China has completed the acceptance of the deepwater jacket structure Haiji-2 and Asia's first cylindrical floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) facility, Haikui No.1, cctv.com reported on Tuesday, citing information from China National Offshore Oil Corp, the largest offshore oil and gas producer in China. The completion of China's first deepwater oil field secondary development project represents a major breakthrough in the nation's independent construction capabilities of all types of deepwater oil and gas equipment. Experts noted that this approach strengthens China's deepwater drilling technology and promotes the efficient development of deepwater oil and gas fields. "The secondary development upgrades aging oil fields that are nearing their extraction limits, significantly boosting efficiency through new technologies," Zhang Yi, CEO of iiMedia Research Institute, told the Global Times on Tuesday. Zhang added that this is essential for strengthening China's deepwater oil field development capabilities, as advancements in maritime technology pave the way for future offshore oil field exploitation. Zhang noted that global deep-sea energy development remains limited, with most extraction occurring on land, particularly in the Middle East. "Given the significant technological and infrastructure demands of deep-sea projects, this breakthrough not only enables oil and gas extraction within China's territorial waters but also creates opportunities to export relevant technology and equipment," Zhang said. The Haikui No. 1 is a self-developed cylindrical FPSO facility from China. It is installed in the sea area of the Liuhua Oilfield in the Pearl River Mouth Basin, located more than 320 meters deep and about 240 kilometers southeast of Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province. The Haiji-2, acting as a "foundation" supporting fixed offshore oil and gas platforms where seabed conditions are challenging, can provide support for pipelines and subsea structures of an offshore platform. The jacket is a globally used marine oil and gas development type of equipment. For instance, Haiji-2 is equipped with advanced automation systems, including a robotic arm that enables "one-click operations" across various tasks, significantly enhancing the efficiency and stability of deepwater drilling. Both Haiji-2 and Haikui No.1 are serving China's first deepwater oil field, the Liuhua 11-1 offshore field. On August 9, Haiji-2 was officially drilled. It was the first time that China exploited oil and gas through a fixed platform in waters with a depth of more than 300 meters.
Over 700 years ago, Italian traveler Marco Polo journeyed through China, documenting his experiences and introducing the splendor of ancient China to Europe in his book. Fast forward to the present day, when people discover China through online videos. With China's visa-free policies and the introduction of 144-hour visa-free transit, a wave of international YouTubers and vloggers has flocked to China.
After exploring gateway cities, where they gain initial insights into China's modern cityscapes and rich cultural heritage, these YouTubers and vloggers soon turn their attention to localized regions, delving into frontier areas, revolutionary sites, and public infrastructure to find the answers to the questions: "What is modern China like, why is it the way it is, and how does it function?" Through their cameras, they present a real, friendly, and vibrant China to the world. They are affectionately referred to by the Chinese as the "Marco Polos" in the New Era.
Therefore, the Global Times presented this Marco Polo Trilogy. This is the second installment, sharing experiences and thoughts of some international travelers who had been to "red tourism" sites, which are characterized by patriotic or revolutionary themes. Videos of their visits became a vivid window to the global audience to take a closer look at the history and achievements of China and the Communist Party of China (CPC).
Canadian travel content creator Kourosh Kamyabi enters a historic building after walking down the old streets in downtown Shanghai. In the beginning, he doesn't know this building is to some extent the "founding site" of the CPC.
In a video he later shared on YouTube, Kamyabi says "I was just walking around, and I saw massive lineups to come into this area, and I walked in, and I saw a museum."
"I'm not sure what this is. Give me a moment," he opens Google Translate. "Ah… It says this is the site of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China."
"That's cool!"
Unplanned encounters
Kamyabi is among the surging number of international tourists who recently visited China thanks to the loosened entry policy. With some 20,000 subscribers on YouTube, he has uploaded several travel vlogs of himself visiting Chinese cities like Shanghai and Chongqing under the screen name "KSquared."
One vlog titled "I went to a Communist Museum in China" showed Kamyabi's unplanned trip to the Memorial of the First National Congress of the CPC in Shanghai - hailed as the CPC's "birthplace," becoming one of his most popular vlogs that has gained 127,000 views thus far.
Similarly, Nepalese tourist Nagendra Bhujel and his wife Ananda Kala Rai did not put the memorial on their Shanghai journey schedule in advance. At first, they entered the memorial only to get out of the rain, after they had just finished a visit to the Jade Buddha Temple nearby.
Bhujel is not a professional travel vlogger but works in the insurance industry. His 13-minute YouTube vlog about their visit to the memorial, not elaborately edited though, shows the pictures and video clips of almost every corner of the memorial in detail.
Many of his audiences left comments thanking him for sharing. "Super beautiful," wrote a YouTube user. "Vanguard of the people…Long live CPC," wrote another.
Bhujel said he made and shared this vlog online because he himself supports the communist mentality. "I wanted to show this to others," he told the Global Times. "I felt proud to be a supporter of the communist ideology. In Nepal, Chairman Mao is very well respected." Amazing achievements
However, for many Western tourists like Kamyabi, what is showcased at the memorial is quite unfamiliar to them.
"I don't know anything about it myself. We're not taught about this history where I'm from in Canada," Kamyabi says in his vlog.
He noted that, a lot of Chinese history is not really taught to young Canadians, "because they have their own history to show, and other histories they choose to teach and what not to."
In this 19-minute vlog, Kamyabi invites the audience to "learn along the way" together with him, to know about "the founding days and founding fathers of the CPC."
He focuses his camera on almost every section of the memorial's exhibition hall showing the CPC's history, from the unequal treaties between the old feudal Chinese government and the West, the early spread of Marxism in China, and the representative pioneers of the CPC, to the numerous efforts and fights by the Party did for the peace, the stability of the country, and the prosperity of its people.
"I love the fact that there was a museum there for me to learn about what went on, and all that stuff was very interesting to me. To see where China was, [and] where it is now," Kamyabi said to the Global Times. "It's a big improvement. It's an amazing achievement."
More overseas tourists are actively adding "red tourism" sites like the memorial to their China travel lists. YouTuber Jack and Paige, for instance, spent time at the memorial and its souvenir shop while on tour at the surrounding historical blocks of Xintiandi.
For many visitors, the "birthplace" of the CPC is never the political propaganda site that some may have assumed it to be, but is an interesting place to learn more about the history and spirit of one of the world's largest ruling parties in a friendly and relaxed way.
The number of foreign visitors to the memorial has seen a significant increase in recent years, particularly this year, said a member of staff at the memorial surnamed Chen.
The memorial once conducted a survey on its foreign visitors, asking what part of the memorial impressed them the most. "Through the statistics, we found that they were mostly impressed by the [patriotism-themed] paintings and sculptures at the memorial, and a video presenting the First National Congress of the CPC with live-action and the naked eye 3D technologies was very impressive as well," said Chen.
The memorial is making more efforts to better serve its international visitors.
According to Chen, all the exhibits on display have English translations, and most of the videos being broadcast at the memorial have English subtitles. The memorial also has more than 160 audio guide equipment pieces that support seven foreign languages: English, French, Russian, Spanish, Arabic, German, and Japanese.
"This year, with the growing number of foreign visitors, we released the English version of the memorial's guide brochure," Chen said. "We also improved payment services at our souvenir shop and the memorial-branded cafe."
Remarkable narratives
Under Kamyabi's travel vlog about the memorial, many YouTube users recommended that he visit more "red tourism" destinations across China feature the country's histories of revolution and fighting against Japanese aggression, such as the Exhibition Hall of Evidences of Crime Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Imperial Army, and the Memorial Hall of the Victims in the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders.
In recent months, videos about visiting destinations that share modern and contemporary Chinese history, especially the memorials that reflect the dark history of fascist Japan's invasion of China, are increasing.
In these videos, international tourists visit the memorials from the first-person perspective, showing global audiences a period of resistance against Japanese invaders full of blood and tears.
Earlier this year, 35-year-old Ryan Shane Palmer from New Zealand visited the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province.
Palmer made a video of this visit and uploaded it to YouTube, sharing the photos in the memorial hall that unveil the extremely cruel and inhumane behaviors of Japanese invaders during the appalling massacre.
"I can imagine immense terror and fear," Palmer says to the camera. Palmer told the Global Times that during his time at the university, he focused on Japanese imperialism and its devastating impact on China and Southeast Asia. He was interested in learning more about the massacre in Nanjing, and the operations of Unit 731 in Harbin in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. Unit 731 was a top-secret biological and chemical warfare research base established in Harbin in 1935, which did numerous notorious human experiments on Chinese people during the war.
Palmer has also been to the Exhibition Hall of Evidences of Crime Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Imperial Army on a snowy day. "Experiments conducted here were perhaps the worst, or at least among the worst, in human history," he commented in a video he uploaded to YouTube about this visit.
Some Chinese users commented under the video, expressing their thanks to Palmer for showing fascist Japan's war crimes. "Thank you for making this video about Unit 731," one user wrote. "Most of [the foreigners] don't know what [the] Japanese did in China during WWII because their history books didn't cover this part," wrote another.
Visiting destinations like these is sort of exploring the darker aspects of history, said Palmer.
"However, as demonstrated by the resilience, strength, and camaraderie of the Chinese people during this period, these events also highlight the remarkable beauty of the human spirit in the face of extreme adversity," he told the Global Times.
"The narratives of love and compassion demonstrated by the Chinese people during one of the country's darkest periods are truly remarkable," he added.
The anti-terror body under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Friday outlined practical cooperation for the next steps in fighting the "three forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism in Beijing. The result was part of the 42nd regular meeting of the Council of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (SCO-RATS) hosted by China and held in Beijing on Friday.
In addition, the meeting also conducted research on the implementation of the relevant resolutions from the SCO Astana Summit regarding the improvement of mechanisms to address security threats and challenges.
It approved the annual work plan of the RATS Executive Committee and related special cooperation plans, the Global Times learnt from China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS).
The outline of future cooperation within the anti-terror body of the SCO will enhance the member states' capabilities and interoperability in joint anti-terrorism operations, Cui Heng, a lecturer at the training base for the China National Institute for SCO International Exchange and Judicial Cooperation, told the Global Times.
Terrorist threats in recent years have seen a resurgence, with a concert hall terrorist attack in Moscow in March and terror attacks in Iran being two recent prominent events, Cui said.
Terrorist activities often spill over to other countries and flow around the globe. As the SCO expands, enhanced capabilities in tackling more threats from terrorism are needed, the expert said.
Representatives from the authorities of the SCO member states attended the meeting, along with the Director of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure Executive Committee, Ruslan Mirzaev. The SCO-RATS is headquartered in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Cui told the Global Times that the meeting was held against the backdrop of the reform of the SCO-RATS, which has been a priority task since China took over the rotating presidency of the SCO.
Representatives of SCO-RATS praised China's recent efforts in organizing a series of counter-terrorism activities during its chairmanship of the SCO, the Global Times learned. It helps consolidate the SCO's law enforcement and security cooperation mechanism, enhance the level of practical cooperation, and deepen mutually beneficial cooperative relationships, they said.
The SCO member states recently conducted the Anti-terrorism Interaction-2024 joint exercise in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Photos released showed soldiers and police officers fully armed with assault rifles, pistols and riot shields launching an assault, some via armored and all-terrain vehicles and some via helicopter, with aerial drones and robot dogs also deployed in the exercise.
Cyber counter-terrorism training courses that were held in China have touched on sharing experiences in smart counter-terrorism, security maintenance in open crowded places and large-scale events, telecom network fraud, cross-border gambling, as well as cybersecurity, the Global Times learnt from sources.
The Zhongyuan Festival, an occasion to pray for safety and express filial piety, falls on the 15th day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. It happens to fall on Sunday this year. Also known as the Ghost Festival, the Zhongyuan Festival is a significant event recognized in various East Asian cultures, particularly in Chinese communities. In ancient China, people commemorate the ancestors with food offerings, burning incense and releasing water lanterns.
The Zhongyuan Festival comprises three main elements: worshiping the spirits of the ancestors, religious activities and performances celebrating life. Even though this festival has been influenced by Taoist and Buddhist thought, the origin of Zhongyuan Festival bears a deep Confucian imprint.
It is likely that the festival originated from an ancient ancestor worship tradition. Up until the Wei (220-265), Jin (265-420), and Northern and Southern dynasties (386-589), the ancient rituals we now recognize as Zhongyuan and the Obon Festival were influenced by the growing presence of Buddhism and Taoism. These ancient customs honor and celebrate the lives of deceased family members and friends. Additionally, ancestor worship during this period became closely associated with enjoying seasonal autumn foods.
In ancient China, people started to harvest crops in the seventh month of the lunar year. A common ritual of the time was that of offering the newly harvested grains, fruits and vegetables to the ancestors.
This was also an occasion to get together with relatives, friends and neighbors, which remains a custom in a number of Chinese provinces.
The word "Obon" means to save the soul from distress. During the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the Ullambana Festival was introduced to Japan along with Buddhism and was later called Obon, or Bon. On this day, dead ancestors are believed to return to their living families, so people prepare for the reunion with the performance of Bon Odori, or a Bon dance, to welcome the spirits and pay homage to their sacrifices.
The Zhongyuan Festival is celebrated in different ways across China.
The sixth century classic "Family Instructions," a collection of teachings and advice on family life, ethics and moral conduct written by Yan Zhitui, a notable Confucian scholar of the Northern and Southern Dynasties period (386-589), reminds future generations to honor the Obon Festival, to repay their parents for their kindness and express filial piety.
After the sixth century, Taoism also named the 15th day of July "Festival of Zhongyuan." According to the Taoist philosophy, three basic elements make up everything in the world - heaven, earth and water, and these elements are worshiped on January 15, July 15 and October 15 respectively in the lunar calendar.
Taoists also believe that on this day, the King of Hell frees the spirits of the deceased from the lower realm of the underworld, while Buddhists take it as a day to ease suffering and honor the elderly.
In the Tang Dynasty, officials were granted one to three days of leave to celebrate the Zhongyuan Festival. While since the Northern Song (960-1127), the festival became more about folk customs.
Days before the Zhongyuan Festival, people start preparing paper paste offerings for the worship ritual. On the festival, vegetarian food is put on the offering table in the morning. Many families take time to visit the graves of their ancestors, offering food and incense. This act of remembrance emphasizes respect and the ongoing connection between the living and the dead. Additionally, the government holds a public memorial meeting to pay tribute to the soldiers who died on the front line.
In the evening, after a traditional ceremony, people enjoy watching performances that reflect beloved aspects of local folklore or walk through the night market. Later many gather around a lake, a river or some other water body and release floating water lanterns, also called lotus lanterns, usually made by pasting paper into a lotus shape. A lamp or candle is placed inside it and represents the concept of "yang" (the world of the living), and the lanterns are left floating on the water, which represents the opposite concept of yin (the underworld).
In some regions, traditional performances are also staged in open areas as entertainment for wandering spirits.
The festival is often celebrated at night, when ghosts are believed to be more active.
Finally, according to ancient Chinese customs, some activities that should be avoided during the Zhongyuan Festival. For instance, many people avoid swimming or traveling during this time due to the belief that spirits might cause misfortune.
No matter where you are in China, you can always witness some form of Zhongyuan Festival celebrations and marvel at its centuries-old integration of beliefs and customs derived from Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and folk traditions.
In commemoration of the National Day of Mexican Cinema 2024, the Embassy of Mexico in China will screen Cronos, a movie directed by Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro at the Beijing Yuan Museum on August 31.
In 1536, during the Inquisition, an alchemist builds a mysterious and sophisticated device named Cronos to provide eternal life to the owner in Veracruz, Mexico.
In the present day, antiques dealer Jesus Gris finds Cronos hidden inside an ancient statue while cleaning it with his granddaughter Aurora.
He accidentally triggers the device and soon his wife Mercedes and he note that he has a younger appearance.
Out of the blue, the stranger Angel de la Guardia visits Gris' shop and buys the old statue. On the next day, Gris finds his shop trashed and Angel's card on the floor.
He pays a visit to Angel who introduces him to the eccentric millionaire De la Guardia that explains the healing power and the eternal life bestowed by Cronos.
Angel is sent by De la Guardia to hunt down Gris to get Cronos no matter the costs.
Chushu, the 14th of the 24 solar terms of the traditional Chinese calendar, fell on Thursday. Meaning the "end of heat," the term gives hope to people in areas suffering from intense summer temperatures. After Chushu, the climate starts to become dry and temperatures change drastically. This can lead to sore throats and dryness, making it essential to take measures to prevent pharyngitis.
Chushu begins when the sun reaches 150 degrees of ecliptic longitude. By this time, the hottest days of the year, known as Sanfu or dog days, are either ending or are winding down.
Ancient Chinese people divided the Chushu period into three pentads: in the first pentad, eagles, treated as a type of sacrificial bird, were hunted and displayed as sacrificial offering before being served as dishes; the second pentad saw plants beginning to wither; while the third marked the maturation of grains.
During the period of Chushu, the northeast and northwest regions of China start to cool down, while the Jianghuai area might experience heavy rainfall.
After Chushu, the cooling effect is noticeable especially in the morning and evening, with each rain bringing a little more relief from the summer heat.
Experts suggest that consuming less spicy and stimulating food, eating more vitamin-rich fresh vegetables and fruits, avoiding to stay up late and exercising appropriately are all valid ways to boost the body's immunity during Chushu.
Folk customs include adding duck to one's diet as duck is believed to be particularly nutritious after mid-July of the lunar calendar. Having duck is believed to replenish yin and benefit the blood, cooling down the body and strengthening the spleen at the same time.
Suanmeitang, or sour plum drink, is highly recommended to combat dryness. In North China, the drink is mostly made of hawthorn, while in the south of the Yangtze River, dried dark plum is used.
This solar term coincides with the harvest season. Ancient farmers worshiped the Land God, praying for good weather and a bumper harvest.
In coastal areas, Chushu also signals the start of the fishing season. Since 1998, China has celebrated the Fishing Festival, acknowledging its rich fishing culture. More and more people are aware of respecting oceans by celebrating this festival. This festival marks the end of the fishing moratorium in the East China Sea. The coastal areas of Zhejiang Province celebrate new fishing season and diners to enjoy a wide variety of seafood.
Yin Jifu is a senior engineer with the National Engineering Research Center of Dredging Technology and Equipment under the state-owned construction giant China Communications Construction Company (CCCC).
Yin, whole holds a doctorate degree, has been working hard.
"The recently concluded third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China filled me with great confidence. The reform-centric resolution of the plenum led me to believe that now it is the right time to do big things," Yin told the Global Times.
According to a resolution adopted at the plenum, the country vowed to foster new quality productive forces, advance modern engineering technology, and establish mechanisms to ensure increased funding for future industry innovation, while enhancing the institutions and mechanisms for promoting the development of the marine economy.
For Yin, all these matters hold special significance. Spurred by top-down policy incentives and driven by a sense of urgency, he feels that there are many big things to do.
"For instance, to extract valuable metals from under the wild ocean waves could have huge implications for the lifeline of the nation's emerging new industries, and that's where our expertise can be of great use," Yin told the Global Times.
According to his estimation, each electric vehicle consumes 10 times the amount of rare metals as used by an internal combustion engine vehicle, so endeavoring to seek marine technology breakthroughs could power the country's future development.
Yin is not alone. The resolution adopted at latest CPC plenum has sparked renewed vigor in the hearts of those in the nation's marine engineering sector, from scientists in the lab to frontline workers on oil rigs and vessels at sea.
Marine engineering
Behind the story of Yin and many others is China's rapidly developing marine engineering sector - one of the fastest growing industries in the world.
After years of accumulating strengths and heavy investment devoted to solving tech bottlenecks, China's marine engineering sector has enjoyed meteoric development during recent years.
The nation has successfully rolled out its domestically manufactured large cruise vessel, large liquefied natural gas ship, the world's largest-capacity offshore wind turbine and a series of floating facilities used in offshore oil and gas exploration.
Marking one of the latest achievements, on August 12, a production facility in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province under China National Offshore Oil Corporation completed and handed over the 17,000-ton, 24-story-building-high Marjan oil and gas collection and transportation platform - China's heaviest offshore oil and gas platform destined for overseas markets - to its clients from Saudi Arabia.
In the first six months of the year, China's marine economy expanded steadily, outperforming national GDP growth. The sector's gross output reached 4.9 trillion yuan ($678.55 billion), up 5.6 percent year-on-year, state broadcaster China Central Television reported on July 31, citing data from the Ministry of Natural Resources.
Notably, the growth rate of the marine economy was 0.6 percentage points higher than that of the overall economy from January to June.
Significantly, marine equipment manufacturing has witnessed a marked rebound, the ministry said, with multiple sizable deals clinched in the second quarter.
The new orders of marine engineering projects increased by 205 percent year-on-year, while the value of holding orders rose by 11.6 percent.
In the meantime, the country's shipbuilding capacity, marine traffic and cargo throughput all improved, with the foreign trade value of vessels and offshore wind turbine and parts increasing by 87.3 percent and 32.6 percent year-on-year, respectively, according to the ministry.
Analysts noted that the emerging marine engineering sector is set to make up a larger share of China's economy, as the sector has greater growth potential, featuring the use of new technologies.
Tech-driven growth
The third plenum resolution's emphasis on science-technology and innovation and digital technologies has led to a deep resonation with those in the marine engineering sector, whose job's prerequisite is the solid mastery of scientific knowledge and engineering expertise.
Zeng Nannuo, an oil worker at Shenhai Yihao, or Deep Sea No 1, China's first independently developed ultra-deepwater gas field, told the Global Times that the third plenum has injected renewed confidence across the industry, with the emphasis on fully implementing the strategy of invigorating China through science and education, the strategy of developing a high-quality workforce and the innovation-driven development strategy.
The platform, which has recorded an accumulated natural gas output of over 8 billion cubic meters, with its oil output exceeding 800,000 cubic meters as of May 3 this year, incorporates cutting-edge technologies such as 5G wireless telecommunication, digital twins, and Internet of Things technology.
"We will continue to implement innovation-driven development strategy, intensify the efforts in mastering key technologies and core parts, nurture the new quality productive forces in the marine energy sector, and further intensifying the digitalization of oil & gas production," Zeng said.
The emphasis by the resolution on scientific innovation is very heartening, CCCC's Yin said.
"Deep sea and deep earth probes require the pooling of resources from all sides, and the trend, which is already emerging, is expected to accelerate further," Yin said.
As part of a national push to foster scientific breakthroughs and break technological bottlenecks constraining the development of the fast-growing marine industry, a number of Chinese centrally administered state-owned enterprises are setting up a good number of innovation-driven consortiums to converge their scientific strengths.
CCCC led and set up in July a marine engineering innovation consortium, with initial objectives such as mastering technologies for key equipment for large-scale offshore wind farms.
"Now it is time to do big things," Yin said. "I can't say we are going to do zero-to-one sort of deeds, but at least we are aiming to connect the dots between labs and the vast ocean."
Japan's Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has reportedly looked into the errors made in the preparation work for the test removal of nuclear fuel debris from one of the reactors at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant after the discovery of a problem led to its suspension.
Observers warned of a more severe pollution leak, saying the lack of transparency in handling dumping nuclear-contaminated wastewater has eroded trust in the Fukushima nuclear power plant, and called for effective transparency. TEPCO has been immersed in public concerns, and surging opposition has continued in the first year since Japan began dumping nuclear-contaminated wastewater.
The plant operator has been preparing to conduct a test retrieval of nuclear fuel debris from one of the plant's reactors that experienced meltdowns in 2011, according to Japanese media outlet NHK.
The debris, a mixture of molten nuclear fuel and parts of the reactor structure, is estimated to weigh around 880 tons, and the task of removal is considered to be the most challenging step in decommissioning the damaged power plant because of extremely high levels of radiation, as reported by NHK.
The suspension was implemented due to a problem discovered with the installation of a removal device, the NHK report said.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday that the more transparent and open Japan is on the issue, the easier it will be for Japan to alleviate international concerns.
China once again calls on Japan to seriously respond to international and domestic concerns, fulfill its responsibilities and obligations, and offer full cooperation in setting up an independent international monitoring arrangement that remains effective in the long haul, Mao said.
Lü Chao, a research fellow at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday that the test retrieval of nuclear fuel debris has prompted increasing opposition, particularly from Japanese citizens, due to concerns that it could result in a second, more severe pollution leak.
Given the frequent occurrences of accidents at the Fukushima nuclear power plant and public concerns, the lack of transparency in handling the related issues has eroded trust in the plant among both the Japanese public and the international community, Lü said.
The Global Times learnt from Japanese environmental NGO "Don't Contaminate the Oceans Anymore! Citizens' Council" that it will organize a 2024 global action on Saturday to raise voices from Japan and abroad in opposition to the dumping of the nuclear-contaminated wastewater from Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and advocate for an end to the radioactive water dumping.
"The ocean is the source of all life. We cannot dump radioactive materials into it for human convenience. Moreover, ocean creatures cannot raise their voices. It is only us humans who can raise our voices in opposition!" said a representative from the Japanese NGO.
The NGO noted that during last year's global action in April before Japan officially discharged the contaminated water, they had received nearly 100 photos and powerful messages worldwide from countries including France, Canada, South Korea, Fiji and Solomon Islands against the dumping.
With a 3-2 victory defeating the reigning champion Japan, the Chinese women's U20 volleyball team won the Women's Asian U20 Volleyball Championship on Tuesday in Jiangmen, South China's Guangdong Province, reclaiming the title after eight years.
In the past two tournaments, the Chinese youth team had lost twice to Japan in the finals. With the tournament being suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, this victory showcases the progress of the young generation of Chinese volleyball players.
In the first set, both teams fought closely with alternating leads. China sent in substitute outside hitter Dong Yuhan at a critical moment, but Japan managed to score key points with their well-placed shots and gaps, winning the first set 25-23. In the second set, with flexible tactical adjustments, the revamped Chinese team played with greater speed and flexibility, managing to close the gap and win the set 25-21.
In the third set, Japan made more errors while China surged with momentum, taking a significant lead early on and eventually winning 25-17. Japan, strengthened their defense against China's key scorers in the fourth set, winning 25-14 and leveling the match at 2-2, thus forcing a decisive fifth set. In the final set, China's high-point attack efficiency was outstanding, leading 8-4 at the side change. With powerful serves disrupting the opponent's rhythm, China secured the championship with a 15-10 win.
After the match, Chinese women's volleyball team head coach Kuang Qi said that the championship was hard-earned. He praised it as one of the most spectacular finals in recent years in Asian youth volleyball, highlighting the perfect volleyball skills displayed by both teams and their excellent conduct and performance. Kuang believes the championship is the result of the players' hard work, and that the young Chinese players gained confidence from this tournament, which they cherish deeply.
Chinese team captain Wang Yindi was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. After the game, Wang said that they started off a bit unevenly, but after adjusting their mindset, they began to perform at their best.
In this year's tournament, the Chinese team advanced to the semifinals without losing a set, defeating South Korea 3-1 in the semifinals. With the end of this tournament, the qualification for the FIVB Volleyball Women's U21 World Championship in the Asian region has been confirmed, and China qualified as the reigning U21 World Championship champion.
With the 2024 Paris Olympics round the corner, the Chinese women's volleyball team, which has garnered numerous honors, is under the spotlight. Women's volleyball is traditionally a sport that has impacted generations of Chinese, with the national senior team once bringing major international glory to the country, including winning Olympic gold medals in 1984, 2004, and 2016.
However, in recent years, the team has not been as dominant as before. The path for the Chinese women's volleyball team to qualify for the Paris Olympics has been fraught with challenges. Not only did they fail to win a World Series title, but they also missed out on direct qualification for the Paris Olympic Games in September, after suffering three consecutive losses. The team also struggled in the early stages of the World Volleyball League this year, failing to show the expected strong performance.
The youth team's victory in the Asian Championship undoubtedly injects new hope into the future of Chinese women's volleyball.
An anonymous sports specialist who has followed the national volleyball team for many years told the Global Times that every team needs to continuously discover new talents and maintain a balanced ratio of experienced and new players to sustain high performance.
"Allowing more coaches and players to grow in the league will elevate the overall level of the national team," he said.
The development of the volleyball league in China shows positive signs. Some young players are getting more opportunities to play on the field. At the same time, related officials are paying more attention to youth training. Local teams are focusing more on talent development, including improvements in youth sports events and university leagues.
Opinions differ. Wang Dazhao, a Beijing-based commentator, told the Global Times that though China has many great players, the popularity of volleyball remains low. "But as long as we fairly make the development, we can still remain highly competitive in the international arena," Wang said.
Globally, China holds the sixth position, with Japan trailing closely behind in seventh. In the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympic Games group stage, China plays in Group A with the strong team of Serbia, and defending champion team USA.
The Chinese women's volleyball team will make its debut facing the defending champion USA on June 29.
Rescue efforts are in full swing as at least three breaches have appeared in the embankment of a tributary of the Xiangjiang River in Central China's Hunan Province, leaving swathes of land soaked in water in Typhoon Gaemi's wake. About 4,600 local residents have been relocated, with no casualties reported so far.
At around 13:40 on Sunday, a third breach, over 30 meters in length, occurred in the embankment section of Huazhong Village in Hekou township, Xiangtan.
The other main breach occurred in the Sixin dike of Yisuhe township in Xiangtan. By 9:40 pm Sunday, the breach had expanded to 50 meters wide and by 3:58 am Monday, the breach had expanded to 77 meters wide.
As of press time, the width of the breach in the Sixin dike has not changed much, and the water levels inside and outside the embankment have been stable, with the flow rate slowing down. More than 3,832 people in the area have been evacuated, with no casualties reported.
"The flood water just entered my house and continued to rise on Sunday night. Everything was soaked in water. Until the local rescue teams came, we were told to leave by taking life boats," Xiao Hao, a local resident from Yisuhe township in Xiangtan, told the Global Times on Monday.
According to media reports, local fire rescue forces have been dispatched to Yisuhe. At around 2 am on Monday, firefighters were carrying lifeboats and advancing toward the disaster area with difficulty due to the narrow roads. Large groups of people have already been transferred to safe places by lifeboats, media reports said.
Forces from emergency management have also dispatched 200 professional rescue personnel and 110 units of professional equipment, with the first team consisting of 70 personnel and 15 pieces of equipment. They have been transferred from the landslide site in Yuelin village, Hengyang, to Xiangtan and have arrived at the breach site to carry out their work.
At the rescue site conducting emergency rescue operations at the Sixin dike in Yisuhe town, over 600 officers and soldiers from the Hunan military, 200 officers and soldiers from the Hunan Armed Police, more than 200 professional rescue personnel from China Anneng Construction Group, 30 individuals from China Railway, and members of the Blue Sky Rescue Team and local rescue teams were involved in rescue efforts.
In addition, the working group of the State Council for Disaster Prevention rushed to Yisuhe town overnight.
Previously, another breach of about 10 meters had appeared in the embankment in Liushuwai, Xiangtan's Longtan village, around 18:40 on Sunday. As of press time, the repairs had been completed, and the accumulated water inside the embankment had been nearly drained.
The water levels at the local hydrological station have returned to normal. After the completion of disinfection in the flooded areas of Longtan village and Heping village, affected residents are now returning to their homes.
As of press time, due to the impact of rainfall, 97 rivers in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Hunan, Guangdong, Yunnan, Sichuan, Xinjiang and other places have experienced water exceeding warning levels, according to the Ministry of Water Resources..
Among them, 40 rivers have experienced water exceeding flood control levels.
A live-stream video posted on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, on Monday showed that swatches of land and houses were flooded.
In Chenzhou, another city in Hunan, many townships in Zixing city have been hit by heavy rainstorms, with some stations recording rainfall exceeding historical records the province starting from July 26.
Currently, eight out of the 10 villages in Bamianshan township remain out of contact. Early Monday, 10 rescue teams entered the isolated villages on foot to investigate the disaster situation and help evacuate trapped residents.
Apart from allocating local rescue forces, according to the emergency management department of Chenzhou, three helicopters were dispatched to Bamianshan township and other areas where transportation was blocked due to heavy rain to deliver food and essential supplies. The helicopters were loaded with water, rice, instant noodles, vegetables, oil and other daily necessities, which can meet the needs of 13,200 people.
The local authorities have also prepared charged power devices and essential medicines to meet urgent communication and medical needs. China's domestically developed Wing Loong drones took off from East China's Fujian early Monday and will provide mobile phone signals to areas with damaged communication facilities through an aerial communication platform.
Meteorological experts say that the cloud system of Typhoon Gaemi combined with the southwest monsoon resulted in very strong water vapor development in the high-humidity areas of Hunan, leading to the appearance of a strong rainfall center in the Hunan region.
Ma Jun, director of the Beijing-based Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, told the Global Times on Monday that the process of flood evolution and the subsequent affected areas need to be further studied using a hydrodynamic model.
The construction or raising of levees at appropriate locations downstream of breaches should be implemented to prevent floods from continuing to spread and prevent the further expansion of the disaster, Ma said. He noted that the ongoing rainfall increased the difficulty in responding to disasters.
