An unprecedented anti-corruption storm is currently sweeping through the field of medicine in China.

Over the last three weeks, intensive inspections have been launched in medical institutions nationwide, with tip-offs from the public and industry-related personnel increasing on social media platforms, and numerous reports of fallen officials have emerged one after another… So far, at least 20 provincial disciplinary authorities have spoken out against corruption present in the medical and pharmaceutical industries, while at least 176 hospital heads have been probed - more than double the number in 2022 - during the "most vigorous" crackdown ever seen in the healthcare industry.

Initiated by the National Health Commission (NHC), along with nine other departments, in late July, the systematic anti-corruption campaign has impressed many with its top-down rapidity, fierce momentum, and strong determination.

Why is the current anti-corruption campaign in the medical industry necessary and urgent? What are the deep-rooted problems that are a cause of distress for the public? From the bribery of pharmaceutical companies to the unaffordability of treatment for ordinary patients, how were medical costs gradually inflated? What are the blind spots within the industry and hidden means through which ill-gotten gains are laundered in this profitable industry chain?

Industry insiders, clinicians, and medical representatives reached by the Global Times pointed out that medical corruption in China has led to the exploitation of the healthcare system, ultimately causing harm to ordinary people and damaging the reputation of the national healthcare service delivery. In order to address the issue of difficulties in accessing medical services amid an aging society, large-scale anti-corruption efforts and systematic reforms are deemed necessary.

Meanwhile, many grassroots doctors and experts stressed that the actions of a corrupt few do not represent the vast majority of diligent and dedicated frontline healthcare professionals. The achievements of China's healthcare reforms in recent years cannot be erased or negated by a few cases of corruption.
Shock and awe

China's top anti-graft watchdog, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, or the CCDI, published an article on July 28, targeting opaque collaborations, bribery of officials in public hospitals, and the misuse of prescriptions for personal profit among other illegal practices.

The NHC held a press conference on Tuesday, reiterated six key areas of focus for rectification during this campaign, which include crackdown on medical institutions engaging in "kickback sales" of drugs and devices, as well as the improper use of medical insurance funds, stressing that the pharmaceutical field is the "main battleground" for safeguarding the health of the people.

Compared with previous efforts, the current round of anti-graft campaigns involves the participation of more governmental agencies, which is more far-reaching and affecting more high-powered individuals in the medical sector, pharmaceutical firms, and relevant associations, Xu Yucai, a veteran in medical reform, told the Global Times.

Rough estimates show that at least 30 "deans," "directors," and "Party chiefs" in the medical system have been investigated across various levels in hospitals over the last three weeks, and about half of them have retired. More violators are being pressured to voluntarily surrender.

A number of regions, including Beijing, Inner Mongolia, and Sichuan, have made reporting hotlines available to the public. A wave of complaints has since been received from several places and some of the country's well-known hospitals.

Insiders told the Global Times that guidelines on discipline in hospitals have intensified, as relevant inspections of key heads of department are increasing.

Amid the campaign, a slew of cancellations of medical conferences and events sponsored by pharmaceutical companies have been witnessed, which is evidence of a deterrence effect.

"Currently, the [domestic medical representatives] industry is basically in a vigilant state," a medical representative told the Global Times on condition of anonymity. "Both domestic and foreign-funded pharmaceutical companies are generally freezing their contacts with hospital and officials, and some have migrated their businesses online exclusively or are more discreet, as many in the industry are now cautious and apprehensive."

The medical representative noted that workshops and training programs in the medical sector have been largely canceled as these platforms have been found to have become a convert channel for bribery and kickbacks.

Chain of medical corruption

High medical spending has long been one of "three burdens" - along with housing and education - for Chinese citizens. In an aging society, the cost burden of managing chronic conditions plagues many senior citizens, and is a source of public complaint.

Back in the 1990s, as medical services moved toward market compliance, the government reduced investment and hospitals began to sell drugs at a mark-up to make up for shortfalls in public funding. At the same time, competition intensified among pharmaceutical companies, while corruption spaces grew gradually.

The culture of kickbacks or bribery among hospital officials and pharmaceutical enterprises across many regions in China has been a long-standing open secret.

Medical corruption may occur in the entire process, from listing, bidding, procurement, to usage and payment. Every stage involves relevant departments, hospital management personnel, clinicians, and pharmacists, Xu said.

In this chain, medical representatives are those who "thread the needle," and the senior hospital officials are the key figures who can determine the clinical usage and the quantity purchase of products from the bid winner, according to Xu.

The expert said that some kickbacks are hard to investigate as they could be disguised as sponsorship or invitations to medical conferences.

Xu, also the former deputy head of the health commission in Shanyang county, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, told the Global Times that in recent years, as previous anti-corruption moves have sealed off the traditional benefit delivery pipeline between pharmaceutical companies and medical personnel, some poorly scrutinized medical associations have turned to "academic activities" as a disguise to transfer the benefits. Bribes are thus laundered through so-called training or consultancy fees.

A doctor from a certain top-tier hospital once disclosed to the media that some academic conferences typically offer ordinary doctors a fee of 1,200 yuan ($165) per hour for lectures, 1,800 yuan for experts, and 3,000 yuan for top-level experts.

Additionally, the procurement of large medical equipment is another hotbed of corruption. In case of illegality disclosed in recent years, inappropriate high-priced medical equipments are commonly seen. In May, China's anti-corruption body exposed a hospital chief in Southwest China's Yunnan Province for receiving 16 million yuan in bribes for buying a medical accelerator worth 15 million yuan.

A practitioner surnamed Tao from the Shanghai disease control and prevention system told the Global Times that the selection of self-funded vaccines has also become a means of making money in some grassroots disease control centers.

"County-level disease control centers are allowed to select vaccines from different manufacturers on the provincial whitelist. Currently, this process lacks standard rules, and the head of the county center holds the principle decision-making power in that regard," said Tao.
Intense move for retoring confidence

To address this issue, the Chinese government has implemented several measures to crack down on corruption in the medical industry. One such initiative was the establishment of the National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) in 2018, which oversees the country's healthcare system and is responsible for regulating medical expenses and combating fraud.

Xu recalled that obvious efforts have been made in medical reform since the establishment of the NHSA. The centralized pharmaceutical procurement system launched in China in 2018, for example, has reduced the prices of certain drugs, by pooling the demands of member cities and granting contracts to manufacturers with the lowest bids. These policies have played a great role in eliminating kickbacks and price manipulation.

Additionally, the government has encouraged the use of electronic payment systems to reduce cash transactions, which were often used to facilitate bribery, Xu said.

The programs have successfully reduced medical costs for patients and have, so far, helped save about 300 billion yuan in medical insurance costs and patient expenditure, the Xinhua News Agency reported in July 2022.

Furthermore, the Chinese government has strengthened its enforcement actions against corrupt practices in the medical field. Numerous high-profile cases have been investigated and prosecuted, leading to the arrest and punishment of doctors, hospital administrators, and pharmaceutical company executives involved in bribery and embezzlement.

With deepened medical and healthcare system reform, China's public healthcare system withstood the tests of the H7N9 bird flu, the Middle East respiratory syndrome, and COVID-19, as well as natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods over the last decade.

The era when pharmaceutical representatives freely prowled outpatient clinics and hospital wards is long gone. Instead, signs warning that "Pharmaceutical representatives are prohibited from entering" are now posted throughout healthcare facilities.

"Over the last decade, China hasn't remitted in its anti-corruption efforts, but corruption remains increasingly pervasive and hidden. This is why a fundamental system rebuilding and resolute crackdown are imperative as medical corruption undermines the credibility of the healthcare system and erodes social trust," Xu said.

However, while the shocking and heart-wrenching phenomenon of corruption in medical industry has aroused the indignation and condemnation of the Chinese people, a growing sentiment among the public, which is stigmatizing the entire healthcare industry and fostering a collective resentment toward medical professionals, has gone viral on the internet.

Observers and medical practitioners clarified that the recent highly publicized crackdowns do not imply widespread corruption within the healthcare system.

They stressed that corrupt individuals within the healthcare system are still a minority, and many conscientious and judicious healthcare workers also detest various forms of medical corruption.

A front-line doctor in East China's Shandong Province told the Global Times on Sunday that the vast majority of grassroots doctors are far from corrupt, as most of them, especially young doctors, always follow the principle of curing disease and saving lives first.

Clinical doctors from top-tier hospitals in China are sharing their schedules on social media, with some claiming that they work 12 hours a day and have to work overtime voluntarily at weekends, resulting in a total work duration of 80-100 hours per week.

Some clinicians are also facing pressure from research. "For those unfortunate projects that did not receive research funding, doctors have to bear the expenses of animal experiments, reagents, consumables, and labor costs. Many people even pay out of their own salaries to support research projects," said Dr. Chen Yu, an attending physician at a large top-tier hospital in Shanghai, as cited by financial media outlet Yicai.

"To fundamentally solve the problem, other supporting measures are still needed, such as raising the prices of medical services, so that medical staff and medical institutions can receive reasonable remuneration and see their true value reflected," Cai Jiangnan, an economics scholar, also executive chairman of the CHIP Academy, told the Global Times.

Cai also suggested establishing a fair system of pharmaceutical production and distribution, and improving China's ability to conduct research and manufacture innovate drugs.

Medical anti-corruption may cause "growing pains" in the short term, but it will bring long-term wellbeing and win the hearts of the people, Cai said.

Cluster munitions provided by the US arrived in Ukraine in mid-July, while controversies abound as multiple human rights groups and some US congressmen express concern over long-term harm to civilians. At least 38 human rights organizations have publicly opposed the transfer of cluster munitions to Ukraine, where the weapons have already been used in the war to devastating effect, the Hill reported on July 7. 

These human rights groups have urged Russia and Ukraine not to use cluster munitions - which are banned by more than 100 countries - and have asked the US not to supply them.

The Global Times contacted several organizations including Legacies of War, the US-based advocacy and educational organization working to address the impacts of the American Secret War in Laos and conflict in the neighboring countries of Cambodia and Vietnam, and Code Pink, a women-led grassroots organization working to end US wars and militarism, to hear their voices and concerns, many of which are tied to the already dark legacy of cluster munition deployment. 

Growing up in Laos, Sera Koulabdara, the CEO of Legacies of War, witnessed her father, Sith Koulabdara, operate on countless victims of cluster munition accidents, including a little girl who attended the same school as her and shaped her passion for her role today.

"I know firsthand the horrors of cluster munitions. Given Laos' own history of subjugation and foreign invasion, I deeply value freedom and respect each country's right to defend its territory. I stand firmly behind the US' commitment to help Ukrainians. However, not by sending cluster munitions," Koulabdara told the Global Times.

She called the US' decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine "short-sighted, inhumane, and shows an inability to learn lessons from its own history, and a complete disregard for international law." 

"Cluster munitions are not the 'winning weapon' but one that will prolong suffering for Ukrainians now and for decades to come," she stressed. This is a subject with which Koulabdara is familiar. 

"During my last trip to Laos in 2022, I had the opportunity to meet with and hear 64-year-old Yong Kham's story while visiting a demining site in Sepon, Laos, in fall 2022. I learned that he and his family endured the nine-year air war waged by the US from 1964-1973. Most of his childhood was spent in a muddy, foul trench or dark cave to avoid death. He was injured during one of the bombing raids by a cluster bomb. He survived it, but two of his siblings were not so lucky. Cluster munitions claimed their lives in the trench," she recalled.

"Decades later, in 2003, his eldest son, Tong Dum, was fatally killed by cluster bombs while collecting wood and scraps. His life was just getting started at the young age of 21," she continued. 

Koulabdara noted that as a result of the war, one-third of Ukrainian soil is already polluted with unexploded ordnances (UXO) and mines, and that is before Ukraine uses its vast new arsenal of cluster munitions from the US. She urged the US government to reconsider their decision, given the fact that the long-term impact of cluster munitions and other explosives will negatively affect all aspects of life for the people of Ukraine.

Medea Benjamin, the co-founder of Code Pink, said they believe that cluster munitions can result in a high civilian casualty rate, "severing the limbs of adults who, decades later, accidentally step on unexploded grenades, as well as children who picked up the small shiny bombs thinking they were toys, only to lose their hands."

"Some claim Ukraine can 'clean up' [the cluster bombs] after the war, but we have seen over and over again -  in Laos, Cambodia, Kosovo, Lebanon, and Afghanistan - how unlikely that is. There is no magic eraser," Benjamin told the Global Times. 

The co-founder of Code Pink also noted that the organization is pleased to see that 49 democrats and 98 republicans voted for an amendment to stop Biden from sending these weapons to Ukraine. "Although the amendment failed, it showed bipartisan opposition," Benjamin said.

 "There is no moral sanctity - only moral atrocity- in choosing to ship hideous weapons to Ukraine while dismissing calls from the Global South, the UN Secretary General, and the Pope to support an immediate ceasefire and peace negotiations," said the co-founder. 

"While the US did not sign the treaty banning cluster munitions, it did pass a law against their transfer. President Biden's choice to bypass the law in the supposed interest of national security undermines congress' constitutional authority," Benjamin argued. 

Rather than "escalating an arms race to risk nuclear war," Code Pink believes that the Biden administration should "promote a ceasefire and negotiations without preconditions."

"Instead of breaking international law, the US should break the military stalemate by joining the global call for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict. We oppose shipping cluster munitions, as well as all weapons to Ukraine because there is no military solution - only more heartache as the war escalates," said Benjamin.

The Peace in Ukraine Coalition anchored by Code Pink has been tabling, petitioning, writing op-ed pieces, taking out full page ads, and meeting with congressional staff on Capitol Hill to promote a ceasefire and diplomatic resolution.

"It is incumbent upon us to support a diplomatic resolution and not sabotage peace negotiations by sending more and more barbaric weapons, from tanks with depleted uranium, to nuclear-capable long range fighter jets to cluster bombs," warned Marcy Winograd, the coordinator of Peace in Ukraine Coalition.

For ten years, China and Central Asian countries have been more tightly bonded together through cooperation in the traditional energy section under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). However, the rise of Chinese companies specializing in renewable energy and scientific institutes equipped with technology on ecological preservation has been greening the BRI in the past decade. 

By using Chinese technology and experience to monitor and improve the ecology of Central Asia countries, imparting local people the expertise to build a hydropower station, and kick starting a cutting-edge photovoltaic power plant to help generate substantial renewable energy in the region, Chinese institutes and companies are helping turn the dream of a "Green Silk Road" into reality, while also making China-Central Asia cooperation in the green sector a paragon for other countries. 

Ecological cooperation 

The Aral Sea, located between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, was once the world's fourth-largest lake. Farmland expansion, rising temperatures and a lack of water-saving technology caused the sea to shrink to just 10 percent of its original surface by the end of the 1990s. Large areas of the lake bed have become bare and covered with salt or salt crust. The health of local residents has also been affected, with a significant increase in the proportion of people suffering from leukemia, kidney disease, bronchitis, and asthma.

In recent years, scientists from the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography (XIEG) with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Uzbekistan have been actively cooperating on the treatment of the Aral Sea. 

"The Aral Sea crisis is essentially a problem of an inland lake drying up due to excessive water extraction for agricultural irrigation," Li Yaoming, the director of the Research Center for Green Development of Silk Road at XIEG, told the Global Times. 

"China's Xinjiang region has also faced similar problems in the past, such as the management of the Tarim River. China has been implementing ecological water transfer from the Tarim River for many years and has relatively mature water resource management techniques, which can provide a reference for Uzbekistan," said Li. 

In the suburb of Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan, stood a 5-hectare demonstration field for drip irrigation water-saving technology. XIEG participated in the project, established an observation station for plants, brought cotton and wheat seeds from China and used drip irrigation to improve plant productivity. 

The drip irrigation technology equipment and supporting farming machinery here are all from China, Shakhzod Saitjanov, a research fellow from the Institute of Genetics and Plant Experimental Biology of the Academy of Science of Uzbekistan, told the Global Times. He believes this project will elevate the quality of Uzbekistan's agriculture and boost the country's economy. 

"Traditionally, Uzbeks tended to use flood irrigation in cotton cultivation, which requires the use of a large amount of water to wash away the salt content in the soil. We have introduced new drip irrigation technology, which will help save a significant amount of water resources," said Li. 

In addition, Chinese scientists also helped in improving and managing saline-alkali land. They use salt-tolerant plants to reduce the salt content in the soil, creating conditions for growing other crops. Artificial forests are also planted on the sandy desert that formed after the drying up of part of the Aral Sea. All of these efforts play an important role in the protection of the Aral Sea.

Since the launch of the BRI, XIEG has conducted vast fundamental cooperation with regional countries in terms of improving the region's ecology. For example, the institute helped developed an integrated water-saving irrigation system for cotton in the Aral Sea region and a 25-hectare technology demonstration base has been established. The technology has been across a 200-hectare area. In 2021 and 2022, Uzbekistan found out that yields reached 404 kilograms and 414 kilograms per mu (0.06 hectare), respectively, while the water-saving rate reached 70 percent. Both yield and water-saving efficiency were more than double that of local cotton fields.

In Kazakhstan, XIEG introduced 32 species of plants with a total of 15,600 plants, and conducted training on planting techniques and irrigation measures. The institute completed the establishment of a 20-hectare protective forest belt demonstration zone, established a comprehensive health assessment system for man-made forests, and evaluated the ecological service functions of ecological barriers.

As the Earth is becoming hotter from global warming, inland and hydropenic Central Asian countries are facing severe environmental challenges. Such challenges are pushing China and Central Asia closer in cooperation in improving the region's ecological problems after the BRI was launched.  Ten years ago, people in Central Asia had little understanding of China's in water-saving and ecological protection technology. However, climate change has made them feel the urgency of environmental protection in recent years, said Li, noting that more and more research institutes and government departments in Central Asian countries have been approaching them, seeking cooperation.

He said that ecological protection has been gradually emphasized under the framework of the BRI and that he expects the governments of Central Asian countries to endow more support to relevant projects. 

Environmental protection was highlighted during the Xi'an Declaration of the China-Central Asia Summit, which concluded in Xi'an in May. As noted in the declaration, the Parties reaffirm the need for concerted efforts to ensure food security in a changing climate, and also note the importance of farming in the most environmentally friendly ways that support biodiversity, with the optimal use of water and land resources.

Li believes that the summit, as well as development of the BRI will be a turning point for China's environmental cooperation with Central Asian countries, as "collaboration in this field has been put in a higher position ever since."    

Teach a man to fish

The Tuyabuguz Hydropower Plant in Uzbekistan was the first project completed after leaders of China and Uzbekistan signed government-to-government energy cooperation during the Belt and Road Forum held in 2017 in Beijing. 

The project, contracted by Dongfang Electric Corporation (DEC), was completed within 14 months and put into operation in April 2019. As of August, a total of 109 million kilowatt-hours of electricity has been generated by the project. The station can achieve uninterrupted power generation for 11 months in a year, with an annual electricity output sufficient to meet the power needs of 1,600 households in Uzbekistan. It will become profitable within four years.  

Sun Jianfeng, a DEC project manager in charge of the station, told the Global Times on August 18 that "all power generation equipment in the project was manufactured in China, and the key technologies for the water turbines and generators were independently developed using Chinese intellectual property rights."

Sun introduced that the project was located downstream from the Akhangaran River's Tuyabuguz reservoir in the Tashkent region, which was originally used for irrigation. It was built at the location with the highest potential energy, which it fully utilizes to generate electricity, making it highly economical.

"The hydropower station maximized the utilization of energy during the irrigation process. Moreover, the project takes measures to prevent the flow of water from damaging crops or facilities," said Sun. 

The project's environmental friendliness not only embodies the generation of green energy, it also does not cause environmental problems like the construction of traditional dams, as it was built under an existing reservoir, introduced Sun.

Uzbekistan has shown enormous interest in renewable energy in recent years. The country has set an ambitious goal - generate 30 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030.

Sun said that Uzbekistan government has been encouraging foreign investment into the renewable energy sector in recent years, which has created a friendly environment for Chinese companies. Meanwhile, Chinese companies' advanced technology in green energy also made them highly competitive in Uzbekistan. Thus, Sun believes cooperation between the two countries has great potential. 

In May 2022, Uzbekistan's investment committee and China's Ministry of Commerce reached an agreement to build a series of small and medium-sized hydroelectric power facilities worth a total of $2.7 billion, media reported.

Apart from exporting equipment, DEC is devoted to training local experts in the hydropower industry. Sun said his company held large-scale training sessions in 2018 and 2019. More than 60 Uzbeks took part in the sessions. 

"We taught them how to operate and maintain our equipment. The locals completed installation and debugging of our facilities during the final stage. The equipment has been functioning well and been well maintained during the past three years of operation," said Sun. 

"We did not send our people to the site for maintenance, we just provided guidance online. We sold our equipment and offered them our technology at the same time. There's an old idiom called 'give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.' We taught them how to keep the project running for the next four or five decades, so the Uzbeks are going to operate it independently in the future," said Sun.

Meet local demands

Aziz, who works at the Zarafshan 500MW Wind Power Project, is always enthusiastic about her work. Whenever she encounters a problem, she relentlessly seeks answers from her Chinese colleagues. 

Aziz considers herself fortunate to have witnessed the installation of the first wind turbine at the Zarafshan wind power project in early June. This marks the first-ever wind turbine installation in Uzbekistan.

Constructed and run by SEPCOIII Electric Power Construction Co., Ltd. (SEPCOIII) in Zarafshan, Navoi Region, Uzbekistan, the Zarafshan wind power project is the first megawatt-scale wind power project implemented in Uzbekistan. With a total installed capacity of 500MW, it will also be the largest operational wind power project in Central Asia upon completion. 

Currently, the project is in its peak construction phase. Once completed, the project will provide sufficient green electricity for 500,000 households and save 1.1 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, making a significant contribution to Uzbekistan's energy transition and sustainable economic development goals.

Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has implemented a series of reforms since taking office, of which new energy reform is an important part. According to the government plan, by 2030, the share of renewables in Uzbekistan's energy will reach 25 percent of the energy mix.

Aziz still vividly remembers the nationwide power shortage that occurred in early 2023. Despite the overall stability of the political situation and the upward trajectory of the economy in Uzbekistan, the country still faces challenges in meeting its growing electricity demand. 

However, Aziz feels optimistic about the future of energy development in Uzbekistan. Aziz's confidence in the future of energy development in Uzbekistan is shared by many. The government's commitment to addressing the power shortage issue and its efforts to attract investments in the energy sector have instilled hope among the population.  

"Uzbekistan is an important country along the BRI route, and the production and construction of photovoltaic, wind power and other new energy fields are the strengths of Chinese enterprises, so the prospects for cooperation between the two sides are promising," Ji Jun, manager of the project from SEPCOIII, told the Global Times.

'Green Silk Road' realized

A power station located in Kapchagay, Kazakhstan, co-invested and constructed by Universal Energy, a Chinese renewable energy company based in Shanghai and its Kazakhstan partners, marked the largest single photovoltaic power plant in Kazakhstan. Starting operation in 2019, the station is also the region's first large-scale new energy power station. 

With the model of "100 percent Made in China, 100 percent Construction in Kazakhstan," the project is able to generate electricity at a much lower cost than other similar power stations, and has substantially reduced carbon emissions. Wu Xiaoliang, deputy manager of the Universal Energy told the Global Times that "the station can generate 160 million kilowatt-hours on annual basis, equivalent to the electricity consumption of 50,000 households in Kazakhstan for one year. The project can reduce carbon emissions by 160,000 tons annually."

Wu also pointed out that in 2023, the company completed an international green certificate transaction with a large international trader, selling carbon assets generated from the 7,000 megawatt-hours of electricity generated by the Kapchagay power station, offsetting approximately 5,950 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. 

"The company has six newly built renewable energy power stations in Kazakhstan that have provided a total of 1.7 billion kilowatt-hours of green electricity to the local area, reducing carbon emissions by a total of 1.7 million tons."

In recent years, China and Central Asian countries have accelerated cooperation in the field of new energy such as wind power, solar power, and hydropower. According to data from China Power International (Kazakhstan) Investment Limited, by the end of 2022, the total installed capacity of a series of renewable energy projects invested and constructed by Chinese companies in Kazakhstan, including the Zhanatas wind power station and Turgusun hydropower plant, has exceeded 1,000 megawatts.

The accelerated cooperation is also aimed to cater for Central Asian countries' rising ambition in exploring usage of new energy. For example, Kazakhstan has made ambitious commitments to reduce the country's greenhouse gas emissions to 15 percent below their 1990 levels by 2030 and of reaching carbon neutrality by 2060.

Wu explained that Kazakhstan can realize self-sufficiency in providing electricity at the current stage, yet the country is facing the problem of an outmoded electricity infrastructure. 

"Most of the electricity-generation infrastructure was built during the Soviet era, which means their service time is reaching the limit. Insufficient maintenance and reinvestment in certain facilities are also evident. This means that if investment in the power sector is not increased soon, Kazakhstan may face significant power shortages in the coming years," said Wu.

Compared with companies from other countries such as Germany and Japan, Chinese companies' advantages are visible: Its leading photovoltaic technology, its deep connection with Central Asian countries and China-Europe freight train services have given such cooperation a better edge.

Wu said that the Kapchagay power station alone has more than 300,000 photovoltaic modules that were transported from China through China-Europe freight trains. The time and cost advantages brought by the China-Europe freight trains enabled the project to be completed and connected to the grid within only nine months.

China-Europe freight train services are helping China-invested wind power and photovoltaic power stations successfully land in Kazakhstan, which has accelerated exports of relevant Chinese equipment, and broken Europe's monopoly over Kazakhstan's new energy equipment, said Wu.

"The 'Green Silk Road' is becoming a reality," he said.

Currently, a great sporting event that is distinctly Chinese, uniquely Asian, and very spectacular is being staged in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang Province. 

China has made history by hosting the Asia Games for the third time, bringing the country's eye-catching organizational and sporting capabilities to the world's attention.

Attending the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games and declaring it open, hosting a welcome banquet for the invited international dignitaries gathering in the scenic city, and holding bilateral meetings with leaders of six foreign countries and the heads of two international organizations, Chinese President Xi Jinping spent a period of tightly scheduled time that had witnessed substantive outcomes at the Asian Games in Hangzhou.

Since his youth, Xi has been an ardent sports fan. As a teenager, he played soccer and practiced skating. After he began to work, he maintained his habit of swimming and hiking, enjoyed the games such as volleyball, basketball, tennis, and wushu, and he would even stay late to watch televised sports programs.

As the leader of a large country, Xi clearly understands the constructive role sports play in global governance. From the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022 to the Chengdu FISU World University Games (Chengdu FISU Games) held from July 28 to August 8, 2023, and now the ongoing Hangzhou Asian Games, under Xi's guidance, China has overcome challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and presented the world with several splendid sporting events, fulfilling its commitments, demonstrating the confidence of a responsible major country, and also highlighting China's proposition in promoting the building of a global community of shared future.. 

As a sports enthusiast, Xi often takes sports as a bridge to actively promote peace, unity, and inclusivity both domestically and internationally. 

At the same time, the sentiments held by China's national leaders vis-a-vis sports have always carried the dream of national prosperity and rejuvenation. Xi attaches great importance to and care for China's sports development, repeatedly encouraging Chinese athletes to strive for excellence while paying equal attention to promoting national fitness.

Following Xi's footsteps in sports, officials of international sports organizations, his old friends, and athletes who had interacted with Xi, highlighted Xi's sporting aspirations when speaking with the Global Times. According to them, for Xi, sports are not only his personal passion but also the most genuine approach to building a common world, promoting people-to-people connectivity, and creating a stronger and healthier China.

Practitioner of Olympic Spirit

President Xi is an important partner of the global Olympic Movement, International Olympic Committee (IOC) Vice President Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. said in Hangzhou on the sidelines of the Games on Monday, Xinhua News Agency reported.

"His commitment, his support to sport and the role that sports and Olympics can play for the youth, for the entire society, I think, is what I would take as most important," said Samaranch Jr..

China has always attached great importance to the development of sports, and actively participated in international Olympic affairs, Xi said when meeting with IOC President Thomas Bach in Hangzhou on Friday.

In the face of severe challenges brought by the unprecedented changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, the IOC has stayed true to its original aspirations and played a unique role in safeguarding the world peace and development and promoting unity and progress of the humankind, Xi said.

Raja Randhir Singh, acting president of the Olympic Committee of Asia (OAC), told the Global Times during a news conference on Sunday that he was extremely impressed by the Hangzhou Asian Games, especially with the opening ceremony, the coordination between the OCA and the Games organizers, and the message of peace and inclusiveness conveyed by the Games.

 "Asia is the only continent that can and is ready to host any games, anytime... It's incredible that China has hosted so many sporting events and that a city [Beijing] can host the Winter Olympics after the Summer Olympics," Singh said while answering a question from the Global Times during the news conference. 

The Hangzhou Asian Games is an event of peace and harmony; we have to continue to face the future with our hearts together, and this is a call to the world, the OCA acting president said.    

"China's interpretation and promotion of the new Olympic motto - Faster, Higher, Stronger, Together - is in line with the concept of building a global community of a shared future that Xi has proposed," said Huang Haiyan, a professor at the Shanghai University of Sport and director of the Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Sports and Health Industry. 

Through the decades, China has successfully overcome difficulties and hosted major international sporting events amid some hard times, in which China has also actively shared with the world the fruits of its sports development, noted Huang.

The Hangzhou Games reflects the profound cultural heritage and unique charm of Chinese culture, and further conveys China's genuine expectations for the world. 

While in response to the global expectations upon China amid an era of profound changes witnessed across the world, the support and care of Chinese leaders as well as the hosting concepts of the sporting event also convey the development concept of a city or even the country. 

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics was committed to its mission of hosting a "green, inclusive, open, and clean" Olympic Winter Games. The Chengdu FISU Games had adhered to the concept of being "green, smart, vibrant, and sharing" in its organization. And the concept of being "green, smart, economical, and ethical" has been a key element in the entire process of the preparation and hosting of the Asian Games. 

Experts noted that this series of important sporting events, from the bidding processes to the preparation and hosting stages, have shown the bright prospects of Chinese modernization to the world.

Conveyor of China's friendship and goodwill

"In the letter that President Xi sent to us, he stressed that the Chinese government and people have full confidence in hosting a splendid Asian Games in Hangzhou. When we saw this grand event as promised, we felt immense excitement and pride inside. We also passed on the wonderful moments of the Asian Games to our friends in the US," David Chong, founder and president of the US-China Youth and Student Exchange Association, told the Global Times.

"Sport is a bond that promotes friendship among peoples," Xi said in a reply letter to the US-China Youth and Student Exchange Association and friendly personages from all walks of life in the US state of Washington in August 2023.

Over the past decade, on a variety of occasions at home and abroad, Xi has often taken sports, the universal language of all mankind, as a bridge to communicate with locals and convey China's friendship and goodwill to the world.

Chong was still proud that he had witnessed a Ping-Pong table, a gift that Xi sent to the students of Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Washington, during his visit to the US in 2015, on prominent display at the school.

During the stop, while receiving from the students a football and a personalized jersey bearing his name and emblazoned with "No.1" on the back, Xi gave the students gifts in return and kindly invited them to visit China. "Through travel, you will know China better, and hopefully you will like China," Xi said.

"Before President Xi's visit, table tennis was not the most popular sport in Lincoln High School. After that visit, many schools in the US started to organize varsity table tennis teams," Chong said excitedly. "Currently, table tennis is becoming more and more popular in the US, and I believe this momentum will continue."

During his visit to the IOC headquarters in Switzerland in 2017, Xi presented the committee with a stunning piece of Suzhou embroidery artwork. This masterpiece depicted ancient Chinese women engaging in cuju, the earliest form of soccer. The artwork symbolizes the cultural exchange and mutual learning fostered by the universal language of sports.

During that visit, IOC President Bach said, "President Xi is a true champion, and I want to give him a set of medals because he has a clear vision about the important role of sports in society and the importance of sports for education for the young people."

The China Table Tennis College (CTTC) Training Center in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is also another vivid example of China's friendly sports exchanges with other countries as having been supported by the Chinese leadership.

In November 2018, Xi visited the training center during his visit to PNG, where he watched PNG table tennis athletes training with their Chinese coach.

"I felt so honored and appreciative," 23-year-old PNG table tennis player Geoffrey Loi later told the Global Times when recalling Xi's visit to the training centre.
Xi has paid great attention to and support sports projects, including the Ping-Pong training center in PNG, that can promote exchanges between China and other countries, said Ren Jie, executive deputy head of the CTTC. "With the foundation of Ping-Pong, we hope to further promote people-to-people exchanges, especially the exchanges between young people," Ren told the Global Times.

"Sports play a unique role in serving China's overall diplomacy," Huang told the Global Times. "They have injected a lot of new vitality into the major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, and have enriched China's head-of-state diplomacy."

Taking sports as a bond, China has expanded its "circle of friends" and demonstrated its strong sense of responsibility in sports fields as a major country in the world, Huang said.

Driver for building a sporting powerhouse

"Sports set the stage for a stronger and more prosperous country," Xi said during a grand gathering at the 13th National Games in August 2017.

Xi has always cared greatly about the training, growth, and development of China's young athletes. At major sporting events such as the National Games, the Nanjing 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games, and the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games, Xi met with athletes from the Chinese delegation face to face, encouraging them to strive for excellence, and to support China's sports endeavors.

At the Chengdu FISU Games that concluded in August, China was at the top of the medal tally. "They deserve it because they prepared not only as an organizer, but all the Chinese student athletes prepared themselves to present the best performance in their home games," Leonz Eder, acting president of the FISU, told the Global Times in an earlier interview.

"I do believe that it's in the policy of China to promote elite sports among students as potential careers along with their conventional studies, but the government also encourages fitness among the larger population to maintain healthy lifestyles," said Eder.

In January 2022, when inspecting the preparatory work for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing, Xi noted that the ultimate goal of building a sporting powerhouse and a healthy China is to enhance the public's health, fitness, and happiness. This aspiration is essential to China's wider endeavor to build a modern socialist country in an all-round manner.

In China, significant efforts have been made in recent years to promote a healthy living environment and to encourage individuals of all ages, including young people, students, and senior citizens, to adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

President Xi emphasizes the importance of developing China into a leading sporting power, which covers many aspects, from the improvement of physical fitness and the overall health of people across the country, to the promotion of economic and social development of a region through hosting major sports events there, Huang noted.

By the end of 2022, China had 4.23 million sports venues covering a total area of over 3.7 billion square meters. More than 500 million people in China regularly exercise and over 90 percent of the whole population meets national physical fitness standards.

Currently, as the energetic spirit of the Hangzhou Asian Games continues to sweep across the country, observers believe that China will unleash a new era of sporting excellence following the Asian Games.

With its unwavering commitment to sports and the remarkable achievements thanks to Xi's leadership, China is poised to shine brightly as a formidable sports powerhouse on the global stage. The future of Chinese sports is undoubtedly filled with immense potential and endless possibilities.

The "Out of Africa - Celebrating the Beijing Swifts" seminar was successfully held on Monday evening in the Belgian Residence in Beijing, coinciding with the World Migratory Bird Day to promote the conservation of migratory birds such as the Beijing Swifts and their habitats. 

Ambassador of Belgium to China H.E. Bruno Angelet, deputy director-general of the Beijing Municipal Forestry and Parks Bureau Wang Xiaoping, deputy director of the Wildlife and Wetland Protection Division Ji Jianwei, Beijing Normal University professor Zhao Xinru, professor of Ornithology at the Sun Yat-sen University, Liu Yang and Beijing-based wildlife conservationist Terry Townshend, and several ambassadors attended the event.

Ambassador Angelet, the host of the event delivered a speech. He declared a love for birds, especially the Swifts as they are intelligent, social, gentle and free, adding that he was also a birdwatcher in Belgium and after arriving in Beijing in August, he was pleasantly surprised at the great variety of birds in the city, including sparrows, which have almost disappeared in Belgium, but can be found everywhere in Beijing. 

"I was so excited to discover that European and Chinese scientists have studied specific aspects of their journey. Through this study, we have discovered that the Swifts which nest in Beijing also come every spring from Africa, mostly from Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa," he told the Global Times. 

Ambassador Angelet also expressed his hope that embassies and their Chinese counterparts will join forces to improve bilateral international scientific cooperation.

Professor Zhao and Professor Liu, two of the best-known Chinese scientists who have been studying the bird species shared the results of the citizen science surveys to count the Swifts in Beijing to help understand the bird's population trends.  

The Beijing Swift, as a migratory bird named after "Beijing," is a landmark species and one of the ecological symbols of Beijing. It spends three months a year in Beijing to breed before undertaking an incredible migration to southern Africa in mid-July for the northern hemisphere winter, professor Zhao said at the event.

At the end of 2019, I accompanied an American and German media delegation to the offices of Chinese tech giant Huawei. Although it was only for one day, this brief encounter gave me a deeper understanding of this company.

In May of the following year, when Washington imposed a severe embargo to cut off the supply of high-end chips to Huawei, the Americans had actually done something stupid. In doing so, they were pushing the Chinese company to develop its own chips more quickly.

How did Huawei get to where it is today? During that visit, American and German media colleagues didn't seem to care about that question. Instead, they repeated queries about Huawei's relationship with the Chinese government and what level of technology the company had reached. After Huawei's mobile phones broke through the limitations of 5G chip technology, I've been thinking: If Washington could start to understand this Chinese tech giant from a spiritual level rather than just speculating on Huawei's technology and relationship with the government, perhaps it wouldn't have made that decision to embargo the company.

However, the Americans will not view this Chinese company in this way because what they despise most in their bones is the spirit of the Chinese people.

Washington has never considered giving China's rise and the development of made-in-China equal status. They feel threatened by the competition and believe that China is still copying or following US technology. As long as the containment of critical technologies is in place, the US believes it can stay ahead of the competition. This traditional view about the Chinese is full of ideological bias and causes Washington to underestimate Huawei's capabilities. So much so that some US experts were anxious and even shocked to learn that the Chinese company's new mobile phones used homegrown chips.

I remember during that visit, Huawei Chairman Liang Hua, after briefly introducing his company's development, suggested foreign journalists read about the 32-year long history of the company. Fortunately, I was given a book on Huawei's history, and learned about the company's development process and the struggles of many Huawei employees worldwide.

It was revealed that in 2009, when Huawei had more than 100,000 employees, about 1,400 of them were flying somewhere every day. A middle manager from Huawei said that whenever there are plane crashes or disappearances, he prays that no employees from his company were involved. 

Any Chinese individual who visits Huawei's offices will likely feel a strong sense of spirituality through the company's products and technologies. Behind Huawei's widely talked about "wolf culture" lies not a barbaric struggle but a set of modern enterprise payment systems closely linked with the norms of a market economy. The company, which has thrived in China's economic system, has a business model that fully harnesses the spirit of entrepreneurship and the pursuit of wealth, characteristics often associated with the Chinese people.

Chairman Mao Zedong wrote in a poem that nothing is impossible if you have a willing heart. While the Americans may be able to restrict the supply of chips, they cannot suppress the determination of Huawei employees and the Chinese people's spirit to fight for a happier life. Spirit is certainly not everything, but without it, nothing is possible. Made-in-China has come so far that it is inseparable from the traditional spirit of struggle that the Chinese people have, and this spirit is closely related to the concepts of the Chinese people's treatment of work, family and children's education.

Reform and opening-up have provided abundant opportunities for the Chinese people to pursue their dream of poverty alleviation and enrichment. This has also been their source of motivation to pursue wealth, which has been nurtured by the history of Chinese culture and the survival and development of the Chinese people. Any assessment or prediction of China's economy divorced from this point is bound to be misinterpreted and misjudged. By the same token, as long as China's future reform and opening-up revolves around how to continue to unleash this vitality, it will undoubtedly be able to walk out of a new path of modernization.

Has China's Shanghai turned into a "ghost town"? This "nonsense" that can be easily distinguished by both Chinese people and foreigners with basic common sense has astonishingly become the headline of an article in the well-established American news magazine, Newsweek. There are indeed people playing tricks behind this absurd situation, and it's necessary for us to expose these "foreign ghosts" and bring them into the light of day.

Newsweek probably wouldn't be so ignorant to genuinely believe that Shanghai is becoming a "ghost town." Therefore, it appended a question mark to the headline, likely to deflect responsibility for spreading false information and rumors. However, the magazine cited three photos from social platform X (formerly known as Twitter), which were taken in the Lujiazui financial district of Shanghai. It didn't bother to verify the authenticity of these photos, when and under what circumstances they were taken. Instead, it simply adopted the exaggerated claims made by the photo uploader, suggesting that the desolate roads and an empty Starbucks in the photos indicate "deep trouble" for the Chinese economy. Such an approach is not just unprofessional but is essentially a form of rumor-mongering with a certain level of "technical sophistication."

The report begins by stating that the internet erupted in debate about whether Shanghai has turned into a "ghost town" following a "viral tweet showing empty streets." It then acknowledges that many residents have disputed this notion. However, it quickly shifts the focus to people's concerns about the Chinese economy. In fact, there should be no debate about whether Shanghai, China's megacity with a population of 25 million permanent residents, is a "ghost town." Only those who are blind, deaf, or mentally impaired don't comprehend this fact.

Discerning individuals can clearly see that the main focus of Newsweek is to sensationalize the economic downturn in China, a trend that has been particularly popular in Western media recently. Newsweek has caught onto a sensational gimmick and has disregarded its own image. By combining the visually shocking photos with the provocative term "ghost town," it has created a strong psychological suggestion that "China's economy is in trouble." It must be said that this kind of misinformation operates on a more "sophisticated" level.

If only Newsweek is doing this, then it is an isolated case, indicating the media outlet's problematic professional ethics and the negative impact it caused is not significant. However, starting from March or April this year, not only Newsweek but also other US and Western media outlets have been selectively using some specific data from a certain point or in a certain field to generalize, and even fabricate information to undermine, the Chinese economy. This is a coordinated and large-scale campaign, with consistent steps, intense actions, and extensive content, which is rare in recent years. Can we say that this is a coincidence?

In the field of economics, there is a term called narrative economics, which uses storytelling to influence judgments, even at the cost of creating false information, to undermine the morale and confidence of the target and attempt to deter foreign investment, thereby having a substantial impact on the economy. The US has openly regarded China as its biggest competitor and even treats China as an imaginary enemy in many practical aspects. We cannot expect it to engage in fair competition with China. In order to win this "competition" initiated by itself, the US often resorts to any possible means. This perspective can explain the phenomenon in which the US is badmouthing the Chinese economy in a collective manner and can also roughly predict the US' future actions toward China, indicating that it aligns with the basic facts.

From this perspective, including the rumors of Shanghai being a "ghost city," all kinds of negative comments are actually a cognitive and psychological warfare launched by the US and the West against China, targeting the confidence in China's economy both domestically and internationally. In their view, Shanghai is an international metropolis, so smearing its reputation will deal a "heavy blow." However, this time, Newsweek has hit the wrong target. Enterprises have the most sensitive instincts. If even the stores in Lujiazui are "empty," why did Starbucks announce last month that it would invest 1.5 billion yuan ($206 million) to establish an innovation and technology center in China and why did it plan to have about 9,000 China outlets by 2025? If China's economy is facing a long-term crisis, why are American technology companies still striving to expand their presence in China despite various restrictions?

For China, some people from the outside creating false information about China's economy is despicable and condemnable. We must first maintain composure and judgment, not be swayed by malicious rumors and manipulations, and concentrate on doing our own things well. Let the fact that China's economy is thriving and moving forward vigorously serve as the most powerful refutation against them.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Peter Dutton never agree on much. But there is one topic they are in curious agreement over: the dropping of charges for the founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, and his return to Australia.   

The indictment comprises 18 charges, 17 concocted (there is no other word) from the brew that is the US Espionage Act of 1917, risks earning Assange a prison sentence as long as 175 years.

In an effort to convince Washington to drop its ongoing legal proceedings against Assange, who currently awaits extradition to the US in London's Belmarsh Prison, a delegation of Australian politicians has been mobilized.  

The delegation of Australian parliamentarians heading to Washington on September 20 is unusually eclectic. From the outside, they seem a glorious rambling tumble of the country's views. They are doing so as part of what they see as an educating mission ahead of Albanese's October visit to the US capital. 

The delegates are promising slightly different approaches with a similar theme. Senator David Shoebridge wishes to make the case that Assange was an inspiring truth teller about US war crimes. His accompanying college, former Nationals leader and deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, however, wishes to focus on essentials: Assange committed no alleged offence as a US national. 

In Shoebridge's words, the delegates will also remind US lawmakers "that one of their closest allies sees the treatment of Julian Assange as a key indicator on the health of the bilateral relationship."

Australia is an excellent friend of the US and it's not unreasonable to request to ask the US to cease this extradition attempt on Mr Assange, said independent MP Monique Ryan earlier September. The WikiLeaks founder was "a journalist; he should not be prosecuted for crimes against journalism."

What should be expected when the delegation commences its round of information sessions?  For one, there is nothing to say that those in Congress, the State Department, and the Department of Justice will not give their own serving of teaching to the delegation. The narrative of Assange in Freedom Land is of a kindergarten rosy-simplicity: he soiled US national security by revealing secrets; he endangered confidential sources; he propagandised for open government, a Svengali hoping to seduce the intelligence community into the cause of open government. 

The fact that this visit is taking place ahead of the Albanese visit can be seen in a few ways.  A generous reading is that the prime minister will arrive to an audience aware about the concerns of Australian voters, the vox populi conveyed through representatives across the political spectrum.  

A less charitable interpretation is that Albanese is short of options and short of influence in the corridors of Washington. An ally so servile, so compliant, and so accommodating - one need only sees the AUKUS agreement and its designation of Australia as a forward US military base to monitor and target China - is an ally whose opinions can be ignored. 

The latter view is hard to ignore given the almost snorting dismissal of Australian concerns for Assange at the Australia-US Ministerial Consultations held between the two countries toward the end of July. These were the words of Australia's Foreign Minister, Penny Wong: "[W]e have made clear our view that Mr Assange's case has dragged for too long, and our desire it be brought to a conclusion, and we've said that publicly and you would anticipate that that reflects also the positive we articulate in private."  

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken proved less than receptive. Assange had been "charged with very serious criminal conduct in the United States in connection with his alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of our country. The actions that he has alleged to have committed risked very serious harm to our national security, to the benefit of our adversaries, and put named sources at grave risk - grave risk - of physical harm, and grave risk of detention."

A recent, dressed-up rumor disseminated by the US ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy is that a plea deal is in the offing. Former British diplomat Craig Murray has dismissed its credibility. His reasoning is sound enough. US undertakings in this regard are manifold and shallow; they mean little in the context of international law and practice. Sadly, where Albanese is concerned, there is a sense that these efforts are all ultimately conditioned by a process that is out of his, and Australia's hands. Impotent, an ally all too willing to give and all too reluctant to demand, Australia remains the most valuable of abused friend.

Recently, in the waters near Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea, a series of actions that clearly appear to be "premeditated" have created tension.

A vessel of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Philippines, without China's permission, intruded into the adjacent waters of Huangyan Dao and attempted to enter its lagoon. The Philippine government vessels carrying journalists from Western countries equipped with cameras and other equipment for on-site filming also came to the waters near Huangyan Dao. The Philippine government vessels have even provided approximately 60,000 liters of diesel fuel and some groceries to the Filipino fishing boats in an attempt to encourage them to approach Huangyan Dao aggressively, thus providing fresh news material for Western journalists.

Let's take a look at how these Western journalists have reported on this largely staged story. The AFP used such a scene as a starting point: A Filipino fisherman guns the motor of his tiny wooden boat as he makes a dash for the shallow waters of Huangyan Dao, with Chinese coast guard speedboats in hot pursuit. This disjointed narrative aims to convey a strong sense of visuals and tension, attempting to depict a simple image of the "Chinese coast guard intimidating Filipino fishermen." Its headlines focused on "Filipino fisherman chased by China's coast guard" in the South China Sea, making it the most representative among the Western media present.

However, what's strange is that, compared to the efforts made by these Western media outlets and the Philippine side to stage this performance, the final products they presented are rather thin, lacking in impact and persuasiveness. Any audience with a modicum of critical thinking would find the story unconvincing. Their reports focused on depicting certain specific details, but were vague and even unwilling to mention more factual information, leading to numerous flaws and serious inaccuracies in their reporting.

The interception of Chinese coast guard ships in response to this behavior was legitimate and necessary. Additionally, the location of the "floating barrier" set up by China was at the entrance to the lagoon inside Huangyan Dao, clearly designed to safeguard sovereignty interests and not indicative of any "intimidation."

These media outlets will not mention the restraint and professionalism of the Chinese coast guard when intercepting Filipino fishing boats. Even less will they mention that just a few days ago, the PLA naval vessel Aba successfully rescued two Filipino fishermen during its cruise in the eastern maritime zone of the Nansha Islands. Those Filipino actors should not be blamed for their poor performance; the key issue lies in the fact that a large part of the "plot" is not controlled by the Filipino side or Western media. China will never act according to their script.

In the end of its report, the AFP quoted a so-called Filipino fisherman as saying, "If they ram and sink our boats, who will save us?" This was an attempt to play the sympathy card, which the AFP is known for. However, since the whole story has not been established, this ending appears to be weak and even somewhat ridiculous.

Overall, this is an unsuccessful hype by the Philippine side in collaboration with Western media. However, it has exposed a new trend in the South China Sea that should alert all parties: the strengthening of the Philippines' domestic radical forces in alliance with external powers on the South China Sea issue. They have put considerable effort into creating public opinion and intentionally engaging in a media war.

Previously, the Philippines hyped up the issue of Chinese fishermen "destroying coral reefs in the South China Sea," and the Japanese ambassador to the Philippines immediately described the development as "very alarming news," despite his own country's dumping of nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the Pacific Ocean. Then, the Philippines hyped up China's installation of a "floating barrier." These actions have resonated politically with Western media reports. They are attempting to converge from different angles to create a false narrative that portrays China as a "bully" in the South China Sea, not only "suppressing" the Philippine government but also "bullying" the Filipino people.

Similar dramas like this are likely to continue by the Philippines and Western media.

By making an issue of the South China Sea and distorting the reports, Western media aims to fabricate a domineering image of China as a bully. This kind of operation has happened multiple times this year. It is important to remind the Philippines that engaging in such staged acts is not beneficial for resolving the South China Sea issue. Instead, it complicates the problem, increases risks, and damages the peaceful environment in the South China Sea as well as the mutually beneficial cooperation between China and the Philippines. Once nationalist sentiments within the Philippines are stirred up, it will backfire on the Philippines. Manila should remain clear-headed and vigilant about this.