People's Army Undergoes Revolutionary Reshaping Under New Ideologies
A strong country must have a strong military; only with a strong military can a country be secure. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee, the Central Military Commission, and Chairman Xi Jinping have led the People's Liberation Army to comprehensively implement the strategy of strengthening the military through reform with unprecedented determination and intensity. They have carried out the broadest and most profound national defense and military reform since the founding of New China, thoroughly addressing institutional obstacles, structural contradictions, and policy issues that constrained national defense and military development. Deepening national defense and military reform has achieved historic accomplishments, leading to a holistic and revolutionary reshaping of the People's Liberation Army. Its system, structure, layout, and appearance have been completely renewed, and it is marching with great strides toward achieving the centennial goal of the founding of the army. In mid-summer, on the training grounds, iron flows roll and smoke billows. The Army organized multi-branch cross-domain maneuvers and three-dimensional offense and defense; the Air Force's J-20 fighter jet formations struck like thunder, carrying out full-domain real-combat drills; the Navy's aircraft carrier formations cut through waves, honing their far-sea combat capabilities; the Rocket Force's missiles stood erect and poised, pointing to the sky... The intense training scenes on the exercise grounds reflect the profound changes brought to the People's Liberation Army by strengthening the military through reform. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, and national defense and military construction have also entered a new era. Facing the overall strategic situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the unprecedented changes in the world in a century, and deep-seated contradictions and problems that have long constrained national defense and military construction, Chairman Xi, judging the situation and overseeing the overall picture, resolutely made the strategic decision to strengthen the military through reform. The reform of the military's leadership and command system was implemented first, forming a new pattern where the Central Military Commission takes overall charge, the theater commands are responsible for combat, and the services focus on development. The institutional setup and functional allocation of the CMC organs were reshaped, a strict power operation restriction and supervision system was reshaped, a joint command and combat system was reshaped, the leadership and management systems of the military branches were reshaped, the leadership and command system of the Armed Police Force was adjusted, and the leadership system of the reserve forces was reformed. The holistic and revolutionary reshaping of the organizational structure broke the long-standing general headquarters system, the large military region system, and the large ground force system, overcoming institutional obstacles to military development and establishing a Central Military Commission-Theater Command-Troop combat command system and a Central Military Commission-Service-Troop leadership and management system. The reform of the military's size, structure, and force composition was then launched in succession, creating a modern military force system with Chinese characteristics. The personnel structure and size ratio, force structure, troop composition, military talent training system, and military scientific research system were reshaped. The holistic and revolutionary reshaping of the military force system broke through the original structural contradictions, changed the long-standing land-combat and homeland-defense oriented force structure and troop deployment, and transformed the People's Liberation Army from a quantity-scale type to a quality-efficiency type, and from a labor-intensive type to a technology-intensive type. A modern military force system with Chinese characteristics has been initially established, and a crucial step has been taken towards the modernization of the military's organizational form. Military policy and institutional reforms were comprehensively implemented, reshaping the socialist military policy and institutional system with Chinese characteristics. Adhering to combat capability as the sole fundamental standard, and focusing on mobilizing the enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity of military personnel, a system for the Party's construction in the military was formed to safeguard the authority and centralized unified leadership of the Party Central Committee and ensure the Party's absolute leadership over the military. Policy systems for military force application based on joint operations and integration of peacetime and wartime were formed, policy systems for military force building focusing on combat and encouraging innovation were formed, and military management policy systems that are precise, efficient, comprehensive, standardized, and rigidly constrained were formed, further unleashing the combat effectiveness of the military and the vitality of officers and soldiers, and continuously releasing the effectiveness of reform. Major cross-military and local reforms were deeply promoted, completing the cross-military and local reform tasks of the Armed Police Force, strengthening the organizational leadership of veteran management and support work at the national level, promoting the reform of the national defense mobilization system, and comprehensively stopping military paid services, etc., continuously consolidating and improving the integrated national strategic system and capabilities. In the new era and on the new journey, the People's Liberation Army has been reborn through revolutionary tempering, strengthened through historical reshaping, and advanced towards strength in the face of risks and challenges. The most fundamental reason is that Chairman Xi is at the helm and Xi Jinping's thinking on strengthening the military provides scientific guidance. The People's Liberation Army under the Party's leadership will unswervingly carry the deepening national defense and military reform to the end, unswervingly follow the path of strengthening the military with Chinese characteristics, strive to create a new situation for strengthening the military through reform, and ensure the achievement of the centennial goal of the founding of the army by 2027, basically realizing national defense and military modernization by 2035, and fully building the People's Liberation Army into a world-class army by the middle of this century, providing strong strategic support for comprehensively promoting the building of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization.
Zhao Leji Attends 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum
The 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum was held in St. Petersburg, Russia, from July 11 to 12. Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China, attended the forum and delivered a speech. On July 11, when attending the plenary session of the forum, Zhao Leji pointed out that this forum is the first parliamentary forum held after the BRICS expansion, reflecting the vigorous momentum of solidarity and self-reliance of the "Global South" and the firm will to seek common development. Zhao Leji emphasized that BRICS legislative bodies should adhere to their functional positioning, carry forward the open, inclusive, and win-win BRICS spirit, consolidate BRICS unity, promote practical cooperation, and contribute to the high-quality development of the BRICS cooperation mechanism. They should uphold their original aspirations and safeguard the common interests of BRICS countries. They should deepen exchanges and cooperation among legislative bodies, support each other on issues of core concern, and continuously consolidate the political mutual trust of BRICS cooperation. They should seize the opportunity to facilitate the steady and long-term development of "BRICS Plus cooperation." Legislative bodies should voice a strong commitment to multilateralism and common development, and oppose "decoupling and breaking chains" and "building walls and barriers." They should deepen exchanges and solidify the public opinion foundation of BRICS cooperation. They should be open and inclusive, and expand "BRICS Plus" cooperation among legislative bodies. On July 12, when attending the expanded meeting of the forum, Zhao Leji pointed out that President Xi Jinping has proposed the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, and promoted the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. These major initiatives have received universal praise and widespread support from the international community. China is willing to work with BRICS partners and the vast number of developing countries to inherit and carry forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and jointly undertake the historical mission of building a community with a shared future for mankind. The theme of this forum was "The Role of Parliaments in Strengthening Multilateralism and Promoting Global Just Development and Security." Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the expanded meeting of the forum and delivered a keynote speech on July 11. During the forum, Zhao Leji met with Egyptian Speaker of the House of Representatives Hanafi Gebali and Kazakh Speaker of the Senate Maulen Ashimbayev.
Major Construction Projects Accelerate Nationwide
Various regions are accelerating the construction of major projects, injecting new momentum into high-quality development. The regional transportation network is being improved. Recently, the main bridge of the Zhongxiang Hanjiang Grand Bridge, a key project of the Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu High-Speed Railway, was successfully closed, laying the foundation for the completion and opening of the Wuhan-Yichang section of the high-speed railway in 2025. The Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu High-Speed Railway passes through six provinces and municipalities including Shanghai, Anhui, and Sichuan. Upon completion, it will be of great significance for building a comprehensive Yangtze River transportation system. Construction of the Xi'an-Chongqing High-Speed Railway is accelerating. In the heart of the Daba Mountains, builders are excavating the Zhujiashan Tunnel, one of the controlling projects of the entire line. The Xi'an-Chongqing High-Speed Railway, with a total length of 739 kilometers, connects Xi'an and Chongqing and is an important part of China's "Eight Verticals and Eight Horizontals" high-speed rail network. Beijing's first inter-city subway line, Rail Transit Line 22, is accelerating construction, with 46% of the main structure completed in the Beijing section and 40% in the Hebei section. The line is 81.2 kilometers long and connects key functional areas such as Beijing's CBD core area, the sub-center, Pinggu New Town, and Sanhe area in Hebei. A number of water conservancy and energy projects are also being accelerated. In Guangxi, construction of the Pinglu Canal, a backbone project of the New Western Land-Sea Corridor, is underway. At the Madao Hub construction site, hundreds of mechanical equipment are operating simultaneously, and workers are pouring concrete for the main structure of the Madao Hub ship lock, which is currently the world's largest inland river water-saving ship lock under construction and is expected to be completed in 2026. In the Lamadian Oilfield Low-Carbon Demonstration Zone in Daqing, Heilongjiang, the second phase of the photovoltaic project is under intense construction and is expected to be connected to the grid by the end of the year. By building the first and second phases of wind and photovoltaic projects, the oilfield will achieve self-sufficiency in green electricity, and upon full completion, it can generate 570 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. The second unit of the Wuyue Pumped Storage Power Station in Xinyang, Henan, a key energy project for revitalizing the Dabie Mountains revolutionary old areas, recently entered the generator installation stage. The project plans to put all four units into operation by the end of 2025. Upon completion and operation, it can reduce coal consumption by 116,800 tons annually and add 857 million kilowatt-hours of green electricity.
Shaanxi's Water Management Transforms Cities, Fosters Harmony
Fuping County in Shaanxi, located in the transitional zone between the Loess Plateau and the Guanzhong Plain, suffers from perennial drought and scarce rainfall, and its main river, the Shichuan River, once became a "seasonal river." Today (July 13), in "High-Quality Development Survey," we visit Fuping, Shaanxi, to see the ecological picture of numerous birds and lush trees in the Shichuan River National Wetland Park. In mid-summer, photography enthusiast Zhao Zhongshe visits the Shichuan River National Wetland Park almost every morning and evening to look for various bird species. Fuping County's per capita water resources are only about 8% of the national average. To break through the bottleneck of water shortage, the local government has optimized water sources, strengthened water conservation, and increased the utilization of unconventional water sources; it has also carried out comprehensive treatment of the entire Shichuan River to ensure the river's ecological flow. The ecological restoration and water environment of the Shichuan River continue to improve. "Building a city based on water resources" means developing within the limits of available water. A water-saving environment is injecting continuous vitality into Fuping's economic development. In addition to traditional pillar industries such as persimmons and goat milk, in this smart agricultural production base for soilless cultivation of cherry tomatoes, which started production last year, technologies such as automatic rainwater collection and treatment, and integrated water and fertilizer automatic irrigation, have resulted in abundant fruit on rows of tomato plants. From water scarcity and lack of greenery to enriching the city and promoting industry with water, Shaanxi Province is focusing on water resources as a key element, promoting systematic, comprehensive, and collaborative governance. Currently, Xi'an is building a "sponge city" to restore the magnificent scene of "Eight Rivers Flowing Around Chang'an." The thousand-acre landscape rice fields in Yan'an Nanniwan National Wetland Park are creating a "Jiangnan in Northern Shaanxi." Ankang City is strengthening the protection of Hanjiang River water quality to ensure the continuous northward flow of clear water for the South-to-North Water Diversion Project.
Inner Mongolia Builds Shared Spiritual Home for Chinese Nation
Inner Mongolia is promoting cohabitation, co-learning, co-construction, and co-sharing among ethnic groups, contributing to the building of a shared spiritual home for the Chinese nation. Ping'an Village in Horqin Right Front Banner, Hinggan League, is located at the southern foot of the Greater Khingan Range and is a village inhabited by Mongolians, Han Chinese, and Huis. Every holiday, the Tomato Commune, a comprehensive tourism complex in the village, is exceptionally lively. The founder of the commune is Qi Xiaojing. In the 15 years since she returned to her hometown to start a business after graduating from college, she has led villagers to research edible mushroom cultivation techniques, develop professional planting cooperatives, and engage in e-commerce marketing, helping 476 households achieve common prosperity. In the countryside, various ethnic groups achieve common prosperity; in communities, everyone works and lives together. The Linhuangjiayuan Community in Songshan District, Chifeng City, is home to residents of 13 ethnic groups, including Han, Mongolian, Manchu, Hui, and Zhuang. The community, relying on its Party-Mass Service Center, handles minimum living allowances for困难 families and provides major illness assistance. At the same time, it innovates elderly care service models by providing affordable meals for the elderly, daytime care, physical therapy, and other attentive services to meet the multi-level and diversified service needs of the elderly. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Inner Mongolia has promoted the construction of a shared spiritual home for the Chinese nation and developed distinctive industries that enrich the people and increase income. In 2023, the per capita income of the region reached 38,130 yuan, and the living and working conditions of various ethnic groups have continuously improved.
Party Flag Flies High at Front Lines: Protecting Lives Amidst Floods
Wuxi County in Chongqing is one of the areas most severely affected by this round of heavy rainfall. In this critical moment, local Party members and cadres promptly evacuated endangered residents; once the danger was cleared, they immediately invested in post-disaster reconstruction, helping residents restore production and daily life. At around 6:00 AM on July 11, Xie Xuxue, Secretary of the Party Branch of Tianba Community, Tianba Town, Wuxi County, discovered during his patrol that the water level of the Wantan River, which flows through the community, was rising rapidly. At that time, the heavy rainfall had lasted for 5 hours, with cumulative rainfall exceeding 100 millimeters. Xie Xuxue immediately reported to the township and prepared to evacuate residents. Tianba Town is located in a mountainous area, and low-lying areas were quickly submerged ankle-deep. Xie Xuxue and staff from the town's emergency office went door-to-door to notify residents in risk areas and organized an urgent evacuation. At around 10:00 AM, all 136 households and 410 people at risk were safely evacuated. Within an hour after that, three mudslides occurred in Tianba Town, with fierce currents carrying mud and rocks raging on the streets. Fortunately, no casualties were reported. The town set up a temporary resettlement site at Tianba Primary School in a higher-lying area to provide basic support for everyone. On July 12, the rain in Tianba Town temporarily stopped, and the floodwaters receded, leaving behind mud and sand piles up to two or three meters high in the most affected areas. Party members and cadres immediately led residents to clear the silt, and relevant departments were simultaneously carrying out infrastructure repairs. By the evening of July 12, water and electricity supply in Tianba Community had returned to normal. According to meteorological forecasts, Wuxi County will experience varying degrees of rainfall in the coming days. Coupled with the previous rainfall, geological disasters are prone to occur. Currently, Tianba Town has dispatched multiple working groups to various villages and communities to investigate potential risks and hazards.
Southern China Responds to Persistent Rainfall
Today (July 13), rainfall continues in many southern areas, and the Central Meteorological Administration continues to issue a yellow alert for heavy rain. Some areas in Anhui experienced heavy to torrential rainfall. Affected by continuous heavy rainfall, the Huaihe River formed its first flood of 2024. At 4:18 PM today, the water level at the Wangjiaba station on the main stream of the Huaihe River reached 27.51 meters, exceeding the warning level. Local authorities have designated flood control responsibility grids and prepared sufficient flood control materials to ensure safe passage through the flood season. In the early hours of today, Anlu, Hubei, was hit by heavy rainfall, with six townships experiencing torrential downpours. Some residential houses in urban areas were flooded, and people were trapped. Local personnel were organized to safely evacuate more than 1,900 people. Last night, the first flood peak of the Jialing River in 2024 passed through the central urban area of Chongqing. Today, flooded areas along the river are promptly clearing silt based on the receding water levels. Yesterday, the Office of the National Committee for Disaster Prevention, Mitigation and Relief and the Ministry of Emergency Management urgently allocated 13,000 items of central disaster relief materials, including folding beds and summer quilts, to Chongqing and Sichuan to support local efforts in resettling and assisting affected residents.
Chinese Sports Delegation for Paris Olympics Established in Beijing
The Chinese sports delegation, which is about to set off for the Paris Olympics, was established this morning (July 13) in Beijing. The Chinese sports delegation to the Paris Olympics consists of 716 members in total, including 405 athletes, comprising 136 male athletes and 269 female athletes. The average age of the delegation's athletes is 25, with 42 Olympic champions returning to compete in the Olympic Games, and 223 athletes participating for the first time. The Paris Olympics will be held from July 26 to August 11. The Chinese sports delegation will participate in 236 events across 42 disciplines in 30 major sports, making it the Olympic Games with the largest number of events participated overseas. Currently, the Chinese swimming team, Chinese boxing team, and others have already arrived in France. Other Chinese athletes will then travel to Paris in batches according to their competition schedules, aiming to achieve both excellent athletic results and a double harvest of spiritual civilization.
Domestic News Briefs
Five Policy Measures Support High-Quality Development of Cross-border Trade and Investment
The Ministry of Commerce, the People's Bank of China, the National Financial Regulatory Administration, and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange recently jointly issued 5 aspects and 11 policy measures to support the high-quality development of cross-border trade and investment with greater intensity. The measures include optimizing comprehensive financial services for foreign trade, strengthening financial service guarantees for foreign investment, and optimizing the payment and settlement environment.
Over 100 New International Standard Proposals Submitted in First Half of the Year
Reporters learned from the State Administration for Market Regulation that in the first half of this year, China submitted 128 new international standard proposals, involving fields such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, clean energy production and storage, and new-generation information technology. As of the end of June, China has submitted a total of 2,070 international standard proposals and led the formulation and release of 1,705 international standards.
National Performance Market Box Office Revenue Reaches 19.016 Billion Yuan in First Half of the Year
Reporters learned from the China Association of Performing Arts that in the first half of the year, national commercial performances (excluding entertainment venues) amounted to 251,700 shows, a year-on-year increase of 30.19%; box office revenue was 19.016 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 13.24%; and audience numbers reached 79.1013 million, a year-on-year increase of 27.10%.
National Cruise Passenger Volume Nearly 500,000 in First Half of the Year
Reporters learned from the Ministry of Transport that in the first half of this year, 23 cruise ships operated 206 voyages, and the national cruise passenger volume was nearly 500,000, with a quarter-on-quarter increase of nearly 60% in the second quarter compared to the first quarter.
China's Power Technology Innovation Capability Leads the World
The Power Development Index Report released by the Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization yesterday (July 12) shows that China's per capita electricity consumption and per capita installed power generation capacity are 1.7-1.8 times the global average. At the same time, China is at the world's leading level in new energy power generation, power system scale, and technological innovation in digitalization and intelligence.
Construction Begins on China's Largest Natural Uranium Production Capacity Project
Reporters learned from China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) that "Guoyou No. 1" Demonstration Project, China's largest natural uranium production capacity project, recently started construction in Inner Mongolia. The project adopts world-leading uranium mining technology, ensuring green and environmental friendly operations throughout the entire mining process.
Significant Progress Made in Nam Co International Continental Scientific Drilling Project
Significant progress has been made in the Nam Co International Continental Scientific Drilling Project, a key scientific expedition task of the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition. As of 4:00 PM today (July 13), the drilling depth of the seventh borehole, conducted by a multinational joint scientific expedition team, has reached 408.2 meters, setting a new record for the deepest lake drilling in China.
CMG National E-sports Development Research Institute Settles in Beijing
On July 12, the China Media Group (CMG) National E-sports Development Research Institute settled by the Shichahai Lake in Beijing's Xicheng District. The institute will, in collaboration with the E-sports World Cup Foundation and other organizations, leverage CMG's "5G+4K/8K+AI" technology strategic framework to create a high-quality e-sports event system and promote the orderly development of the e-sports industry.
Israeli Airstrikes on Khan Younis Tent Camp Cause Heavy Casualties; Palestinian Armed Group Claims Rocket Attack on Israeli Base
The Israeli army today (July 13) launched an airstrike on the Mawasi area of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. The Gaza health department stated that the airstrike has resulted in at least 71 Palestinian deaths and 289 injuries. According to Israeli media reports today, the attacked area was a tent camp for displaced people. Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, stated that the situation on site was severe and the casualty figures were still rising. The Israeli military radio reported that the Israeli army's target was a senior Hamas commander. Palestinian armed groups stated on July 12 that they attacked Israeli military vehicles and other targets in Gaza City, Rafah, and other areas, and launched rockets at an Israeli military base near the Kerem Shalom crossing.
Israeli Military Claims to Have Struck Hezbollah Military Facilities, Hezbollah Claims to Have Struck Israeli Intelligence Facilities and Other Targets
On July 12, the Israeli army and Hezbollah continued to exchange fire near the provisional Lebanese-Israeli border. The Israeli military stated that it launched airstrikes and drone strikes on multiple military facilities of Hezbollah and killed a Hezbollah member. Hezbollah claimed on the same day that it struck Israeli intelligence facilities, infantry battalion command posts, and other targets.
International News Briefs
Russia Claims Control of Several Settlements, Ukraine Claims to Have Halted Russian Advance
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated on July 12 that over the past week, Russian forces have taken control of several settlements in the Donetsk region. The Russian military used high-precision weapons and drones to strike Ukrainian military industrial enterprises, military airfields, ammunition depots, and other targets. Ukraine stated on the same day that its forces engaged Russian forces nearly a hundred times in various directions, doing their utmost to halt the Russian advance and striking Russian personnel and equipment.
California Wildfires Rage, Disaster Expands
Affected by high temperatures and strong winds, wildfires continue to rage in many parts of California, United States, currently causing one death. U.S. media reported that according to data from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, more than 3,600 wildfires have been reported in the state this year, burning over 920 square kilometers and destroying 148 buildings.
Deepening Reforms Drive Myriad Aspects of Chinese Modernization
Embarking on a new journey, Jiangsu and Hunan are firmly grasping the primary task of high-quality development, continuously writing new chapters of Chinese modernization. Today (July 13), in "Comprehensively Deepening Reforms: Myriad Facets of Chinese Modernization," let us explore Jiangsu and Hunan.