China Accelerates Cultivation of New Foreign Trade Drivers for High-Quality Development
Foreign trade is a crucial engine driving economic growth and a vital link connecting domestic and international circulations. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized the need to accelerate the cultivation of new drivers for foreign trade and actively expand trade in intermediate goods, services, digital trade, and cross-border e-commerce exports. At the beginning of the new year, busy freight networks and highly motivated foreign trade enterprises bear witness to China's close ties with global trade. At Yantian Port in Shenzhen, one of the world's largest super container ships is being loaded, bound for Felixstowe Port in the UK. Over 24,000 containers are filled with consumer electronics, daily necessities, and home furnishing products. Currently, Yantian Port has over a hundred weekly shipping routes to destinations worldwide, with more than 60% being to Europe and America. In Zhengzhou, a Mexican cargo plane has just arrived, delivering fresh produce from Mexico to China. In Yiwu, the construction of the Global Digital Trade Center is accelerating, expected to be operational in October this year. In the future, it will gather new business models such as digital trade, service trade, and cross-border e-commerce, transforming traditional trade patterns. In 2024, China's foreign trade demonstrated strong resilience, converting external pressure into new drivers of growth. The total increase in foreign trade throughout the year reached 2.1 trillion yuan, equivalent to the annual foreign trade volume of a medium-sized country. The total import and export volume exceeded 43 trillion yuan, solidifying China's position as the largest goods trading nation and laying a solid foundation for achieving the annual economic growth target. These achievements did not come easily. Facing a complex and severe external environment, General Secretary Xi Jinping deeply observed the trends of domestic and international development, formulating plans for high-quality foreign trade development. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China proposed deepening foreign trade system reforms and building institutional and policy support systems for a strong trading nation. At the Central Economic Work Conference held late last year, the General Secretary proposed actively developing service trade, green trade, and digital trade. During his inspections in various regions, he made important deployments for accelerating the construction of a strong trading nation, emphasizing the need to solidly advance the integrated reform of domestic and foreign trade and accelerate the cultivation of new foreign trade drivers. Entering the new year, a "combination punch" of policies to stabilize foreign trade is accelerating implementation. Increased financial support for foreign trade enterprises, advancement of overseas smart logistics platform construction, and enhancement of foreign trade shipping capacity are among the multiple measures promoting stable foreign trade growth. With intensified policy support, China's foreign trade has started the year with renewed vitality. In Yangzhou, Jiangsu, a new energy container ship powered by methanol is about to be delivered to an overseas client, with the shipyard's production schedule booked until 2028. In Qitaihe, Heilongjiang, workers at a sports equipment company are working overtime to produce high-end custom ice skates for export to the Netherlands. The use of new materials and technologies has allowed the company to enter the market for professional speed skating blades used in international competitions. Today, high-value-added "Made in China" products are becoming popular "new domestic goods" overseas, while Chinese foreign trade enterprises are actively expanding markets and increasing orders with a striving attitude of continuous change. In Shaoxing, Zhejiang, the head of a clothing company is remotely communicating with overseas clients about the production details of a new order. In the past, the company primarily exported suits by volume; now, the company has independently designed and developed a big data platform, allowing customers to achieve personalized suit customization by simply taking three photos with their mobile phones. The accelerated overseas expansion of new products, technologies, and services, coupled with continuous optimization of the trade structure, is precisely the source of China's foreign trade's continued resilience and vitality in complex situations. Entering 2025, another batch of free trade agreements have come into effect. In Xiamen, Fujian, the first preferential certificate of origin after the China-Maldives Free Trade Agreement came into effect has just been issued, allowing the certified enterprise to enjoy "zero tariff" treatment for products exported to the Maldives. Currently, China has signed 23 free trade agreements with 30 countries and regions, continuously expanding its high-standard free trade area network facing the globe and making trade flows smoother. As the Spring Festival approaches, tripe from New Zealand and loach from Vietnam, transported via the New Western Land-Sea Corridor cold chain, have made it onto Chinese hot pot menus. Durians from Thailand and bananas from Laos, entering via the China-Laos Railway, have enriched people's "fruit baskets." Today, China is a major trading partner for over 150 countries and regions and a solid and reliable component of the global division of labor system. Continuously upgrading Chinese manufacturing and the super-sized Chinese market are becoming the source of high-quality development for China's foreign trade, and will also bring more new opportunities for global development.
CPC Central Committee and State Council Release Outline for Building a Strong Education Nation (2024-2035)
Recently, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued the "Outline of the Plan for Building a Strong Education Nation (2024-2035)" (hereinafter referred to as the "Outline"), and issued a circular, requiring all regions and departments to earnestly implement it in light of their actual conditions. The "Outline" requires adherence to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as guidance, thoroughly implementing General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on education, deeply understanding the decisive significance of "two establishments," resolutely achieving "two safeguards," upholding the priority of education development, fully implementing the Party's education policy, unswervingly following the path of socialist education development with Chinese characteristics, adhering to the socialist direction of running schools, comprehensively grasping the political, popular, and strategic attributes of education, fulfilling the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education, cultivating talent for the Party and the nation, comprehensively serving the construction of Chinese-style modernization, rooting education in China, accelerating the construction of a high-quality education system, cultivating socialist builders and successors with all-round moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor development, accelerating the construction of a socialist education power with Chinese characteristics that possesses strong ideological and political leadership, talent competitiveness, scientific and technological support, livelihood guarantee, social synergy, and international influence, and providing strong support for building a strong socialist modern country and comprehensively promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Work must adhere to: the Party's overall leadership over education, properly handling the relationship between supporting national strategy and meeting public demand, knowledge acquisition and all-round development, cultivating talent and meeting social needs, orderly regulation and inspiring vitality, rooting in China and drawing on international experience, and comprehensively building a solid and soul-forging ideological and political education system, a fair and high-quality basic education system, a self-reliant and excellent higher education system, an industry-education integration vocational education system, a ubiquitous and accessible lifelong education system, an innovation-driven scientific and technological support system, a highly skilled teacher team system, and an open and mutually beneficial international cooperation system, achieving a systemic leap from large to strong. The main goals are: By 2027, significant phased achievements will be made in building an education power. The popularization level of education at all levels will continue to be consolidated and improved, a high-quality education system will be initially formed, people's sense of educational attainment will be significantly enhanced, and the construction of important education centers with global influence will reach a new level. By 2035, an education power will be built. The institutional system and working mechanism for the Party's overall leadership over education will be comprehensive and complete, a high-quality education system will be fully established, the popularization level and quality of basic education will be firmly among the world's best, a learning society will be fully formed, people's satisfaction with education will significantly increase, education's ability to serve national strategy will significantly increase, and educational modernization will be generally realized.
Guangdong Takes New Solid Steps in Advancing Chinese Modernization
As the province with the largest economic output in China, how will Guangdong shoulder its responsibility of "taking the lead" and take new, solid steps in advancing the construction of Chinese-style modernization? Today (January 19th), in "Authoritative Interview: Seeking Development, Opening a New Chapter," please see CCTV's interview with Wang Weizhong, Deputy Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee and Governor of Guangdong Province. In 2024, Guangdong's GDP is expected to reach a new level of 14 trillion yuan, with total imports and exports exceeding 9 trillion yuan, growing by 9.8%, contributing nearly 40% of the national trade increase. The investment structure continues to optimize, with industrial investment accounting for over 37%; the industrial structure continues to optimize, and regional innovation capability has ranked first nationally for eight consecutive years. The Central Economic Work Conference emphasized the need to lead the development of new quality productive forces with scientific and technological innovation and build a modern industrial system. This year, Guangdong will adhere to the principle of prioritizing the real economy and manufacturing, accelerate the construction of a full-process innovation chain of "basic research + technological breakthroughs + achievement transformation + scientific and technological finance + talent support," develop new quality productive forces in light of local conditions, and accelerate the construction of a modern industrial system with greater international competitiveness. In the new year, Guangdong will unswervingly promote high-quality development, deepen the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in the new stage, leverage the comprehensive advantages of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, promote the integrated development of the Greater Bay Area market, strengthen the construction of major cooperation platforms such as Hengqin, Qianhai, Nansha, and Hetao, and work with Hong Kong and Macao to promote "hard connectivity" of infrastructure and "soft connectivity" of rules and mechanisms, leading and driving the province to further comprehensively deepen reform and expand high-level opening up.
"Two New" Policies Stimulate New Momentum for Domestic Demand
Latest data shows that since the implementation of policies for consumer goods trade-ins and equipment upgrades, they have played an important leading role in boosting consumer demand and expanding effective investment. In 2024, retail sales of household appliances and audio-visual equipment in China increased by 12.3% year-on-year, breaking the one trillion yuan mark for the first time; over 6.8 million vehicles were scrapped and replaced nationwide, driving over 930 billion yuan in car sales and further stimulating consumer vitality. In 2024, investment in equipment and tool purchases in China increased by 15.7% year-on-year, 9.1 percentage points faster than the previous year. Preliminary estimates indicate that under the impetus of the "two new" policies, the total number of equipment upgrades in key areas exceeded 20 million units (sets), strongly driving related field investment. At the same time, the effect of promoting industrial upgrading was significant. In 2024, the added value of equipment manufacturing increased by 7.7% year-on-year, and its proportion in the added value of industrial enterprises above designated size rose to 34.6%. In addition, the effect of supporting green transformation was significant. The replacement of high-efficiency household appliances in 2024 will promote annual electricity savings of over 10 billion kilowatt-hours for the whole society. Overall, it is estimated that the "two new" policies implemented in 2024 led to a reduction of approximately 73 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions. As the "two new" policies are strengthened and expanded in 2025, various regions across the country are currently further refining implementation standards, optimizing subsidy procedures, and ensuring cross-year policy衔接.
Lunar New Year Approaches, Festivities Grow Across China
Hanging colorful lanterns and strolling through flower markets, as the Spring Festival approaches, the festive atmosphere is growing stronger across the country. On Chang'an Avenue in Beijing, large red lanterns, Chinese knots, and other decorations are being lit, adorning the ten-mile-long street in festive red to welcome the New Year. In Guangzhou's Yuexiu Park, the bright lights create a festive atmosphere with large lantern displays and water lanterns featuring Lingnan characteristics. In Xi'an, Shaanxi, this year's lantern festival will reproduce 38 cultural relics and treasures in the form of lantern sets, bringing these artifacts to life and illuminating them, allowing citizens and tourists to experience the charm of traditional Chinese festivals. In Xiamen, Fujian, tens of thousands of palace lanterns, rattan ball lanterns, and strings of lanterns adorn the streets and alleys, transforming the city. With a gentle breeze, the lanterns sway, radiating joy. Flower markets flourish for the New Year. In Dounan Flower Market in Kunming, Yunnan, the largest flower market in the country, millions of New Year flowers are being sent nationwide every day. Meticulous vendors pack fresh flowers with insulation cotton and bags, ensuring they remain in bud and vibrant even when sent to the cold north and displayed at home. In Nanning, Guangxi, the Spring Festival flower market is fragrant, with dozens of varieties of flowers blooming competitively, including butterfly orchids symbolizing happiness and kumquats symbolizing good fortune. People take their favorite New Year flowers home or send them to relatives and friends.
Dam Builders in the Deep Mountains
At the beginning of the new year, deep in the mountains of Baiyu County, Sichuan Province, in the upper reaches of the Jinsha River, over 4,000 constructors are battling on China's highest-altitude double-arch dam construction site. Today (January 19th), in "New Year's Grassroots Journey," we will explore the story of building a large dam in the deep mountains. This massive structure before us is the dam body of the Yebatan Hydropower Station, currently under construction. The altitude here is nearly 3,000 meters. When the reporter arrived at the project, the night shift workers were coming on duty. Their task was to complete a 3-meter-high section of the dam body before 3 or 4 AM. To film the work, the reporter had to climb from the bottom of the dam to the top with the workers. The dam has now been built to over 170 meters. As the dam gets taller, the temporary, simple stairs used for commuting also become higher and longer. The urgency is due to the thermometer showing that the dam's temperature is several degrees lower than usual today. If they were to continue at the pace of the previous two days, the concrete would likely freeze, so time must be rushed. However, accelerating construction progress is not easy. At low temperatures, the concrete surface freezes quickly, and it is very difficult for workers to move even one step in the concrete; in some places, several people must exert effort together. Low temperatures not only affect the speed of dam pouring but also pose a challenge for keeping the already poured dam body warm. The workers applied a thick layer of yellow insulation coating to the dam, because without the insulation layer, the dam could crack from freezing. To ensure the quality of the dam, the workers must monitor it at all times, and re-spray the insulation coating as soon as any falls off. During the interview, the workers noticed that our equipment had also been sprayed with the coating, so he took out a small bottle of his self-mixed solution from his pocket to clean it for us. Perhaps because they are rarely in front of cameras, except when discussing professional issues, the workers seemed a bit nervous. However, as soon as they talked about the dam, their explanations became very fluent. During the several days of interviews, we encountered many interviewees like this worker. Although they were somewhat inarticulate in front of the camera, from the very first day of building the dam, they have been rooted in the deep mountains, silently striving, and poured out this highest-altitude double-arch dam under construction in China. It is precisely because of countless ordinary laborers like them that China has become a major hydropower nation in the world today. We tried to reconstruct the nine-year history of the Yebatan Hydropower Station construction using mobile phone signal big data: in 2016, this was still a desolate valley. Slowly, more and more workers arrived, and mobile phone signals also increased. Today, the mobile phone signals of nearly 5,000 people are like lights at night, illuminating the valley. When we completed the last interview, we happened to catch the workers having dinner. Facing the camera, the workers kept smiling.
Relief Efforts and Resettlement Accelerated in Tibet's Dingri Earthquake Zone
The 6.8-magnitude earthquake-stricken area in Dingri County, Tibet, transitioned today (January 19) from a Level I emergency response to resettlement assistance and recovery and reconstruction. All forces are working tirelessly to ensure the well-being of the affected population. As of 8:00 PM on the 18th, a total of 12,088 prefabricated houses have been allocated to the earthquake-stricken area, with 9,312 already erected. The reporter observed in Dingjie County that basic facilities such as water, electricity, and internet are largely complete in the 12 centralized resettlement sites. In Guo Jia Township, which suffered severe damage, affected residents are gradually moving into prefabricated houses. Currently, various supplies in the disaster area are relatively abundant. A material assurance group has been established locally to manage supplies, establish management ledgers, and formulate distribution standards for heating stoves, clothing, bedding, and food, providing material support to the affected population. To ensure the health and safety of the earthquake-stricken residents, three levels of disease control institutions in Xigaze City have completed influenza vaccination for elderly people over 60 years old in severely affected areas. In Quluo Township, Changsuo Township, and Cuoguo Township of Dingri County, local disease control center personnel are providing free influenza vaccinations to children over 3 years old, residents within their jurisdiction, and anti-seismic relief workers.
CMG Holds Press Conference for 2025 Spring Festival Gala
China Media Group's "2025 Spring Festival Gala" held a press conference today (January 19) to introduce program and technological innovation highlights. As the first CMG Spring Festival Gala since the successful application of Spring Festival as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage, it incorporates more intangible cultural heritage elements, creating a culturally rich feast full of novelty for global audiences. In addition, this year also invites ordinary people who have worked hard on various fronts to become the protagonists of the Spring Festival Gala, accompanying the entire nation in a happy New Year's celebration. In terms of technological innovation, this year's CMG Spring Festival Gala continues to deepen the integrated transmission of large and small screens and the application of 8K technology, adopting AI and "XR + digital twin + VP" integrated shooting to create an infinitely extendable virtual stage space, and enriching the visual presentation of the vertical screen Spring Festival Gala, realizing 360-degree and 3D viewing of the Spring Festival Gala. The visually impaired and hearing impaired versions of the accessible broadcast, launched for the first time this year, also allow visually and hearing impaired audiences to share the cultural feast of the Spring Festival Gala.
Domestic News Briefs
The Shenzhou-19 astronaut crew will carry out their second extravehicular activity (EVA) soon. According to the China Manned Space Agency, since successfully completing their first EVA on December 17, 2024, the Shenzhou-19 astronaut crew has successively completed equipment inspection and maintenance inside the space station, a full-system pressure emergency drill, and preparations for the second EVA. Experiments in space material science, space life science, aerospace medicine, and other fields are progressing steadily. The Shenzhou-19 astronaut crew will carry out their second EVA soon. Main bridge of Pingnan Super Bridge on Guangxi Quanzhou-Rongxian Expressway connected. The main bridge of the Pingnan Super Bridge on the Guangxi Quanzhou-Rongxian Expressway was connected yesterday (January 18), marking the entry into the deck construction phase of the project. The Pingnan Super Bridge spans the Xijiang golden waterway. Upon completion, it will densify the expressway network in southeastern Guangxi, creating another "southward" passage in eastern Guangxi. Tarim Oilfield's ultra-deep oil and gas annual output exceeds 20 million tons. The reporter learned from China National Petroleum Corporation today (January 19) that Tarim Oilfield, China's largest ultra-deep oil and gas production base, produced over 20 million tons of oil and gas equivalent from depths below 6,000 meters in 2024, reaching 20.47 million tons, a new high, accounting for more than half of China's ultra-deep oil and gas output. Currently, Tarim Oilfield has proven oil and gas reserves of nearly 2 billion tons in ultra-deep formations and has cumulatively extracted over 140 million tons of ultra-deep oil and gas. Hengqin Port daily passenger flow exceeds 100,000, vehicle flow reaches new high. As the Spring Festival holiday approaches, Hengqin Port is experiencing a dual peak in passenger and vehicle flow. According to statistics from the Hengqin Border Inspection Station, on January 18, the number of inbound and outbound passengers through Hengqin Port exceeded 100,000, and vehicle flow exceeded 8,800, representing year-on-year increases of 67% and 51% respectively, with vehicle flow setting a new historical high since the completion of Hengqin Port. 2025 Spring Festival movie pre-sales exceed 100 million yuan. The Spring Festival movie season often serves as a barometer for the year's economy. Pre-sales for the 2025 Spring Festival movies began today (January 19), and as of 2:28 PM today, the total pre-sales for the period exceeded 100 million yuan, breaking the record for the fastest pre-sales to exceed 100 million yuan in China's Spring Festival movie history, further releasing cultural consumption vitality.
Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Takes Effect After Hours of Delay
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office announced today (January 19) that it has received the first list of three Israeli captives to be released by the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). The first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement took effect at 11:15 AM local time today, which is 5:15 PM Beijing time today. According to the previously announced plan, the ceasefire agreement was supposed to take effect at 8:30 AM local time, but Israel stated that Hamas had not submitted the list of the first batch of captives to be released as per the agreement terms, and the Israeli army continued to attack various areas in the Gaza Strip. Hamas stated that the delay in submitting the list of captives was due to technical reasons. The first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement will last 42 days. Israel will release approximately 1,890 Palestinian captives, while Hamas will release 33 captives. Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed to have attacked the Israeli Ministry of Defense; the Israeli military stated it intercepted missiles fired from Yemen. Yemen's Houthi rebels announced on the 18th that they had attacked the Israeli Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv that day and successfully hit the target. The Israeli military stated on the same day that it intercepted two missiles fired from Yemen, and air raid sirens sounded in various areas in central and southern Israel.
Russia Claims Cluster Strikes on Ukrainian Military-Industrial Complex, Ukraine Reports Hitting Russian Oil Depot
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated on the 18th that Russian forces made progress on different fronts that day, gaining control of two settlements in Donetsk. The Russian army also used high-precision weapons to conduct a group strike on Ukrainian military-industrial complex facilities, including the Luch Design Bureau, hitting all targets. The Ukrainian military stated on the 18th that Ukrainian air defense forces intercepted two Iskander missiles fired by the Russian army in Kyiv and its surrounding airspace. The production building of an industrial enterprise in Kyiv was damaged in the attack. In addition, the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Directorate stated on the 18th that the Ukrainian army used drones to attack an oil depot in Russia's Tula region.
International News Briefs
Hungarian Prime Minister says Hungary and Serbia should jointly protect "TurkStream". On the 18th, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán visited Serbia and held talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. Vučić stated that the two countries will cooperate on infrastructure projects and energy security. Orbán said that Hungary and Serbia should jointly protect the "TurkStream" natural gas pipeline, which is in the common interest of both countries. "TurkStream" is currently one of the few available routes for Russian natural gas supply to Europe. Orbán also said that new rounds of sanctions imposed by the United States on Russian and Serbian oil companies, among other factors, have further raised European energy prices, and Europe is heading towards a new energy crisis. Iran showcases underground naval base. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran showcased a new underground naval base on the 18th. The base is located 500 meters underground and houses attack boats with long-range operational capabilities. According to Iranian official media, the base serves the "southern waters," namely the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Gulf of Oman. The Iranian army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched a two-month military exercise earlier this month, which includes defending Iranian nuclear facilities.