according to the NIA.

The Chinese meteorological authority issued an orange alert for severe convective weather on Tuesday, marking the first such alert since 2013. It stated that many regions in the country are expected to experience thunderstorms, strong winds, hail, or heavy rainfall from Tuesday to Wednesday, with wind speeds potentially reaching level 12 in some areas.

According to China's National Meteorological Center (NMC), the orange alert for severe convective weather was issued at 6 pm on Tuesday. This marks the first orange alert for severe convective weather since 2013 and the first time that the highest level of warning for this type of weather condition has been issued since the establishment of meteorological disaster warning standards by the NMC.

The meteorological authority said that from Tuesday evening to Wednesday evening, some areas in provinces and regions including Anhui, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Hubei, Hunan and Jiangxi will experience thunderstorms or hail with wind speeds exceeding level 10. In some areas, wind speeds may reach 12 or above, with hailstones exceeding 20 millimeters in diameter.

Additionally, some areas in Jiangsu, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guizhou and Guangxi are expected to experience short-term heavy rainfall, with hourly rainfall amounts ranging from 30 to 50 millimeters, and locally exceeding 70 millimeters.

The NMC reminded the public to limit outdoor activities during windy weather. It is advised to steer clear of narrow and lengthy pathways surrounded by tall buildings if one must go out, as the wind intensity tends to escalate in such areas, posing a risk to pedestrians.

People should also stay away from loosely installed billboards, withered street trees, and residential buildings cluttered with debris to prevent accidents caused by falling objects from heights, the NMC said. Besides, people should wear masks, scarves, and other dust-proof items to prevent damage to the eyes and respiratory system from sand and dust stirred up by strong winds.

Starting from Saturday, thunderstorms, strong winds, or hail have been reported in various areas in the southern part of China, with extreme severe convective weather occurring in Nanchang, East China's Jiangxi Province, amid record-breaking wind levels.

The meteorological observatory in Nanchang on Tuesday afternoon issued a red alert for hailstone, saying that some areas of the city are expected to experience severe hail weather, while thunderstorms, strong winds, and heavy rain warnings are also in effect simultaneously. The meteorological authority called on the public to suspend all outdoor activities.

Due to the severe hailstorms and strong convective weather on Tuesday, a house collapsed in Honggutan district in Nanchang, trapping people inside. After receiving the report, the local fire department dispatched seven rescue vehicles and 50 rescue personnel to the scene. As of now, all trapped individuals have been rescued, and a total of 11 people were injured, who have been sent to the hospital for treatment.

According to the NMC, as extreme strong convective weather occurred in Nanchang on Sunday, 13 local meteorological observation stations registered record wind breakthroughs and lightning 2,783 times. More than half of the city's meteorological stations observed winds exceeding level eight. Four people in Nanchang died and more than 10 were injured on Sunday due to the extreme strong convective weather, according to media reports.

The meteorological bureau in Jiangxi Province on Tuesday initiated a level IV emergency response to cope with the expected strong winds and hail, as some areas will experience heavy rain and thunderstorms with wind speeds of around level 10.

Meteorological experts noted that the recent high temperatures and active warm and humid air currents in the southern region have accumulated enough energy. When they meet cold air from the north, it can easily lead to the development of strong convective weather.

According to Weather China website, severe convective weather is the most difficult type of weather to forecast, as it comes quickly and is extremely destructive. In May 2020, East China's Shandong Province suffered three rounds of wind and hail disasters, affecting 13 cities and 867,000 people. Nearly 100,000 hectares of wheat and fruit crops such as apples and cherries in the fruiting period were also affected, resulting in direct economic losses of 3.9 billion yuan ($0.54 billion).

As the Qingming Festival approaches, the national meteorological authorities said on Tuesday that most of the northern regions are expected to have sunny weather during the holidays, while the southern regions will still see heavy rainfall, with some areas also experiencing short periods of heavy precipitation, thunderstorms, strong winds, hail and other severe convective weather. Attention should be paid to preventing secondary disasters that may be caused by continuous rainfall, according to media reports.

China's latest population growth has become clear after local regions released their population data, with South China's Guangdong remaining the leading province in terms of growth for six consecutive years.

At the end of 2023, the permanent population of Guangdong was 127.06 million, an increase of 490,000 from the end of the previous year and the annual number of births was 1.03 million, with a birth rate of 8.12 per mille, according to the recent-released statistical bulletin on Guangdong's economic and social development in 2023. 

Starting from 2019, Guangdong has been the only province to see annual births surpass 1 million for four consecutive years, while it has remained the leading province in terms of birth rate for six consecutive years. 

Data also shows that the province's permanent urban population was 95.83 million, accounting for 75.42 percent of the permanent population (urbanization rate), an increase of 0.63 percentage points from the previous year. The number of deaths was 680,000, with a death rate of 5.36 per mille; the natural population growth was 350,000, with a natural growth rate of 2.76 per mille.

Niu Fengrui, a researcher from Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday that it is an inevitable trend for the population to spontaneously migrate to areas with fast economic growth, more employment opportunities, high income levels and vitality.

Driven by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the economic development of the Yangtze River Delta, Guangdong succeeds in being a pioneer for vitality, Niu noted. 

East China's Shandong, the second most populous province, saw its permanent population decline by nearly 400,000 in 2023, with the decline being more pronounced among provinces that have published data. Besides Shangdong, Southwest China's Chongqing and Sichuan, which have shown impressive economic growth rates in recent years, have seen a shift from positive to negative population growth. In 2023, the resident population of Chongqing and Sichuan decreased by 219,100 and 60,000, respectively.

The data for the traditionally populous provinces in the central part of China - Henan, Hunan, Anhui, Hubei, Jiangxi and Shanxi - show negative growths for all six's resident population in 2023, with decreases of 570,000 people, 360,000 people, 60,000 people, 60,000 people, 129,700 people and 153,600 people, respectively. 

Yuan Xin, a deputy head of the Population Association of China and demographer from Nankai University in Tianjin Municipality, said these provinces are traditionally labor export provinces. After the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, labor exports saw an obvious rise. 

The provinces with positive population growth, including Zhejiang, Hainan and Jiangsu, continued to expand, while Guizhou was the only province in the central and western regions to maintain positive growth. 

At the end of 2023, Zhejiang's permanent population was 66.27 million, an increase of 500,000 compared with 65.77 million at the end of 2022. This increase ranks first in the country.

Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin reversed the trend toward population loss in 2023, with permanent resident growth rates going from negative to positive.

Despite both implementing relevant population control measures, Beijing and Shanghai are among the metropolises in China that still possess a natural attraction for the labor forces. With the gradual normalization of pandemic prevention and control, population mobility is returning to a market-based trend, leading to a large influx of labor forces back into Beijing and Shanghai, Niu noted. 

Additionally, against the backdrop of the competition for high-end talents between Beijing and Shanghai, high-end talents have the conditions and willingness to carry their families with them when relocating, which stimulated the population growth in both cities.

Niu said that in the coming period of time, the proportion of urban population will continue to increase, just like the proportion of population in regional centers, while the population of other non-regional centers may decline.

A seminar on commemorating the 65th anniversary of the democratic reform of Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region was held in Beijing on Thursday, with scholars from China, Australia and Germany reviewing the epoch-making event of emancipation of 1 million serfs, and the region's miraculous development in various fields over the past 65 years. They also shared their views on Xizang's practice of Chinese modernization.

On March 28, 1959, people in Xizang launched democratic reform, freeing a million serfs. In 2009, the regional legislature announced March 28 as the day to commemorate the emancipation of the one million serfs.

Democratic reform in Xizang is the inevitable path of historical development and the urgent demand of all ethnic groups in the region. Xizang has made tremendous achievements in safeguarding human rights, with people of all ethnic groups enjoying extensive and full democratic rights, Wang Yanwen, deputy secretary general of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, said at the seminar.

Xizang has witnessed a comprehensive transformation in economic and social development, protection of religious freedom, preservation and promotion of excellent traditional culture, and comprehensive improvement in the legal protection of human rights, which also underscores the political advantages of the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the advantages of socialism with Chinese characteristics, said Wang.

The democratic reform in Xizang is a monumental historical event that propelled progress in human rights and social development in the region. It also stands as a landmark event in the history of human civilization and the advancement of global human rights, said Chen Zongrong, deputy director-general of the China Tibetology Research Center (CTRC).

Chen noted that commemorating this great event is crucial for distinguishing right from wrong, adhering to justice and fairness, clarifying misconceptions, refuting disinformation and exposing hypocrisy.

The expert noted that the Dalai Lama clique and overseas anti-China forces spare no effort in maliciously attacking the democratic reform in Xizang. They excessively glorify the social system of old Xizang, portraying the cruel, dark, barbaric, backward, and authoritarian old Xizang as a paradise on earth. They label the armed rebellion instigated by the upper class in old Xizang, led by the Dalai Lama, to resist democratic reform as an "anti-oppression uprising," which is a complete distortion of truth and a betrayal of conscience.

The Dalai Lama clique and overseas anti-China forces turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to the region's economic, social, and human rights development. Their relentless attacks fully expose their hypocritical faces, said Chen.

Commemorating the democratic reform in Xizang is related to advancing social progress in the region and demonstrating full confidence in promoting long-term stability and high-quality development in Xizang through the comprehensive advancement of Chinese modernization, according to Chen.

Scholars attending the Thursday seminar also systematically reviewed the enormous achievements made in Xizang's economic and social development.

They noted that for the past 65 years, Xizang has experienced leapfrog development in its economic and social sectors. The living standards of all ethnic groups in the region have significantly improved, and there has been a notable increase in the happiness and sense of fulfillment among the residents.

The Tibetan Plateau has witnessed prosperous economic development, comprehensive social progress, a favorable ecological environment, and increased happiness among the people. Xizang's development has entered its best period in history, said the scholars.

A reading material in a Chinese test for junior high school students in Chengdu, Southwest China’s Sichuan Province, has recently sparked controversy for allegedly glorifying Japanese invaders and insulting China’s Eighth Route Army in their fight during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-1945). The author of the controversial material has since been dismissed from his position, the Global Times learned on Tuesday. 

According to photos circulated on the internet by netizens, the reading comprehension material in the Chinese language test for junior high school grade three students in Xindu district titled “Dujuanhualuo,” which literally translates to “falling azaleas,” depicted a story from the perspective of a Japanese invader who attacked and bombed the Eighth Route Army for capturing his son who was on the way to visit him but accidentally killed his own son. 

The article used a series of inappropriate words with negative connotation to describe the actions of the Eighth Route Army such as “flee” and described the Japanese invader holding his son’s corpse with blood spewing “like peony flowers withering,” which was criticized for portraying the death as overly moving and tragic. 

The official WeChat account of Xindu district released a notice on Monday evening stating that in response to the negative influence of the reading material, a joint investigation team has been established to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident. The relevant teaching and research staff, as well as the head of the district education science research institute, have been suspended from duty. According to the probe results, the personnel responsible for the incident will be seriously dealt with in accordance with related regulations. 

Netizens pointed out that according to the information revealed on the test paper and the information on the internet, the essay was written and posted online by a middle school headmaster named Li Jiaqian from Tangyin county in Central China’s Henan Province in 2023. Tangyin county is the hometown of Yue Fei, a military commander during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), who was famous for his loyalty and courage. 

The Global Times learned on Tuesday from an employee from the education bureau in Tangyin county that Li had been dismissed from his position and that the local authorities are currently dealing with this matter with great importance attached to it. 

The test paper has been called “poisonous” and sparked heated discussions on the internet, with many netizens expressing their anger over how such material could appear in a test. 

“I initially thought that the criticism was just nitpicking the wording and exaggerated interpretation, but after reading the whole article, I felt horrified. How dare they forget about the suffering and bloodshed of so many Chinese compatriots and soldiers!” a netizen commented. 

Other netizens pointed out that all the parties involved should be held accountable for including such material in the test paper. They also noted how terrifying it was that someone like Li existed in the educational system.

The Chinese Ministry of National Defense (MOD) on Sunday vowed to take resolute measures against the Philippines should it continue to challenge China's bottom line, with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) announcing a combat exercise was conducted recently in the South China Sea.

Senior Colonel Wu Qian, an MOD spokesperson, said in a statement on Sunday that the Philippines broke its promises and is vainly attempting to fortify its illegally grounded warship on Ren'ai Jiao (also known as Ren'ai Reef) into a permanent facility, a move that China will by no means sit by and watch.

Demanding the Philippines to stop all infringing and provocative moves, Wu warned that if the Philippines repeatedly challenges China's bottom line, China will continue to take resolute measures to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights.

Wu's remarks came after the China Coast Guard (CCG) on Saturday repelled a Philippine attempt to reinforce the illegally grounded Philippine warship on China's Ren'ai Jiao in the South China Sea.

The CCG completely intercepted the Philippines' cargo ship using water cannon, according to an on-site video the Global Times obtained from the CCG.

The PLA Southern Theater Command on Sunday said in a press release that a naval landing ship detachment recently conducted a multi-course, highly intensive combat exercise in the South China Sea featuring the PLANS (PLA Navy Ship) Wuzhishan and Changbaishan.

According to photos attached to the press release and the publicly available information, the PLANS Wuzhishan and Changbaishan are Type 071 comprehensive landing ships.

China Central Television reported previously that the Type 071 has a displacement of about 20,000 tons and can act as a beach assault base by sending armored vehicles and hovercraft at an optimal landing distance.

Facing the Philippines' repeated provocations on Chinese islands and reefs, China has exercised restraint and deployed reciprocal countermeasures, namely the law enforcement forces from the coast guard, but not the navy, a Beijing-based military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Sunday.

However, if the Philippines escalates the situation, brings its armed forces or even forces from outside the region into the equation, the PLA is always ready to safeguard territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, the expert said.

The PLA Navy, Air Force and the CCG recently held a joint exercise, which analysts said displayed their interoperability.

China is willing to resolve the disputes through talks, and had made temporary special arrangements under humanitarian considerations that allowed necessary living materials to be supplied to the Philippines' illegally grounded warship, observers said, urging the Philippines to return to the right track of dialogues.

The Philippines should notify China about its resupply operations, and the CCG will conduct verification of the materials to be carried by the Philippine vessels, Ding Duo, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at the China Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Sunday.

But China only allows such necessary living materials, with no building materials allowed to reinforce the hull or build permanent facilities, Ding said.

Editor's Note:

The second session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) and the second session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) will conclude on March 11 and 10, respectively. The two sessions are a crucial window into China's whole-process people's democracy and will offer the world a window through which to observe the country's development and understand its policy direction for the following year.

The Global Times has initiated a series of articles under the theme "understanding China through motions and proposals." This article, the second installment of the series, glimpses into what kind of new social trends China is striving to create through the proposals and motions heatedly discussed in the two sessions.
A society that lightens burden for the young

During the two sessions, the well-known Chinese media personality Bai Yansong called for a more youth friendly society to help reduce their burdens, rather than blindly blaming younger generations for "ken lao" (or solely relying on parents). Bai's comments quickly won applause on the internet.

"Ken lao" has been a popular internet term in recent decades, describing a phenomenon of young people choosing to retreat to their homes and receive financial support from their families due to the competitive work environment.

China's 2024 Government Work Report pointed out to strengthen social security by reducing the burden of family planning, child-rearing, and education. Bai fully backs it, while calling for more reflection on how society could ramp up efforts to provide practical measures to reduce the burden on the younger generation.

From Bai's remarks, to motions calling for more affordable housing for young people; from proposals to including childcare in public services to empower young parents, from voices of lawmakers and political advisors to calls for more workplace off time for young employees … At this year's two sessions, issues that concern young people around employment, marriage and childbirth, housing, and healthcare have received attention from the public.

"China will improve the population development strategy, establish a policy system to boost birth rates, and bring down the costs of pregnancy and childbirth, child rearing and schooling," noted a Report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC. In 2024, many local governments have proposed that they will introduce more policies to boost birth rates.

According to the 2024 Report on Child-Rearing Costs released by YuWa Population Research think tank, raising a child to the age of 18 costs 6.3 times the per capita GDP. Financial pressure has also become a major killer for many young Chinese couples who are afraid to have children.

During the two sessions, many CPPCC National Committee members and NPC deputies have suggested integrating childcare services into the public service system.

Wu Ruijun, a member of CPPCC National Committee, pointed out that the childcare service institutions in China set a relatively high price, as they're often faced with high operational costs such as rent and labor expenses. NPC deputy Zhong Can further suggested that relevant policies should be established, providing free or low-cost venues for universal childcare services and thus reducing their operational costs to the minimum.

More policies that promote work-life balance have become a new highlight of this year's two sessions.

NPC deputy Huo Qigang suggested increasing the number of days off for young people, implementing a mandatory paid annual leave policy, and improving regulations on illegal practices by companies, because he believes that young Chinese people today have obviously short annual leave.

Similarly, political advisor Lü Guoquan from Hong Kong delegation proposed to enshrine the right to rest after work in law, and to increase the cost of illegal overtime work by companies to rectify the prevalent culture of overtime work.

Lü stated in a media interview that in the age of the internet, digital information technology has blurred the "boundaries" between work and life, with some employers still assigning work to employees remotely through platforms like WeChat after work hours, requiring them to respond to work-related messages and sacrificing their personal rest time.

Therefore, Lü suggested introducing relevant offline rest rights in labor laws and increasing the cost of illegal overtime work imposed by companies.

CPPCC National Committee member Jiang Shengnan called for reducing the burden on grass-roots workers in her proposal, reducing the cumbersome formalities in the workplace and avoiding wasting a large amount of time and energy on report filling and material writing. She suggested the effective use of big data platforms to coordinate and improve the efficiency of grass-roots work.

"We can tell from the two sessions that China places high hopes on the youth and intends to ease their burden. One keyword for this year's two sessions is the new quality productive forces, with young people being the mainstay. There are proposals and motions aiming to enhance the productivity of young people by reducing their burdens. For example, there is a proposal that technological workers should be free from tedious administrative work. The relevant measures and policies fully demonstrate the effectiveness of our socialist market economy system and reflect that the Party and the government do care for our young people," Su Wei, a professor from the Party School of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, told the Global Times.
A society driven by scientific, tech innovation

The 2024 Government Work Report says that innovative development of the digital economy will be promoted, an Artificial Intelligence Plus initiative will be launched, and the country will consolidate and enhance its leading position in industries such as intelligent connected new-energy vehicles.

This not only demonstrates China's ambition in the field of emerging technologies, but also reflects that artificial intelligence has become a new driving force for economic and social development. Artificial intelligence has also become one of the hottest topics during the two sessions.

NPC deputies and CPPCC National Committee members at the two sessions discussed the future development of the artificial intelligence industry from different perspectives, providing ideas for the future development of China's artificial intelligence industry.

Lei Jun, NPC deputy, also the founder of Chinese smartphone brand Xiaomi, proposed four motions, focusing on areas such as green and low-carbon, artificial intelligence, intelligent driving, and intelligent manufacturing.

In terms of artificial intelligence, Lei suggested to absorb artificial intelligence courses into the compulsory education stage, promoting artificial intelligence majors in universities, and encouraging large enterprises and training institutions to cultivate application-oriented talents in artificial intelligence.

Suggestions for the development of robots and intelligent manufacturing industry were also heatedly discussed in the two sessions. This year's key point "new quality productive forces" is also reflected on core element of technological innovation.

For example, China's robot industry is developing rapidly and is the world's largest consumer and producer of robots. High-end manufacturing plays an important role in China's economy. However, currently, more than 90 percent of robots used in high-end manufacturing are monopolized by foreign brands from developed Western countries.

In response to this, CPPCC National Committee member Sun Zhiqiang suggested that a national robot association should be established to create an innovative ecosystem for the robot industry that integrates technology, talent, platforms, finance, policies, and international cooperation, to promoting cross-sectoral coordination and achieve new quality productive forces.

Regional governments are also prioritizing innovation and emerging industries in their government reports this year. For instances, Central China's Anhui plans to become an innovation hub for quantum information, fusion energy and deep space exploration; while the city of Changsha in Central China is comprehensively building a global research and development center.

"Since the beginning of the reform and opening-up, the strategy for invigorating China through science and education has always been our focus. Today, only champions survive in the fierce global technological competition. That's why we are mobilizing the entire society to catch up with the new technological revolution," said Su.

A society that keeps high-level opening-up

In recent months, a series of measures have been implemented, sending a clear signal that China is steadfastly committed to expanding high-level opening-up to the outside world.

China introduced new immigration measures to encourage international travel to China; removed all restrictions on foreign investment in the manufacturing sector; issued "24 measures" to further optimize the foreign investment environment and has intensified efforts to attract foreign investment.

"One of the most core features of high-level opening-up to the outside world is institutional openness," Gu Xueming, president of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the media. He said that at this year's two sessions, how to steadily expand institutional openness in terms of rules, regulations, management and standards have attracted attention from the public.

Keywords such as new driving forces for foreign trade, cross-border e-commerce, supply chain, foreign investment, and institutional opening have frequently appeared in local government work reports and motions and proposals of delegates.

In last year's economic "report card," China's new energy vehicle production and sales accounted for over 60 percent of the global market share; exports of electric vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic products - the "new three items" - increased by nearly 30 percent.

In the eyes of NPC deputy Lin Zhiying, China has a massive consumer market that drives the global economy. China is cultivating new foreign trade momentum, strengthening global supply chain management, expanding overseas markets and investing overseas.

Su Wei believes that the motions and proposals delivered by NPC deputies and CPPCC National Committee members demonstrate the concerted efforts of the Party and the government to create a more friendly society, which can achieve the greatest possible convergence of interests.

"It's normal to encounter problems on the path of development. What matters is that we have the courage to face these problems and the methods to solve them. The motions and proposals are pooling people's wisdom, and bringing Chinese people together to forge ahead," said Su.

Editor's Note:

The world recently celebrated a splendid Chinese New Year, welcoming the Year of the Dragon.

During the holidays, Global Times reporters returned to their hometowns where they were reacquainted with old traditions and introduced to new post-pandemic experiences. To share their experience, we have launched the "Hometown Diary" series. Spanning from north to south, east to west, six articles will focus on different provinces, exploring the development and evolution from traditional to modern, and from economic to cultural dimensions.

This series is not only a comprehensive review of China's vast territory and diverse regional cultures but also a profound reflection of how different areas across the country maintain their identity and embrace changes.

Through the lens of hometown observations, we hope to touch the hearts of our readers, allowing everyone to find resonance in these stories and feel the warmth and vitality that hometowns provide, regardless of changes brought about by time.

This is the first installment in the series, in which we gain the perspectives of our reporters to understand how North China's Shanxi grabs cultural heritage to attract tourists after its green energy revolution, and how East China's Shandong strikes a balance between tradition and modernity amidst intense population mobility.
Whenever the Spring Festival approaches, people walking on the streets always discuss the "festive vibe."

"The festive feeling is fading," some people would say, especially when one starts a conversation with a distant relative or a taxi driver.

In the context of rapid change, people often lament the dilution of the festive spirit, worrying that the essence of traditional festivals is gradually dissipating amid the flood of modern living.

But this is far from reality. With the convenience of transportation and overall societal progress, I find that the festive spirit is alive and well. These changes have made our Chinese New Year celebration more colorful and diverse.

Although the forms have changed, the longing for a reunion and the core significance of celebrating the Spring Festival remain unchanged: Tradition and modernity can coexist, jointly creating happy and joyful memories.

Reunion is always the theme

My hometown of Shandong in eastern China is known as the land of propriety, where Confucius and Mencius, the most important founders of Confucianism, were born. Their thoughts have shaped the culture and etiquette of China and even permeated through the entire East Asia.

Therefore, Shandong has inherited the most solemn rituals and customs, some of which have even evolved into urban legends that awe people from other regions.

For example, one of the most typical traditions is an obsession with the specific seating arrangement for people of different statuses around a round dining table, to which Shandong people adhere earnestly.

Only second to this adherence is the Shandong people's obsession with returning to their hometown for the New Year. They may work and live in big cities like Beijing, but during the festive season, they return to their small county towns or villages where their parents still reside.

Confucius explained filial piety many times. He said: "While his parents are living, a son should not go far abroad; if he does, he should let them know where he goes."

Since I was one year old, I have traveled back to my "old hometown" in Juye county, Heze, every Spring Festival, where my father is from and his parents were living, from the provincial capital Jinan where I lived.

Juye has almost no claim to fame, though locals claim it to be the birthplace of the Qilin, a legendary creature in Chinese mythology.

When I was young, the biggest form of entertainment in Juye, this small county, was a Xinhua bookstore. So every New Year, when people working outside the city returned and children were on holiday, it became a lively and busy playground. As a child, I looked forward to every aspect of the Spring Festival - posting Spring Festival couplets, buying snacks, playing fireworks, watching the Spring Festival Gala, and, of course, receiving red envelopes, a traditional gift for children or elderly people during Chinese New Year.

I had a great time, but it came at a cost. The only way traveling there from Jinan, the capital city of Shandong, 25 years ago was by the "green trains." They were slow, featuring a five- to six-hour journey spent in crowded conditions, often without seats, and prone to delays.

Such arduous journeys became a source of anxiety in my childhood. Once, because it was too crowded to board the train, my dad tried to pass me through the window, and strangers were willing to catch me. But I refused, I was too scared.

In the year before China downgraded its management of the COVID-19, this unknown county of Juye got its own high-speed railway station. It was a result of Shandong Province's campaign to develop its transportation network.

Now, from one of the high-speed rail stations near my home in Jinan to Juye county is a two-hour journey. And it is on a comfortable 'Harmony' high-speed train, where everyone has a sofa seat.

Today, as of the end of 2023, total operating mileage of high-speed rail in Shandong has surpassed 2,800 kilometers, jumping to first place in the country. Meanwhile, with the commencement of full operation of the Jinan-Zhengzhou high-speed railway route on December 8, 2023, 15 out of 16 cities in Shandong have access to high-speed rail.

The issue of crying children aboard is also a thing of the past. On a recent high-speed rail trip from Beijing to Shanghai, I experienced the quiet carriage. The train attendant was on high alert like a middle school teacher, immediately stopping any attempts to talk or make phone calls. You can sleep or work in peace.So, has the festive spirit faded? Perhaps the children of today do not look forward to returning to their rural hometowns as much as I did in my childhood, because of the ease of reunions that has transformed them almost quotidian-like.
Amid the sound of firecrackers

Since I was eight, the Spring Festival has always held the promise of jubilant fireworks displays and blasts.

Gunpowder is one of the four great inventions of ancient China. Legend has it that the sound of firecrackers scares away the "Nian" beast that lurks during the Chinese New Year, and now people feel that the sound and light of fireworks portend good luck.

However, due to fire prevention and environmental protection measures, the setting off of fireworks and firecrackers has been banned in many places, including my hometown of Jinan.

However, in recent years, these bans have been relaxed.

In early January, the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, upon review, considered that there are divergences in understanding regarding the comprehensive ban on sales and burning, and it is also difficult to implement in practice. Amendments should be made in accordance with the spirit of the superior laws, according to china.com.

More flexible management methods have also emerged.

For example, this year in Jinan, some locations on the outskirts of the city were designated as firecracker zones. This makes it safe and easy to manage, and citizens who want to watch fireworks displays can also come here to observe.

For the children of today, their childhood is both different and similar to ours. Adults buy them firecrackers on the roadside. There are "flying monkeys" that can shoot into the sky, fairy sticks that transform into magic wands, and little bees that can spin rapidly on the ground and scream… just like the ones I played with as a child.

This year, a new type of firework called the handheld Gatling became particularly popular. As big as a baseball bat, holding it in your hand, you can shoot fireworks into the sky, with colorful beams drawing arcs in the sky, like dazzling ribbons.

I opened the Blue Map - as an environmental journalist, I always want to learn about pollution - and watched the surrounding AQI soar. Even without such a precise app, you could tell what was happening from the smell of fireworks in the air and the hazy visual effect.

The police just casually patrolled, ensuring that no danger arose.

I know that when the New Year's celebration is truly over, the city will return to its normal operations, but people will start the new year with confidence and good expectations.

Editor's Note:

In January 1933, with the Japanese army occupying Shanhaiguan in northeastern China, the Palace Museum in Beijing decided to relocate precious cultural relics, including bronzes, porcelain, paintings, and jade, to protect them from damage and looting. Ultimately, over 19,000 boxes of "national treasures," including those from the National Museum of Art (Guwu chenliesuo in Chinese), the Summer Palace, and the Imperial College (Guozijian in Chinese) were move from Beijing to Shanghai and southwestern provinces such as Sichuan and Guizhou. Later, some of them returned to the capital city, while some are preserving in the island of Taiwan. As they stood watch over the sea, they became a testament to the shared cultural heritage of both sides of the Straits.

This 20-year journey, spanning tens of thousands of miles, was a great feat in protecting cultural heritage during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-1945) and created the largest-scale miracle in preserving cultural heritage during World War II. To commemorate the history and inherit the spirit, the Palace Museum and the National Humanities History magazine of the People's Daily co-hosted "The Long March of the National Treasures: An Exhibition Commemorating the Southward Evacuation of the Palace Museum's Artifacts."

Recently, Global Times reporters Shan Jie and Lin Xiaoyi (GT) interviewed Xu Wanling (Xu), the director of the Institute for Research on the Palace Museum Collection's Evacuation to the South, as she recounted this special history and its echoes and lessons for today.
GT: Could you introduce the main functions and research content of the Institute for Research on the Palace Museum Collection's Evacuation to the South? In the institute's daily work, are there any specific academic projects or research topics that you particularly value?

Xu: Established in June 2017, the Institute for Research on the Palace Museum Collection's Evacuation to the South is a non-institutional entity of the Palace Museum, initially founded to promote specialized research on the southward evacuation of cultural relics.

From 2017 to 2019, we spent over two years organizing historical materials and conducting site research on the evacuation. We gradually discovered that, in addition to the Palace Museum and the Second Historical Archives of China holding extensive materials, archives like those in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Sichuan Province, and Guizhou Province also preserve valuable records from 1937 to 1947 related to the westward evacuation and eastward return of cultural relics. These archives are precisely what the Palace Museum lacks. Based on this, we have gradually established a historical and factual framework for the southern, western, and eastern evacuations, as well as relocation to the island of Taiwan and the return to Beijing.

Currently, the institute's daily work mainly involves uncovering as much historical material as possible and conducting on-site research. Another area we have been expanding in recent years is the study of southward-evacuated relics. Previously, our research on Palace Museum relics focused on interpreting craftsmanship, cultural connotations, and artistic value from a historical perspective. But now, we have shifted to discerning whether a relic is a southward-evacuated one and to which route it belongs. This approach reveals important information about the relics' wartime relocation.

The concept of southward-evacuated relics allows us to view these objects from a more holistic perspective, understanding their profound historical and cultural connotations. For example, in the early 20th century, the National Museum of Art in Beijing and the establishment of the Palace Museum compiled an inventory of about 1.4 million items, including over 230,000 artifacts from the National Museum of Art and over 1.17 million artifacts from the Palace Museum. Later, to avoid war, some relics were moved south. After undergoing southern, western, and eastern evacuations, relocation to the island of Taiwan, and the returning to the northern cities, these relics (including books and documents) are now housed in museums, libraries, and archives across the Straits. Therefore, we are putting considerable effort into this research, as it reveals more of our cultural heritage's underlying significance, which is of special meaning and value.

During our research, we also discovered some intriguing relics, like two paintings displayed in the recent exhibition - Wang Chengpei's paintings "Luck in the Whole Nation" and "Prosperity Multiplies a Hundredfold" from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Originally a pair of scrolls stored at the Palace Museum's Palace of Abstinence (Zhaigong), "Luck in the Whole Nation" stayed in Beiping (Beijing) in 1933, while "Prosperity Multiplies a Hundredfold" went south and eventually to the island of Taiwan, resulting in them being housed in separate Palace Museums across the Straits.
GT: In your view, why is it particularly important to commemorate the history of the Palace Museum's relics' southward evacuation?

Xu: From an academic research perspective, the history of the southward evacuation of relics offers us a wealth of information. First, the large-scale evacuation of relics during wartime, lasting over 20 years and spanning tens of thousands of miles, with almost complete preservation, is remarkable. Although there were incidents like car crashes and staircase collapses, causing minor damage to some relics, these were minimal compared with the vast number of relic boxes safely preserved. As museum staff, ensuring the safety of relics is always a top priority. The Palace Museum's predecessors not only protected these precious relics but also left behind valuable preservation experience and a rich spiritual legacy.

From a cultural value standpoint, during the wartime situation, both Palace Museum staff and people from all walks of life were deeply concerned about the safety of these relics. People in the education sector in Beijing at the time made it clear: "During our national crisis, everyone is determined that no sacrifice is too great. But the cultural artifacts that embody our national pride and are tied to the nation's lifeblood and spirit must on no account be sacrificed."

These relics are closely linked to the cultural lifeline of the Chinese nation. If we lost or destroyed them, Chinese culture would suffer greatly, even to the point of interruption. Although it has been over 90 years, reading those historical documents still resonates deeply and stirs our emotions.

GT: The southward evacuation of the Palace Museum can be considered a great feat. What factors, in your opinion, ensured its success?

Xu: First, it was a large-scale, organized operation, with all external conditions supporting the action. For instance, coordinating the special transportation of relics required professional arrangements, including dedicated train convoys, accompanying guards, and military personnel for protection.

Secondly, there was a need for dedicated storage space, initially renting sturdy foreign-owned warehouses or building reinforced concrete storerooms, later requisitioning bank vaults or even local temples and ancestral halls.

Additionally, many specific tasks had to be implemented, like supplying daily necessities such as food for Palace Museum staff who relocated. Therefore, the residents of Leshan and Emei in Sichuan Province allocated land and distributed food to them. These comprehensive arrangements and implementations could not have been achieved without the understanding and support of local governments, various departments, and the general public.

GT: What insights and impacts does the story of the relics' southward evacuation have on contemporary global practices in cultural heritage protection?

Xu: Due to my research on the Palace Museum's wartime relic preservation, I pay close attention to cases of cultural heritage protection during wartime worldwide. In 2017, the Palace Museum held an exhibition titled "Reborn from the Flames - Afghanistan: Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul." I was deeply moved by this exhibition, both amazed by Afghanistan's splendid civilization and saddened by its years of war.

In 2018, during my research visit to the UK, I particularly noticed how British museums protected their relics during wartime. Before the London Blitz, important collections from the National Gallery were evacuated to universities, libraries, and castles in Wales.

When war breaks out, its destructive power is unimaginable. Yet, in the face of such uncontrollable destruction, people still try their best to protect what they consider to be important artistic and cultural items. In fact, this is true worldwide. So, when we see such images, we are deeply impacted.

For our generation, studying the protection of cultural heritage during wartime often involves reconstructing understanding and imagination through historical images and documentary expressions. The reality and brutality of war are undoubtedly far beyond our imagination. Therefore, we should study this history, understand the devastation of war, and appreciate the value of peace.

Before preparing the exhibition, we visited the Commercial Press's history display in Beijing. I was touched by their history, which stated: "Sacrificed for national adversity and struggled for culture." The Commercial Press was bombed during the war, and its Oriental Library and ancient books were reduced to ashes in an instant. Yet, facing the bombing, it was quickly rebuilt. The ideals and courage of the intellectuals at the time, along with their guardianship of national culture, are spirits that transcend time.

Therefore, I believe studying the topic of the southward evacuation of relics, whether through exchange and cooperation, exhibition dissemination, or academic discussion, is to tell everyone the historical fact: During the entire War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, China's cultural relics suffered heavy losses, but the Palace Museum's relics suffered minimally. This contrast between heavy loss and minimal damage is a fortunate outcome amid misfortune.
GT: What contributions does the commemorative touring exhibition of the southward evacuation of the Palace Museum's relics make to enhance the international community's understanding of China's cultural heritage?

Xu: Through research on the southward evacuation of relics and the relics themselves, we strengthen connections and cooperation with numerous domestic museums, archives, and libraries, continuously refining the historical context of the relics' evacuation and gradually expanding their cultural influence. At the same time, we actively promote exchanges and cooperation with foreign museums, sharing experiences and achievements in the protection of cultural relics during wartime.

Through these academic exchange activities, we aim to show the world the responsibilities and missions of museums, to protect the common cultural heritage of humanity, and to promote exchanges and mutual learning among different countries, ethnicities, and cultures. We hope these research and exchange activities provide new perspectives and pathways for global cultural heritage protection, creating new resonances and understanding.