Scheduled visits to Taiwan Island by two academic delegations from Xiamen University on the Chinese mainland were blocked by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities for "technical reasons," Taiwan-based media udn.com said on Friday.
Taiwan authorities have postponed the trips on the eve of the visits, saying the application review had not been passed, claiming that it will be postponed to October, udn.com said. The "mainland affairs council" on the island said the cases are currently being examined and handled by the relevant authorities according to procedures.
Zhang Wensheng, deputy dean of the Taiwan Research Institute at Xiamen University, confirmed the planned visits and the DPP authorities' decision to block them to the Global Times on Friday, saying that it still remains doubtful whether the trip can be made in October.
The Xiamen University delegations have completed the preparations in terms of formalities and materials, but related "security authorities" in Taiwan have put a "a technical hold" in place while they carry out a review, Zhang said.
The General Administration of Customs has decided to resume the import of Wendan pomelo from Taiwan starting September 2. In addition, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said on August 30 that the mainland will soon resume allowing residents in East China's Fujian Province to travel to Taiwan's Kinmen county.
As the mainland continues to show goodwill, it seems that the DPP authorities are not willing to reciprocate with the same goodwill, Zhang said.
"In the aftermath of COVID-19, the mainland has adopted an open attitude toward cross-Straits exchanges, with many scholars from Taiwan region being able to come to the mainland to attend seminars smoothly," Zhang said, "many Taiwan scholars also hope that the DPP authorities will open up exchange channels, but its restrictive measures have only been disappointing."
The unique climatic conditions have made Turpan grapes, Hami melons and other fruits famous at home and abroad. At present, it is the picking season for more than 630,000 mu of grapes in Turpan.
Recently, employees of Sanbao Township Power Supply Station of State Grid Turpan Electric Power Supply Company came to the ten-thousand-mu high-standard grape planting base in Sanbao township, Gaochang district to assist customers in inspecting power supply lines and electrical equipment.
Turpan is located in the hinterland of the Eurasian continent. The extreme high temperature can reach 50 C every year. The annual average precipitation is 16 millimeters and the evaporation is 3,200 millimeters. The annual sunshine hours are 3,200 hours. It is known as Huozhou. High temperature and heat generate abundant light and heat resources.
In recent years, Turpan has used "thermal resources" to vigorously develop industries such as characteristic agriculture, sand therapy and health preservation, and dry heat tests for automobiles, promoting high-quality development of the local economy. State Grid Turpan Electric Power Supply Company starts from three aspects: building "one network," devoting "one piece of heart," and laying out "one side of green," and provides high-quality services to promote the booming development of Huozhou's "hot economy."
Thanks to the hot and dry climate conditions, the fruits in Turpan accumulate thick and dense sweetness. The air is filled with the sweet aroma of various fruits. Turpan is surrounded by "sweetness" throughout the summer.
In recent years, Turpan has fully utilized the advantage of high temperature to vigorously develop the grape planting industry. By promoting water-saving irrigation, integrated water and fertilizer technology, and etc., it provides scientific planting technical services for grape growers.
Since 2024, State Grid Turpan Electric Power Supply Company has invested more than 300 million yuan to carry out multiple rounds of renovation and upgrading of rural power grid lines. A total of 156.53 kilometers of 10-kilovolt lines and 411 distribution transformers have been newly built and renovated. The power supply quality and reliability have been further improved, injecting strong electric energy into the development of the local traditional "hot economy" industry.
Every summer, as the temperature continues to rise, sand therapy and health care in Turpan also become "hot." In recent years, based on regional characteristics and ethnic customs, Turpan city has been working hard to create a "sand therapy+" development model and build a comprehensive sand therapy industry development complex with "medicine, health care, and tourism" as the core.
In view of the small, scattered and numerous sand therapy industries, the State Grid Turpan Electric Power Supply Company regularly organizes the Party member service team to give full play to the "grid-based" service advantage, regularly carry out electricity safety inspections, and provide "one-on-one" on-site services with the person in charge of the resort to solve customers' electricity problems at any time, accurately provide power supply services for characteristic industries, and help the "sand therapy tourism" continue to heat up.
In July, the Party member service team of State Grid Turpan Electric Power Supply Company assisted sand therapy resorts in rectifying 10 potential safety hazards in electricity use, carried out 7 sessions of safety electricity use knowledge lectures, and distributed more than 300 copies of publicity brochures on safe electricity use and power facility protection.
On July 18, in the national high-temperature dry heat test base located in Turpan, Xinjiang, new models from more than 50 enterprises were exposed to the sun and undergoing high-temperature dry heat tests.
The abundant light and heat resources in Turpan provide natural and excellent conditions for extreme high-temperature vehicle testing. Turpan undertakes more than 95 percent of the hot zone vehicle testing volume in the country.
To meet the rapidly growing charging demand, State Grid Turpan Electric Power Supply Company continuously simplifies the electricity application procedures and speeds up the power connection. 64 new electric vehicle charging piles have been added near the dry and hot natural environment test base. At present, 955 electric vehicle charging piles have been built and put into use in Turpan, realizing full coverage of public charging facilities in towns and townships across the city.
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.
On the first day after the Paris Olympics' opening ceremony, Chinese shooting pair Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao ignited Chinese social media not only because of the first gold medal they won for Team China in the 10-meter air rifle mixed team match but also because of their personalities and social media usernames.
After defeating their South Korean counterparts Keum Ji-hyeon and Park Ha-jun in the 10-meter air rifle mixed team match, Huang and Sheng were congratulated by many Chinese netizens. Sheng, whose Weibo user name is "only by eating", quickly sparked widespread attention, as this online nickname paired with the words "duoguan" (win the championship) in Chinese turns into "Winning the championship just by eating."
However, Sheng never expected such a coincidence. He said that this username was something he "came up with casually," and he reassured concerned netizens that he would "take good care of himself." This kind of "Versailles" humor reveals a sense of wit and attracts the audience, according to Xinhua News Agency.
Netizens also discovered that Huang always carries cute plush toys with her, and her social media pictures often feature cute dogs. While Sheng often appears cool, he is known to be rather playful on occasion and netizens seem to appreciate the transparency, uniqueness and authenticity that perspire through their favorite athletes' online accounts.
Huang, making her Olympic debut, is only 17 years old, while Sheng, competing in his second Olympics, is just 19 years old. "Young athletes should have their own personalities. I like their relaxed attitude," a netizen remarked.
According to Xinhua, although the two athletes have their own hobbies and interests off the field, they show remarkable calmness and composure during competitions. In the past, they have jointly won world championships, World Cups, and Asian Games titles. Huang was a triple champion at the Hangzhou Asian Games, while Sheng won a silver medal in the men's 10-meter air rifle individuals at the Tokyo Olympics at the age of 17.
After winning the championship at the Paris Olympics, they still appear calm and relaxed. "We achieved this result just by sticking to what we should do," Sheng said when receiving an interview from CCTV. Huang also explained that this championship was just a result of a long processof training and it provided her with a lot of experience to block out external noise and stay determined.
"Shooting is a psychologically driven sport. Compared to other sports, athletes need to maintain focus without becoming overly excited," Bi Xiaoting, a sports psychology expert said to China Youth Daily.
She noted that for athletes that have maintained professional training and possess good psychological qualities, the pressure of winning the first gold medal may not be as great as the outside world imagines. "Especially the younger generation of athletes, who have stronger autonomy and resilience, and who actively use sports psychology to improve their competitive state, often find creative solutions to problems," Bi said.
However, she also warned that external interference could still affect the athletes' long-term growth. While focusing on the first gold medal can increase attention, she hopes that the public will focus more on the athletes' personal charm and hard work, and "notice the uniqueness of each person."
According to China Youth Daily, Wang Lian, deputy director of the Shooting and Archery Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, said that athletes of every generation carry responsibility for their era.
"Our perception of Olympic gold medals has changed significantly from decades ago. The confidence and openness of today's Chinese shooters have also been brought about by the new era," Wang said.
Team China concluded their Paris Olympics campaign with 40 gold, 27 silver, and 24 bronze medals, marking their best performance at an Olympics held abroad.
In diving and table tennis, the Chinese players achieved a landmark sweep of eight and five gold medals respectively across all categories, a rare achievement for the teams at a single Olympics.
As the Olympics concluded on Sunday, Global Times reporters Jiang Li, Wu Jie, Li Yuche and Lu Wenao picked up several stories behind the scenes that can help you remember the glory and sportsmanship displayed in Paris. Among the big contributors to the Chinese delegation's medal haul, the Chinese swim team concluded their campaign at the 2024 Paris Olympics with two golds, three silvers, and seven bronzes. Totaling 12 medals, this marks the highest number ever achieved by the Chinese swim team in Olympic history.
This was a hard-earned result for the team, considering the Chinese swimmers had undergone excessive doping tests ahead of and during the Paris Olympics, which many believe disrupted Chinese swimmers' preparations.
Prior to and during the Games, some US institutions and media stirred controversy over alleged doping issues with Chinese swimmers.
According to the World Aquatics, since January, Chinese swimmers have undergone an average of 21 drug tests per athlete, compared with four for Australian swimmers and six for US swimmers.
Chinese swimmer Pan Zhanle's sensational gold medal in the men's 100m freestyle helped the team shrug off anxiety.
On July 28, Pan won gold with a world record setting time of 46.40 seconds. This victory marked the first time a Chinese male swimmer won a gold medal in the 100m freestyle at the Olympics.
"This gold medal is very significant for our country, as it represents a historic breakthrough in a new event for Chinese swimming. It's a very exciting achievement," Pan said after the race.
Notably, Pan had revealed in an interview before heading to Paris that he was already capable of swimming under 46.5 seconds but wanted to avoid exposing his true strength too early.
"Fortunately, at the world championships I swam to 46.80 seconds, so my competitors thought that was my limit - it was a smokescreen," Pan said.
Adding to Pan's gold medal, male backstroke swimmer Xu Jiayu won silver in the men's 100m backstroke with a time of 52.32 seconds and female breaststroker Tang Qianting won silver in the women's 100m breaststroke with a time of 1:05.54 on July 30.
In the mixed 4x100m medley relay final on August 4, the Chinese team, consisting of Xu, Qin Haiyang, Zhang Yufei and Yang Junxuan, won silver with a time of 3:37.55, breaking the Asian record and finishing just 0.12 seconds behind the US team.
In the men's 4x100m medley relay, backstroker Xu, breaststroker Qin, butterflyer Sun Jiajun and freestyle star Pan ended 40 years of US dominance since the 1984 Olympics with a sensational 3:27.46.
"I've lost count of how many tests I've undergone. Often, I'm called for testing as early as 6 am, which has definitely affected the rhythm of our overall preparation," said Qin following the 4x100m medley relay final.
Following the men's relay final, the Chinese women's team, featuring Wan Letian, Tang Qianting, Zhang and Yang, secured a bronze medal in the women's 4x100m medley relay final.
A notable moment occurred during the group photo session after the men's 4x100m medley relay.
When taking a group photo at the award ceremony after the relay, the Chinese team originally planned to sit down, but the US team members took the initiative to signal the champions should stand on top. The US team sat down with the French team, and then all team members shook hands and hugged each other.
It's said that the best way to earn respect is through undeniable performance. The impressive performance of the Chinese swim team not only secured medals but also strongly countered doubts.
Culture-powered breakthroughs
Chinese athletes have made a string of historic achievements at the Paris Olympic Games, marking the country's growing competitiveness in a broader spectrum of sports and leaving a powerful legacy for youths in China.
Zheng Qinwen, 21, made history by becoming the first Asia-born player to win a gold medal in the Olympic tennis singles event. Her victory is especially significant as tennis has traditionally been a sport dominated by Western players. Zheng's ground-breaking victory reflects China's growing prowess in a wider range of sports and is sure to inspire the younger generation of tennis players. As Zheng withdrew from the tennis mixed doubles event to focus on singles, Wang Xinyu paired up with Zhang Zhizhen right before the mixed doubles event began. In only four days, this interim duo secured a silver medal in China's first attempt in the Olympic mixed doubles.
Deng Yawen, an 18-year-old Chinese BMX prodigy, chalked up a historic victory in the women's BMX freestyle park finals. Her stunning performance, scoring 92.60 points in her best run, not only secured China's first-ever gold medal in this event but also highlighted the rapid development of BMX as a sport in China. Deng's victory is particularly significant given that BMX freestyle is a relatively new discipline in the Olympics, having debuted in Tokyo 2020.
China's artistic swimming head coach Zhang Xiaohuan said she felt it was "a bit unreal" when China won its first-ever Olympic gold medal in artistic swimming with a fluid acrobatic team routine. Wang Liuyi and Wang Qianyi also secured China's first Olympic title in artistic swimming's duet free routine. Zhang attributed the milestone triumph to generations of effort.
"We have shed blood, sweat and tears, but in the end, we all held on. This is the result of the collective effort of the team and the relentless pursuit of generations of Chinese synchronized swimmers," said Zhang.
Zhang noted that one of the key reasons for Chinese team's breakthroughs was their commitment to incorporating Chinese cultural elements into their performance. For example, they used movements from the martial art Wing Chun and created a visual representation of the Chinese oracle bone script character for "mountain."
"As a non-English-speaking country, it's incredibly challenging for China to achieve a breakthrough in this sport, which has long been dominated by Western countries. Gaining global recognition is no small feat. We will continue on this path, showcasing more elements of Chinese culture and expressing our cultural confidence to the world," she said.
On Friday, China's women's hockey team took silver after a tense 3-1 shootout defeat to the Netherlands, equaling the team's best Olympic record set during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
The Chinese women's rugby team has also achieved their best-ever performance at the Olympics with a 6th place finish.
These achievements are significant as they highlight China's growing competitiveness in global sports beyond their traditional strongholds like table tennis and diving. The success of younger athletes in these diverse disciplines reflects the country's investment in broadening its athletic capabilities and signifies a new era of Chinese sportsmanship on the world stage. Moments of Olympism
Whether it's Chinese player He Bingjiao displaying a Spain flag pin on the podium or weightlifter Shi Zhiyong competing on-site while injured, Chinese athletes at the Paris Olympic Games have shown the true sportsmanship, making sports a channel to convey the human spirit.
China's two-time Olympic champion Shi created a poignant memory in Paris on Friday. Competing in the men's 73kg category, he failed his three attempts to lift 191 kilograms. Behind his "failure," it turns out the athlete had torn his adductor muscle during the competition.
In a post-match interview, Shi teared up as he said he was "very sorry for the whole team" and that he "did not expect things to end like this." His words and resilience inspired numerous Chinese netizens to flock to social media platform Sina Weibo to express their love. One netizen noted that "his courage weighs a thousand pounds."
Shi failed to win any medals, marking a departure from his previous Olympic successes in Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo. However, his regrets in Paris highlight the invisible physical toll that athletes endure.
Chinese netizens' attitude of showing understanding toward an athlete's loss has commonly been seen during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Another example was the encouragements sent to Chinese men's gymnastics team, especially to the 24-year-old Su Weide after he fell from the horizontal bar down twice.
"Losing a gold medal in the gymnastics finals is generally unacceptable to us because we are so good at it, but I'll accept Su's mistake because for a true fan like me, I prioritize our athletes than any results," Li Yang, a sport fan, told the Global Times.
Besides Su, sports fans were also much more light-hearted in expressing their support rather than blame after Tokyo Games champion fencer Sun Yiwen was eliminated in the Round of 32 in Paris.
Chinese fans' growing tolerance toward these setbacks reveals the public are more than ever "wanting to be a part of sports" as well as "reflecting more deeply on sports values," cultural sociologist Xu Shuming told the Global Times.
"Friendship" might be one of these "sports values" that Chinese athletes have shown in Paris.
To show her support for Spanish badminton player Carolina Marin, who forfeited her semi-final match due to a knee injury, China's silver medalist He Bingjiao brought a pin with the Spanish flag onto the medal podium.
Although the pin was difficult to see pinched between He's fingers, the Chinese athlete's gesture was timeless and what one netizen called on Sina Weibo "a gesture of the Olympic spirit."
Chinese industry groups said on Friday that the EU's imposition of additional tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) and its incessant probes into Chinese companies within the bloc under the so-called Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) - regulation known primarily for deterring foreign companies - have seriously disrupted normal business activities, and undermined fair market environment.
The FSR, which grants European regulators overly broad powers to initiate investigations and raid investment projects mostly involving Chinese companies, needs to be reviewed and restrained, Chinese experts said. Otherwise, the European economic bloc risks losing more investment from Chinese companies, they warned.
The China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME) warned on Friday that the EU members' backing of anti-subsidy measures targeting Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers will inevitably lead to a loss of investment in Europe.
In reality, many EU members have long hoped that Chinese EV makers could set up factories in Europe to provide decent jobs, the experts said.
The European Commission (EC)'s imposition of high duties on Chinese electric cars, according to some observers, is actually intended to push Chinese companies to invest in Europe, to help boost the EU automotive industry, create local jobs, and achieve green and sustainable development goals.
'Opposite effect'
However, the CCCME warned that "the reaction from Chinese companies indicates that the EU's approach has had the opposite effect."
Before the EU initiated the anti-subsidy probe into Chinese EVs, quite a few Chinese carmakers had already planned to establish their operations in Europe. "Since the EC decided to impose temporary anti-subsidy duties on Chinese EVs, the Chinese EV industry has expressed strong opposition to the EU's actions… Many Chinese companies have voiced significant concerns to our chamber regarding the investigation's results and the potential risks of facing scrutiny under the FSR rising from their European investments," the CCCME said.
Since the beginning of 2024, the EU has launched five investigations under the FSR into Chinese companies. To date, there have been three in-depth probes, one proactive probe and one unannounced raid, with all three in-depth investigations forcing related Chinese companies to withdraw from bidding projects in Europe.
The EU's multiple investigations targeting Chinese companies are very discriminatory, severely distorting fair competition, and bringing significant risks and uncertainties to Chinese companies operating in or investing in Europe, the CCCME warned.
The CCCME said that the "subsidy label" identified in the EU's probes targeting Chinese EVs is likely to become an excuse for future investigations under the FSR into more Chinese-run businesses in Europe, raising deep concerns among Chinese enterprises.
After the European Commission announced levying provisional duties of up to 37.6 percent on Chinese EVs, some major EU member countries voted in support for the move, despite widespread opposition from other member countries and EU industries. Notably, among those who voted in favor of the duties include France, Italy and Spain, according to Reuters.
Strikingly, these countries have been actively courting Chinese EV makers to set up plants in their lands. In May, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said that France would welcome BYD to open a factory in the country, according to Reuters. Spain has also launched an ambitious plan to attract Chinese companies to set up EV and battery factories in the country. Italy is also reportedly in talks with Chinese carmaker Dongfeng Motor Group on setting up a plant in the country.
Investors' concerns
However, Chinese companies are increasingly worried about the business environment in the EU following the EC's announcement of levying high tariffs on Chinese EVs as well as the enactment of the FSR, which has created significant uncertainty for Chinese companies.
Illustrating the profound uncertainty for Chinese investments in the EU, after foreign media reports suggested that Italy has demanded Dongfeng Motor Group agree to safeguards on cybersecurity and data protection as the price of support for a new plant in the country, the Chinese company told the Global Times that the two sides had only held initial talks and have not made any substantive contact.
"Dongfeng hasn't held discussions on issues cited in foreign media reports, including cybersecurity, data protection and a 45-percent localization rate for all components," the company said in a statement sent to the Global Times.
Recent moves by EU authorities under the FSR, including investigations and raids, against Chinese companies have sent a chill through Chinese companies operating in Europe, not just EV makers, experts said.
In total, EU authorities have launched at least five major FSR investigations into projects involving Chinese companies. In March, Chinese train maker CRRC withdrew from a 610 million euro ($660 million) public tender for a Bulgarian railway project, after the EU launched an investigation into the bid under the FSR framework.
On April 3, EU launched two probes under the FSR concerning "potentially market distortive role of foreign subsidies given to bidders in a public procurement procedure." The investigation focused on a joint venture comprising ENEVO from Romania and a branch of LONGi from China, as well as subsidiaries of Shanghai Electric Group. This consortium submitted a bid for a solar panel project in Romania.
On April 9, EU announced the probe into Chinese wind turbine suppliers to the bloc under the FSR. Two weeks later, on April 23, the bloc suddenly conducted an unexpected raid on the offices of a Chinese company in Poland and the Netherlands over subsidy allegations.
Although EU's FSR, which took effect in January 2023 aimed at combating distortions of competition within EU's internal market caused by foreign subsidies, did not single out China explicitly, it has been overwhelmingly targeting Chinese companies, making clear the EU's intention to crack down on Chinese companies, experts said.
Apart from EU's arbitrary investigations and raids, Chinese companies are also increasingly concerned about the EU's attempts to obtain their commercial secrets through the probes.
The China Chamber of Commerce to the EU (CCCEU) told the Global Times that Chinese companies recently reported that the European side had exceeded the scope of the FSR investigation. Despite the opposition of Chinese enterprises, the EU side copied documents containing information about Chinese companies' key technology components, which are classified as commercial secrets, the CCCEU said.
Fighting back
Chinese officials and industry groups have repeatedly criticized the FSR, for its being used as a protectionist tool in the hands of EU to suppress Chinese companies.
On July 10, China's Ministry of Commerce said, at the request of the CCCME, it launched a trade and investment barrier investigation into EU's related practices in its investigations of Chinese enterprises based on the FSR.
Measures investigated involve relevant practices adopted by the EU in investigations such as preliminary examinations, in-depth investigations, and unannounced raids on Chinese enterprises under the FSR terms.
Those EU member countries that want to attract investment from Chinese carmakers need to recognize the fact that supporting additional tariffs on Chinese EVs could result in losing investment opportunities, while an open and fair EU market would be far more attractive for Chinese investors, the CCCME stated.
"Chinese EV companies are closely monitoring the progress and outcomes of the EU's anti-subsidy investigations and will use this information - the member countries' stance on FSR - to assess the risks of investing in Europe and make informed investment decisions," the CCCME noted.
EU's logic targeting Chinese companies is to avoid "any perceived influence" on its rules from foreign investments, as it has linked the construction of a single internal market with the regulation and management of foreign investments, Cui Hongjian, a professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University's Academy of Regional and Global Governance, told the Global Times on Friday.
Such approach by the EU will negatively impact overseas investors' confidence in investing in Europe, while worsening investment environment in the bloc, as it raises trade and investment barriers, Cui said.
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed that the environment concerns the well-being of people in all countries. During his many inspections, Xi has always emphasized the importance of ecosystems, spanning from cities to rural areas, and from enterprises to communities.
Under the guidance of President Xi Jinping's Thought on Ecological Civilization, China has been advancing the green transition of its economy over the last decade. Regions across the country are actively promoting the construction of an ecological civilization and advancing Chinese modernization featuring harmony between humanity and nature. These efforts go toward creating a "Beautiful China."
The coming five years will be critical to the building of a "Beautiful China." The Global Times is launching a series of stories to explore the progress of ecological civilization projects inspired by Xi's words, delving into the positive environmental changes occurring now, and offering valuable insights and references for both national and global efforts. Through this prism, we can see how Xi's thoughts on ecological civilization is being put into practice and further inspiring public action.
Recently, the Global Times reporter visited an island village in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang Province, delving into the secrets behind the village's success in achieving "net-zero carbon" goal and looking into how the coastal village is implementing Xi's concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." Upon entering the island village of Xinjian in Zhoushan, an archipelago city in East China's Zhejiang Province, the Global Times was welcomed by a picturesque rural scene of verdant mountains, babbling brooks, fluttering butterflies, and chirping birds, alongside impressive modern features such as photovoltaic panels adorning rooftops, electric sightseeing vehicles, and a state-of-the-art sewage recycling system.
Twenty years ago, this small village was unnoticed, impoverished, and isolated. The only link to the outside world was a rough, bumpy road. On rainy days, the road became so muddy that villagers hesitated to wear their new shoes. On sunny days, groups of villagers would trek up the mountain to chop down trees and haul them through the village via this road to sell to brick kiln operators to eke out a living. Due to poverty, most young adults left the village to find work elsewhere, leaving only a few senior citizens to tend to their old homes and the stream in front of their doors.
Was there a way out? What kind of life did the villagers want to live?
An innovative initiative dubbed the "Thousand Villages Demonstration and Ten Thousand Villages Renovation" project provided an answer.
In June 2003, under the guidance of Xi Jinping, who once served as the provincial Party chief, Zhejiang launched the Green Rural Revival Program, which selects 10,000 administrative villages in the province for comprehensive improvement, and plans to turn 1,000 of them into demonstration villages of moderate prosperity in all respects.
This project has created a large number of beautiful villages in Zhejiang, benefiting countless farmers and jumpstarting a new era of building a "Beautiful China."
Xinjian village is one such example. A decade later, on May 25, 2015, Xi, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, visited Xinjian village for inspection, believing it to be a typical representative of a "beautiful economy" and a confirmation that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." Xi emphasized, "It is scientific and sustainable development that we should strive toward."
Net-zero carbon, also known as carbon neutrality, refers to offsetting greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide generated by human activities through energy conservation and emission reduction, industrial adjustment, afforestation, and other forms of environmental conservation, ultimately achieving the goal of "net-zero emissions."
During a recent field visit, the Global Times delved into the secrets behind the village's success in its "net-zero carbon" goal and gained a deeper insight into how this island village is effectively implementing Xi's concept that "A 'Beautiful China' is built upon beautiful villages. It is imperative that we steadfastly adhere to this path, ensuring that lucid waters and lush mountains yield continuous ecological, social, and economic benefits."
Power station in the sky
Under the guidance of Lu Haifeng, deputy secretary of the Xinjian village Party branch, the Global Times visited the Nandong Homestay Area in the village and heard an interesting story. At the beginning of construction, the branches of a plum tree reach toward the windows on the second floor of building No.9. Due to lighting issues, this tree was supposed to be removed. However, it was already a century old, so local villagers decided not to remove it. The designers then changed their approach and doubled the size of the windows on the side of the room, preserving the existing tree while ensuring adequate lighting.
During the construction process, local materials were utilized with idle old wood mostly being used to reduce material transportation. The entire homestay building is fitted with double-layer insulated glass, with the summer air conditioning demand being 63 percent less than that of buildings fitted with single-layer glass. The homestay building also has an exhaust heat recovery unit, which can recover energy from the air being exhausted outside, minimizing the loss of cold or heat sources indoors in summer or winter.
It is estimated that compared with Shanghai, the homestay building in the village can save up to 15.7 percent more energy than the hotel with the lowest energy consumption in Shanghai, according to data provided by Ge Linlu, a staff member at the publicity office of Ganlan township, Dinghai district.
After leaving the Nandong Homestay Area, Lu took the Global Times reporter to see the wind power energy storage project. Walking to the parking lot, Lu pointed to the gray solar panel on a farmhouse rooftop, saying that this is a special "power station in the sky" that provides shade while being environmentally friendly.
"This is the wind power energy storage project that we have started building since the development of clean energy," Lu told the Global Times. "The solar and wind energy resources in Dinghai district (which administers Xinjian village) are abundant, and by combining wind power equipment on mountain tops with installing photovoltaic equipment on the roofs of farmhouses, we can provide clean energy for the village's landscape facilities, electric vehicles, and more." The photovoltaic rooftop panels also utilize roof space without taking up land resources, Lu added.
Among the completed projects, the average annual power generation of photovoltaic modules can reach 21,000 kW per hour, and annual carbon emissions can be reduced by about 12.14 tons.
At present, the village is working with an expert team from Tongji University in Shanghai to plan the construction of new energy projects in the Nandong reservoir, train station square, and other points, and realize the functions of heat insulation, lighting, and power generation through the introduction of green technology such as photovoltaic tiles, she said.
Disappeared foul-smelling ditch
Passing through the Nandong Daxi pit in the village, a bay of clear water flows gently.
"In order to prevent sewage from affecting the environment and promote water recycling, we dispose of domestic sewage and septic tank water centrally every day. After more than 10 treatment processes, the sewage is then used for irrigation," Lu said. "In this way, the once foul-smelling sewage ditch has disappeared, and a lot of water has been saved."
Not far away, the Global Times noticed that the water in the pit comes from the upstream reservoir. The water flows down in a step-like manner along the terrain, passing through ecological swimming pools, ponds, pits, and households, and is finally purified through the sewage treatment plant before being used for irrigation.
"Our sewage treatment plant can process 10 tons of sewage per hour, and operates 24 hours a day during peak season," said Lu. Along with Lu's introduction, the Global Times saw the water that had undergone multiple treatment processes flowing clearly from the outlet.
With the rolling out of the "Thousand Villages Demonstration and Ten Thousand Villages Renovation" project, villagers and tourists have gradually developed green living habits, and enhanced their environmental awareness.
Local villagers told the Global Times that they spontaneously participate in cleaning up garbage, dismantling pig farms, relocating outdoor manure pits, among other environmental improvements and infrastructure construction. "It's like participating in an 'ecological revolution' to protect the environment and change the appearance of the village."
"This is a natural oxygen bar, a 'beautiful economy,' confirming that 'lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.' We always keep Xi's words in mind," said Lu.
This is not an empty phrase. On the embankment of the Nandong Reservoir, the Chinese characters "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" shine brightly in the sunlight, and on the walls of villagers' houses, Xi's quotes left during his inspection of the village can be seen everywhere.
Compared with the mainland area, the islands are relatively short of fresh water, energy, food, and other resources, and the economic and social development mainly depends on supplies from the mainland, so they are more vulnerable to the impact of climate change on water supply security, food security, tourism, local economies, and human health.
In 2019, Xinjian village was selected as the UN-Habitat "Net-Zero Carbon" rural planning case in China. At the forefront of addressing climate change, the exploration and practice of Xinjian village in achieving its net-zero carbon goal provide valuable experience for rural low-carbon development in other small islands and coastal areas.
