A worker harvests fresh mushrooms at a smart biotech vegetable plantation in Xuzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province, on August 6, 2024. The plantation, funded by Jiangsu Hongsheng Biotechnology Co, features an intelligent temperature-controlled factory and processing workshop spanning 310,000 square meters. It yields 100,000 tons of edible mushrooms and fungi annually and supports operations from production to deep processing, creating 1,500 jobs. Photo: VCG

Editor's Note:

"I lost my son, essentially," American tech mogul Elon Musk said in an interview on July 22. He said in the interview that he was "tricked" into agreeing to trans-related medical treatment. The changes in his son led Musk to despise the "woke culture." Many right-wing individuals and Republicans in America share Musk's views on the so-called "woke culture," but for many left-wing individuals and Democrats, "woke culture" is seen as a progressive ideology. "Woke culture" has evolved into a cultural conflict surrounding identity politics in America, and this ideology has also spread to Europe, stirring up the political and social landscape.
Obscure definitions

In recent years, Musk has been heavily critical of "woke culture," describing it as a threat to modern civilization and even stating that his previous acquisition of Twitter, now X, was to combat it. However, when asked to define what "woke culture" is, this tech giant's description was not accurate.

At a conservative breakfast meeting in Iowa on June 1, 2023, former US president Donald Trump stated, "I don't like the term 'woke' because I hear, 'Woke, woke, woke.' It's just a term they use, half the people can't even define it, they don't know what it is."

The Australian news website The Conversation commented that Trump's words "inadvertently highlighted the confounding and contradictory nature of American politics today."

"The term 'woke' can be either an insult or a marker of pride - it can shift depending on the context," said the article.

According to the Spanish newspaper El País, the term "woke" has been used for years to "describe those who are sensitive and involved in the struggle against social injustice, especially in US politics, but also in the politics of other countries following suit perhaps to a lesser degree."

"Woke was a label proudly worn by activists in pursuit of social and climate justice: From Black Lives Matter (BLM) to the #MeToo movement, and the fight against global warming. Woke seemed to advocate a new era of equality and justice," read the article.

It's been reported that many media and political figures have claimed that the "woke culture" is only about justice and decency. It showed that the country acknowledged the cruelty of its past and recognized that its past still shapes this country's present.

However, according to ABC News, "woke" is used as a derogatory term by some Republicans to refer to identity-based social justice issues pushed by some Democrats and progressives.

USA Today quoted a Florida Governor Ron DeSantis spokesperson who called "woke" a slang term for "progressive activism" and a "general belief in systemic injustices in the country."

Manhattan Institute scholar Zach Goldberg believes that "woke" signifies more than just "left-wing radicalism" and essentially involves believing that differences in outcomes between groups - whether based on race, "genders," or sexes - are largely a product of oppressive societal forces and structures, read the USA Today article.

In fact, the term "woke" was originally created by progressive African Americans and was used in the early to mid-20th century in the racial justice movement. According to the website of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, stay woke "became a watchword in parts of the black community for those who were self-aware, questioning the dominant paradigm and striving for something better."

The Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, an American popular record company, includes the protest song "Scottsboro Boys" sung by Lead Belly in the 1930s, in which the term "stay woke" is often considered to be the earliest source of the word. The "Scottsboro Boys" refers to nine black teenagers who were falsely accused, in 1931, of raping two white women in Alabama, and later eight of them were hastily sentenced to death. The case is one of the most famous civil rights cases in American history. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the term "woke" became more widely used in 2014 as part of the BLM.

"The term 'woke' has become so divisive that it is harming support for the issue it is meant to be highlighting," according to Al Jazeera. "The broad use of the term has caused it to become heavily weaponized by both the left and the right, turning what was once a welcoming creed into a toxic and divisive word, particularly in Western countries including the US, Canada, the UK, and other European nations," it said.

A New York University student told the Global Times that today's "woke culture" has gone too far, with "woke" individuals always tending to label those who disagree with them as "conservatives" or "Trump supporters," and sometimes things that were acceptable to say the year before suddenly become "offensive" at the present time. Jason, an engineer living in New Jersey, believes that the so-called "woke culture" is a pseudo-concept created by American interest groups to incite division among the public in order to ensure their continued control over American society.

According to USA Today, Democrats seem to view this term as a badge of honor, while Republicans see it as something that must be stopped. The struggle over "woke culture" in the US has spread to various fields.

US right-wing vs 'woke capitalism'

Due to resistance from conservatives against "woke culture," the US has witnessed the emergence of an "anti-woke culture" movement, with Governor DeSantis as one of its leaders.

According to ABC, DeSantis enacted the "Parental Rights in Education" bill and the "Stop WOKE Act" in Florida, implementing policies that limit classroom discussions on race, oppression, gender, and sexual orientation. The state government also banned funding for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs on public university campuses and rejected the introduction of an Advanced Placement African American Studies course in state high schools.

Notably, the battle over "woke culture" in education is not confined to Florida. In 2023, more than 20 states across the US considered or approved new laws targeting DEI programs.

The term "woke capitalism" was coined by conservative columnist Ross Douthat in a 2018 New York Times article, defining it as corporations supporting progressive causes to maintain their societal influence. Some view the practice of casting black actors in traditionally white roles in films as an example of "woke capitalism."

LGBTQ+ rights have also become another "battleground" in US bipartisan conflicts. According to PBS in March 2023, since beginning his campaign, Trump has targeted LGBTQ+ communities, stating that if elected, he would sign executive orders to cut federal funding to schools promoting Critical Race Theory, transgender mental disorders, and other "inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content" to American teenagers.

In contrast, President Biden and Democrats, as reported by AFP, have signed multiple executive orders supporting LGBTQ+ rights. On June 15, 2022, Biden, along with Vice President Kamala Harris and other Democratic leaders, met with LGBTQ+ representatives at the White House to show solidarity.

Wang Yufan, a scholar at the Department of American Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times that the popularity of "woke culture" and identity politics in the US is related to its economic inequality.

She explained that growing income inequality, with wealth concentrated among a few rich individuals, has increased economic pressure on the middle and low-income classes, who are more likely to support "woke culture" emphasizing fairness and justice. Identity politics has also become a crucial means for them to express themselves and strive for economic equality.

The Guardian noted that in the US, various groups, including whites, blacks, Latinos, and Asians, men and women, all feel attacked, bullied, persecuted, and discriminated against. Coupled with record inequality levels, identity politics is evident on both ends of the US political spectrum.

Wang believes that on one hand, "woke culture" and identity politics have raised public awareness of issues such as racial and gender discrimination, promoting social discussion and resolution, and playing a positive role in advancing social equality and inclusion.

On the other hand, "woke culture" has become a form of political correctness, being oversimplified and symbolized, leading to overcorrections. Additionally, the left's "woke culture" has faced backlash from right-wing conservatives, leading to more severe social divisions. The cultural wars between the two parties over "woke" and "anti-woke" have intensified political polarization, creating a vicious cycle.

Spreading across ocean

The concept and actions of "woke culture" born in the US have crossed the Atlantic, sparking an "anti-woke culture" movement in Europe.

According to an Independent report in December 2021, six months prior, most French people would have mistaken the term "woke" for the "wok" used in cooking, but by the end of 2021, the concept of "woke" had taken France by storm.

The French media reported that this term, originating from the American black rights movement, had not entered the French public's consciousness until 2021, when it appeared multiple times in political debates. For example, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo publicly stated that she would not base her campaign on "woke culture."

Many Western media outlets and politicians are highly wary of "woke culture." For instance, a 2021 article by Euronews argued that the ideology behind "woke culture" and "cancel culture" endangers European democracy. Al Jazeera also warned that "woke culture" can sometimes stifle meaningful causes. Additionally, many people have been "canceled" simply for expressing views differing from "woke culture."

Wang noted that similar to the US, the impact of "woke culture" in Europe is complex and diverse. On one hand, it has increased attention to racial equality and social justice in European countries.

On the other hand, it has also caused social divisions. "Woke culture" has led European societies to reckon with colonial histories and overemphasize identity, exacerbating group conflicts and social estrangement, causing a backlash from far-right forces, and promoting the rise of far-right parties in Europe.

Recently, the US deployed the Typhon Mid-range Capability (MRC) missile system in the Philippines, and announced its decision to deploy land-based intermediate-range missile in Europe. This marks a substantial step forward taken by the US on deployment of land-based intermediate-range missiles since its withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 2019. This move shows that the US takes its own interests as the only consideration, reneges on its security commitments to allies and incites them to stand on the front line of containing China, which further undermines global and regional stability.

The INF Treaty was signed by the US and the Soviet Union at the end of the Cold War, aiming to eliminate and destroy their nuclear and conventional land-based intermediate-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and missile launchers with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometers. Although it's a bilateral treaty between the US and Russia (the Soviet Union), the INF Treaty has played an important role in upholding nuclear strategic stability worldwide, especially in Europe. For the first time in the history of international arms control, the Treaty banned an entire category of weapons capable of carrying nuclear warheads and significantly raised the threshold for nuclear war, thereby playing a crucial role in preventing the outbreak of nuclear war and maintaining strategic stability and security in Europe. The Treaty underscores the special and important responsibility of the US and Russia, as nuclear superpowers, in maintaining nuclear strategic stability. Furthermore, it reflects the US' important security commitment to its European allies, namely to reduce nuclear strategic risks and safeguard European stability.

As early as in 2014, a number of American think tanks, including RAND Corporation, advocated the deployment of US' land-based intermediate-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific for the purpose of military containment of China, and called on the US authorities to weigh the security costs of compliance with the INF Treaty, as well as the military benefits and diplomatic costs of withdrawing from the treaty, and to make a "prudent decision." Subsequently, the US media began to hype up the alleged Russian INF violation until the Trump administration formally decided to withdraw from the Treaty.

From a military perspective, the current land-based intermediate-range missile capabilities of the US are primarily Tomahawk subsonic cruise missiles and similar models, which have long been deployed in large numbers on sea-based and air-based launch platforms. Therefore, the additional military gains of the land-based versions are relatively limited. The US' decision to deploy land-based intermediate-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific and Europe is mainly driven by the interests of the US Army. In the first decade of the 21st century, the US shifted its military strategic focus to inland counter-terrorism, and the Army gained huge benefits. Over time, as the US put forward strategies and operational concepts such as "return to the Asia-Pacific" and "air-sea integrated warfare," the Army found itself facing the risk of being marginalized in the so-called great-power competition. The US Army, reluctant to assume a diminished role in the military layout of deterring China, then vigorously advocates the "China threat" theory and calls for the deployment of land-based intermediate-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific.

Despite the limited military benefits, the US is still stepping up the modification of its launch systems and promoting the deployment of land-based intermediate-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific, which further reflects US' sinister intention to pull its allies to the front line of containing China. Since the US advocated a return to great-power competition and identified China as its primary strategic adversary, it has viewed the alliance system as a crucial asset to win the competition against China. But its allies in the Asia-Pacific generally maintain close economic ties with China and are wary of fully alliance with the US in its efforts to contain China. For the US, the deployment of land-based intermediate-range missiles is a "key point on the chessboard" that could undermine mutual political trust and diplomatic relations between its Asian allies and China. The places where the US intends to deploy its land-based intermediate-range missiles are several fulcrum points geographically adjacent to China. The relevant countries are justified in strengthening their own defense forces, but the deployment of strategic offensive medium- and long-range missiles, which goes beyond their own military necessity, would be a different story. The only value of weapons of this kind is to serve the US military containment of China and even military strikes against China. China will not sit idly by and ignore such behavior. Therefore, with the US making a big fuss about the deployment of these missiles, and violating the basic principles of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime by engaging in "AUKUS" nuclear submarine cooperation, its strategic purpose is to encourage these allies to stand onto the stage and to turn against China, contributing to US' containment of China.

From the perspective of crisis management, the deployment of land-based intermediate-range missiles by the US would also be an important factor in the escalation of conflicts. On one hand, if these missiles are deployed within its fixed Asia-Pacific military bases, their wartime viability is very fragile. In the early stages of a conflict, US commanders would face the "use it or lose it" dilemma. This kind of decision-making dilemma must be avoided. On the other hand, if the US adopts a mobile launching mode, the launchers are bound to drive out of the base and made a large range of maneuvers in the host country, thus greatly increasing the scope of a potential crisis or conflict. In addition, the forward deployment of strategically offensive weapons by a nuclear state on the "doorstep" of another nuclear state will seriously undermine basic mutual security confidence, exacerbate strategic mistrust between the two sides, and is not conducive to crisis management. The Biden administration stated in the 2022 Nuclear Posture Review that the US is willing to strengthen dialogue with China on strategic risk reduction and crisis management. If the US is truly interested in reducing strategic risks, a good place to start is abandoning the deployment of land-based intermediate-range missiles in other countries.

In short, as the most powerful nuclear and military power, the US bears a special responsibility for international security. In recent years, the US pursued supremacy and acted selfishly based on its likes and dislikes, and challenged the authority of the international security mechanism arbitrarily. It has withdrawn from the INF Treaty and the Open Skies Treaty successively, blocked the negotiation of a verification protocol to the Biological Weapons Convention, and opposed the draft Treaty on the Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in Outer Space and of the Threat or Use of Force against Outer Space Objects proposed by China and Russia. The US has also undermined the basic spirit of international nuclear non-proliferation by carrying out AUKUS submarine cooperation. And there are many other bad records. At the same time, the US coerces a few of its allies to build a so-called "rules-based" new security order, in defiance of UN treaties and mechanisms.

As Ambassador Fu Cong, Permanent Representative of China to the UN, recently pointed out: "the so-called 'rules-based international order' advocated by some countries is really intended to create another system outside the existing system of international law and to seek legitimacy for double standards and exceptionalism. There is only one order in the world, that is the international order based on international law. There is only one set of rules, and they are the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter." Amid the profound changes unseen in the world in a century, all countries, major powers in particular, must abandon double standards and the Cold War mentality, uphold the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and work together in good faith under the international order with the UN at its center, so as to join hands to open up a peaceful and stable future for humanity.

Since the start of the flood season, major rivers across China have experienced 25 numbered flood events, the highest number since data was first recorded in 1998, making the flood prevention situation sever and complex.

Climate in China this year has deviated from the norm, with many heavy rainfall events, leading to frequent and often accelerated flooding of major rivers and waterways, the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources concluded in a summary issued on Wednesday

According to the ministry, China's major rivers and lakes can flag "numbered floods" when water levels reach a warning level or register a flood of "once in two to five years" magnitude.

On Thursday, the China Meteorological Administration told a press conference that the country will focus on four extreme weather events - rainstorms, typhoons, high temperatures and drought.

The administration predicts that in the next 10 days, the overall weather situation in China will be frequent precipitation in the north and continuous high temperature in the south.

In July, the national average temperature was 23.2 C, which was 1 C higher than the same period in previous years, making it the highest on record since 1961. A total of 59 national-level meteorological stations recorded daily maximum temperatures breaking or equaling historical records, the administration disclosed.

In terms of precipitation, the national average was 129.3 millimeters, which was 13.3 percent higher than usual for the same period, with 30 national-level meteorological stations recording precipitation exceeding historical records. 

Precipitation levels in the Huaihe River, the Liaohe River, the Yellow River, the Yangtze River, and the Haihe River basins were all above average, with the Huaihe River and the Liaohe River basins experiencing precipitation levels double that of normal levels.

August still sits within a critical period of flood control, the risk of rainstorm and flood disasters is high in Northeast China, North China, South China and Southwest China, and flood situations may occur in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, the Haihe River basin and the Songliao River basin, the administration said.

It is forecast that during August, two to three typhoons are expected to make landfall in China, mainly affecting the coastal areas of South and East China, and there may be northbound typhoons affecting the northern parts of China, according to the press conference.

In response to this year's flood season, on Wednesday the national flood control and drought relief headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management held video conferences with 14 provinces and regions including Inner Mongolia, Jilin, and Liaoning analyzing the development trend of rainfall and flood situations, and deploying flood control and disaster relief work in key areas.

On the same day, a Level IV emergency response for flood control was activated in Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang, a Level III emergency response for Liaoning and Jilin was maintained, also a Level IV emergency response for flood control in Hunan, Hubei, and Yunnan was maintained.

Across the country, the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources has updated flood forecasts on 45,110 occasions, issuing river flood warnings 3,683 times to flood control workers and the public, and issued 81 mountain flood disaster meteorological warnings in collaboration with the China Meteorological Administration. 

Since the start of the flood season, 4,669 large and medium-sized reservoirs nationwide have been put into operation, collectively storing and diverting 99.3 billion cubic meters of floodwater, reducing flooding in 1,450 urban areas, protecting 1.109 million acres of farmland, and avoiding the relocation of 6.53 million people. 

Central China's Hunan Province is one area that has been hit hardest during the flood season. 

As of 7 am on Thursday, heavy rainfall had affected over 1.2 million residents in Hunan, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters said on Thursday that the area of damaged crops caused by Typhoon Gaemi has reached 127,000 hectares, and 96,500 people have been safely relocated.

As of Thursday noon, the roads, electricity and communications in the eight townships in Zixing most affected by the typhoon have been restored, while search and rescue efforts have made phased progress. A total of 30 people were killed and 35 people went missing during the disaster. 

As of Wednesday, the provincial aviation emergency rescue center deployed four helicopters to participate in rescue operations in Zixing city, one of the areas severely affected by the rainfall. A total of 258 flights have been completed, transporting approximately 73 tons of essential supplies and transferring 92 injured individuals and pregnant women.

Chinese experts called for strengthening the monitoring capabilities on rainfall and flood. 

With the global climate change, extreme weather events are increasing, which increases the difficulty of forecasting. Therefore, this requires us to enhance monitoring capabilities and strengthen forecasting and early-warning abilities accordingly, Ma Jun, director of the Beijing-based Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Additionally, due to the increasing trend of extreme weather events brought about by climate change, we need to re-examine some of the previous planning efforts appropriately, incorporating climate change factors into consideration, Ma said. 

"We cannot solely rely on existing rules, but rather need to consider more extreme weather factors. This may involve adjusting some standards, setting some flood prevention design standards higher," Ma suggested.

China and Russia on Thursday held their eighth joint aerial strategic patrol that saw bombers of the two countries flying over the Bering Sea for the first time, also marking the farthest place Chinese bombers have reached in a strategic patrol mission, experts said.

According to an annual cooperation plan between the Chinese and Russian militaries, the two sides organized a joint aerial strategic patrol over the Bering Sea on Thursday, Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesperson from China's Ministry of National Defense, confirmed with the Global Times at a regular press conference on Thursday.

This is the eighth joint aerial strategic patrol between the two militaries since 2019, which further tested and enhanced the two air forces' interoperability, and deepened the two countries' strategic mutual trust and pragmatic cooperation, Zhang Xiaogang said.

The operation does not target any third party, conforms to international law and practices, and is not related to current international and regional situations, the spokesperson said, when asked if the joint patrol was a response to the Pentagon's recently released 2024 Arctic Strategy that hyped China-Russia cooperation in the Arctic.

Zhang Xiaogang's remarks came after the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said it detected two Russian Tu-95 and two Chinese H-6 bombers operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone on Wednesday local time, but remained in international airspace and did not enter US or Canadian sovereign airspace, according to US media reports.

This is the first time a China-Russia joint aerial strategic patrol has featured a patrol over the Bering Sea. Previous patrols have covered regions including the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea and the West Pacific.

Zhang Xuefeng, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times on Thursday that the latest China-Russia joint aerial strategic patrol marked the first time Chinese bombers have reached an area near Alaska, and also the farthest place Chinese bombers have reached in a strategic patrol mission.

Through constant upgrades, China's H-6 bombers have achieved significant capability boosts. They can now carry long-range missiles that can launch strikes against land and maritime targets out of hostile interception range, Zhang Xuefeng said.

In a joint aerial strategic patrol in November 2022, Chinese aircraft landed in Russia and Russian aircraft landed in China.

Citing this previous experience, Zhang Xuefeng assessed that in the latest mission, the Chinese bombers likely took off from Russian territory, which is closer to North Pacific waters. He said that Chinese and Russian air force task forces have reached a high level of interoperability in terms of command, coordination, communications and logistics support.

Before the bombers' patrol, Chinese warships have cruised in the North Pacific, according to both Chinese and US official releases.

In a recent event, the US Coast Guard said that it came across four Chinese military ships in international waters in the Bering Sea north of the Amchitka Pass in the Aleutian Islands, the AP reported on July 12.

In response, Zhang Xiaogang, the Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson, told the Global Times on Thursday that the Chinese warships recently carried out regular training activities aimed at boosting and testing combat capabilities without targeting any country.

Chinese warplanes' and warships' operations conformed to international law and practices, as they did not enter US sovereign airspace or territorial waters, another Chinese military expert, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times on Thursday.

If the US feels uncomfortable seeing a Chinese military presence on its doorstep, it should get used to it, or reflect on its own military presence on China's doorstep, which poses much greater security concerns to China, the expert said.

The China-Russia joint aerial strategic patrol closely followed a joint naval patrol that stretched from northern Pacific waters to the South China Sea and a joint naval exercise in waters off China's southern coast earlier this month, with experts highlighting the growing China-Russia military cooperation and its contribution to peace and stability through providing global strategic balance.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will visit China from July 27 to 31, China's Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday. Michele Geraci, former undersecretary of state at the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, told the Global Times that the visit aims to repair and strengthen economic relations with China, and it seems to be a delicate balancing act, which is also a diplomatic dance to maintain a semblance of influence in Beijing while attempting to appease allies in Washington and Brussels.

Meloni now needs to put in more effort to regain China's trust, which means she must have a clearer and more stable attitude toward China-Italy economic and trade relations. For example, she cannot say she welcomes Chinese investment in Italy while simultaneously using the government's "golden power" to veto Chinese business activity in Italy, Geraci said.

This will be Meloni's first trip to China since taking office, aiming to improve trade, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing a person involved in the planning.

Italian tire maker Pirelli, energy group ENI, defense group Leonardo, wine producers and several Italian luxury fashion groups including Dolce & Gabbana are among the companies invited to an Italy-China Business Forum to be held in Beijing on Sunday and Monday during Meloni's visit, according to Reuters. 

Some observers believe that Meloni hopes the visit will ease the tensions with China that have persisted over the past year, open up markets for Italian businesses and attract Chinese investment. However, she must also ensure that Italy does not stray too far from the "de-risking" agenda being promoted by Brussels.

This visit will mark the first visit to China by a European leader since the re-election of President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen on July 18, 2024. Currently, relations between the EU and China have become tense due to issues such as the imposition of tariffs on electric vehicles.

The current state of Italy-China relations is complex - cordial on the surface but strained underneath. The main strengths lie in mutual economic interests, particularly in trade and investment, Geraci noted.

Italy's approach to China is heavily influenced by US-China relations. Caught between the economic attraction of China and the strategic demands of its Western allies, Italy must navigate a complex landscape, the former Italian official said. 

Within the EU, Italy likely sees itself as a mediator, advocating for a balanced approach that safeguards European interests while avoiding unnecessary escalation. This diplomatic tightrope walk underscores Italy's attempt to maintain its sovereignty and economic well-being amid intensifying global power struggles, Geraci said. 

"However, Meloni's recent actions suggest a need for better understanding of economic dynamics in this delicate geopolitical context," he noted.

A new microgrid system has recently become officially operational in the Innovation Park of the High-tech Zone in Liyang City, Jiangsu Province. The microgrid control platform has been deployed in the newly built energy management center. Undertaken by State Grid Changzhou Electric Power Supply Company, the entire project was realized swiftly, taking only from planning and construction to launch. This microgrid will ensure energy supply within an area of 270,000 square meters and accommodates 19 enterprises.

“The microgrid project features a range of innovative demonstration scenarios, including rooftop photovoltaic, energy storage devices, charging stations, and thermal energy storage systems. Under the control platform’s instructions, the microgrid can provide stable and reliable green, low-carbon energy to enterprises, buildings, and electric vehicles within the park,” explained Chen Chang, a staff member from State Grid Changzhou Electric Power Supply Company.

Building upon various energy use scenarios, the microgrid has integrated a smart control platform system. Unlike traditional behind-the-meter energy storage systems that rely on fixed rules or hands-on experience for simple feedback control, this platform utilizes AI algorithms to forecast photovoltaic output and electricity load accurately. The microgrid can autonomously develop flexible charging and discharging strategies for the energy storage system to enhance energy utilization efficiency and maximize operational benefits. Additionally, through the established energy interconnection network, the platform can interact with the external main power grid, ensuring balanced power generation and consumption.

“Thanks to a series of measures, including photovoltaic energy consumption, charging and discharging, enterprises in the park have seen a 23 percent reduction in energy costs and a decrease of over 1,660 tons of carbon dioxide emissions,” said Zhou Cheng, director of New Energy Department of Jiangsu Liyang High-tech Zone Holding Group. 

The reconciliation talks between Fatah and Hamas were reportedly held in Beijing last weekend. This marks the second round of Palestinian internal reconciliation talks hosted by China. Dialogue between Fatah and Hamas has proven challenging. Numerous rounds of negotiations and the signing of multiple agreements have failed to yield results. While no one expects a breakthrough from one single meeting, the talks in Beijing are seen as promising due to favorable conditions.

First, the timing of this meeting is favorable. Since July 5, Israel and Hamas resumed indirect negotiations over a cease-fire, with parties involved expressing optimism that an agreement appears to be within reach. The cease-fire deal is set to be implemented in three phases, with the pivotal second phase calls for agreement on a "permanent" truce, which would include a complete Israeli withdrawal and the release of remaining hostages.

According to reports, Hamas officials have raised in recent days the notion of independent, non-partisan bodies taking over governing the Gaza Strip and West Bank following the Gaza conflict. This needs consensus between Fatah and Hamas. 

Only when Hamas commits not to attacking the new Gaza authority, can the authority survive.
Meanwhile, Fatah and Hamas are the two most dominant political factions in Palestine, and forming a non-partisan body without their participation poses an even greater challenge.

The window for achieving a cease-fire agreement is only a matter of weeks, making the urgency to address these issues imminent. 

The cease-fire agreement would signify the end of the Gaza conflict, which is intricately linked to the implementation of the two-state solution. Therefore, this round of talks is not only critical in terms of timing, but it also holds significant implications.

Second, selecting Beijing as the venue for this meeting provides significant advantages. Beijing has hosted relevant talks twice in the past three months, indicating a clear preference from both sides for the city. Beijing offers major advantages as a meeting place.

As a global power, China's hosting of the talks can swiftly bring the Palestinian issue to the forefront of international politics, enhancing the political visibility of both Fatah and Hamas. 

China has maintained a long-standing, proactive and objective stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict and internal Palestinian issues, earning trust from both Hamas and Fatah. China's support for the Palestinian peoples' just cause has been consistent without getting directly involved in internal Palestinian affairs, free from historical burdens or biases. This is an essential quality for a mediator.

In recent years, China has been actively engaged in international conflict resolution, gaining increasing experience, credibility and influence globally. China's successful mediation in the restoration of Saudi-Iran relations in March 2023 was widely praised internationally. In April 2022, China proposed the Global Security Initiative, which has received support and appreciation from more than 100 countries as well as international and regional organizations. The initiative and its core concepts have been incorporated into more than 90 bilateral and multilateral documents on exchanges and cooperation between China and other countries and international organizations.

Third, the representatives from both sides in this round of talks are of high rank, and according to reports, their stances have drawn closer to some extent.

Of course, Palestinian reconciliation is not without challenges, which is why optimism must be tempered with caution. Israel has not abandoned its goal of completely eliminating Hamas, creating significant uncertainty for the future of Hamas. On July 18, Israel's parliament passed a resolution that overwhelmingly rejected the establishment of a Palestinian state. The resolution passed with 68 votes in favor and just nine against it. This further dimmed the prospects for a two-state solution.

Hamas once said that the group would lay down its arms if an independent Palestinian state is established. The Palestinian Authority under President Mahmoud Abbas, who is also the chairman of Fatah, has appointed a new reform-minded government, but remains unwilling to relinquish authority. Yet both Hamas and Israel oppose a Fatah-led Gaza regime. Any of these issues could cause the reconciliation talks to collapse instantly. 

The Beijing talks are closely intertwined with cease-fire negotiations mediated by the US, Egypt and Qatar, influencing and complementing each other. The progress of the overall cease-fire negotiations also affects the Beijing talks. From this perspective, in the pursuit of mediating Israel-Palestine peace, Beijing and Washington are not in competition, nor are they in hostile relations. Instead, they can be viewed as being in complementary cooperation.

With the joint efforts of all parties, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is likely to commence construction in the upcoming months, according to media reports. This project, once completed, will further promote economic and trade development in Central Asia, transform the region's economic landscape and inject more certainties to the global trade, domestic and international experts said.

The launch of this landmark project under China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) once again confirms how the joint initiative has evolved from a Chinese proposal to an international framework, being translated from concept to action, experts said.

Construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is set to commence on August 25 of this year - according to an announcement made by Kyrgyz Prime Minister Okilbek Japarov at the inauguration of a hydropower station in the Chuy region, as reported by qalampir.uz, a local media outlet.

"This railway represents the shortest route from Shanghai to Paris and is projected to handle 15 million tons of cargo annually. We have completed the feasibility studies, and the project is expected to be self-sustaining within 15-20 years. Looking ahead, in 30 years, this railway could extend to the sea, enhancing our global trade," Japarov said.

Since the signing ceremony of the trilateral government agreement for the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project in Beijing in June, this historic cooperative endeavor has garnered increasing attention.

Experts said that this railway project will facilitate Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan's transformation from "landlocked countries" to "land-linked countries," while serving as a more reliable and efficient transportation network, injecting more certainties into world trade.

In addition, this landmark project, upon its completion, is poised to become a model of regional cooperation under the BRI, injecting substantial momentum into the economic and social development of the three countries, Central Asia and beyond, experts said.

A reliable alternative

As an important corridor forming part of the ancient Silk Road, Central Asia's development has long been constrained by geographical conditions among other factors - despite being located in the heartland of Asia, there are no direct sea ports.

"Traditionally, their access to sea routes has been through Russia, leading to the Black Sea region... However, since the Russia-Ukraine conflict, various factors including Western sanctions have created transportation challenges for their goods and commodities,"  Zhang Hong, an associate research fellow at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday. He said that the growing complexity of the situation has hindered the regional countries' ability to engage with global economic entities, and further constraining the region's development.

The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway begins in Kashgar, Xinjiang, and passes through Kyrgyzstan before entering Uzbekistan. Zhang said that the construction of this railway line will facilitate trade between Central Asia to China and deliver the goods from the region in a more efficient way to other parts of the world.

Additionally, the railway construction will attract more investment to Central Asia, promoting deeper involvement in regional economic integration and local economic projects, Zhang said.

"This transformation aims to shift them from being 'landlocked' countries to pivotal transportation hubs, a role that is becoming crucial for the entire region," Zhang noted.

The important role of this new railway network extends beyond a few countries to the entire region. Currently, global trade faces challenges such as geopolitical tensions including the Red Sea crisis, leading to high costs and risks impacting global shipping and freight. The new railway will provide a more diverse option for the global trade network, offering a reliable and secure alternative, Li Xin, director of the Center for Russian and Central Asian Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, told the Global Times.

Specifically, the northern route of the China-Europe freight train service, passing through Russia and Belarus to Europe, has been impacted by the Russia-Ukraine conflict and Western sanctions against Russia and Belarus, according to Li.

Meanwhile, the southern Maritime Silk Road route through the Red Sea to the Mediterranean also faces security challenges, necessitating longer detours via the Cape of Good Hope and significantly increasing operational costs.

Given this context, Li said that establishing international transport corridors across the Caspian Sea, including Kazakhstan's Trans-Caspian International Transport Route and the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway extending toward Turkmenistan, could provide viable alternatives.

The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway corridor will also connect with the Trans-Caspian Corridor, providing Uzbekistan with the shortest route to Europe, according to media reports.

Exemplary model

Central Asia has been pivotal for the BRI, particularly since the Silk Road Economic Belt, an essential component of the initiative, was first proposed in 2013. Experts said that with the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan rail project, the BRI's emphasis on win-win cooperation and sustainable development will be further illustrated.

To Maryam Agharabi, research coordinator at China & Central Asia Studies Center, an organization based in Almaty, Kazakhstan, this transnational railway project is an important, long-awaited, and highly anticipated development from various perspectives.

"Broadly speaking, it contributes to the cooperative approach within the region, meaning that it not only helps diversify trade and transit by adding an extra route connecting Central Asian countries in both east-west and north-south directions, but it also demonstrates a commitment to the development of the region as a whole in the spirit of regional economic cooperation, not just within one or two selected countries," Agharabi said.

"It is important to understand that sustainable development should be viewed as a collective endeavor shared among neighbors, so, although Kazakhstan is not a direct party to this project, this is certainly welcomed by Kazakhstan, too," Agharabi said, noting that the launching of this project is a positive development not only for China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, which will see direct and immediate economic benefits, but also for the rest of the Central Asian countries and even beyond.

The railway project is an important BRI infrastructure project under the joint cooperation in a sense that the most priority projects in the Central Asia region are joint development projects in trade and logistics, industrial cooperation and energy, Aliya Mussabekova, chief expert at the Asian Studies Department at Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of Kazakhstan, told the Global Times.

These projects, both on a large regional scale and of local significance, form the foundation of a self-sustaining and secure common market, according to Mussabekova. In the long term, they establish Central Asia's identity as a cohesive region, the expert said.

The China-South Asia Expo opened on Tuesday in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan Province, showcasing a deeper commitment to regional cooperation. Exhibitors expressed optimism for the Chinese market and praised the event for providing opportunities to expand business in the region.

Pakistan is a featured country this year, with a 360-square-meter exhibition area designed to showcase its national heritage. The exhibits include agricultural and handcrafted products. 

"I have participated in the expo five times. We mainly export handicrafts to China, which are very popular. The expo provides us an excellent opportunity to display our goods directly to Chinese customers and purchasers," Imran, a Pakistani merchant told the Global Times.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has notably facilitated bilateral trade, for example, it has reduced the transit time of our products from 50 days by sea to just 15 days via land, Imran added. "In the future, I expect train lines can be built in the corridor, which could cut the transportation time more."

Beyond Pakistan, South Asian countries such as Sri Lanka, Nepal and India have also sent delegations to the expo. 

The expo has been very beneficial for Sri Lanka, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. New companies often lack the experiences to expand internationally due to the high cost of trade fairs in other countries. The expo brings Sri Lankan companies with exhibition opportunities, Devika Mendis, a commercial research officer from the Sri Lankan delegation, told the Global Times.

China has continuously strengthened pragmatic economic and trade cooperation with the region since the proposal of the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013.

Last year, China's trade with South Asian countries doubled to nearly $200 billion compared with 2013, cementing China's role as the top trade partner for most South Asian countries and facilitating their products' access to the huge Chinese market, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said.

Sri Lanka is keen to continue its participation and expand its delegation size in the expo. Last year, Sri Lanka had 56 exhibition booths, while this year we have expanded to 112 booths, Mendis added. "Domestic businesses are lining up to be part of this grand event." 

Indian firms also noted the importance of the expo to small and medium-sized businesses, expressing optimism about expanding their presence at the event. 

"There are many expos that help trade with China, but the expo is especially important for small and medium-sized businesses, as many of the products displayed here are from labor-intensive sectors," said Ajay Sahai, director-general and CEO of the Federation of Indian Export Organization.

The expo also attracts a growing number of Southeast Asian exhibitors, reflecting deeper integration under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and expanding bilateral trade with countries like Malaysia and Laos. 

"We hope to further promote trade between Laos and China, and highlight Lao products, particularly agricultural goods," said Thanousone Phonamat, a vice president of the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 

This year's event coincides with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Malaysia, sparking keen interest among Malaysian businesses. "We are hoping for a larger delegation and more booths for next year's expo," said Fan Shu Hua, general manager of ES Event Management Sdn Bhd.

Since settling in Kunming 11 years ago, the expo has gone through seven sessions, engaging more than 18,000 domestic and international enterprises and drawing more than 4 million visitors. 

The associated cumulative foreign trade turnover has surpassed $100 billion, with more than 3,000 projects signed and established during the expos, reported the Yunnan Daily.

This marks the eighth session of the China-South Asia Expo and the 28th Kunming Import and Export Fair. Scheduled to run from Tuesday through Sunday, the event features the theme of unity and cooperative development. It boasts participation by 82 countries, regions and international organizations, with more than 2,000 exhibiting enterprises.