The exchanges between China and Southeast Asian countries have recently reached another new height, which speaks to the common aspiration of regional countries for solidarity, cooperation and development, and demonstrates the robust growth of relations between China and neighboring countries, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said on Monday.
Lin made the comment on a media inquiry that China and Southeast Asian countries have engaged in frequent interactions recently and in particular, the exchanges between heads of state and government reached another new height.
Last Friday, on the margins of the 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Peru, President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister of Singapore Lawrence Wong and Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Within a month, Premier Li Qiang, together with the heads of government from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, attended the eighth Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit. Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang visited Singapore and co-chaired the China-Singapore bilateral cooperation mechanism meetings. Vice President Han Zheng visited Indonesia and Brunei. Indonesia's newly elected President Prabowo Subianto and Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim visited China.
We are also good partners with integrated interests and a shared future, said Lin, while outlining several achievements, including important common understandings reached between China and Indonesia on building a community with a shared future with regional and global influence, the building of a community with a shared future both bilaterally and multilaterally between China and Malaysia and Mekong countries reaching a new level.
Lin added that Belt and Road cooperation plans were signed between China and Malaysia and between China and Singapore. The Jakarta-Bandung High-speed Railway was officially launched for a year, serving over six million passengers. The China-Laos Railway saw booming passenger travel as well as freight shipping, playing an increasingly important role as a golden route for transportation. Construction of Malaysia's East Coast Rail Link made steady progress.
The spokesperson said the China-Laos-Thailand international freight train service was officially launched. The China-ASEAN FTA 3.0 Upgrade Negotiations were substantially concluded. Visa-free arrangement between China and Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Laos produced remarkable results, and the "Lancang-Mekong visa" policy was officially implemented.
China and relevant countries reached important common understandings on properly putting maritime differences under control, enhancing maritime cooperation, speeding up consultations on a code of conduct in the South China Sea, and jointly keeping the South China Sea peaceful and stable, Lin added.
Asia and the wider Asia-Pacific is the shared home of China and neighboring countries. China has all along put the neighborhood as a priority in the overall diplomacy, said the spokesperson.
Responding to the tiger attack incident in Boli county, the Forestry and Grassland Administration in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province convened an emergency meeting on Monday to implement protective measures and ensure the safety of both the residents and tigers.
A wild tiger was spotted in a village in Heilongjiang and injured a local resident on Monday. The injured resident is currently receiving medical treatment, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
To address the incident, the Heilongjiang Forestry and Grassland Administration convened an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss protective measures aimed at ensuring the coexistence of humans and Siberian tigers. In recent years, the tiger's range has expanded significantly in Heilongjiang due to continuous improvements in the ecological environment, with tigers even appearing in non-traditional habitats. While this reflects ecological recovery, it also poses new challenges, officials at the meeting said.
"Siberian tigers are territorial animals, and winter is their mating season. During this time, adult male tigers are often more active, sometimes traveling thousands of kilometers in search of mates," Sun Quanhui, a scientist from the World Animal Protection organization, told the Global Times on Tuesday. "If their natural habitat is insufficient or food resources are scarce, wild tigers may venture into other areas to seek survival opportunities. When hungry or injured, they may take risks, such as preying on livestock or even attacking humans."
During the meeting, Hou Xumin, Director of the Provincial Forestry and Grassland Administration, emphasized the need for a multi-faceted and effective approach to ensure human-tiger safety. First, the responsibility for wildlife protection must be strictly enforced. Second, public awareness campaigns should be intensified, such as distributing flyers and setting up warning signs to educate villagers on safety precautions in areas frequented by large wild animals like tigers.
Additionally, local authorities should develop practical emergency response plans, ensuring the availability of tranquilizer guns and related equipment for rapid response in emergency situations. Targeted safety training sessions should also be organized, inviting experts to teach prevention skills and improve the emergency response capabilities of relevant personnel and villagers. Other measures proposed during the meeting included maintaining emergency resource reserves, enhancing positive media coverage, and advancing wildlife damage compensation mechanisms.
The meeting concluded by highlighting that protecting wildlife, such as Siberian tigers, is a key component of ecological civilization. This effort requires not only the government and experts but also the understanding and support of the public to foster harmony between humans and nature.
"While the number of wild Siberian tigers in China has shown a growth trend in recent years, they remain critically rare. Therefore, ordinary citizens outside tiger habitats need not be overly concerned. However, residents in areas where tigers are frequently sighted should stay vigilant, pay attention to warnings issued by authorities," Sun said.
China has successful examples of dealing with wildlife conflicts, such as the Asian elephant early warning system in Yunnan Province, which serves as a model for other regions to establish localized risk prevention systems. In recent years, Yunnan's Asian elephant population has grown steadily to over 300. Like Siberian tigers, this ecological success has also increased human-elephant activity overlap, elevating the risk of conflict, as reported by CCTV.
To address this, Yunnan has employed digital technology to support elephant conservation. Monitoring systems have accumulated vast amounts of data, images, and videos, providing a foundation for the analysis of elephant behavior and activity patterns, according to CCTV.
The choice of early warning mechanisms often depends on the species' characteristics and associated risks. "In the long term, strengthening the protection of Siberian tiger habitats remains a priority. Efforts should focus on enhancing habitat quality," Sun said.
"Animals cannot be held accountable for their actions. Achieving peaceful coexistence requires humans to minimize disturbances to wildlife and ensure sufficient living space for them."
"Siberian tigers are a key indicator species for forest ecosystem health. Protecting them not only safeguards the species itself but also helps preserve robust ecosystems and rich biodiversity, which form the foundation for human survival and development," Sun added.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday that China is ready to continue working with Morocco to firmly support each other on issues concerning their respective core interests, and push for greater development of China-Morocco strategic partnership.
Xi made the remarks when meeting with Moroccan Crown Prince Moulay Hassan during a technical stop in Casablanca after wrapping up his state visit to Brazil.
Assigned by Moroccan King Mohammed VI, Hassan and Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch greeted Xi at the airport. A welcome ceremony was held there.
Xi asked Hassan to convey his cordial greetings and best wishes to King Mohammed VI.
Xi pointed out that China and Morocco have witnessed sound development in their relations, with fruitful practical cooperation and increasingly vibrant exchanges in various fields. In 2016, Xi said, King Mohammed VI paid a state visit to China, during which they held productive talks, bringing China-Morocco relations to a new level.
China is ready to work with Morocco to implement the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the 10th ministerial conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, and work for more outcomes in practical cooperation across various fields within the framework of Belt and Road cooperation, Xi said.
China supports Morocco's efforts in safeguarding national security and stability, Xi added, calling on the two countries to expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges, so as to enhance public support for their friendship.
For his part, Hassan conveyed the sincere greetings and warm welcome from King Mohammed VI to Xi, saying that bilateral ties have maintained a sound development momentum.
He thanked China for its valuable support to Morocco during the COVID-19 pandemic, which the Moroccan people will never forget.
The Moroccan royal family and government are firmly committed to further developing bilateral relations, and are willing to maintain high-level exchanges with China and strengthen cooperation in various fields, he said.
The Chinese language and culture are very popular among the Moroccan people, Hassan said, expressing his hope for promoting bilateral people-to-people exchanges.
Noting that the two countries hold similar positions on many issues, he said the Moroccan side stands ready to work with China to firmly support each other in safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and stability.
As this year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Global Times has launched the second volume of its "Wish List" series, which documents ordinary Chinese people's wishes as a window into the changes in and achievements of the Chinese path to modernization.
In this volume, we present five representative stories that capture the aspirations and pursuits of individuals, which reflect the deep connection between national prosperity and people's destinies, illustrating how the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the country prioritize the well-being of the people in their quest for common prosperity, ecological civilization, and social harmony. They also bear witness to how Chinese people have marched forward toward Chinese modernization with high spirits.
This is the fifth and final installment in the series that tells the stories of a group of people living at the foot of China's Helan Mountains in Northwest China, who installed rooftop solar panels which can convert natural sunlight into electricity to eradicate poverty and conbribute to the building of a "Beautiful China."
The upper part of the Chinese character "home" resembles a roof, symbolizing a home can only exist with a roof over it.
Today, an increasing number of Chinese people are creating environmentally friendly landscapes on the roofs they cherish most, showcasing a tangible "Beautiful China" through their homes.
In early winter, at the foot of the Helan Mountains, the sun still brightly shines over the vast Gobi Desert. When people enter Yuanlong village of Minning town, Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, one can find rows of newly constructed agricultural residences with red tiles and white walls lining the road. From above, the blue photovoltaic panels glimmering on each red roof create a colorful mosaic under the sunlight.
Chinese people have aspired to convey their vision of harmony between heaven, earth, and humanity through architecture. Regarding the decision to install photovoltaic panels on the roof of her house, villager Zhang Hui told the Global Times that by installing photovoltaic panels on their roofs, they earn extra money, and the clean energy generated by the panels also gives them a channel to make their contribution to the country's emissions reduction and energy conservation efforts.
"We want to further emphasize the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature, embodying a characteristic of Chinese modernization through our roofs," she said.
In recent years, China's solar photovoltaic technology is emerging as a key component of China's strategy to achieve its "dual carbon" goals, which aimed at achieving peak carbon emissions by 2030, and carbon neutrality by 2060.
The creation of this elevated landscape is a vivid representation of the Chinese people's efforts in building a "Beautiful China" in all respects. In this revolutionary transformation that involving production methods, lifestyles, and values, countless individuals have keenly perceived that China is keeping pace with the times, making a sound, inclusive ecological environment for the well-being of the people.
Cash in on the sun
For the residents of the village, installing rooftop solar systems and earning money from sunlight has now become a source of joy. "Because when you look up, you can see your own roof, and it reminds you of the abundant harvest you have," Zhang said.
Since 2016, Yuanlong village has successively built a 5-megawatt rooftop photovoltaic power station, supplied by photovoltaic panels on the roofs of over 1,635 immigrant households, accounting for nearly 96 of the village's total households. As of March 2024, this initiative had earned a total of 40.22 million yuan ($ 5.5 million) in photovoltaic revenue for the village.
Since 2018, Zhang's family has been renting the 54-square-meter rooftop to the power company, and the annual rental fee has increased from 300 yuan to 480 yuan as the power station has gradually entered a stable operating phase.
Beyond the tangible rental income, Zhang has also witnessed the thriving changes brought to her village by the rooftop photovoltaic power station program.
In 2020, the photovoltaic power station in Yuanlong village generated 850,000 yuan in revenue for the village collective. A portion of this revenue is distributed to villagers as rental fees, while another part is used as dividends for the village collective's shares, funding various public welfare expenditures such as environmental sanitation improvements, major illness assistance for villagers, and education support.
The Global Times has learned how the rooftop solar systems program in Yuanlong village was operated: the local government attracts external investment to bid for the construction of a photovoltaic power station, guarantees a 100 percent buyback of the project's output, ensuring that the village and its residents will receive 100 percent of profits during the 20-year operational period of the power station.
"Turning green, clean energy advantages into economic development advantages is a new concept for us," said Ha Manpeng, 44, a villager from Yuanlong
Ha and many other villagers learned that the area they live has a high altitude, flat terrain and long sunlight hours, making it suitable for the installing of clean and efficient solar photovoltaic systems
"Simply retrofit the vacant roof, there will be a stable and long-term additional benefit. The manufacturers cooperating with the government will regularly send personnel to maintain, and regularly update the equipment, thus we have nothing to worry about," Ha said.
Comfort life out of mountains
Zhang jokingly remarked that rooftop solar power generation has allowed the Yuanlong's villagers to truly transition from a weather-dependent life to "making money from the weather."
The over 10,000 villagers in Yuanlong were moved from another village - Xihaigu in 2012, which is a largely mountainous region that was labeled the "most unfit place for human settlement" by the United Nations in the 1970s due to land reclamation, drought, and a fragile ecological environment.
Ha recalled his childhood living in the village hidden in the folds of the mountains, where every household was plunged into darkness at night.
Over the past 40 years, Ningxia launched six large-scale resettlement schemes, moving some 1.23 million people from Xihaigu to more habitable areas. The relocation was part of the poverty alleviation drive, fulfilling many villagers' desire for a comfortable life out of the mountains.
Having escaped the vicious cycle of ecological and survival crises, what kind of life and development path did the villagers of Xihaigu choose in their new homes?
Yuanlong village is one of the villages that has benefited early from the income generated by photovoltaic power stations. Ha was among the first residents to install solar panels on roof.
Initially, Ha's personal experience with the five photovoltaic panels installed on his roof was simply that they provided shade on sunny days, and made the roof less prone to leaks on rainy days. As more households in the village adopted the solar rooftops, Ha witnessed a profound improvement in the living conditions of the villagers, along with an increase in their income.
As of November 2020, China had achieved the feat of delisting all 832 poverty-stricken counties. The development of photovoltaic power stations, as a typical model of industrial poverty alleviation, has contributed to this historic achievement.
According to China's National Energy Administration, by the end of 2020, China had built photovoltaic power stations with a combined capacity of 26.36 million kilowatts, generating approximately 18 billion yuan in annual electricity revenue, and creating 1.25 million public welfare jobs.
When this clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient energy enters the homes of ordinary people, it not only provides shelter through new types of rooftops for families, but also supports more Chinese people in achieving a moderately prosperous life. Many residents have come to realize that their choices contribute to the country's energy conservation and emission reduction efforts.
They want to do even more.
"When I was a child, there was no electricity in my home, but now we can even produce electricity at home. In our village, people prefers to buy new energy vehicles. Waste sorting has become a habit for the villagers," Ha said.
"When we go out traveling, the children can immediately 'capture' solar panels everywhere. They are also very happy to see that more and more villages began to install solar rooftops just like us," Zhang added.
Green electricity town Facing the changes in life, as an official of the Yuanlong village, Zhang's focus has gradually shifted from the land owned by villagers to the cattle and sheep they raise, and the job opportunities available to them. Now, she is also gradually learning to consider all these key aspects within the context of the new era of development she is in.
Whenever representatives from enterprises and communities visit Yuanlong village, Zhang highlights the embroidery skills of the local women and the solar roofs they have.
One of Zhang's proudest achievements this year has been helping to showcase and sell the village women's embroidered crafts to a power supply company in Fuzhou, East China's Fujian Province. She is very proud that this "green collaboration" has broken through regional limitations, built more bridges for communication between her village and the outside world, and empowered the development of local women.
With the official launch of the "green electricity town" project in Minning town in August 2023, which aims to create a new type of system demonstration area powered entirely by clean energy 24 hours a day, the project is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 48,000 tons annually once completed.
Zhang believes that the villagers in Yuanlong will have more opportunities to showcase their talents and felt gratified that she is living in a country that pays more attention to protecting the ecological environment.
At a national conference on ecological and environmental protection held in July 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed efforts to promote the building of a Beautiful China in all respects and accelerate the advancement of modernization featuring harmony between human and nature.
The next five years is a crucial period for building a Beautiful China, which should be placed in a prominent position in building a great modern socialist country in all respects and advancing national rejuvenation, Xi said.
The country should support high-quality development with a high-quality ecological environment and promote the modernization featuring the harmonious co-existence between human and nature, he noted.
Looking up at her rooftop, Zhang eagerly awaits the completion of the "green electricity town." She hopes it will build a stronger bridge connecting the common people's dream of a better life with the country's plans for emission reduction and energy conservation, leading to a more "Beautiful China."
An anti-China committee in the US House on Thursday introduced a bill attempting to end China's Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR), joining a couple of US Republicans who previously made similar attempts. The drastic move reflects these extreme politicians' Sinophobia, exacerbated by political discrimination and a Cold War mentality, Chinese observers said, noting that the US' policy rationality is being tested on whether it will reject such a dangerous proposal.
John Moolenaar, chairman of the US House "Select Committee on the CCP", has introduced a bill that proposes revoking China's PNTR, a policy in place for more than two decades, the Hill reported on Thursday.
Moolenaar claimed that "Having permanent normal trade relations with China has failed our country, eroded our manufacturing base, and sent jobs to our foremost adversary," according to a press release on his committee's website.
"For a period, some US politicians have been introducing such bills, but to date, most of them have not been accepted at the US House or Senate, which means the chances are slim that they will become law," Lü Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday.
Repealing China's PNTR has been used as a threat by some US politicians, but the fact is that WTO membership guarantees PNTR status, Lü said.
Following the agreement between China and the US on China's accession to the WTO, the US announced in 2001 to grant China the PNTR status - which was previously called unconditional Most Favored Nation. All WTO members are granted Most Favored Nation as part of the process of joining the WTO.
In September this year, some US senators introduced a similar legislation in the Senate.
Observers said some US politicians' attempt to end China's PNTR is just a repeat of a solo "anti-China show" borne of anti-China sentiment. They said it tests the US' political mentality to not legislate such extreme bills and instead bring China-US relations back to the normal track.
"With long-standing political discrimination and a Cold War mentality, some US politicians have purposely taken the extreme move to serve their own political agendas, disregarding the fact that the US itself is a possible casualty," Li Yong, a senior research fellow at the China Association of International Trade, told the Global Times on Friday.
Li said ending China's PNTR would have a serious impact on the US economy, which is still recovering amid rising living costs for common Americans.
Revoking the US' PNTR for China over the five-year period would lead to a peak loss of 744,000 American jobs, and a cumulative loss of 1.6 trillion dollars in US GDP, according to a report released in November 2023 by the US-China Business Council and advisory firm Oxford Economics, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
"Some US politicians are attempting to turn back the wheel of history and pull the China-US trade and economic relations back to the Cold War era. This violates WTO rules, and will only harm the common interests of both countries and disrupt the global economy," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a press conference on November 11, responding to a question over US media reports saying that House Republicans are working on legislation that could remove China's PNTR.
We urge certain US Congress members to earnestly abide by WTO rules and stop saying or doing anything that do no one good, Lin said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday met with US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Lima, Peru.
Xi told Biden that over the past four years, China-US relations have gone through ups and downs, but the two sides have also been engaged in dialogue and cooperation, adding the relationship has remained stable on the whole.
Under the stewardship of the two presidents, the two teams have worked out through consultations a number of guiding principles for China-US relations, and the two presidents have jointly brought China-US dialogue and cooperation back on track, Xi said.
More than 20 communication mechanisms have been restarted or established, and positive achievements have been made in such areas as diplomacy, security, economy, trade, fiscal affairs, finance, military, counternarcotics, law enforcement, agriculture, climate change, and people-to-people exchange, he said.
Xi stressed that it is worthwhile to review the experiences of the past four years and draw inspirations from them. He listed the following:
First, it is important to have a correct strategic perception. The Thucydides Trap is not a historical inevitability. A new Cold War should not be fought and cannot be won. Containing China is unwise, unacceptable and bound to fail.
Second, it is important to match words with actions. A man cannot establish himself without credibility. China has always honored its words. If the US side always says one thing but does another, it will be detrimental to its own image, and undermine trust between China and the United States.
Third, it is important to treat each other as equals. As two major countries, neither China nor the United States should seek to remodel the other according to one's own will, suppress the other from the so-called "position of strength," or deprive the other of the legitimate right to development so as to maintain its leading status.
Fourth, it is important not to challenge red lines and paramount principles. Contradictions and differences between two major countries like China and the United States are unavoidable. But one side should not undermine the core interests of the other, let alone seek conflict or confrontation. The one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques are the political foundation of China-US relations. They must be observed. The Taiwan question, democracy and human rights, China's path and system, and China's development right are four red lines for China. They must not be challenged. These are the most important guardrails and safety nets for China-US relations.
Fifth, it is important to conduct more dialogue and cooperation. Under the current circumstances, common interests between China and the United States are expanding rather than shrinking. Their cooperation is crucial not only for the economy, trade, agriculture, counternarcotics, law enforcement and public health, but also for handling global challenges of climate change and artificial intelligence (AI) as well as addressing international hotspot issues. The two sides should expand the list of cooperation and make a bigger pie of cooperation to achieve a win-win result.
Sixth, it is important to respond to the expectations of the people. China-US relations should always advance the well-being of the two peoples and bring them closer together. To facilitate personnel and cultural exchange, the two sides need to build bridges and roads, remove distractions and obstacles, and refrain from making any moves that have a chilling effect.
Seventh, it is important to step forward to shoulder the responsibilities of major countries. China and the United States should always keep in mind humanity's future and their responsibilities for world peace, provide public good for the world, and act in a way conducive to global unity, including carrying out constructive interactions, refraining from mutual attrition, and not coercing other countries into taking sides.
Noting that the trajectory of China-US relations has proved the validity of these experiences and inspirations from the past 45 years of diplomatic ties, Xi said when the two countries treat each other as partners and seek common ground while shelving differences, their relationship will make considerable progress.
But if they regard each other as rivals and pursue vicious competition, they will roil the relationship or even set it back, Xi warned.
Noting that humanity is faced with unprecedented challenges in this turbulent world suffering from frequent conflicts, Xi said major-country competition should not be the underlying logic of the times; only solidarity and cooperation can help humanity overcome current difficulties.
He said neither decoupling nor supply-chain disruption is the solution; common development can only be achieved through mutually beneficial cooperation.
He also said "small yard, high fences" is not what a major country should do; only openness and sharing can advance the well-being of humanity.
A stable China-US relationship is critical not only to the interests of the two peoples, but also to the future and destiny of the entire humanity, Xi said, adding China and the United States should keep exploring the right way for two major countries to get along well with each other, realize long-term, peaceful coexistence on this planet, and inject more certainty and positive energy into the world.
Xi stressed that China's goal of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-US relationship remains unchanged; its commitment to mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation as principles for handling China-US relations remains unchanged; its position of resolutely safeguarding China's sovereignty, security and development interests remains unchanged; and its desire to carry forward the traditional friendship between the Chinese and American peoples remains unchanged.
China is ready to engage in dialogue, expand cooperation, and manage differences with the United States so as to sustain the hard-won momentum toward stability in China-US relations, he said.
Xi also stated China's positions on such issues as Taiwan, economic and trade ties, science and technology, cybersecurity, the South China Sea, the Ukraine crisis, and the Korean Peninsula.
He stressed that cross-Strait peace and stability and "Taiwan independence" separatist activities are as irreconcilable as water and fire. If the US side cares about maintaining peace across the Taiwan Strait, it is crucial that it sees clearly the true nature of Lai Ching-te and the Democratic Progressive Party authorities in seeking "Taiwan independence," handles the Taiwan question with extra prudence, unequivocally opposes "Taiwan independence," and supports China's peaceful reunification, said Xi.
The Chinese people's right to development is not to be deprived of or ignored, Xi noted, saying that while all countries need to safeguard their national security, they should not overstretch the national security concept, still less use it as a pretext for malicious moves to constrain and contain other countries.
There is no evidence that supports the irrational claim of the so-called "cyberattacks from China," said Xi, stressing that China itself is a target of international cyberattacks, and consistently opposes and combats all forms of cyberattacks.
China firmly upholds its territory, sovereignty, and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, said Xi. Dialogue and consultation between the states concerned is always the best way to manage differences in the South China Sea, and the United States should not get involved in bilateral disputes over the relevant islands and reefs of Nansha Qundao, nor should it aid or abet the impulsion to make provocations, he added.
Xi stressed that China's position and actions on the Ukraine issue have always been fair and square. China conducts shuttle diplomacy and mediation to promote peace talks, makes every effort for peace, and strives for de-escalation.
China does not allow conflict and turmoil to happen on the Korean Peninsula, he said, noting the country will not sit idly by when its strategic security and core interests are under threat.
For his part, Biden stated that the US-China relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world, not just for the two peoples, but also for the future of the world. The two governments have a responsibility to the two peoples and the world to see that competition does not veer into conflict.
In the past four years, the two sides worked together to rebuild or establish channels of communication, as the two diplomatic and security teams have often had strategic communications and candid and in-depth dialogue, which helped the two sides to better understand each other, he said.
Particularly since his meeting with Xi in San Francisco a year ago, the two sides have made tangible progress on mil-to-mil relations, counternarcotics, law enforcement, AI, climate change and people-to-people exchange, said Biden.
The two sides support each other's bid for hosting the APEC and G20 meetings respectively in 2026, demonstrating what we can do for the two peoples when we work together, he said.
The United States does not seek a new Cold War, does not seek to change China's system, does not seek to revitalize its alliances against China, does not support "Taiwan independence," has no intention to have a conflict with China, and does not see its Taiwan policy as a way to compete with China, said Biden, noting that the US side will stay committed to the one-China policy.
The United States is prepared to enhance communication and dialogue with China during the transition period to have a better perception of each other and responsibly manage the differences, said Biden.
The two presidents reiterated the seven-point common understandings on the guiding principles for China-US relations, namely treating each other with respect, finding a way to live alongside each other peacefully, maintaining open lines of communication, preventing conflict, upholding the United Nations Charter, cooperating in areas of shared interest, and responsibly managing competitive aspects of the relationship.
The two sides expressed readiness to uphold these principles, continue to stabilize China-US relations, and ensure a smooth transition of the relationship.
The two heads of state spoke positively about the important role of China-US strategic communication, regular contact between the diplomatic and security teams, and dialogue mechanisms on mil-to-mil relations, economic and trade ties, and financial issues. They agreed to maintain the momentum in communication and strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination.
The two presidents reviewed the important progress in dialogue and cooperation on counternarcotics, climate change, AI, and people-to-people exchanges since their San Francisco meeting.
The two presidents believed that the two sides have had candid and constructive dialogue on AI. The two sides co-sponsored each other's resolutions at the UN General Assembly on AI. They also affirmed the need to enhance international cooperation and promote AI for good and for all. They stressed the need to maintain human control over the decision to use nuclear weapons.
The two heads of state agreed that their meeting had been candid, profound, and constructive, expressing their willingness to stay in contact.
China's newly announced space cargo shuttle, the Haolong, has become a highlight of the ongoing Airshow China 2024. Its chief designer Fang Yuanpeng told the Global Times that the spacecraft has entered the engineering development phase, and the public can expect to see it soon.
The Haolong space cargo shuttle is developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute under the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). The institute developed several types of Chinese fighter jets, including the J-20, the J-10 and the FC-1, all featuring "long," meaning dragon in Chinese, in their nicknames.
Fang said that if an aircraft needs to enter space orbit, it needs to take into account all the effects of the space environment on the vehicle, so many design concepts of a space shuttle needs to consider both aeronautics and spaceflight. But the main challenge is still the aerodynamic design, he said.
The Haolong features a large wingspan design with high lift-to-drag ratio. It is about 10 meters long and eight meters wide. This design means that the spacecraft has relatively high maneuverability within the atmosphere, and that it has more reentry opportunities, according to Fang.
According to Fang, the space shuttle Haolong can be launched into orbit via a commercial carrier rocket once loaded with cargo. After entering orbit, the Haolong will unfold its solar panels and open its docking shield. After maneuvers to close in on the space station, the rear of the Haolong will dock with the space station, and astronauts can access Haolong's cargo bay to pick up and store goods. After completing the mission, the Haolong will leave the space station, depart from the orbit and reenter the atmosphere, before landing on an airport horizontally.
The Haolong can receive maintenance similar to an aircraft after landing, so it can conduct another mission, according to Fang. Its reusability means that the full life cycle cost is significantly lowered, he said.
The development of the spacecraft is divided into design, engineering development, and cargo mission phases. Fang revealed that the design phase is already complete, and the engineering development phase is underway. "I believe that the public will see it soon," he said.
Media reports that Taiwan is considering a massive $15 billion military package to show the incoming Donald Trump administration that it is serious about strengthening its own defense have sparked controversy on the island.
Some people on the island have expressed concerns that Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities are trading the interests of the Taiwan people to curry US support, which cannot guarantee security but instead will heighten tensions across the Taiwan Straits.
In an article titled "Taiwan considers big US defence purchases as overture to Donald Trump," the Financial Times, citing several people familiar with the matter, reported on Monday that Taiwan "would probably" request Lockheed Martin vessels and Northrop Grumman's E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, an airborne radar system. It also wants more Patriot missiles and may request F-35 fighter jets, which could be controversial in Washington.
The DPP authorities of Taiwan said that "There has been a period of consolidation and discussion between it and the US on military needs, but there is no new stage of discussion at this time," Reuters reported.
Financial Times report has sparked heated discussions within the island. Some media outlets in Taiwan, such as ET Today, likened such an arms deal to paying "protection fee" to the US.
Eric Chu Li-luan, chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT) Party was cited by Taiwan media United Daily News as saying that arms procurement requires a consensus across political parties. If the DPP is solely focused on confrontation, no amount of defense budget can guarantee security.
Although the DPP authorities claim there is no "new stage" for the arms deal, they are anxious that the new US administration might treat the Taiwan question as a "bargaining chip," so they are eager to show the US its "allegiance" regardless of the interests of the Taiwan people, Wang Wu-lang, secretary-general of the Labor Rights Association in Taiwan, told the Global Times.
Some netizens in Taiwan expressed concerns on social media. For example, a netizen said that the DPP authorities would sacrifice the welfare of Taiwan people to cater to the US. Another netizen commented that buying weapons is useless and peace is the only way out.
In response to the US Department of Defense's approval of arms sales worth nearly $2 billion to Taiwan, Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense said at a press conference on October 31 that China strongly condemns and firmly opposes the US move.
The US has reneged on its own promise and is intensifying efforts to arm Taiwan, emboldening "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and pushing Taiwan closer toward the "abyss of military conflict," the spokesperson said.
China unveiled a scale model of two-seat variant of the J-20 stealth fighter jet, the J-20S, at the exhibition hall of Airshow China 2024, which will be held in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province from November 12 to 17.
Military expert Zhang Xuefeng told the Global Times on Sunday that the J-20S has potential as a command aircraft for coordinating loyal wingman drones.
A scale model of the J-20S has been put on display at the exhibition hall of the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). The J-20S is the first two-seat fifth-generation fighter jet made known to the world.
The J-20S is a new generation, medium-to-long range, two-seat heavy multirole stealth fighter jet developed independently by China. It is equipped for medium-to-long range air superiority missions and precision strikes on land and maritime targets, the Global Times learned from the AVIC at the airshow.
Developed from the J-20, the J-20S has enhanced capabilities in terms of situational awareness, electronic disruption as well as tactical command and control. It can carry out manned and unmanned collaborative combat, the Global Times learned.
Previous generations of fighter jets have seen precedence in which single-seat versions developed into two-seat variants, and this was because two-seat warplanes enable senior pilots to train new pilots on the same aircraft, allowing a second pilot to manage complex operations such as radar detection and missile attack, Zhang said.
When it comes to fifth-generation fighter jets, which have rich information and network systems, automatic data processing systems and AI technologies, adding a second pilot to command other aircraft offers significant tactical advantages, Zhang said, noting that the additional pilot could contribute to the command and collaboration between the manned fighter jet and loyal wingman drones.
For example, some loyal wingman drones could act as external sensors for the fighter jet, others could function as weapon launch platforms, Zhang said.
China has displayed loyal wingman drones such as the FH-97A at the Airshow China 2022.
The loyal wingman drone is not only a sensor, but also an ammunition depot, and an intelligent assistant for pilots. It can extend a pilot's situational awareness and scope of attack, and by using the drones in large numbers, each drone serves as an intelligent node in the air combat network, obtain local combat information, and filter and integrate to form a wider battlefield situation, assist pilots to make decisions, and liberate people from dangerous and highly tense combat environments, so that in addition to being traditional pilots, the pilots can become more of commanders of a flight formation, the drone's developer told the Global Times at that time.
