New Era, New Journey: Technology Empowers High-Quality Development of Cultural Heritage Protection
Cultural relics and heritage carry the genes and lineage of the Chinese nation and are non-renewable and irreplaceable excellent Chinese civilization resources. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to use advanced technology to strengthen cultural relic protection and research. In recent years, from archaeological excavations to cultural relic protection and restoration, and from value interpretation to exhibition and dissemination, the integration of cultural relics and technology has become increasingly close, and scientific and technological innovation has become the core driving force for the high-quality development of cultural heritage undertakings. Jingdezhen has a pottery-making history of over 2,000 years, an official kiln history of over 1,000 years, and an imperial kiln history of over 600 years, retaining a rich and complete porcelain industry system and cultural heritage. How can ancient wisdom be utilized for modern purposes? The establishment of the Jingdezhen Ancient Ceramic Genome Bank, the world's first ancient ceramic gene bank, provided a breakthrough. A piece of ancient porcelain in the hands of researchers can reveal hundreds of pieces of information, including observing patterns, reassembling vessel shapes, analyzing materials by grinding into powder, and even determining firing temperatures. In the future, it is hoped that the civilization code of the peak period of ancient porcelain will be deciphered. "Excellent traditional Chinese culture is the crystallization of wisdom and the essence of Chinese civilization." Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the need to "inherit and promote excellent traditional Chinese culture in light of new contemporary conditions" and "promote the creative transformation and innovative development of excellent traditional Chinese culture," pointing out that "we should better inherit excellent traditional culture through cultural relic excavation, research, and protection." Recently, the "inventory" of cultural relics unearthed from the Mawangdui Han Tombs has been fully and systematically clarified. Researchers have used new equipment and scientific detection methods to gradually sort out a large number of silk and fabric fragments "sleeping" in cultural relic storerooms. Not only did they discover important cultural relics such as fragments of rhombus-patterned silk for the first time, but they also improved the accuracy of cultural relic inventory. Underwater archaeology is subject to environmental and working time constraints, making the technical requirements more complex. In November 2022, Chinese archaeologists used the world's first "curved beam non-contact overall cultural relic relocation technology" to lift the Yangtze River Estuary No. 2 ancient ship out of the water. In October 2023, Chinese archaeological researchers conducted 3D laser scanning and image stitching of the core accumulation area of a large ancient shipwreck site discovered at a depth of a thousand meters in the South China Sea, extracting over 100 pieces/sets of cultural relics. This breakthrough ended the situation where underwater archaeology was limited to shallow seas for over 30 years. National treasures in museums, relics that have slept for thousands of years... they tell the brilliant past of Chinese civilization and inspire people to explore the answer to "What is China?" Improving the level of cultural relic display and allowing the cultural connotations and spiritual values carried by cultural relics to be reshaped and revitalized is an important part of enhancing people's cultural acquisition and happiness in the new era and promoting common prosperity in people's spiritual lives. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, "We must strengthen the protection and utilization of cultural relics and the protection and inheritance of cultural heritage, and improve the level of cultural relic research, interpretation, and dissemination," and pointed out that "we must let cultural relics speak, let history speak, and let culture speak." At the Yin Ruins in Henan, the automatic stitching of oracle bone fragments achieved through artificial intelligence has accelerated the deciphering of civilization patterns from thousands of years ago; in Sanxingdui, Sichuan, digital cultural relic restoration techniques have enabled the complete combination of artifacts from different pits; in Dunhuang, Gansu, with the help of digital scanning, physical rendering, and other means, the historical scenes of over 60,000 precious cultural relics housed in the Dunhuang Sutra Cave have been moved into exhibitions, allowing people to experience the weight of history up close. The latest statistics show that China has cumulatively published over 130,000 ancient book digital resources online. There are 6,833 registered museums nationwide, and in 2023, over 40,000 exhibitions were held, attracting 1.29 billion visitors, a historic high. Culture has roots, and civilization has origins. From the promulgation of the "Opinions on Implementing the Project for the Inheritance and Development of Excellent Traditional Chinese Culture" to the deployment of constructing national cultural parks for the Great Wall, the Grand Canal, the Long March, the Yellow River, and the Yangtze River, and then to the in-depth implementation of major projects such as the protection and utilization of revolutionary cultural relics. Under the guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping's concept of "creative transformation and innovative development," the "pool of spring water" of Chinese culture is vibrant and thriving. Excellent traditional Chinese culture continues to shine with new brilliance, becoming an important source for people to nurture their spirit and cultivate self-confidence.
China's Service Consumption Potential Continues to Unfold
Since the beginning of this year, with improved and enriched market supply, residents' consumption potential for services has continued to be unleashed, and service retail sales have maintained rapid growth. The latest data shows that from January to July, service retail sales increased by 7.2% year-on-year, 4.1 percentage points higher than the growth rate of commodity retail sales during the same period. Continuous holiday consumption booms have driven double-digit growth in retail sales of transportation services. New integrated consumption models such as parent-child tours, performance tours, sports event tours, and film and television tours have developed rapidly, while consumption in tourism consulting, rental services, and performance activities has grown quickly. Various regions have optimized consumption supply based on local characteristics, with sports and leisure, elderly care, and childcare becoming new growth points for consumption. Shanghai has embedded domestic service companies into communities with high demand for domestic services, allowing residents to easily book comprehensive services such as cleaning, organizing, and home care at their doorstep. Recently, the state issued 20 measures to promote the high-quality development of service consumption. In the future, these measures will tap the potential of basic consumption such as catering and accommodation, stimulate the vitality of improving consumption such as culture and entertainment, cultivate and expand new consumption types such as digital consumption, green consumption, and health consumption, and continuously optimize and expand service supply to better meet people's personalized, diversified, and high-quality service consumption needs.
July Industrial Production Maintains Rapid Growth, Industrial Structure Continuously Optimized
The latest data shows that in July, the value added of industrial enterprises above the designated size nationwide increased by 5.1% year-on-year. Industrial production maintained rapid growth, and the industrial structure continued to optimize. In July, among the 41 major industrial categories, 33 saw a year-on-year increase in value added. Among them, equipment manufacturing accelerated its growth. The value added of equipment manufacturing above the designated size increased by 7.3% year-on-year, driving the growth of industries above the designated size by 2.4 percentage points and contributing nearly half of the total growth. In July, new growth drivers in manufacturing accelerated their cultivation and expansion. From an industry perspective, the value added of high-end equipment industries such as aerospace and equipment manufacturing, electronic and communication equipment manufacturing, and computer and office equipment manufacturing all achieved double-digit year-on-year growth. From a product perspective, civil drones, service robots, integrated circuits, and industrial robots also achieved double-digit rapid growth. In addition, green products grew rapidly. New energy vehicle production increased by 27.8% year-on-year, polysilicon output increased by 27.3%, and wind turbine generator production increased by 39.6%. Next, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will plan and promote the introduction of a series of reform measures focusing on major national science and technology projects, industrial foundation rebuilding, and major technical equipment breakthroughs. It will leverage the advantages of the new nationwide system to build a modern industrial system led by scientific and technological innovation.
Authoritative Interview: Deepening Financial System Reform for Better Service to High-Quality Economic and Social Development
The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China made comprehensive arrangements for deepening reform of the financial system. How will a series of major reform tasks in the financial sector better serve high-quality economic and social development? Let's look at CCTV reporter's exclusive interview with Wang Jiang, Executive Deputy Director of the Central Financial Commission Office. Wang Jiang stated that to deepen the reform of the financial system, it is essential to thoroughly understand General Secretary Xi Jinping's series of new ideas, new viewpoints, and new conclusions on comprehensively deepening reform, and to focus on promoting and forming new major practical innovations, theoretical innovations, and institutional innovations in the financial field. Wang Jiang further stated that in addition to implementing the more than 30 explicit mentions of "finance" in the full text of the "Decision," deepening financial system reform also includes several major financial reform tasks that are not explicitly mentioned but are implicitly included. The plenum proposed seven major tasks, including accelerating the improvement of the central bank system and smoothing the monetary policy transmission mechanism; improving the capital market function with coordinated investment and financing, and establishing a long-term mechanism to enhance the inherent stability of the capital market; and further improving the incentive and restraint mechanisms for financial services to the real economy. Wang Jiang stated that the Central Financial Commission Office and the Central Financial Work Committee will systematically review each item, match them accordingly, and break them down into detailed work arrangements.
Forging a Strong Community, One Chinese Family: Ningxia's Ethnic Unity Creates a New Chapter in Saiwai Jiangnan
Ningxia has firmly fostered a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, striving to build a social landscape of shared living, learning, building, enjoyment, and working together. People of all ethnic groups are working hand in hand to write a new chapter for the "Jiangnan of the Frontier." Changcheng Garden Community in Yinchuan is a large multi-ethnic residential community, home to nearly 20,000 people from various ethnic groups, including Han, Hui, Manchu, and Tibetan. Here, all kinds of convenient and beneficial medical, service, and entertainment projects are readily available. Fostering a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation. In Ningxia, there are more than 80 such "one family" integrated communities like Changcheng Garden. The local government also regularly organizes "Red Pomegranate" youth exchange activities covering large, medium, and small schools across the region, and has created 12 "Chinese Love" tourism promotion routes. At the same time, relying on Fujian-Ningxia collaboration, people of all ethnic groups in the two regions are working together to enhance exchanges in industry, culture, and talent. Fujian has successively established more than 6,000 enterprises in Ningxia, and over 400 aid and assistance workshops have absorbed nearly 200,000 people from various ethnic groups for local employment. Ningxia has also cumulatively organized 330,000 person-times of people from various ethnic groups to work in Fujian. Currently, all cities, counties, and districts in Ningxia have been recognized as national demonstration units for ethnic unity and progress. Next, Ningxia will focus on creating a demonstration zone for fostering a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, further enhancing the well-being of people of all ethnic groups. This year, it will prioritize building 42 high-quality 15-minute convenient living circles, constructing or renovating 110 community elderly care facilities, and renovating 20,000 old urban residential areas.
Frontline Survey: The Harvest Code Hidden in the Rice Seedling Factory
Currently, the planting of late rice in China is nearing completion. While interviewing in Hunan, the largest rice-producing province, this reporter found that seedling cultivation factories, which would normally be idle at this time, are still busy. Many of these factories have taken on new functions, as revealed by the reporter's investigation. In Ziyang District, Yiyang City, Hunan Province, all late rice seedlings from this seedling cultivation center have been transported out. The staff immediately began cultivating chili pepper seedlings, with a newly introduced air-suction vegetable seeder that is 7 times more efficient than manual sowing. In another seedling cultivation factory in Wangcheng District, Changsha City, growers have also utilized the idle period for seedling cultivation to plant vegetables and fruits such as eggplants, beans, and melons, which will be harvested after the summer vacation. Why are seedling cultivation factories, originally designed for rice, transforming into vegetable production bases? The reporter learned during the interview that in the past, not many grain growers were willing to build seedling cultivation factories mainly because double-cropping rice seedling factories were only used for four months a year, leaving them idle for eight months. To solve the problem of unprofitable factory construction, Hunan encouraged socialized service entities to sign contracts with enterprises and farmers during the idle season, achieving "multi-purpose use of one factory" through business models such as代育 (contracted seedling cultivation) and leasing. The comprehensive utilization measures for seedling cultivation factories have also accelerated the speed of "factory construction" in Hunan. This year, Hunan Province newly built or renovated 18 million square meters of centralized seedling cultivation facilities, adding 5.5 million mu of service area for field crops. These new facilities have also better supported this year's early rice harvest in the region. Zhou Bo, a large-scale grain grower in Yuanjiang City, saw an average yield increase of 45 jin per mu for his 1,200 mu of early rice compared to last year. In late June this year, Hunan experienced continuous rainy weather. In previous years, early rice would have been in the flowering stage at this time, and continuous rainfall would have led to large-scale yield reductions. However, with the adoption of industrialized seedling cultivation this year, a significant amount of time was saved, and planting was advanced by seven days compared to previous years, successfully avoiding the concentrated rainfall period. Industrialized seedling cultivation has brought more stable rice production capacity. To create smarter seedling cultivation factories, Hunan this year focused on promoting collaborative technological research between seedling cultivation equipment manufacturers and scientific research institutions. One such enterprise, with technical support from Hunan Agricultural University, has applied the Internet of Things and big data to the management of seedling cultivation facilities. Using 31 sensors and communication facilities on the production line, it transmits various key data in real time, ensuring the quality of seedlings. This year, Hunan secured 579 million yuan in central funds and allocated 352 million yuan at the provincial level to support the comprehensive construction of centralized seedling cultivation facilities in 117 grain-producing counties and districts across the province, significantly improving the level of seedling mechanization.
China Achieves Phased Results in Improving Medical Experience
The National Health Commission and other departments launched a three-year action plan in May last year to improve patients' medical experience and simultaneously conducted an evaluation. The results show that, in over a year, phased achievements have been made in improving medical services. The three-year action plan proposed 20 specific measures across six areas covering the entire medical process. The evaluation shows that currently, over 85% of public hospitals above Grade II nationwide offer appointment-based diagnosis and treatment services. Various medical institutions have further optimized outpatient procedures. Over 5,500 general hospitals above Grade II have established "one-stop" service centers, with multidisciplinary treatment services being promoted in over 2,000 hospitals above Grade II. A total of over 200 prefecture-level cities have implemented the mutual sharing of inspection and test results. In 2023, the average waiting time for outpatient appointments in national Grade III public hospitals was reduced to 17.72 minutes. Over 3,000 medical institutions nationwide now provide "Internet+nursing services," and the service concept emphasizing humanistic care has been further strengthened.
Inheriting Red Genes: Red Tourism Continues to Heat Up During Summer
This summer, red tourism scenic spots have become hot spots for holiday travel, with a steady increase in the number of visitors. This year marks the 90th anniversary of the departure of the Central Red Army on the Long March. During the summer vacation, red tourism in Ruijin, Jiangxi, continues to heat up. In the Ruijin Central Red Army Long March Decision and Departure Key Exhibition Park, many tourists have visited Yunshi Mountain, the "first mountain of the Long March," to experience the great spirit of the Long March. In the first half of this year, Yan'an, Shaanxi, received 17.2732 million tourists, and this summer, study tour groups are arriving in an endless stream. At the Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Hall, large numbers of tourists are watching the themed exhibition "Great Journey," with many parents bringing their children to experience that magnificent period of history. During the summer vacation, in addition to the continuous popularity of traditional red tourism classic scenic spots, a batch of contemporary red tourism sites represented by major national projects have also attracted numerous tourists to visit and experience the great achievements of the new era. China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) in Pingtang, Guizhou, has received 833,300 tourists this year. Since the beginning of summer, Pingtang County, where the astronomical town is located, has received 76,400 study tour visitors. This summer, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge tour also welcomed a peak in passenger flow. As of August 16, it has cumulatively received over 38,000 tourists. On the Blue Dolphin Island, tourists can not only enjoy the magnificent scenery of the bridge but also gain an in-depth understanding of the bridge's construction process and craftsmanship in the exhibition hall, experiencing the extraordinary charm of this century project.
Domestic News Briefs
A new round of car trade-in policies has been launched. Seven departments, including the Ministry of Commerce, recently issued a notice. The subsidy standards for car scrapping and renewal have been increased from the previous 10,000 yuan for purchasing new energy passenger vehicles and 7,000 yuan for purchasing fuel passenger vehicles, to 20,000 yuan and 15,000 yuan, respectively. At the same time, trade-ins are also included in this subsidy program. As of now, the car trade-in information platform has received over 600,000 applications for car scrapping and renewal subsidies. First-ever "Cross-Regional Handling" of Power Connection in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region. Reporters learned from State Grid that power connection services in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region have achieved "cross-regional handling" for the first time. Users in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei can now handle 16 high-frequency services locally, such as power connection for charging station construction, distributed new energy access, and house power transfer, without having to travel across provinces or cities. South China's First Offshore CO2 Capture and Utilization Project Goes into Operation. South China's first offshore carbon dioxide capture and utilization project officially commenced operations yesterday (August 16th) in Zhuhai, Guangdong. The project's CO2 product purity exceeds 99.98%, which will effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Yuyikun High-Speed Railway Yuyi Section Enters Operation Trial Phase. Yesterday (August 16th), the Yuyi section of the Chongqing-Kunming (Yuyikun) High-Speed Railway officially entered its operation trial phase. The Yuyi section starts from Chongqing West Station and ends at Yibin Station, with a total length of 209 kilometers and a design speed of 350 kilometers per hour. After this section opens, the travel time from Chongqing to Yibin will be shortened from the current more than 3 hours to within 1 hour. Baoyin High-Speed Railway Ningxia Section Enters Operation Trial Phase. Yesterday (August 16th), the Ningxia section of the Baotou-Yinchuan (Baoyin) High-Speed Railway officially entered its operation trial phase. The Ningxia section extends from Shizuishan City in the north to Yinchuan City in the south, with a total length of 99 kilometers and a design speed of 250 kilometers per hour. After it opens, the travel time from Shizuishan, Ningxia, to Yinchuan will be shortened from 1 hour and 20 minutes to about half an hour. Xishi High-Speed Railway Shanyang Cross-Fuyin Expressway Super Major Bridge Successfully Closed. Yesterday (August 16th), the Shanyang Cross-Fuyin Expressway Super Major Bridge, a difficult and key project of the Shaanxi section of the Xi'an-Shiyan (Xishi) High-Speed Railway, was successfully closed. The bridge has a total length of 569.65 meters and a clear height of 21 meters. After the Shaanxi section of the Xishi High-Speed Railway opens, it will connect to the Shiyan-Wuhan High-Speed Railway, at which point the travel time from Xi'an to Wuhan will be shortened from the current 5 hours to approximately 2.5 hours.
International Figures: US Anti-Doping Agency's Actions Expose Hypocritical American Double Standards
The scandal of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) allowing athletes who had taken performance-enhancing drugs to compete has continued to escalate recently. Independent U.S. journalists such as Norton and others stated that USADA's protection of American athletes cheating while making accusations against other countries is blatant political manipulation and hypocritical double standards.
Lebanon: Residential Building Hit by Israeli Airstrike; Israel: Target Was Hezbollah Arms Depot
Lebanon's Ministry of Health stated that early this morning (August 17th) local time, an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in Nabatieh city, southern Lebanon, killed 9 people and injured 5. The Israeli military claimed the target was a Hezbollah weapons depot. Palestinian media reported that an Israeli military strike on a tent in central Gaza Strip caused multiple deaths and injuries. According to the Palestinian News Agency, early this morning local time, an Israeli military strike on tents inhabited by displaced persons in the town of Al-Zawaida in the central Gaza Strip killed 15 people and injured dozens. Israel has not yet responded to this. The Israeli military issued new evacuation orders on August 16th to residents in northern Khan Yunis, eastern Deir al-Balah, and Beit Hanoun areas in the Gaza Strip, further narrowing the boundaries of the so-called "humanitarian zone" designated by Israel. Transitional ceasefire proposal for Gaza Strip submitted to conflicting parties. Mediators involved in the Gaza Strip ceasefire talks issued a statement on August 16th, stating that the new round of ceasefire talks in Doha was constructive, and a transitional proposal had been submitted to both Israel and Hamas. Related talks are expected to be held in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, next week. The Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed a case of polio in the Gaza Strip on August 16th. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on August 16th that the UN is prepared to launch a polio vaccination campaign for children in the Gaza Strip, which requires a temporary ceasefire in the area.
Russia Claims Destruction of Ukrainian Equipment in Kursk Direction; Ukraine Says Frontline Fighting Continues
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated on August 16th that Russian forces destroyed Ukrainian tanks, armored personnel carriers, and other equipment in combat in the Kursk direction and repelled Ukrainian attacks. Russian forces also struck Ukrainian positions in Sumy Oblast, which borders Kursk Oblast, and destroyed HIMARS multiple rocket launcher systems. The Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, stated on August 16th that Ukrainian forces had advanced 1 to 3 kilometers in some areas of Kursk Oblast, and frontline fighting was ongoing. The Ukrainian military stated on August 16th that it attacked a bridge in Kursk Oblast. The Russian Foreign Ministry stated today (August 17th) that the Ukrainian attack on the bridge likely used US-made HIMARS rockets. In addition, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated on August 16th that it destroyed a Ukrainian bomber carrying Storm Shadow missiles in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. According to Donetsk local officials on August 16th, a shopping center in the area was attacked by Ukrainian forces, leading to a fire and causing injuries.
International News Briefs
Sudan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that a village was attacked, killing 85 people. The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on August 16th, stating that a village in Sennar State was recently besieged and attacked by Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militants, resulting in 85 deaths. The statement condemned the RSF's violence against civilians as acts of terrorism. The Rapid Support Forces have not yet responded to this. Since late June, the two conflicting parties in Sudan have been fiercely contending for control of Sennar State, forcing a large number of civilians to flee. Japan reports injuries in multiple areas due to Typhoon Anpi. The Japan Meteorological Agency stated today (August 17th) that Typhoon Anpi is gradually moving away from the Kanto and Tohoku regions of Japan, but its effects are still ongoing. According to Japanese media reports today, reports of injuries have been received from Kanagawa Prefecture, Fukushima Prefecture, and other areas. In several districts of Tokyo, strong winds toppled utility poles and trees, causing road blockages. Dozens of inbound and outbound flights at two Tokyo airports are still canceled. Two U.S. Navy helicopters involved in training accident. The U.S. Navy said in a statement on August 16th that two U.S. Navy Seahawk helicopters were involved in an accident during training in Nevada on August 15th, resulting in 10 injured service members. The U.S. Navy is investigating the cause of the accident.