With endeavors from all sectors of society, the 226-meter-long dike breach at Dongting Lake, China's second-largest freshwater lake in Central China's Hunan Province, was sealed on Monday night with the restoration work proceeding from both land and water.

Zhang Yingchun, an executive vice governor of Hunan Province, said during the briefing that great efforts have been made to proceed the repairs to the breach as quickly as possible, with 485 personnel as well as 3,180 dump trucks and 85 vessels of all types being put into use without interruption.

The restoration of the dike, which started on Saturday afternoon, has accelerated since Sunday morning after the water level differences in and outside the breach narrowed and the water flow slowed down.

Rescue forces dumped rocks and raw materials into the water from four barges that contain 2,000 cubic meters of rock, while also combining the river closure measures of transverse dumping and end dumping. With these methods, experts estimated that the dike can be rebuilt at a speed of 3-4 meters per hour, the equivalent of 60 meters to 80 meters each day.

As the repairs proceeded in an orderly manner, the gap narrowed and the water flow speeded up, which caused the dumped sand and gravel to be easily washed away, increasing the difficulty of plugging the gap, an employee from China Anneng Construction Group Corp Ltd, one of the main forces undertaking the repair operation, told the Global Times on Monday.

Zhang Lirong, chief engineer from Anneng added during the Monday briefing that the biggest difficulty is that the breach with a width of 226 meters and an average water depth of more than 10 meters constitute a significant amount of work with diversified blocking material sources and long distance of transportation.

To address these difficulties, blocking materials are dumped from both land and water routes and the traffic was coordinated to assure the transportation of the materials.

"We have developed a plan to simultaneously use land and water routes for dumping and blocking, based on the conditions of the site's roads and waterways. We are enhancing traffic guidance and on-site coordinated command, and optimizing the techniques for mixing and dumping various material sources," Zhang said.

These difficulties were soon resolved in an orderly manner, according to Zhang.

Two cases of dike piping were identified on Monday morning at the 14.35-kilometer-long embankment, viewed as "the second line of defense" located between the breached dike in Tuanzhou township and the next dike in southern Qianlianghu township.

The main function of the embankment is to prevent the next embankment area from being flooded by acting as a barrier when a breach or overflow occurs in the forefront dike.

PLA officers and soldiers in Hunan Province rushed to the scene to carry out the emergency operations, according to the China Central Television (CCTV) Military Report.

Several dump trucks carrying sand and gravel arrived at the scene in less than 15 minutes. In addition, large self-unloading barges quickly transported a large amount of rocks and raw materials to the section of dike where the piping occurred.

According to experts from Hunan Provincial Department of Water Resources, the piping has been brought under initial control through efforts made by more than 300 rescue personnel, including armed police and firefighters who conducted emergency operations under the guidance of experts from the provincial department of water resources.

The PLA Southern Theater Command Air Force on Sunday night dispatched more than 700 officers and soldiers and 46 vehicles to Yueyang to carry out flood control and rescue tasks. Moreover, the PLA air force carried out tasks of patrolling and enforcing the dikes and production and life resumption tasks.

China's Ministry of Water Resources on Monday conducted consultation analyses and assessed the rainfall, water conditions, and flood situations in the Yangtze River, Huaihe River, and Yishu River basins, maintaining the Level-III flood control emergency response for East China's Anhui and Jiangxi provinces and Central China's Hubei and Hunan provinces, maintaining the Level-IV flood control emergency response for Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, East China's Shandong and Jiangsu provinces and Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, CCTV reported on Monday.

It is expected within the next 24 hours, water levels in Luoshan section, Dongting Lake, Taihu Lake in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River will recede below warning levels whereas the water levels in Lianhuatang in Yueyang, the section between Jiujiang and Datong River, Poyang Lake and Xiushui county will remain above warning levels.

Xi Jinping, chairman of the Central Military Commission, has signed an order to commend an outstanding military unit and an individual.

Troop 92950 of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) was honored with a first-class merit citation.

Liu Aijun of the Army Engineering University of the PLA was honored a third-class merit citation in defense-related science and technology.

The Two AIs: Artificial Intelligence and Artistic Intelligence forum, organized by the China Academy of Art, was held on Saturday in Shanghai. As an essential part of the 2024 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC 2024), the forum attracted scholars, artists and technical experts from around the globe to explore the deep integration of artificial intelligence and art.

This forum delved into the relationship between artificial intelligence (AI) and artistic intelligence and also showcased the achievements of the China Academy of Art in promoting interdisciplinary integration and industry-academia research collaboration.

"AI's threat to humanity still comes from humans themselves. Artificial intelligence is not designed to mimic humans, nor to replace them. It has its own future, which is diverse and open," said Gao Shiming, president of the China Academy of Art.

Gao emphasized that the more advanced AI becomes, the more humanity needs artistic intelligence.

The China Academy of Art announced its continued commitment to collaborating with various sectors of society to explore new paths for high-quality development, contributing to the sustainable development of AI globally.

Professor Zhang Zheng, director of Amazon Web Services' (AWS) Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Lab, discussed the challenges of artistic creation in the era of large models, highlighting the importance of critical thinking.

"Compared to AI, humans are driven by an innate curiosity that allows us to think more deeply and explore broader unknown territories. The key is to cultivate critical thinking," Zhang noted.

Other speakers addressed the symbiotic relationship between art and technology from a historical perspective, pointing out the current lack of artistic context in AI-generated works.

Some examined AI as a new medium, stressing the importance of balance and creative control. Others argued for the need to maintain human individuality in the AI era and cautioned against over-reliance on AI technology.

After the Philippines repeatedly denied the "Gentleman's Agreement" and was later refuted by China with solid evidence, Manila has started a new political performance. On Wednesday, around 200 people on board five commercial fishing vessels set off from the Philippines, sailing toward the waters of Huangyan Dao under the banner of "defending rights," with an expected arrival on Thursday. The Philippine government has dispatched coast guard ships to escort this so-called "civilian fleet," and some Western media outlets have quickly picked up the story. This well-coordinated and professional approach is something we have seen in several previous incidents where the Philippines has stirred up trouble in the South China Sea.

Before departing, the Philippine Coast Guard deliberately emphasized that they have "nothing to do with the Philippine government," while the organizers loudly proclaimed their actions to be "civilian" and "peaceful." Such strenuous preparation has just given themselves away, revealing they know well that the move to challenge Huangyan Dao is neither a civilian action nor a peaceful one. What they are truly doing is using Philippine "fishermen" as a backdrop to provoke incidents, attempting to interfere with the normal law enforcement of the China Coast Guard and the regular fishing activities of Chinese fishermen. At the same time, they aim to gain sympathy from the international community through Western media, smear China, and incite a new round of friction or even confrontation between China and the Philippines at Huangyan Dao.

Noticeably, the so-called "civilian organization" behind this activity is far from being genuinely civilian. Its spokesperson previously publicly stated that all of the organization's activities are supported by the Philippine military. Additionally, media reports have revealed that this organization is funded by relevant American institutions. Therefore, this show is actually another act in the US' Project Myoushu in the South China Sea. Through this project, the US aims to increase its interference in the South China Sea situation, smear the law-enforcement actions of the China Coast Guard, encourage relevant countries in the South China Sea region to adopt a tough stance against China, and undermine the peaceful situation that China and other regional countries have been striving to establish. Thus, although this organization deliberately downplays its political nature on its website, it is essentially a business deal between Filipino politicians and Washington.

Huangyan Dao has always been China's territory. China has indisputable sovereignty over Huangyan Dao and its adjacent waters. China, as a party with absolute advantages in all aspects, has shown enough goodwill and patience toward the Philippines. China made a goodwill arrangement in 2016 for Filipino fishermen to fish with a small number of small fishing boats in the adjacent waters of Huangyan Dao, while China continues to oversee and monitor relevant activities of the Filipino fishermen in accordance with law. China has shown its utmost patience and tolerance toward the Philippines.

On one hand, the current Philippine government has accepted China's goodwill arrangement, but on the other hand, it greedily attempts to seize more benefits. It has used the urgent desire of the US to intervene in the South China Sea situation to support itself. China has always been against bullying small countries by big powers, but it will not accept any political blackmail from any country. Regarding the Philippines' show on Huangyan Dao, China has issued a clear warning: "If the Philippines abuses China's goodwill and infringes upon China's territorial sovereignty and jurisdiction, we will defend our rights and take countermeasures in accordance with the law. Relevant responsibilities and consequences shall be borne solely by the Philippines." China has always been low-key in its actions, but it will follow through with its words. Manila should understand and take in the meaning and weight of these words.

When Global Times reporters interviewed locals in the Philippines not long ago, many fishermen expressed unwillingness to participate in the Philippines' provocative actions against China. Even some US media outlets discovered during on-site interviews in the Philippines that local farmers praised a China-funded irrigation project. The outcome of the latest performance on Huangyan Dao is not difficult to predict: It will not have any impact on China's normal exercise of sovereignty on Huangyan Dao, but will only show the international community another act of lack of credibility by Manila. Not only does China see this clearly, but regional countries and the international community also see it very clearly. The current situation in the South China Sea is generally stable, and peace and cooperation are the mainstream in the region. In response to Manila's adventurism, other ASEAN countries have in general kept their distance.

There is an ancient Chinese saying: "A gentleman's acquaintance is as light as water, and a villain's acquaintance is as sweet as alcohol." Manila should carefully consider who is applauding its show in the South China Sea, giving it one sugar cube after another, and where these things that do not belong to it will ultimately push it.

The US has accused China of having "overcapacity" in new-energy industries, an area in which China is rapidly gaining strength, sparking global controversy. Yet, the US' flawed claim doesn't hold water when all relevant indicators are taken into account.

The most direct indicators for measuring overcapacity should be underutilization of capacity, low efficiency and profit reduction. If an economy suffers from overcapacity, it means that it has underutilized capacity, a large amount of unsold inventory, insufficient business operations, and needs to lower prices and reduce profits in order to move inventory.

On the contrary, if the capacity utilization rate of an economy is relatively high or similar compared with other economies and product inventory is decreasing while sales are growing rapidly, this situation cannot be called overcapacity.

Currently, the capacity utilization rate of China's industrial enterprises and the US, which accuses China of "overcapacity," both sits at around 75 percent. In addition, idle inventory in China is on a downward trend. China's manufacturing exports are also continuing to grow. Industries such as new-energy vehicles and photovoltaics are experiencing high export growth rates, with double-digit increases maintained in the first four months.

In terms of profit margins, in the first three months of this year, the profit of China's industrial enterprises above designated size increased by 4.3 percent compared to the same period last year. This indicates that China is not selling products at unreasonable prices to clear inventory.

Looking from all these aspects, the data simply does not support the claim that China is plagued by "overcapacity."

The fact is that China does not have an "overcapacity" issue as accused by the US. Instead, China has established a strong competitive edge across new-energy industries. China's companies have consolidated their advantages, especially in the solar panel and electric vehicle industries, largely outpacing American companies. This is the real issue for the US.

The competitiveness of Chinese enterprises and industries mainly comes from the high efficiency and hard-working spirit demonstrated by Chinese employees and entrepreneurs. The Chinese economy, an enormous system, has developed unparalleled economic scale in the world, which is the root of China's economic and industrial competitiveness and efficiency. 

As American industries and companies cannot compete with their Chinese counterparts, the US hopes to use any available unfair tactic to undermine China. However, the US government's economic policies do not conform to objective economic laws. The US' attempts to attribute China's success to subsidies and other factors will be futile in hindering the progress of Chinese industries.

The series of economic policies of the Biden administration are not in line with objective economic laws and counterproductive in advancing the development of its manufacturing industry, only adding obstacles to the normal operation and development of its manufacturing industry and companies. The Biden administration's efforts to revive manufacturing, reindustrialize, and achieve other goals will not be able to make real progress in this manner.

The emergence of the US' so-called "overcapacity" rhetoric against China's new-energy industries is also because the US needs to concoct a pretext to justify taking hostile measures and protectionist approaches against Chinese industries. The Biden administration has announced new tariffs as high as 100 percent on Chinese electric vehicles and additional import taxes on other Chinese goods. The Biden administration has been justifying this move with hype of "overcapacity" and "unfair competition."

The US accuses China of "overcapacity" while putting in place $370 billion in subsidies to the clean energy industry through its Inflation Reduction Act, which is a typical double-standard approach. If the US goes further in the wrong direction of protectionism and politicizing economic issues, it will only create more disruptions to the development of its economy and industries.

The US sees China as its top strategic rival rather than cooperating partner, but China is willing to engage in fair competition with the US. The US was once a great country. Hopefully, the US can return to fair and free competition and engage in win-win cooperation with China.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China's top economic planner, held a symposium in recent days with representatives of private companies on trade-ins of large-scale equipment and consumer products, according to a post seen on Monday on the NDRC's WeChat account.

The meeting added to a series of moves by the Chinese central government and departments to promote the upgrading of consumer items. Since the sweeping plan to shore up consumption was launched in March, spending on consumer goods has jumped, data from the country's e-commerce platforms showed. Sales of some items doubled during the just-concluded five-day May Day holidays that ended on Sunday.

Observers said that the spending spree presages a stepped-up recovery in the consumer market, which only grew mildly in the first quarter. Analysts expect that the trade-in fueled consumption could open up a huge market worth trillions of yuan throughout the year. They expect retail sales to grow more than 5 percent in 2024, helping the economy to navigate through rising headwinds and meet the GDP growth target of about 5 percent.

Private firms that took part in the NDRC meeting included battery maker Tianneng Group, equipment manufacturer Xizi UHC and Canny Elevator. Company attendees highlighted the huge market potential of equipment upgrades, which could help them improve their technology and competitiveness. Upgrades could also improve living standards and enhance the standards of public services such as education and healthcare, the NDRC post noted.

The meeting aligns with an overall plan the State Council, the country's cabinet, released in March, which aims to promote the large-scale renewal of equipment and trade-ins of consumer goods.

Since then, various Chinese departments have announced trade-in stimulus plans for different consumer goods, including vehicles, home appliances, industrial equipment and home decoration goods. The overarching plan has also been endorsed by dozens of localities such as Shanghai, East China's Zhejiang and Shandong provinces, and Central China's Henan Province, which issued corresponding detailed measures to fast-track the implementation of the plan.

These concrete efforts have borne fruit, the Global Times learned.

A spokesperson of e-commerce platform Suning told the Global Times on Monday that the new plan has "largely unleashed consumer vitality in the home appliance market."

The platform provided consumers who joined the trade-in plan during the May Day holidays with up to 5,000 yuan ($693.73) in subsidies and 10 percent price discounts on new consumer items.

According to data provided by Suning, sales of green, energy-saving appliances more than doubled during the May Day holidays thanks to the trade-in policy, while orders for home appliance renovations and replacements expanded by 96 percent year-on-year. Orders for replacement air conditioners jumped by 78 percent.

Another Chinese e-commerce platform, JD.com Inc, has not released its to-date sales data. But according to a statement the company sent to the Global Times on Monday, it is estimated that more than 20 million users will participate in the company's home appliance and home furnishings trade-in program, with more than 30 million units of used goods being recycled so far in 2024.

A number of Chinese vehicle makers including BYD, Xpeng and Nio have also joined the trade-in program, providing subsidies for consumers who scrapped old cars in exchange for new-energy vehicles, the Securities Times reported on Monday.

Observers said that consumer goods such as home appliances and vehicles are the leaders in taking advantage of the trade-in policy. The effects of the policy will gradually expand to large commodities such as industrial products and large-scale equipment.

He Weiwen, a senior fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, told the Global Times on Monday that the impact of the trade-in policy will be more apparent in the second half of the year.

"It is estimated that the policy could drive China's GDP by less than 1 percent in 2024, which is quite valuable," he said, calling for more substantial inputs from the government and companies to consolidate the result.

Analysts pointed out an imbalance in the recovery of China's consumption, as services consumption has been picking up while that of consumer goods remains "modest."

As the trade-in program is set to inject new vitality into goods consumption, He Weiwen projected that retail sales will accelerate in the second quarter and expand by 5-7 percent this year.

Retail sales rose 4.7 percent year-on-year to 12.03 trillion yuan in the first quarter, National Bureau of Statistics data showed.

China's Ministry of Finance and the Cyberspace Administration of China have released a series of interim measures for data security management by accounting firms, effective from October 1, 2024, with the aim of standardizing data processing activities, according to an announcement by the finance ministry on Friday.

According the announcement, the interim measures are a refinement of the relevant provisions for the national network and data security management in the certified public accountant (CPA) profession, providing a basis for CPA firms to carry out data security management activities.

The measures are conducive to promoting the institutionalization and standardization of data security management in the CPA profession, and they respond to the development of the digital economy and further improve the basic system of the CPA profession, read the announcement.

The provisional measures regulate six main areas including standardization of data classification and grading, standardization of the management of manuscripts and enhancement of network management.

Up to now, 35 accounting firms in China have joined or created 28 international accounting networks, and the profession has become increasingly close to foreign exchanges and cooperation. The provisional measures stipulate that audit working papers from accounting firms should be deposited in China in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Accounting firms are not allowed to include in engagement letters or contracts clauses such as domestic project information. If overseas regulators need to access the domestic audit working papers due to regulatory needs, they should obtain them through the corresponding cross-border regulatory cooperation mechanism in accordance with the law, and the corresponding audit working papers should go through the relevant approval procedures before leaving the country.

Accounting firms should establish a level-by-level review mechanism for audit working papers on exit matters and implement data security control responsibilities, according to the announcement.

In addition, the interim measures require accounting firms to establish a data backup system to ensure that relevant audit working papers can still be accessed, retrieved and utilized in the event that the audit-related application system is taken out of service or restricted for external technical reasons. Encryption equipment should be set up and operated and maintained by a team in China.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday extended festive greetings and best wishes to the country's working people ahead of International Workers' Day, which falls on May 1.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, sent the greetings on behalf of the CPC Central Committee.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and a crucial year to fulfill the goals and tasks set in the 14th Five-Year Plan, Xi said, praising the important contributions made by the working people to the cause of the Party and the country.

Xi called on working people to actively participate in advancing Chinese modernization with high-quality development, and work tirelessly to promote the building of a strong country and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts.

Xi asked Party committees and governments at all levels to earnestly realize, safeguard and develop the legitimate rights and interests of workers, and encourage working people to realize dreams through their work.

China's cyberspace watchdog announced on Sunday the launch of a two-month nationwide campaign targeting illegal external links for online content including among group and social network circles and live streaming and video content with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. 

The campaign also targets pornographic and content displayed in commercial promotion areas of channels frequented by minors.

Illegal website links are published in user profile pictures, nicknames, bios, signatures, and covers. Methods such as posting explicit and low-quality content, frequent likes and follows, and account bio promotions are used for promotion and redirection among illegal accounts, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said in a post published on Sunday. 

Illegal website links are also posted in comments under popular topics and live streams. Tactics such as "don't search this" or "ignore the text below" are used to induce users to search for illegal sites.

Links to pornographic and scam websites are shared within chat histories, H5 pages, document notes, and mini-program sharing links will be targeted. Fake group buying and game testing activities are used alongside hyperbolic language like "not forwarding makes you unpatriotic," to induce users to click on and spread illegal links.

New AI technology or false identities are used to post pseudo-success advice, "health courses," and financial tips, leading users to add friends or join groups for scams, the authority said. 

Suggestive content is shared during live streams through placards, quick mobile screen switches, and censored photo displays, or illegal URLs are embedded in live announcements, program lists, and stickers.

Accounts on dating platforms post revealing photos to attract the opposite sex for illegal activities related to pornography and gambling will be a focus on officials. Vulgar comics and novels are pushed in browser pop-up ads, enticing users to click "read full text" or "continue listening," redirecting them to external illegal websites. 

Illegal website links are artificially placed at the top of search results or generated as associated search terms to induce clicks, the CAC said. 

Pornographic games are sold under the guise of "emotional single-player games," with customer service leading to third-party platforms for the sale of erotic novels. Services like "video live streaming promotion" or "fan base engagement" are offered to entice private inquiries, which actually provide services like inflating views, controlling reviews, or increasing followers.

The CAC said some pornographic novels and vulgar online literature are displayed in commercial promotion areas of channels frequented by minors. 

Pornographic links are posted in apps used mainly by minors under the guise of free comics and video resources, leading them to illegal websites or to obtain pornographic material through cloud storage. These efforts aim to curb the spread of illegal content and protect the digital environment.

As spring breathes warmth into the air, kite festivals are being held worldwide, attracting thousands of kite enthusiasts and tourists alike. Flying kites, an ancient custom revitalized in modern society, is more than just an outdoor sport, but also a means of cultural preservation. 

These festivals bring together top kite fliers from various nations, who showcase their unique designs and flying skills. The diversity ranges from China's traditional dragon kites to India's fighting kites, from simple paper versions to those made with modern high-tech materials.

Kites, invented by the ancient Chinese during the Spring and Autumn Period (770BC-476BC) over 2,000 years ago, has a rich heritage. 

Legend has it that the philosopher Mozi crafted the first kite out of wood, a project that took three years to perfect. The inventor Lu Ban later improved on Mozi's designs using bamboo, and during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), court official Cai Lun's improvements to papermaking technology led to the widespread use of paper in kite construction. 

Right now, kite festivals not only highlight the diversity of the kites themselves, but also illustrate the cultural exchanges and integration they foster. In the context of globalization, these events serve as significant platforms for cultural dissemination. 

On April 20, the 37th Berck-sur-Mer International Kite Festival in France opened, with China honored as the guest nation. This participation is a key part of the 2024 China-France Cultural Tourism Year. 

China, the birthplace of kite flying, made its debut as the first guest country at the Berck Festival, bringing an authentic Chinese kite art and cultural experience to viewers. 

The Berck Kite Festival, founded in 1987, is one of France's largest and most influential kite-themed events. The Paris Chinese Cultural Center, this year's organizer for the guest nation's activities, collaborated with Weifang city in East China's Shandong Province, known as the kite capital of China, to provide a wealth of kite resources and organize a variety of cultural experience activities, thus presenting Chinese culture from multiple perspectives. 

The event featured dragon and lion dances, martial arts displays, tea ceremonies, calligraphy, traditional Chinese music performances, a Hanfu (traditional Han clothing) show and experience, and kite-making workshops from the Weifang team, China News Service reported.

In 1958, a Chinese-French film titled The Kite premiered, using the kite as a medium to lay a solid foundation for diplomatic relations between China and France. The film tells the story of a Paris boy who receives a kite from Beijing with a letter, leading to a dream adventure in China and cross-continental kite-fueled correspondence.

In China, when people think of kites, they think of Weifang. The 41st Weifang International Kite Festival opened there on April 20, with kite enthusiasts from across the country bringing their carefully crafted kites to participate. The skies over Weifang were filled with kites of all shapes and creative designs.

This year's kite festival included the 20th World Kite Championship, which serves as an international venue for both economic and cultural exchanges and showcases rich traditional cultural elements. The championship commenced on April 20, featuring 137 teams from 46 different countries and regions and involving 465 participants who brought a total of 509 kites.

Khalil Hashmi, Ambassador of Pakistan to China, gave a speech at the opening ceremony held on April 19 in which he called the Weifang International Kite Festival a global event celebrating friendship, innovation, and the joy of flying kites.

Ali West Hill from India told the Global Times that he has been flying kites for 15 years but this was his first time in Weifang, as well as in China. He was very excited to see the country and experience the different culture here through the festival.  

Meanwhile, traditional swallow and goldfish-shaped kites no longer suffice for many kite experts. This year, kites shaped like trains, rockets, and even the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge took to the skies, with a giant cockroach kite becoming one of the most eye-catching ones. 

One visitor remarked, "After coming here, I finally understand why there is a saying in Weifang that 'anything can reach the skies.'"