China and Honduras will implement the early harvest arrangement of free trade agreement (FTA) starting from Sunday, when some imported goods originating in Honduras will be subject to agreed tax rates under the arrangement, the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council announced Friday.
Chinese experts said the implementation of the early harvest arrangement will inject fresh impetus to China-Honduras economic and trade ties, especially that gaining access to the vast China market will benefit the economic development of Honduras.
Experts are optimistic about the prospect of China-Honduras economic and trade cooperation, projecting that more quality Honduran products such as tobacco, coffee and chocolate will enter China.
In line with the early harvest arrangement of the FTA, China will impose zero tariffs on frozen shrimp originating from Honduras, according to a separate statement by the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council.
China and Honduras established diplomatic relations in March 2023, launched the first round of bilateral FTA negotiations in July of the same year, and signed an FTA early harvest arrangement in February 2024.
The two countries have held six rounds of FTA negotiations, the latest in July 2024, according to China's Ministry of Commerce.
The two countries have conducted comprehensive and in-depth consultations on fields such as trade in goods, trade in services, investment and rules, and have made positive progress, according to the ministry.
"With different resource endowments and economic complementarity, the pragmatic cooperation between the two countries will be conducive to the economic and social development of the Central American country and benefit its people," Dong Jingsheng, deputy director of Peking University's Latin America Research Center, told the Global Times on Friday.
Dong said there is huge potential and broad development prospects for China-Honduras economic and trade cooperation. In addition to trade, bilateral investments are expected to grow rapidly once the FTA is signed and comes into effect, he said.
China and Honduras have seen rapid development of economic and trade cooperation since the establishment of diplomatic relations. According to data released by Chinse customs, the total trade volume between the two countries reached 8.06 billion ($1.14 billion) in the first seven months of 2024, an increase of 9.2 percent year-on-year. China's imports from Honduras surged by 35.3 percent year-on-year over the same period.
In July, the first batch of 36 tons of whiteleg shrimp from Honduras was exported to China, another important achievement of the pragmatic cooperation between the countries, and a vivid example of how the establishment of diplomatic ties has improved the well-being of the two peoples.
On August 23 local time, the China Honduras Enterprise Trade Matchmaking Conference and Signing Ceremony was held in Tegucigalpa, capital of Honduras. Chinese and Honduran enterprises signed multiple trade agreements worth $18 million at the meeting, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
China is willing to work with Honduras to complete FTA negotiations as soon as possible, and China will expand high-level opening-up to provide more opportunities for Honduran products to enter the Chinese market, Xinhua quoted Chinese Ambassador to Honduras Yu Bo as saying.
"The early harvest is expected to have a demonstration effect and boost following FTA negotiations between the two countries," Jiang Shixue, a professor at the Center for Latin American Studies at Shanghai University, told the Global Times on Friday.
Jiang said an FTA will help Honduras to take advantage of the vast Chinese market, projecting that more Honduran products such as coffee, seafood and other agricultural products will be exported to China.
The customs of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) further extended the scope of service of the Free Trade Agreement Transshipment Facilitation Scheme (FTA Scheme) to cover transshipments from the Chinese mainland to Vietnam and Nicaragua via the HKSAR, and from Serbia via the HKSAR to the mainland, per a statement the customs released on Sunday.
Upon the extension, local traders can apply for a certificate of non-manipulation, which certifies that transshipment cargo has not undergone any further processing during their stay in Hong Kong, to claim a preferential tariff under related FTAs and preferential trade agreements between the Chinese mainland and other countries and regions, such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
The scope of service of Hong Kong's FTA Scheme originally covers shipments of 68 economies under 20 trade agreements signed between the mainland and its trading partners to be transshipped northbound via Hong Kong to the mainland, and mainland transshipment cargoes heading southbound via Hong Kong for the island of Taiwan, as well as South Korea, Singapore and Australia under seven trade agreements.
"Such arrangements have multiple positive effects on Hong Kong's economy. For starters, they strengthen the logistics and transportation sectors, further reinforcing Hong Kong's role as an international logistics hub," Liang Haiming, chairman of Hong Kong-based China Silk Road iValley Research Institute, told the Global Times on Sunday.
Offering tariff incentives will attract more international transactions through Hong Kong. It makes Hong Kong more competitive in the global trade network by simplifying customs procedures and improving efficiency, Liang said.
China released an on-site investigative report on Friday regarding the ecological system of the coral reefs in the South China Sea's Xianbin Jiao, revealing the coral reef ecosystem in Xianbin Jiao is generally in good health. There was no evidence of widespread coral bleaching, the report found, in response to allegations made by the Philippines this year, which groundlessly accused China of reclaiming an artificial reef around Xianbin Jiao that led to widespread coral bleaching.
Chinese scientists also conducted analyses of sediment samples to determine their source elements around the reef, finding no evidence of terrestrial materials entering the ocean. This again refuted the Philippines' baseless accusations against China's land reclamation and reef construction activities.
More importantly, scientists identified six sandbars in Xianbin Jiao, all of which are exposed at low tide. Experts noted that this discovery supports China's longstanding assertion that Xianbin Jiao falls under the "feature above high water springs in China's Nansha Qundao (the Nansha Islands)," affirming China's rights to territorial waters, contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones, and continental shelves around the Xianbin Jiao.
Furthermore, the report emphasized the significant impact of frequent human activities in and around Xianbin Jiao on the coral reef ecosystem's health. It highlighted the presence of Philippine vessels and ships illegally mooring in the lagoon, whose anchoring and fishing activities could disrupt the normal coral growth in the area. China's claims scientifically sound
"China's recent on-site investigation of Xianbin Jiao clearly confirms its status as a 'feature above high water springs in the Nansha Qundao,' supporting China's claim and refuting the Philippines' assertions and the 2016 so-called award on the South China Sea arbitration which defined it a 'low-tide feature' and included it in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone," Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times.
According to the expert, the concept of "feature above high water springs in the Nansha Qundao" aligns with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea's definition of "islands," entitling them to territorial seas, exclusive economic zones, and continental shelves. China's sovereignty over the Nansha Qundao, including Xianbin Jiao, is supported by historical and legal evidence, Chen stressed.
Chen noted that during the so-called South China Sea arbitration of 2016, the tribunal claimed that certain islands and reefs in the region were "low-tide feature" based mainly on outdated and unreliable navigational guides. It is absurd that they used such flimsy evidence to classify Xianbin Jiao as a "low-tide feature," Chen said, calling this recent scientific research "ample and precise evidence to prove China's reasonable claim."
The long-term presence of the Philippines Coast Guard vessel in the Xianbin Jiao's lagoon is a serious encroachment on China's territory, experts stressed. During this scientific expedition from May to July, Chinese research team composed of multiple research institutes under the Ministry of Natural Resources assessed the coral reef ecosystem of Xianbin Jiao using a combination of on-site investigations, historical data, and satellite images. This survey set up 23 survey stations along the reef edge, conducting surveys on four major categories including coral communities, reef-dwelling organisms, reef habitats, and human activities, totaling 75 elements.
Some coral debris and damaged reef-building corals are found to be distributed within a certain range around the sandbar, which, experts believed, is related to Philippines vessels' illegal gathering, fishing and long-term anchoring.
The Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701), the PCG's largest vessel, has caused wide concerns among experts as its large and long anchor chain has been scraping the lagoon floor since mid-April and may cause significant damage to the coral reefs. This prolonged anchoring may have led to serious coral death over the last four months, experts warned. Philippines' accusations proven false
It is important to note that a radioactive tracing study was conducted on the sediments of Xianbin Jiao sandbars and its surrounding waters during the investigation. This study focused on the areas where the Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela accused China in May of "building an artificial island."
Chinese scientists tested for uranium-238 and other isotopes in sediment samples from 33 locations around Xianbin Jiao and its surrounding waters. The results revealed that all sediment samples had similar source elements, and did not contain any terrestrial materials from land sources.
Chen emphasized that this scientific evidence disproves the baseless accusations made by the Philippines that China is transporting materials from land to reclaim land and build artificial reefs.
Chinese President Xi Jinping highly values efforts to preserve cultural and natural treasures and renew their glamour in the new era.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, has called for further efforts in an instruction on strengthening the protection, preservation and utilization of cultural and natural heritage.
The instruction was made after one cultural heritage and two natural heritages of China were inscribed on the World Heritage List by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in July 2024.
Xi also called for enhanced international exchange and cooperation in this field, and efforts to make greater contributions to the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) and the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.
August 15 marks China's second National Ecology Day. The three new heritages reveal the concept of harmonious coexistence between human and nature, and contribute to the world's biological diversity.
In this issue, the Global Times Life Desk maps out the lively examples of Chinese modernization and harmony between humanity and nature, and China's active engagement in international dialogue and cooperation in world heritage protection under the guidance of the GCI.
Every year, when winter arrives, growing numbers of birds, including some species in danger such as red-crown cranes, can be seen landing around the wetlands on the fringe of China's Badain Jaran Desert and also around Chongming Island of Shanghai, both inscribed onto UNESCO's World Heritage List in July, to survive the cold. As for Beijing swifts, another kind of migrant bird, April in the capital is a golden time to nest and breed, and the roofs of ancient buildings along the Central Axis of Beijing will once again become their dream home.
All of these world heritage sites play a pivotal role in providing a home for a variety of birds, which have been increasing in number alongside China's efforts in conservation and development of heritage sites. The story of these migrant birds is just a tiny part of what is happening at world heritage sites around China.
Whether they are natural heritage sites like the Badain Jaran Desert or cultural sites like the Central Axis of Beijing, each heritage site in China has its own unique and irreplaceable role to play, not only in regard to the evolution of human civilization but also as a stabilizer for the Earth's natural environment, experts noted.
In July, UNESCO announced the inscription of the Beijing Central Axis: A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital, the Badain Jaran Desert - Towers of Sand and Lakes, and the Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China (Phase II) on its World Heritage List at the 46th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in New Delhi, India.
The ancient axis helped to build an ideal urban landscape, while lakes in the desert and the sanctuaries for migratory birds on the coastline are an integral part of the harmonious relationship between humanity and nature.
"We can see diverse special ecosystems at every natural world heritage site in China, and each of them has a significant role in stabilizing the general circulation of the atmosphere and ensuring the safety of biodiversity," Zhang Yujun, a professor and director of the National Park Research Center of Beijing Forestry University, told the Global Times.
When speaking of the reasons why the Central Axis of Beijing should be included in the World Heritage List, Lü Zhou, director of the National Heritage Center at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times that the ancient axis fills a gap in the World Heritage List in terms of the ideals surrounding Eastern capital city planning and the types of core architectural complexes it possesses.
Zhang Peng, head of the Memorial Hall of Guo Shoujing and a veteran cultural expert, told the Global Times that besides marvelous architecture, the centuries-old lush trees and water landscapes along the axis that are often seen as natural scenic spots have been "dyed" in cultural attributes, making them irreplaceable parts of the heritage site. 'Breathing' heritage
In his instruction, Xi called for efforts to take this UNESCO inclusion as an opportunity to further strengthen the comprehensive and systematic protection of cultural and natural heritage sites and make good use of them to better meet the people's needs.
Making heritages a "breathing" part of modern life rather than static historical displays is China's goal when utilizing both its natural and cultural heritage resources. The sustainable utilization of heritage sites is "multi-dimensional" and includes sectors like "smart digital delivery, public's participation and IP transformation," cultural policy expert Song Weiping told the Global Times.
The Central Axis of Beijing is using digital means to monitor the site's "health condition." The program was started in 2021, when a center dedicated to the digital conservation of the heritage site was launched.
Relying on China's domestically produced Beidou Navigation Satellite System, the center's equipment is able to monitor sites along the Central Axis of Beijing to a micrometer-level.
The center's other facilities like the "Digital Twin" real-time map and "Mobile Patrolling" app have made heritage management much more "efficient," Zhou Ziyu, the director of the center's monitoring department, told the Global Times, adding that digital technology is a "necessary assistant" that helps experts see "unseen" problems.
Smart "assistants" are also involved in conservation efforts at another of China's World Heritage Sites - the Great Wall.
At both the Jiankou and Badaling sections of the Great Wall, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are used not only for monitoring, but also capturing fuller images of sites to make a three-dimensional model of the Great Wall.
Shang Jinyu, an expert who is responsible for the digital project at Jiankou Great Wall, told the Global Times that digital devices have helped them to see "some neglected and extremely fragile parts that need to be repaired."
Although these technical devices are smart, they can never replace the importance of people in heritage conservation. For example, generations of villagers have worked to safeguard the Badaling Great Wall, "a heritage that can only 'live' through interacting with the public," Li Dan, a representative from the Administration Office of the Badaling Great Wall, told the Global Times.
Due to its remote location, the natural World Heritage Site Badain Jaran Desert - Towers of Sand and Lakes in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region "has long been relying on local villagers' voluntary patrolling thanks to their love of their home," Liang Baorong, the director of the Alxa Right Banner Administration Bureau of the Alxa Desert UNESCO Global Geopark, told the Global Times.
"Not only villagers, the site has also intrigued university research groups, foreign experts and in future, we will aim to develop it into an iconic tourist site," Liang told the Global Times.
Through "cultural tourism," China's heritage resources are sustainably used and better engage the public. Relying on China's archaeological sensation, the Sanxingdui Ruins, the new Sanxingdui Museum has become a popular hot spot that attracts more than 4.8 million people a year.
The site has launched experiential programs like "on-site archaeological games" and has also co-launched exchange forums with the Liangzhu Ruins in Hangzhou. Its iconic relics like the "Gold Mask" and "Bronze Figurine" have been turned into blind box toys, stationary and even ice cream products that have proven popular among young visitors.
Song told the Global Times that heritage sites like the Sanxingdui Ruins and Liangzhu Ruins are seeking to broaden their "archaeological IPs" to boost "urban tourism, local cities' cultural identity as well as international exchanges." A testament to the GCI
China's rich tapestry of cultural and natural heritage is now adorned with 59 World Heritage Sites, a witness to the nation's profound history and ongoing commitment to global cultural diversity. Among these, "The Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor," a joint venture with Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, stands as a beacon of international cooperation in preserving cultural heritage sites.
Lü told the Global Times that China's adherence to the World Heritage Convention has been a testament to the country's open and collaborative spirit. China stands as one of the world's most endowed nations in terms of cultural and natural treasures.
China's active engagement with UNESCO and other contracting states has fostered a conducive environment for international dialogue and cooperation. The inclusion of the Central Axis of Beijing underscores China's dedication to the Global Civilization Initiative, emphasizing its respect for cultural diversity and the significance of cultural heritage in fostering mutual understanding and respect among civilizations.
Wang Yiwei, vice president of Academy of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, told the Global Times that the GCI underscores the idea that ancient civilizations can achieve modernization and contribute to contemporary human civilization. The initiative promotes the view that civilization is not a monolithic concept but a diverse and inclusive reality that encompasses various cultural expressions.
Currently, China and Egypt are embarking on a collaborative journey to nominate the Baiheliang Ancient Hydrological Inscription, the earliest low water hydrological inscriptions to be found in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality and the Nilometers, an ancient instrument used to measure the waters of the Nile river in Egypt as new World Heritage Sites. This joint endeavor has seen teams from both countries engaging in mutual visits and efforts to forge a path for a joint application.
Xie Maosong, a senior research fellow at the China Institute for Innovation and Development Strategy and the director of the Research Center of Chinese Civilization and Chinese Path, told the Global Times that such collaboration exemplifies China's active commitment to the GCI.
Launched at the 44th World Heritage Convention in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, the Fuzhou Declaration highlighted the need for increased support for developing countries, particularly those in Africa and small island nations. This declaration is a clear indication of China's willingness to share its experience and expertise in heritage conservation, which is especially beneficial for countries in the Global South.
"Both Baiheliang and the Nilometers are hydrographic relics and related to two of the greatest rivers in the world," said Xie, adding that they reflect how different agricultural civilizations in Asia and Africa relate to their respective river resources.
