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Editor's Note:

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. 

Editor's Note:

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.

As Israel reportedly assessed on Sunday that Iran's retaliation could occur "in the coming days," experts said on Monday that Tehran has to strike a difficult balance, as it is expected to seek revenge on Israel while also treading carefully to prevent the situation from spiraling into a regional conflict, particularly to avoid a direct confrontation with the US.

According to the Times of Israel on Sunday, Israel's current assessment is that "Iran will launch a direct attack on the country" in response to the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in the coming days. The attack may occur before ceasefire-hostage deal talks scheduled for Thursday, the report said, citing sources.

The Israeli media outlet also said the issue is divisive within Iran, as President Masoud Pezeshkian wants to "avoid a harsh response," while the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps wants to "launch a larger attack" than it did in April.

"For Iran, deciding the timing and scale of retaliation is a very difficult choice," Niu Xinchun, executive director of the China-Arab Research Institute of Ningxia University, told the Global Times on Monday.

"On the one hand, Iran wants its retaliation to be significant enough to deter Israel. On the other hand, Iran is very concerned about escalating the conflict into a full-scale one with Israel and the US," Niu said, noting that this is a highly difficult and highly risky balance for Iran.

Sun Degang, director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Monday that Iran is resolute in seeking revenge, no matter the means, but may be committed to a principle of avoiding escalating the situation into a regional conflict and steering clear of involving the US.

In another development, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant on Sunday, noting the strengthening of the US military force posture and capabilities throughout the Middle East in light of escalating regional tensions, per a readout from the Pentagon.

"The US is sending a clear message of unwavering support for Israel, while also serving as a deterrent to Iran. This means that any attack on Israel resulting in significant consequences will prompt the US to respond with political and economic measures against Iran," Sun said, adding that Washington actually does not want Iran to escalate the conflict in the region through its retaliation.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi on Sunday had a call with Iranian Acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, during which Wang emphasized that China firmly opposes and strongly condemns the act of assassination.

Ukraine has received the US-made F-16 fighter jets that had long been on its wish list, which may provide Kiev with more strength to deter the Russian air force, but analysts said the F-16 alone will not reverse the situation in the battlefield. Military analysts also pointed out Russia has the capability of responding to the F-16 deployment, and this military aid is very likely to further escalate the Russia-Ukraine conflict, dampening already dim hopes of peace. 

Ukrainian pilots also need more time to become more skilled at flying the US-made fighter jets, so the F-16s will be mainly used in defending against air strikes from Russia around Kiev, said experts. The logistics system is not very mature at the moment and Russia will make great efforts to strike it, so it's a question of to what extent the fighter jets can change the landscape in the battlefield, they added. 

Ukrainian pilots have started flying F-16 fighter jets for operations within the country, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday, confirming the long-awaited arrival of the US-made fighter jets more than 29 months after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Reuters reported on Monday.

Russia has warned that F-16s, just like any other Western weapons provided to Kiev, will not change the outcome of the conflict and will only prolong it. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier that there is no "magic pill" for Kiev and that it will not have this "panacea" for long, RT reported on Sunday. 

"If I'm not mistaken, rewards [for Russian forces to shoot them down] have already been offered," Peskov said, according to Reuters. 

Built by Lockheed Martin, the F-16s had been on Ukraine's wish list for a long time because of their destructive power and global availability. They are equipped with a 20mm cannon and can carry bombs, rockets and missiles, according to Reuters.

Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military expert and media commentator, told the Global Times on Monday that these F-16s will be used mainly in three kinds of missions: first, to protect key locations from Russian air strikes and fight Russian fighters to achieve air dominance in strategically important cities like Kiev; second, to hunt Russian military aircraft within Ukraine's airspace; and third, to provide air support to Ukrainian ground forces.   

The very fact that Ukraine exploiting F-16 fighter jets, which are capable of carrying nuclear weapons, will be viewed by Russia as a Western threat in the nuclear sphere, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview, TASS reported on July 13. 

Wei said that Ukrainian pilots have yet to master flying these fighter jets, so they won't use them to conduct difficult missions. Russia also has advanced fighter jets that can compete with F-16s, and is also capable of spotting the airbase where the F-16s are being deployed, so if those F-16s are shot down or damaged, it will be a challenge for Ukraine and the West to maintain effective and efficient supplies of this weapon, said the expert.

Hopes of peace fading

If the F-16s are used to attack targets within Russia and cause significant losses and casualties, it would very likely lead to a terrible escalation, said a Beijing-based military expert who asked for anonymity.

The US decision-makers are once again putting their own political interests ahead of a peaceful solution to the Ukraine crisis, said experts. 

Ukrainian government has not realized that what the West wants is not Ukraine's victory, but the prolongation of its conflict with Russia, experts said.  

Amid positive signs of peace, including a visit to China by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's peace missions to Kiev, Moscow, Beijing and Washington, the US' new supply of F-16s has dampened the hopes of peace and increased the risk of further escalation, they said. 

Chinese scientists from the Qingdao Energy Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed homogenized cathode materials, allowing all-solid-state lithium batteries to maintain 80 percent of their initial capacity after 5,000 cycles of usage.

The breakthrough was published recently in Nature Energy titled "a cathode homogenization strategy for enabling long-cycle-life all-solid-state lithium batteries."

The researcher team led by Cui Guanglei and assisted by Ju Jiangwei, Cui Longfei and Zhang Shu, designed homogeneous cathode materials that have revolutionized the paradigm of composite cathodes in solid-state lithium batteries. A solid-state lithium battery constructed with 100 percent active materials maintains 80 percent of its initial capacity after 5,000 cycles.

This innovation has addressed the challenges arising from the traditional solid-state lithium batteries, resulting in the production of solid-state lithium batteries with high energy density and long cycle life. 

Typically, solid-state lithium batteries involve using composite electrodes containing active electrode materials, conductive electrons, and ion-conducting additives. But there are difficulties in achieving a perfect match between the different components in terms of chemical, electrochemical, and mechanical properties, leading to various interface issues that significantly degrade the battery's energy density and lifespan.

According to the published paper, the material's ion and electron conductivity surpass traditional layered oxide cathode materials  over 1,000 times of existing technology, with a specific capacity exceeding current high-nickel cathode materials.

The material experiences only a 1.2 percent volume change during the charge-discharge process, significantly lower than the 50 percent volume change seen in traditional layered oxide cathode materials. 

The high conductivity ensures normal charge-discharge without the need for additional conductive additives, while the low volume change guarantees structural stability during the battery's operation.

Both the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office and China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) have added a special column to their official websites which list the names of diehard "Taiwan independence" secessionists, a notable change indicating the Chinese mainland's high attention to lawfully punishing diehard "Taiwan independence" secessionists, serving as another warning to these stubborn individuals. 

A total of 10 diehard "Taiwan independence" secessionists including Su Tseng-chang, You Si-kun, Joseph Wu and Hsiao Bi-khim were listed in the special column. 

Apart from the list of the diehard "Taiwan  independence" secessionists, the column of the Taiwan Affairs Office also listed the spokesperson's previous statements, the legal documents including the Anti-Secession Law, and the tip email address for netizens to report secessionists. 

According to analysts, the notable changes on the two departments' websites indicate that the Chinese mainland attaches high attention to lawfully punishing diehard "Taiwan independence" secessionists, which serves as another warning to these stubborn individuals. 

The new columns with the names of a small number of diehard "Taiwan independence" secessionists listed serve both as a deterrent and as a clear message that the criminal justice measures are aimed at a small number of diehard individuals who engage in or incite secession activities, and do not target the majority of Taiwan compatriots, analysts said. 

Chinese authorities issued in June this year a set of guidelines on imposing criminal punishments on diehard "Taiwan independence" separatists for conducting or inciting secession, which allows the death penalty and a trial in absentia in relevant cases and stipulates that those who are found to have colluded with any foreign or overseas institution, organization or individual in committing such crimes should be given a harsher punishment, according to some media reports. 

China's coal imports witnessed a notable year-on-year increase of 12.5 percent in the first half of the year, with a significant rise in shipments from Australia. Experts attribute the growth to improving China-Australia relations, and called for stable bilateral relations to ensure a continued recovery.

China's total imports of coal reached 250 million tons in the first half of 2024, marking a new high for the period, with Australian coal accounting for a substantial portion of overall growth, according to data released by the China Coal Transport and Distribution Association on Tuesday.

Ship-tracking data from BigMint revealed a dramatic escalation in exports of coking coal from Australia to China, jumping from 2.16 million tons in the first half of 2023 to 6.56 million tons in the same period this year. Additionally, thermal coal exports to China also grew by 41.5 percent to reach 29.91 million tons this year.

Industry experts attribute the rise primarily to the improved bilateral relations between China and Australia. The stability of these relations is crucial for the sustained recovery of trade between the two countries, they noted.

Coking coal is an important resource in both the petrochemical and steelmaking industries, and Australia has long been an important source of Chinese coking coal imports. But in the past few years, affected by worsening bilateral relationship, Chinese companies have preferred to replace coking coal imports from other countries, a metal industry expert surnamed Zhang told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Chinese coking coal imports from Australia have only seen a rise this year as a result of improved relations between the two countries, Zhang added.

Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow from the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said the complementary needs in the coal sector between China and Australia. The past instability in bilateral relations has caused concerns among Chinese companies about the stability of economic cooperation, thereby reduced coal imports from Australia, Zhou said.

Australia, as a major resource exporter, has greatly benefited from the Chinese market. The rapid growth in China-Australia trade in the past decades have reflected the complementary nature of the two markets, Zhou added.

The stability of the China-Australia economic and trade relationship is very important for the Chinese market, as companies need to set up its future production, logistics and processing plans based on market evaluation. If China-Australia relations become unstable once more, companies will look for alternative source of coals, Zhou explained.

The recent improvement in relations has sent a stabilizing signal to the Chinese market, encouraging a resurgence in coal trade, Zhou told the Global Times.

Despite robust trade figures, Australia's coking coal exports to other major Asian markets like India and Vietnam have declined, with shipments to India dropping by 6.5 percent and to Vietnam by a striking 42.5 percent, as per BigMint data. Thermal coal exports mirrored this trend, with a notable 51.2 percent decrease to India and a 9.6 percent drop to Vietnam.

A report commissioned by the Australia China Business Council, highlighted the extensive economic benefits of China-Australian trade, noting a significant boost in disposable income for Australian households linked directly to trade with China.

This report underscores the mutual benefits and potential for future cooperation, enhancing both economies. "China's development represents an opportunity, not a challenge, for Australia. The two countries have much to offer each other and share a promising future for collaboration," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian at a press briefing on Friday.

A recent report on the 2022 US National Defense Strategy (NDS) was released by the US Commission on National Defense Strategy. The report highlighted that the NDS is "out of date," the US military is not correctly structured and the nation's industrial base is "grossly inadequate," and claimed that these shortcomings make it impossible to simultaneously confront the dual "threat of Russia and China." The report proposed an "all elements of national power" approach and called for strengthening the US military's readiness to operate across multiple theaters of war.

Information from the RAND Corporation shows that the US Commission on National Defense Strategy was created under the US 2022 fiscal year National Defense Authorization Act, with the chair being a former senior member of the House Intelligence Committee, and receiving analytic and administrative support from the RAND Corporation. Therefore, while this report is not an official US government document, it still holds significant reference value due to its bipartisan representation. Specifically, this report, along with some other actions and statements by US officials in the past two years, reveals several throughlines in US policy. 

Firstly, there is the possibility that the US military strategy is shifting away from an expectation of peace to an expectation of war. After the end of the Cold War, the US had long-term plans for dealing with two simultaneous regional conflicts, rather than the expectation of war with major powers. Based on these considerations, the US built a highly advanced and mobile military force, emphasizing global deployment and intervention capabilities rather than long-term combat capabilities. However, with the trend toward a prolonged Russia-Ukraine conflict, the US is changing and adjusting its previous military strategy, leaning toward preparing for "great power wars." 

Secondly, the US is further adjusting its attitude toward China and Russia. At the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the US strategic community tended to differentiate between China and Russia to avoid pushing them together at a strategic level. However, since the end of 2023, there has been a trend in the US strategic community to treat China and Russia as an almost singular threat. This year, both former and current US Indo-Pacific commanders have made similar remarks. On one hand, this indicates that the US is trying to shape its image as still strong by showing that it is not afraid of "fighting on two fronts;" on the other hand, it also suggests that Washington intends to promote internal unity in the West by forcibly linking China and Russia and exaggerating related "threats." 

Thirdly, there is an attempt to use war expectations to drive the revival of the American manufacturing industry. In this report, the US Commission on National Defense Strategy pays particular attention to the recovery and development of the defense industry. Objectively speaking, in peacetime, defense manufacturing typically operates at relatively low levels, which naturally cannot be compared to the "full throttle" state required to meet wartime demands. Therefore, the US Commission on National Defense Strategy's claim that the American defense industry is not sufficient to meet the "demands of great power conflict" is a deliberate act of pretending to be ignorant. 

Fourth, the report aims to promote domestic national unity. With this report as the latest example, some politicians in the US have been emphasizing the importance of bipartisan and cross-class mobilization, even using the so-called expectation of a "great power war" to promote consensus and unity in American society. Amid growing social division and political polarization in the US, they believe they have discovered a "shortcut" to unite the country quickly. However, in reality, they may be placing themselves in a risky situation and could ultimately face a serious backlash.

Fifth, it indicates that Washington may be reassessing the military threat from Russia. This report suggests that the current US defense strategy "understates the threat from Russia" and recommends increasing US military deployments in Europe. Against the backdrop of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, these findings reveal that some in the US may be attempting to elevate Russia's priority in the US national security strategy, emphasizing the threat from Russia as a means to unite domestic and foreign policy consensus.

In short, this report suggests increasing military expectations and preparations for potential conflict with China and Russia. It proposes that the US will need to make major changes and investments, possibly even "wartime mobilization." It is unclear how these recommendations will be incorporated into official US policy, but the bipartisan nature of the report and similar statements from domestic politicians in recent years serve as a reminder to remain vigilant. We must be cautious of the potential for war implied in these US statements and prepare public opinion and strategic plans accordingly. Additionally, we must maintain our composure, be wary of falling into the trap set by the extreme anti-China faction in the US, and prevent their extreme rhetoric from becoming a reality.

As the world's most important bilateral relationship, the China-US relationship will not easily fall into the new Cold War or even hot war that some individual American politicians are trying to provoke. The complexity of the relationship between the two countries and the constantly changing international environment have led to a variety of voices in this relationship. China must always remain vigilant about the dangerous trends exposed by some extreme voices, such as the further shift toward expectations of a "great power war" advocated by some in Washington. At the same time, we must grasp the overall situation, not be led astray by extreme rhetoric, and continue to shape the China-US relationship in a positive direction.

Throughout world history, many conflicts or wars have often been sparked by misjudgments or miscalculations. Many in the US continue to clamor for a tougher stance against China and attempt to create a certain strategic consensus on this issue, but in reality, voices within the US on how to handle relations with China remain diverse and malleable. We must continue to strive for those rational and progressive forces, while remaining vigilant and critical of extreme and radical rhetoric.

As the hashtag "Radiant post-2000s have started to take responsibility" gains traction on Chinese social media, young Chinese athletes are making youthful waves in Paris. On the global stage of the Olympics, these athletes embody the spirit of the games with their exceptional performances, breaking records and achieving miracles through their determination and perseverance. They pay tribute to the Olympic motto of "Faster, Higher, Stronger, Together" with their best competitive state, setting records and making miracles with a spirit of daring to fight, never giving up, and striving for national glory. Not only are they showcasing their competitive prowess, they are also promoting unity and friendship with athletes from around the world. Whether it's through their sharp or lively responses to media inquiries or their heartwarming interactions with competitors of various countries, these young athletes are presenting China's confident and open image with a "radiant" image.

The outstanding performances of a big team of athletes born in the 1990s and 2000s are undoubtedly making the Chinese delegation a prominent presence at the Paris Olympics this year. The average age of the 405 Team China athletes in this Olympics is just 25, with 11-year-old skateboarder Zheng Haohao as the youngest athlete at this Olympics. These young athletes, called "Brother kid" or "Sister kid" by netizens, have lived up to the expectations, from the first gold medalist Huang Yuting, to the record-breaking Pan Zhanle. The young Chinese athletes have shown their strength at this Olympics, with 10 of the first 13 gold medals won by the "post-2000s." In addition to leaving a mark in terms of results, they are also infusing the competition with their unique style and characteristics.

China's young athletes are more confident, leaving a strong impression on some foreign media staff who have been paying attention to China for a long time. These young athletes are undoubtedly powerful shapers of this impression. Domestic audiences also praise the "post-2000" athletes for being "unyielding and resilient," and are moved and inspired by their sporting spirit and inspirational stories. Some joke that watching them compete requires a strong heart, as they often fall behind by large margins before turning the tables with their fighting spirit. Zheng Qinwen staged a comeback against world number one Iga Swiatek and Fan Zhendong's semi-final victory after a tough start are just two examples. These breath-taking moments showcase the competitive spirit, mental toughness, and strong will of these athletes.

In the arena of competitive sports, aspiring for gold and chasing victory is natural and expected, but from these young athletes, we also see many valuable qualities that transcend gold medals and result. These young Chinese athletes increasingly manage to combine the courage to fight hard with the enjoyment of the competition and the process. "Winning glory for the country" is the phrase these young athletes say most often before and after competitions, and the waving of national flags in the stands has become a source of spiritual strength for these athletes during their arduous battles. Of course, this Olympics has seen some of our athletes being put under considerable pressure due to inaccurate foreign media reports and political manipulation by a few countries. Even so, our young athletes have demonstrated with nearly perfect performances what it means to let their strength and adherence to rules speak for themselves, embodying the spirit of fair competition in sports.

On the Olympic stage, we have also seen young athletes' multidimensional understanding and practice of the Olympic spirit and competitive sports. Although Zhang Yufei didn't win a gold medal, she proved that Chinese athletes are not flashes in the pan. Yang Siqi, 15, the first Chinese athlete to compete in Olympic surfing, expressed her desire to "show the vitality and confidence of Chinese youth on the broader ocean." The Chinese women's rugby team exclaimed, "We made it to the top six!" All this demonstrated the charm of the Olympics that goes beyond winning and losing. Some young athletes see the Olympics as a stage for promoting their niche sports, while others see it as a platform for exploring the world. These attempts are continually deepening the connection between China and the Olympics, and between the Olympic spirit and ordinary people.

From the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics to the 2024 Paris Olympics, from the "post-1950s" to the "post-2000s" generation, Chinese athletes have consistently built upon and passed down their legacies at the Olympics. Time and again, their resilient performances have proven that "the younger generation truly has immense potential." These young athletes carry on the fine traditions of Chinese sports on the Olympic stage, while also showcasing a new image of confidence, vitality, and openness in contemporary Chinese sports. They are confident yet ambitious, patriotic yet global-minded, eager for success yet accepting of failure. In fact, these confident and open young Chinese athletes are a natural reflection of the confident and open Chinese sports community and the entire country, as well as a manifestation of the deep integration of China and the Olympic spirit.