Podcasts about chinese academy

Classical wisdom should illuminate humanity's path forward and address key questions of our time, including how to keep our world in peace and order, according to an initiative announced at the closing ceremony of the Second World Conference of Classics in Athens, Greece, on Wednesday.周三，第二届世界古典学大会在希腊雅典落下帷幕，会上发布一项倡议。该倡议提出，古典智慧应为人类前行之路指引方向，并解答当今时代的核心问题，其中就包括如何维护世界的和平与秩序。Surrounded by stunning frescoes depicting Prometheus stealing the fire to enlighten the human world at the Academy of Athens, over 200 scholars from Asia, Europe, America and Africa engaged in in-depth discussions to reach the consensus regarding the role of classical studies in safeguarding the future of humanity.雅典学院内，精美壁画描绘着普罗米修斯盗火启迪人间的场景。来自亚、欧、美、非四大洲的200余名学者在此展开深入探讨，就古典学研究在守护人类未来中扮演的角色达成共识。"Only by knowing where we come from can we understand where we stand today and where we are heading," said the initiative.倡议中写道：知来路，方能明当下、知前行。It urged "harnessing the power of virtues in classical wisdom" to remain steadfast on the right course of civilization, "promoting friendship and coexistence" to build a home for our shared future of humanity, "safeguarding peace and order" to strengthen the foundations of future security, and "cultivating humanistic values in the digital age" to guide technological progress.倡议呼吁：汲取古典智慧中的美德力量，坚守文明正道；倡导友好共处，共建人类命运共同体；维护和平秩序，筑牢未来安全根基；培育数字时代的人文价值，引领科技向善发展。"We are confident that classical studies will provide an inexhaustible source of wisdom and strength for humanity's peace, development and shared future," it said.倡议表示：我们坚信，古典学研究将为人类的和平、发展与共同未来，源源不断地提供智慧与力量。Scholars told China Daily that it was the right time for Chinese and Greek academies to co-host the conference in Athens, which is also a symbolic city of dialogue in ancient history, as the world experiences fundamental changes and rising conflicts of interests and ideologies.多位学者在接受《中国日报》采访时表示，当下世界格局发生深刻变革，利益与意识形态冲突不断加剧，中希学界携手在雅典举办此次大会恰逢其时。雅典自古便是文明对话的象征之城。Roger Ames, humanities chair professor at Peking University and vice-president of the International Confucian Association, said the world should congratulate China for helping to shift the world's conversation from geopolitics to civilization.北京大学人文讲席教授、国际儒学联合会副会长罗杰·艾姆斯表示，中国推动全球议题从地缘政治转向文明交流，值得世界为之称赞。"What China has been doing for the last 20 years is promoting a civilizational dialogue where we talk not about money and military power, but about family, values, shared histories, and what we want for our grandchildren," he added.他补充道：“过去二十年间，中国一直在推动文明对话。对话的核心不再是财富与军力，而是家庭、价值观、共同的历史，以及我们想留给后代的未来。”Amphilochios Papathomas, a professor of ancient Greek literature and papyrology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, said the escalation of conflicts can be avoided through dialogue.雅典国立及卡波迪斯特里亚大学古希腊文学与纸草学教授安菲洛希奥斯·帕帕索马斯认为，依靠对话能够避免冲突不断升级。"What we have learned from classical authors, like Thucydides, is that we have to be very cautious to avoid a military and political escalation," he said.他说：“从修昔底德等古典先贤的著作中我们领悟到，必须谨言慎行，防止军事与政治冲突持续升级。”Papathomas added that the peaceful shift in the balance of power between the United Kingdom and the United States in the early 20th century showed it was possible to avoid the "Thucydides Trap" of military conflict because the two countries had mutual respect.帕帕索马斯还提到，20世纪初英美两国实现权力格局的和平更迭，印证了只要两国相互尊重，就能够规避引发军事冲突的“修昔底德陷阱”。"If we achieve that between East and West by studying Eastern classics and Western classics, we will be able to get rid of this 'Thucydides Trap' and construct a very peaceful and prosperous future for the generations to come," he said.他表示：“倘若东西方能够通过研习东西方经典做到彼此尊重，就能跳出‘修昔底德陷阱'，为子孙后代打造一个和平繁荣的未来。”Hu Yujuan, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of World History, said that war cannot be ended by war but by love and benevolence.中国社会科学院世界历史研究所资深研究员胡玉娟表示，以战止战终无出路，唯有仁爱方能终结纷争。She noted that the ancient Roman Empire once revered Mars, the god of war, and achieved only a temporary form of "peace through war". However, after turning to worship Venus, the goddess of love, it entered a period of lasting stability known as the "Pax Romana", a roughly 200-year era of peace and stability.她指出，古罗马帝国曾尊崇战神玛尔斯，依靠战争换来的和平转瞬即逝。而当帝国转而信奉爱神维纳斯后，便迎来了长达约两百年、长治久安的“罗马和平”时代。"Classical wisdom tells us that violence cannot resolve all conflicts," Hu said. "Only the power of love can eliminate conflict and lead to harmony."胡玉娟说道：“古典智慧昭示我们，暴力无法化解所有矛盾。唯有爱的力量，才能消弭纷争、促成和谐。”1. illuminate /ɪˈluːmɪneɪt/照亮；阐明，启迪2. fresco /ˈfreskəʊ/壁画3. consensus /kənˈsensəs/共识，一致意见4. inexhaustible /ˌɪnɪɡˈzɔːstəbl/用不完的；源源不断的5. escalation /ˌeskəˈleɪʃn/升级，加剧6. benevolence /bəˈnevələns/仁爱，善心，仁慈

China has unveiled new regulations on outbound investment to push ahead high-level opening-up while safeguarding national security and interests. Why has China introduced the rules at this particular moment? What do they mean for Chinese companies expanding overseas and for their international partners? And how can China balance opening-up and security? Host Dou Hongyu is joined by Adjunct Professor Warwick Powell at Queensland University of Technology; Assistant Professor Wang Yaojing with the School of Economics, Peking University; Senior Research Fellow Zhou Mi with the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, to answer these questions.

On The Space Show for Wednesday, 13 May 2026:Space Show News: The Australian Federal Budget — An analysis of the space and astronomy sections of the 2026 Federal Budget. Extraterrestrial Life - Could We Cope? The US government has released a first batch of 160 previously classified files on alleged UFO sightings and alien life. The files include a 1947 report of "flying discs" and a photo of "unidentified phenomena" taken from the Moon's surface during the Apollo 12 lunar mission in 1969. In light of these releases, we'll first hear comments from President Trump, then a fascinating retrospective discussion, largely philosophical in nature, between the New Zealand astronomer and television presenter Peter Read and Professor Alan Forbes of Wellington's Victoria University on how humanity might cope with the discovery of extraterrestrial life. (Inserts Fox News, WH and NZBC)The Andy Thomas Space Foundation: Nicola Sasanelli (Adjunct Professor and then Chief Executive Officer, Andy Thomas Space Foundation, Adelaide) on the formation and purposes of the Foundation. (Recorded by The Space Show at a meeting of the Space Association of Australia, South Melbourne)SMILEA preview of the China-ESA satellite SMILE (or Solar-wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer), which is due to be launched on 19 May 2026. SMILE is a collaborative satellite mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) designed to study how the solar wind interacts with Earth's magnetic shield.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was awarded the title of honorary professor by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences on Tuesday in Beijing, in recognition of his contributions to promoting agricultural science and technology cooperation between China and Pakistan.巴基斯坦总理夏巴兹·谢里夫周二在北京被中国农业科学院授予名誉教授称号，以表彰他为推动中巴农业科技合作所作出的贡献。Speaking at the ceremony, Sharif said that agriculture remained a key topic of discussion during his meetings with Chinese leaders.夏巴兹在仪式上表示，农业是他与中国领导人会晤期间讨论的关键议题。He said that Pakistan hopes to learn from China's development experience and expand cooperation in areas such as crop breeding, animal husbandry, climate-smart agriculture, agricultural machinery and agricultural product processing, in order to improve productivity and added value.他说，巴基斯坦希望学习中国的发展经验，扩大在作物育种、畜牧业、气候智慧型农业、农业机械以及农产品加工等领域的合作，以提高生产力和附加值。Sharif announced that Pakistan will launch the second phase of its "Thousand Talents Plan", which will see 1,000 more young people from Pakistan sent to Chinese agricultural institutions to study and undertake training.夏巴兹宣布，巴基斯坦将启动“千人计划”第二阶段，再派遣千余名巴基斯坦青年到中国农业院校学习和培训。"I propose sending 1,000 students and fresh agriculture graduates from all provinces of Pakistan to Chinese universities for formal courses and modern agricultural training," he said.他说：“我提议从巴基斯坦各省选派1000名学生和应届农业毕业生，到中国大学学习正规课程和现代农业培训。”Sharif's four-day official visit to China, which concluded on Tuesday, is an important high-level exchange between the two countries as this month marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations.夏巴兹对中国的四天正式访问于5月26日结束。此次访问是中巴两国间一次重要的高层交流，本月恰逢两国建交75周年。His announcement was warmly welcomed by Pakistani students at the academy, many of whom view China's agricultural modernization as a model for Pakistan's rural development.他的这一表态当即获得在该院学习的巴基斯坦学生热烈回应，他们中许多人把中国农业现代化看作巴基斯坦农村发展的样板。Nadeem Sarwar, a Pakistani scholar pursuing a PhD in agricultural water resources and environment at CAAS, said that the initiative would create valuable opportunities for more young people in Pakistan.在中国农科院攻读农业水资源与环境博士学位的巴基斯坦学者纳迪姆·萨瓦尔（音译）表示，这一举措将为更多巴基斯坦年轻人创造宝贵机会。"More Pakistani graduates will have the opportunity to gain knowledge, experience and exposure at Chinese institutions. When they return to Pakistan, they can contribute to developing the agricultural sector there," he said.他说：“更多巴基斯坦毕业生将有机会在中国院校获取知识、经验和视野。当他们回到巴基斯坦后，可以为那里的农业发展做出贡献。”Sarwar's research focuses on improving the efficiency of agricultural water use, an issue he said is particularly important for Pakistan.萨瓦尔的研究重点是提高农业用水效率。他表示，这一问题对巴基斯坦尤为重要。"China has made great progress (in agriculture), especially in improving water-use efficiency," he said, adding that he hopes to use China's technologies and experience to boost Pakistan's agricultural productivity and improve its management of resources.他说：“中国（在农业方面）取得了巨大进步，尤其是在提高用水效率方面。”他还表示，希望利用中国的技术和经验来提高巴基斯坦的农业生产力和资源管理水平。Muhammad Shahzad, also a PhD scholar at CAAS, who is studying animal genetics, breeding and reproduction, described the occasion as "a really big day" for Pakistani students. "It is a matter of great pride for all Pakistanis that China truly acknowledges Pakistan and values our friendship."同样在中国农科院攻读博士学位的穆罕默德·沙赫扎德（音译），研究方向为动物遗传育种与繁殖。他将这一时刻形容为巴基斯坦学生“真正的大日子”。“中国真正认可巴基斯坦并珍视我们的友谊，这是所有巴基斯坦人的骄傲。”Shahzad noted that Pakistan's livestock industry plays a major role in the country's agricultural economy, and that scientific breeding is essential for improving productivity. "Our animals are resilient to hot weather and diseases, but we need more scientific breeding," he said.沙赫扎德指出，巴基斯坦畜牧业在该国农业经济中占有重要地位，科学育种对提高生产力至关重要。“我们的牲畜耐热、抗病，但我们需要更科学的育种方法，”他说。Huang Sanwen, president of CAAS and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that CAAS has established multiple joint platforms with Pakistani partners, including laboratories for cotton biotechnology, sustainable crop pest control and molecular breeding of wheat.中国农科院院长、中国科学院院士黄三文表示，中国农科院已与巴方伙伴建立了多个联合平台，包括棉花生物技术、可持续作物病虫害防治以及小麦分子育种等实验室。Huang said that the academy has also promoted cooperation in crop breeding, prevention of animal and plant diseases, water and soil resource management, and agricultural product processing.黄三文说，农科院还推动了作物育种、动植物疫病防控、水土资源管理以及农产品加工等领域的合作。CAAS has trained more than 300 Pakistani students over the years and established a China-Pakistan Agricultural Technology Working Group with the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, to institutionalize cooperation and strengthen capacity-building efforts, he added.他补充说，中国农科院多年来已培训了300多名巴基斯坦学生，并与巴基斯坦农业研究理事会共同成立了中巴农业技术工作组，以实现合作机制化，加强能力建设。He Zhonghu, a researcher at the academy's Institute of Crop Sciences, who has worked with Pakistani researchers for more than two decades, said that China and Pakistan have already achieved remarkable results through joint agricultural research.中国农科院作物科学研究所研究员何中虎与巴基斯坦研究人员合作已有二十余年。他表示，中巴两国通过联合农业研究已经取得了显著成果。A wheat variety developed by Chinese and Pakistani researchers has recently been approved in Pakistan following years of field testing.经过多年田间试验，中巴研究人员共同培育的一个小麦品种最近在巴基斯坦获得审定。The variety yields about 10 percent more than local varieties, matures earlier than them and has strong resistance to lodging (stem bending or breakage), said He, who is also an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.身兼中国工程院院士的何中虎介绍说，该品种比当地品种增产约10%，成熟期更早，抗倒伏能力强。"We are very happy to contribute what we can to Pakistan's agricultural development and food security," he added.“我们很高兴能为巴基斯坦的农业发展和粮食安全尽一份力，”他补充道。The researcher, who has trained 10 Pakistani PhD scholars and a number of agricultural technicians at the institute, said that future training methods should focus more on applying new technologies rather than on basic research.何中虎在该院已培养了10名巴基斯坦博士研究生和多名农业技术人员。他表示，未来的培训方法应更多地聚焦于新技术应用，而非基础研究。For example, students studying genetics or wheat breeding should also be taken to experimental fields, seed companies and flour mills for hands-on experience, he said.他例如，学习遗传学或小麦育种的学生也应被带到试验田、种子公司和面粉厂，以获得实践经验。in recognition of /ɪn ˌrekəɡˈnɪʃən əv/以表彰…crop breeding /krɒp ˈbriːdɪŋ/作物育种livestock industry /ˈlaɪvstɒk ˈɪndəstri/畜牧业sustainable crop pest control /səˈsteɪnəbəl krɒp pest kənˈtrəʊl/可持续作物病虫害防治molecular breeding /məˈlekjʊlə ˈbriːdɪŋ/分子育种lodging /ˈlɒdʒɪŋ/倒伏（农作物）

In April, the retail penetration rate of new energy passenger vehicles in China surpassed 60 percent for the first time, reaching 61.4 percent. Internal combustion vehicles are increasingly becoming the minority technology in one of the world's largest automobile markets.今年 4 月，我国新能源乘用车零售渗透率首次突破 60%，达到 61.4%。在全球最大汽车市场之一的中国，燃油车正逐渐沦为非主流车型。This transformation is being driven by simultaneous advances in multiple battery technologies in China. While lithium iron phosphate batteries continue to dominate the sector because of their lower costs and improving safety profile, research is accelerating in solid-state batteries, sodium-ion batteries and iron-based flow batteries for large-scale energy storage.这一变革得益于国内多项电池技术同步取得突破。磷酸铁锂电池凭借成本更低、安全性能持续优化的优势持续占据市场主流；与此同时，固态电池、钠离子电池以及适用于大规模储能的铁基液流电池的研发步伐也在不断加快。Over the past five years, the unit cost of power batteries in China has decreased by 30 percent, their lifespan has increased by 40 percent, and charging speeds have more than tripled. The country is transforming the battery — the most expensive and technologically sensitive component of an electric vehicle — into a mass-market commodity with rapidly improving performance. It's a story of scale, chemistry and market selection.过去五年，我国动力电池单位成本下降 30%，使用寿命提升 40%，充电速度提升两倍以上。电池是电动汽车成本最高、技术门槛最高的核心部件，如今我国正将其打造为性能持续升级的大众化产品，这背后是产业规模、材料技术与市场选择共同作用的结果。China's power battery output reached 310 gigawatt-hours in the first two months of 2026, up 22 percent year-on-year. Lithium iron phosphate batteries alone accounted for nearly 115 gigawatt-hours of production in February, far exceeding ternary lithium batteries. This reflects the emergence of a manufacturing ecosystem capable of relentless innovation and continuous cost compression.2026 年前两个月，我国动力电池产量达 310 吉瓦时，同比增长 22%。其中 2 月磷酸铁锂电池产量接近 115 吉瓦时，远超三元锂电池。这一数据体现出我国已形成具备持续创新、不断降本能力的动力电池产业生态。Meanwhile, researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences recently reported progress in iron-based flow batteries that are capable of more than 6,000 charging cycles without measurable degradation. Because iron is far cheaper and more abundant than lithium, such technologies could become important not only for electric vehicles but also for grid-scale electricity storage as renewable energy capacity expands globally.与此同时，中国科学院科研团队近期在铁基液流电池领域取得进展，该电池可完成 6000 次以上充放电循环，性能无明显衰减。铁元素相比锂元素价格更低、储量更丰富，随着全球可再生能源装机规模不断扩大，这类技术不仅可应用于电动汽车，也将在电网级储能领域发挥重要作用。The consequences for traditional automakers are profound. Many foreign automotive brands have lost their market share in China. The problem is not merely slower adaptation. Many foreign manufacturers are struggling to match the speed of innovation, cost efficiency and software integration achieved by Chinese EV makers. The International Energy Agency expects electric and hybrid vehicles to account for nearly 30 percent of global car sales this year, driven partly by fuel price pressures and falling battery costs.这场变革对传统车企影响深远。众多海外汽车品牌在华市场份额不断萎缩，问题并不仅仅在于转型滞后。海外车企在创新速度、成本控制以及软件融合能力上，已难以追赶中国新能源车企的发展步伐。受燃油价格波动、电池成本下降等因素推动，国际能源署预计，今年全球电动及混动汽车销量占比将接近 30%。China's advantage in the sector lies in integration. Chinese companies are competitive in large segments of the industry, including battery materials, cell manufacturing, software systems and vehicle assembly. This vertical integration enables faster iteration cycles, lower marginal costs and quicker commercialization of innovation.我国新能源汽车产业的核心优势在于全产业链整合。国内企业在电池材料、电芯制造、车载软件、整车组装等多个关键环节均具备竞争力。这种垂直整合模式能够缩短产品迭代周期、降低边际成本，加快创新技术落地商用。More important, China has embedded the EV industry within a broader national system organized around data, digital infrastructure and industrial coordination. EVs in China are increasingly becoming mobile computing platforms connected to payment systems, mapping services, charging networks, logistics chains and urban management technologies.更为重要的是，我国将新能源汽车产业融入到以数据、数字基建、产业协同为支撑的国家综合体系之中。如今国内的新能源汽车正逐步转变为移动智能终端，可对接支付系统、导航服务、充电网络、物流体系以及城市管理平台。This reflects a distinctive combination of government policy and market competition. Industrial policies created the initial conditions through subsidies, charging infrastructure and research funding. What transformed the sector was the interaction between enormous domestic demand and highly competitive companies forced to innovate constantly on cost, efficiency and technology.这一发展格局是政策引导与市场竞争有机结合的成果。产业政策通过补贴扶持、充电网络建设、研发资金支持，为行业发展奠定了基础；而庞大的国内市场需求，叠加企业间激烈的市场竞争，倒逼行业在成本、效能、技术上持续创新，推动产业实现跨越式发展。China's EV ecosystem also benefits from unmatched industrial clustering; battery makers, software developers, semiconductor suppliers and assembly plants operate within tightly integrated regional supply chains. Data generated by millions of connected vehicles feed directly into the AI-driven optimization of battery management, autonomous driving systems and energy efficiency.完善的产业集群也是我国新能源汽车生态的一大优势。电池企业、软件开发商、芯片供应商与整车厂形成了高度协同的区域供应链。数百万台联网车辆产生的海量数据，借助人工智能技术，持续优化电池管理、自动驾驶系统与车辆能效表现。Such system-level integration may ultimately prove even more consequential than low battery prices. For instance, on Monday, Huawei unveiled the Tau Scaling Law — a new semiconductor principle that uses logic-folding technology to continuously compress signal propagation delays. By 2031, high-end chips developed under this breakthrough — which integrates national strategy, enterprise R&D, and industrial clusters — could reportedly achieve a transistor density equivalent to the 1.4-nanometer process.这种体系化整合带来的价值，最终或将超越单纯的电池低价优势。例如，华为于本周一发布陶氏缩放定律，这是一项全新的半导体技术原理，依托逻辑折叠技术持续缩短信号传输延迟。据悉，这项融合国家战略、企业研发与产业集群优势的技术突破，有望在 2031 年打造出晶体管密度达到 1.4 纳米制程水平的高端芯片。penetration /ˌpenəˈtreɪʃn/n. 渗透率；渗透dominate /ˈdɒmɪneɪt/v. 占据主导地位；支配degradation /ˌdeɡrəˈdeɪʃn/n. 退化；衰减integration /ˌɪntɪˈɡreɪʃn/n. 整合；融合

This week on Autonomy Signals, Grayson Brulte and Rob Grant discuss the BUILD America 250 Act, XPeng's mass-produced pure vision robotaxi, and the ESA-China SMILE mission reaching orbit.House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves and Ranking Member Rick Larsen released the text of the BUILD America 250 Act, a bipartisan five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill that includes the first-ever federal framework for autonomous trucks.The bill, if passed and signed into law in its current form, would provide regulatory preemption for autonomous trucking in the United States and authorize nearly $30 million annually through 2031 for workforce development grants.Over in China, XPeng's first mass-produced robotaxi rolled off its production line in Guangzhou. The robotaxi is built on the company's GX platform and features a pure vision system powered by their in-house Turing AI chips.Then there is the SMILE mission, a landmark collaboration between the European Space Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences that launched on May 19 from Kourou, French Guiana, aboard a Vega-C rocket. SMILE carries the world's first space-borne soft X-ray imager and an ultraviolet aurora imager designed to observe and predict the space weather events that disrupt the global navigation satellite systems that autonomous vehicles, drones, and maritime vessels rely on for centimeter-level positioning.Episode Chapters00:00 AUTNMY AI1:32 Signal 1: BUILD America 250 Act37:39 Signal 2: XPENG Pure Vision Robotaxi58:51 Signal 3: ESA/China SMILE Mission Reaches OrbitAutonomy Signals is presented by KPMG.--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy is the leading applied intelligence platform covering the convergence of automation, autonomy, and the Autonomy Economy.™.Through our podcasts, newsletter, and proprietary market intelligence, we set the narrative for institutional investors, industry executives, and policymakers navigating the convergence of automation, autonomy, and economic growth.Join institutional investors and industry leaders who read This Week in The Autonomy Economy every Sunday. Each edition delivers exclusive insight and commentary on the autonomy economy, helping you stay ahead of what's next.Subscribe today: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/ae/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on Tuesday night for a two-day state visit to China, marking his 25th trip to the country since assuming the presidential office in 2000.俄罗斯总统弗拉基米尔·普京于5月19日晚抵达北京，开始对中国进行为期两天的国事访问。这也是他自2000年就任总统以来第25次访问中国。Prior to his departure, Putin delivered a video address in which he said, "I'm delighted to be visiting Beijing once again at the invitation of my longtime good friend, the President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping."在出发前，普京发表了视频致辞。他在致辞中表示：“我非常高兴应我的老朋友、中华人民共和国主席习近平的邀请，再次访问北京。”On Sunday, both Xi and Putin sent congratulatory letters to the 10th China-Russia Expo, which opened on the same day in Harbin, the capital of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province.5月17日，习近平主席与普京总统共同向当天在中国东北黑龙江省省会哈尔滨开幕的第十届中俄博览会致贺信。Russia's TASS news agency quoted Putin as saying in his video address that regular mutual visits and Russia-China top-level talks "are an important and integral part of our joint efforts to promote the entire range of relations between our two countries and unlock their truly limitless potential".据俄罗斯塔斯社报道，普京在视频致辞中表示，定期的互访和俄中高层会谈“是我们共同努力推动两国全方位关系发展、释放两国真正无限潜力的重要且不可分割的一部分”。Bilateral relations today "have reached a truly unprecedented level", Putin said.普京表示，当今的双边关系“已经达到了真正前所未有的高水平”。The special nature of the ties "is reflected in the atmosphere of mutual understanding and trust, in the commitment to pursuing win-win and equitable cooperation, in conducting respectful dialogue, and in supporting each other on matters affecting the core interests of both countries, including protection of sovereignty and state unity", he added.他补充说，两国关系的特殊性“体现在相互理解和信任的氛围中，体现在致力于追求共赢和公平合作的承诺中，体现在开展相互尊重的对话中，以及在涉及彼此核心利益的问题上相互支持，包括维护主权和国家统一”。Putin's visit comes as this year marks the 30th anniversary of the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation.普京总统此访正值中俄建立战略协作伙伴关系30周年、签署《中俄睦邻友好合作条约》25周年这一具有里程碑意义的年份。He said the treaty "laid a solid foundation for a genuinely strategic relationship and comprehensive partnership for the benefit of our countries and our peoples".他表示，该条约“为建立真正的战略关系和全面伙伴关系奠定了坚实基础，造福了两国和两国人民”。Addressing a regular news briefing on Tuesday in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said that China and Russia are comprehensive strategic partners of coordination for a new era, and China welcomes Putin's visit.外交部发言人郭嘉昆周二在北京举行的例行记者会上表示，中俄是新时代全面战略协作伙伴，中方对普京总统的访问表示热烈欢迎。During the state visit, the two presidents "will exchange views on bilateral relations, cooperation in various fields, and international and regional issues of mutual interest", Guo said.郭嘉昆介绍说，在国事访问期间，两国元首“将就双边关系、各领域合作以及共同关心的国际和地区问题交换意见”。A survey report on Sino-Russian youth friendship and cultural exchanges, which was released last week by Renmin University of China, showed that 87.5 percent of young people in Russia and 85.5 percent of young people in China view the two countries' relations as "friendly".中国人民大学上周发布的一项关于中俄青年友好与文化交流的调查报告显示，87.5%的俄罗斯青年和85.5%的中国青年认为两国关系“友好”。Guo said the survey is a "true barometer of public opinion" and its findings illustrate the high level of China-Russia ties.郭嘉昆表示，该项调查是“真正的民意晴雨表”，其结果充分印证了中俄关系的高水平。"Under the strategic guidance of President Xi and President Putin, the China-Russia everlasting friendship will enjoy even greater popular support, and the youth in both countries will join hands and inject fresh vitality into our comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era," he added.他补充说：“在习近平主席和普京总统的战略引领下，中俄世代友好将更加深入人心，两国青年将携手并进，为新时代中俄全面战略协作伙伴关系注入新的生机与活力。”According to the Foreign Ministry, the value of bilateral trade reached $227.9 billion in 2025, marking the third consecutive year of the figure exceeding the $200-billion mark.据外交部数据显示，2025年中俄双边贸易额达到2279亿美元，这也是该数字连续第三年突破2000亿美元大关。Tian Dewen, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies, said that Putin's visit will help to further consolidate the foundation of bilateral relations, featuring long-term stability, a high degree of mutual trust and deeper cooperation.中国社会科学院俄罗斯东欧中亚研究所研究员田德文表示，普京总统此访将有助于进一步巩固具有长期稳定性、高度互信和深化合作特征的双边关系基础。The visit will also promote the continuous improvement and upgrading of practical bilateral cooperation in areas such as energy and trade, scientific and technological innovation, and global governance, Tian said.田德文指出，此次访问还将推动两国在能源与贸易、科技创新以及全球治理等领域的务实双边合作不断提质升级。Zhang Hanhui, China's ambassador to Russia, said that Xi and Putin are expected to hold an important meeting to chart the course for the development of Sino-Russian ties in the new era.中国驻俄罗斯大使张汉晖表示，预计习近平主席和普京总统的此次重要会晤将为新时代中俄关系的发展指明方向。Under the strategic guidance of the two leaders, the two countries "have built a new type of major-country relationship that transcends traditional military and political alliances", Zhang wrote in an article for the People's Daily newspaper, which was published on Tuesday.张汉晖在5月19日出版的《人民日报》署名文章中写道，在两国元首的战略引领下，两国“构建了超越传统军事和政治同盟的新型大国关系”。The two countries "have set an example of mutual respect, frankness and sincerity, harmonious coexistence, and mutual benefit between major countries and neighboring nations", he said.他表示，两国“树立了大国之间、邻国之间相互尊重、坦诚相待、和谐共处、互利共赢的典范”。Putin, in his video address, said that Russia and China are implementing major initiatives "in key areas of our cooperation", and "our warm and friendly ties enable us to chart the boldest plans for the future and bring them to life".普京在视频致辞中表示，俄中两国正在“关键合作领域”落实重大倡议，“这条温暖友好的纽带使我们能够为未来勾勒出最宏伟的蓝图并将其变为现实”。Also on Tuesday, Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang met with Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov in Beijing, and the two sides pledged to further strengthen investment cooperation.5月19日，国务院副总理丁薛祥在北京会见了俄罗斯第一副总理丹尼斯·曼图罗夫，双方承诺进一步加强投资合作。Ding called on both countries to give full play to the coordinating role of the China-Russia Investment Cooperation Committee, steadily advance key projects, expand areas of cooperation, achieve more practical outcomes and continue to inject strong impetus into the development of bilateral relations.丁薛祥呼吁双方充分发挥中俄投资合作委员会的协调作用，扎实推进重点项目，扩大合作领域，取得更多务实成果，继续为双边关系发展注入强劲动力。Manturov said that Russia is ready to strengthen strategic alignment with China, enrich the substance of cooperation, actively address issues of mutual concern and continuously raise the level of investment cooperation between the two countries.曼图罗夫表示，俄方愿同中方加强战略对接，富集合作内涵，积极解决双方共同关心的具体问题，不断提高两国投资合作水平。 Equitables /ˈekwɪtəbl/公平合理的，公正的 Everlasting /ˌevəˈlɑːstɪŋ/永恒的，持久的 Barometer /bəˈrɒmɪtə/晴雨表，气压计

"Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?" Confucius once said.The ancient Chinese saying offers a fitting note as China welcomes Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday for his 14th visit to the country since 2013.Putin used the same phrase when recalling his first meeting with Xi Jinping, then Chinese vice-president, in Moscow in March 2010. The meeting, he wrote in a signed article published in People's Daily in 2023, was held in a "business-like and at the same time sincere and friendly" atmosphere — a style of communication that he said he personally liked.Three years following the early encounter, Xi chose Russia as the destination of his first overseas trip after taking office as Chinese president in 2013, underscoring the special weight of China-Russia relations in China's foreign policy.During that visit, President Xi said that a high-level and strong China-Russia relationship serves not only the interests of both countries, but also the international strategic balance as well as world peace and stability.More than a decade later, the two leaders are meeting again at another important moment.Putin's two-day state visit, at the invitation of Xi, comes in a landmark year marking the 30th anniversary of the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation."China-Russia relations are standing at a new historical starting point. The two sides are entering a golden period of opportunity marked by stronger political trust, deeper economic integration, closer people-to-people ties and greater global influence," said Li Yonghui, a research fellow of Russian studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.She said that Putin's visit is not only a review of decades of neighborly friendship and strategic coordination, but also an opportunity for the two sides to plan the next stage of cooperation under the guidance of the two heads of state.Andrey Denisov, first deputy chair of the Russian Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs and former Russian ambassador to China, said that Putin's upcoming visit will once again demonstrate the high level and stability of Russia-China relations.He said Russia-China relations are not an alliance in the traditional sense, but the two sides maintain a high degree of mutual trust and close coordination on major international issues, which he described as the essence of the relationship.The momentum of China-Russia ties has been shaped by more than a decade of frequent head-of-state diplomacy. Since 2013, Xi has visited Russia 11 times, while Putin has traveled to China 13 times for state visits or major events. Last year, the two leaders paid state visits to each other's countries, underscoring the intensity and continuity of top-level exchanges.In a signed article published in Russian media in 2023, Xi said that high-level interactions have played an important strategic guiding role in China-Russia relations.Xi noted that he and Putin had maintained close working contact and met 40 times on bilateral and international occasions, drawing blueprints for bilateral ties and cooperation in various fields, and maintaining timely coordination on major international and regional issues of common concern.In his New Year greetings exchanged with Putin on Dec 31, 2025, Xi said he was ready to maintain close contact with Putin and jointly lead China-Russia relations in the new era toward new achievements.During a virtual meeting on Feb 4 this year, Xi noted that the day coincided with the Beginning of Spring on the Chinese calendar, which represents a new start, and expressed his readiness to work with Putin to chart a new blueprint for bilateral ties.Xi also called on the two sides to increase high-level exchanges and strengthen pragmatic cooperation in various fields.Li, from the CASS, said the frequent interactions between the two presidents have helped the two sides build consensus, set the direction of the relationship and maintain strategic steadiness despite fluctuations in the international situation."Each meeting helps reaffirm mutual support on issues concerning sovereignty, security, territorial integrity and independent development paths," she said, adding that such political mutual trust serves as a key anchor for the steady and long-term development of China-Russia relations.The close communication between the two heads of state has also helped translate political trust into practical cooperation, Li added.One notable example is trade, where top-level consensus has been translated into measurable progress. China-Russia trade exceeded $240 billion in 2024, meeting ahead of schedule the $200 billion target set by the two heads of state.People-to-people tiesThe two sides have also continued to expand cooperation in areas such as energy, agriculture, connectivity, education and people-to-people exchanges. The China-Russia Years of Education, to be launched this year, are expected to provide another platform for closer exchanges between young people from both countries.Denisov, the Russian diplomat, noted that China and Russia once set a goal of increasing two-way student exchanges to 100,000. "At the time, it seemed almost out of reach, but today it has become a reality," he said.Youth exchanges carry special significance for the long-term development of bilateral relations, he said, adding that he hopes that more young people from the two countries will participate in educational and cultural cooperation, and deepen mutual understanding and friendship through such exchanges.Andrey Kortunov, former director-general of the Russian International Affairs Council, wrote in a recent CGTN commentary that trust defines what is possible in relations among major powers.In the case of China-Russia relations, he said that strong personal relations between the two top leaders add to the stability and predictability of bilateral ties.Li, the CASS researcher, said that at a time of geopolitical conflicts and global uncertainty, the steady development of China-Russia relations serves as an important pillar for global strategic balance.Close communication between the two heads of state allows the two sides to exchange views in a timely manner, coordinate positions, manage differences and safeguard their core interests, she said. It also helps translate top-level consensus into cooperation across various fields."Such high-level engagement uses the certainty of head-of-state diplomacy to offset the uncertainty of the international environment," Li said, adding that it helps consolidate the foundation for regional and global peace and development.• Underscore /ˌʌndəˈskɔː/强调，在...之下画线• Strategic partnership of coordination /strəˈtiːdʒɪk ˈpɑːtnəʃɪp əv kəʊˌɔːdɪˈneɪʃn/战略协作伙伴关系• Pragmatic /præɡˈmætɪk/务实的，实际的• Fluctuation /ˌflʌktʃuˈeɪʃn/波动，起伏• Connectivity /ˌkɒnekˈtɪvəti/互联互通

The China-United States summit has dealt a severe blow to the "pro-independence" stance of Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party and sent a clear warning to separatist forces, experts said.During his talks with US President Donald Trump on Thursday, President Xi Jinping underscored that safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait remained the biggest common denominator between China and the US.Noting that the Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-US relations, Xi told Trump that if it is handled properly, the bilateral relationship will enjoy overall stability. Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy. Xi emphasized that "Taiwan independence" and cross-Strait peace are as irreconcilable as fire and water.In an interview with Fox News on Friday, Trump said: "I'm not looking to have somebody go independent," adding that Taiwan should not expect a "blank check" from the US military.Foreign Minister Wang Yi, while briefing the media about the summit on Friday, said: "During the meeting, we felt that the US side understands China's position, attaches importance to China's concerns, and, just like the international community, does not stand for or accept Taiwan moving toward independence."Liu Kuangyu, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Taiwan Studies, said that at the landmark summit, China made clear its stance, its bottom line, propositions, and also sincere goodwill regarding Taiwan-related affairs."Rather than letting hostile sentiments spiral upward, the pragmatic exchanges reflected a shared readiness to reduce strategic miscalculations, mitigate cross-Strait tensions, and eliminate the risks of unintended military clashes," Liu said.He added that the proper and positive handling of the Taiwan question will substantially shape the outcomes achieved at the summit and determine how effectively the two sides can sustain constructive, strategic stability going forward.Liu said that if China and the US aim to solidify a major-country relationship over the coming years, the Taiwan question must serve as the primary entry point.Meanwhile, opposition parties and politicians in Taiwan severely condemned the ruling authorities for fabricating cross-Strait crises.Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the major opposition Chinese Kuomintang party, slammed the DPP's cross-Strait strategy, saying that "Taiwan independence" is a dead end that leads nowhere and the summit has shattered the DPP's international illusions.KMT lawmaker Niu Hsu-ting told reporters that the summit's ripple effects will gradually surface, and the US clearly signaled conflict reduction, pouring "cold water" over the DPP's long-held separatist stance and its flawed narrative of guaranteed military defense from the US.In a statement, Taiwan's Labor Party also warned that the DPP's separatist line remains the primary source of risk driving regional volatility.The party condemned the administration's continuous military expansion, specifically referencing the newly passed defense budget, of which NT$780 billion ($24.7 billion) has been earmarked for procuring arms from the US.It said that pouring vast public resources and taxpayers' money into endless weapon purchases directly sacrificed the livelihood of the grassroots.Looking ahead, Liu of the Institute of Taiwan Studies warned that the US must exercise the utmost prudence to prevent triggering a great-power confrontation and refrain from maintaining illicit ties with the Taiwan authorities across political, military, legal, economic and ideological domains."They must recognize that the past tactics of using Taiwan as a so-called pawn or tool to contain China have actually done more harm than good in the long run and ultimately boomeranged," he said.Only by translating political commitments into tangible actions can both nations consolidate the foundation of strategic mutual trust, he added.

As the world's two largest economies, China and the United States can benefit businesses on both sides and inject fresh momentum into global economic recovery by finding more common ground and working together to manage differences, said economists and business executives.经济学家和商界高管认为，中美作为全球最大的两个经济体，若能在更多领域凝聚共识，携手管控分歧，不仅能让两国企业从中受益，也能为全球经济复苏注入新的动力。The structural complementarity between the two nations, which spans manufacturing, technology and services, is too significant to be disrupted by trade frictions, they added.专家表示，中美在制造业、科技、服务业等领域存在着深厚的结构性互补，这种互补关系之牢固，绝非贸易摩擦所能撼动。"American companies are continuing to invest. American companies aren't going anywhere," said Sean Stein, president of the US-China Business Council, countering the narrative that US businesses are leaving China.美中贸易全国委员会会长肖恩·斯坦驳斥了“美资企业正在撤离中国”的说法。他强调：“美国企业仍在持续投资。它们哪儿也不会去。”"It's not just the China market anymore; it's the China platform," he said, noting that the platform encompasses everything — from consumer access and partnerships with local enterprises to research and development and supply chain resilience — which is "only becoming more important".他进一步指出：“这已不仅仅是‘中国市场'的概念，而是‘中国平台'。”他表示，这个平台涵盖了触达消费者、与本土企业合作、研发到供应链韧性等方方面面，其重要性“与日俱增”。Stein emphasized that coming to China will help US business leaders develop a clearer view and a more realistic understanding of where China stands. Until that happens, it is easy to imagine dangers and concerns that may not be as serious as they seem, he said. "Twenty-five years ago, no one came to China to do R&D. Now what I'm seeing is that the best companies are coming and doing some of their most important R&D," he added.斯坦还强调，亲自来中国走一走、看一看，有助于美国商界领袖更清晰、更真实地了解中国的真实情况。在此之前，人们很容易想象出那些或许并不如想象中严重的风险和忧虑。“25年前几乎没有人会来中国做研发，而现在，我看到的是最优秀的企业纷纷来到这里并开展一些最具分量的研发工作。”According to data from the Ministry of Commerce, foreign direct investment in China's high-tech industries surged 30.7 percent year-on-year to 102.73 billion yuan ($15.12 billion) in the first quarter of 2026, pushing the sector's share in total FDI to 41.2 percent.来自商务部的数据显示，2026年第一季度，中国高技术产业实际使用外资同比增长30.7%，达1027.3亿元人民币（约合151.2亿美元），高技术产业占全国实际使用外资的比重升至41.2%。Eric Zheng, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, said that if US companies want to remain globally competitive, they should invest in China. "A US company that can thrive in China can succeed in many other markets around the world. The experience and capabilities built here can be directly applied elsewhere," he said.上海美国商会会长郑艺表示，美国企业若想保持全球竞争力，就应该到中国投资。“一家能够在中国蓬勃发展的美国企业，同样有能力在全球众多其他市场取得成功。在中国积累的经验和能力，是可以在其他地方直接复用的。”Zheng added that the complementarity of the US-China economic relationship means that stable and predictable bilateral trade ties serve the fundamental interests of both nations and greatly benefit businesses on both sides.郑艺还指出，中美经济关系的互补性决定了稳定、可预期的双边贸易关系不仅符合两国根本利益而且对双方企业都大有裨益。Geoff Martha, chairman and CEO of the US-based medical technology company Medtronic, said that China is not only a market with the potential to become the world's largest market for medical technology, but also a valuable partner.美国美敦力公司董事长兼首席执行官杰夫·马萨表示，中国不仅是有潜力成为全球最大医疗器械市场的国家，更是一个值得珍视的合作伙伴。"That commitment is reflected in our long-term investments," he said. "We see strong alignment between China's focus on new quality productive forces and Medtronic's work to develop next-generation technologies that can improve care and expand access for patients."他说：“这一承诺充分体现在我们的长期投资中。我们看到，中国着力推动的新质生产力，与美敦力致力于研发新一代医疗技术、提升诊疗水平、惠及更多病患的努力高度契合。”Surveys indicate that US businesses prefer stability over confrontation. In late April, a white paper released by the American Chamber of Commerce in China noted that more than half of US companies in China still rank the country among their top three global investment destinations.多项调查显示，美国企业更倾向于稳定而非对抗。4月下旬，中国美国商会发布的白皮书指出，在华美资企业中，有超过一半仍将中国列为其全球三大投资目的地之一。Liao Fan, director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of World Economics and Politics, said that despite years of trade tensions and escalating rhetoric, the underlying economic logic of China-US cooperation remains intact.中国社会科学院世界经济与政治研究所所长廖凡指出，尽管经历多年贸易摩擦和言辞交锋不断升级，但中美合作的深层经济逻辑并未动摇。"You cannot decouple two economies that have been interwoven together over decades through investment, supply chain integration and market interdependence. The cost of separation would be measured in trillions of dollars and millions of jobs," Liao said.“中美两国经济数十年来通过投资、供应链整合和市场相互依存而紧密交织在一起，根本无法‘脱钩'。强行分离需要付出的代价，将是以万亿美元和数百万个工作岗位来衡量的。”Zhang Yansheng, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research, noted that China and the US are not only very important for each other, but their relationship is of utmost importance for the world.中国宏观经济研究院研究员张燕生指出，中美两国不仅对彼此极为重要，中美关系更是对整个世界至关重要。According to the International Monetary Fund, the combined nominal GDP of China and the US accounted for nearly 45 percent of the global economy in 2025. A report released in March by the US-based McKinsey Global Institute also showed that the decline in US-China trade reduced global trade growth by around 10 percent last year.根据国际货币基金组织的数据，2025年中美两国的名义GDP合计占全球经济总量的近45%。麦肯锡全球研究院3月发布的一份报告也显示，去年中美贸易额的下降导致全球贸易增速放缓了约10个百分点。He Weiwen, a senior fellow at the Beijing-based think tank Center for China and Globalization, said that for the relationship to be truly fair and mutually beneficial, the US must remove the unreasonable restrictions it has imposed on China.全球化智库（CCG）高级研究员何伟文表示，要实现中美关系真正的公平互利，美方必须取消其对中国施加的不合理限制。encompass /ɪnˈkʌmpəs/涵盖，包含decouple /diːˈkʌpəl/脱钩alignment /əˈlaɪnmənt/契合，一致性interwoven /ˌɪntəˈwəʊvən/紧密交织的think tank /ˈθɪŋk tæŋk/智库impose on /ɪmˈpəʊz ɒn/强加于

Chinese company Landbridge is fighting to hold on to Darwin Port after Australia said it may reclaim the lease. Landbridge has launched arbitration at the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes, potentially the first investor–state case the Australian government will face at the World Bank body. Host Tu Yun joins Dr. Warwick Powell, Adjunct Professor, Queensland University of Technology, Dr. Zhou Mi, Deputy Director, Institute of American and Oceania Study, Chinese Academy of International Trade & Economic Cooperation, and Dr. Edward Lehman, Founder & Managing Director, Lehman, Lee & Xu to break down how a routine commercial deal turned into a national security flashpoint, who's likely to win, and what this case means for China-Australia ties, investor confidence, and the future of global investment rules.

1. China reports roughly 21.1 quadrillion token calls in 2025 2. China's holiday travel surges as visa-free arrivals rise 3. China successfully demonstrates metal 3D printing in space 4. Chinese Academy of Sciences unveils AI model system for scientific research

The renminbi is starting to gain ground in the dollar-dominated global commodity trade, as recent deals highlighted the Chinese currency's expanding role in offering a diversified option for pricing and settlement, economists and executives said.经济学家和企业高管表示，人民币开始在美元主导的全球大宗商品贸易中崭露头角。近期的多笔交易凸显出，人民币在定价和结算方面为全球提供了多元化选择，其作用正不断扩大。Breakthroughs in RMB-denominated commodity transactions, regarded as one of the most difficult frontiers for the RMB's global use, may signal a faster phase of the currency's internationalization, as demand rises for alternatives to the US dollar and China's role in global trade grows, they added.他们补充说，以人民币计价的大宗商品交易一直被认为是人民币国际化最艰难的领域之一，如今取得的突破，可能预示着人民币国际化将进入更快发展阶段。这背后的原因，是全球对美元替代选项的需求上升，以及中国在全球贸易中的地位日益重要。The RMB ranked the fifth in global payments with a share of 3.1 percent in March, up from a sixth ranking in February, as calculated by global financial messaging services provider Swift.据环球银行金融电信协会（Swift）统计，今年3月，人民币在全球支付中的份额为3.1%，排名从2月的第六位升至第五位。The Cross-Border Interbank Payment System, or CIPS — the primary platform for cross-border yuan clearing and settlement — recently recorded a single-day transaction volume of 1.22 trillion yuan ($179 billion), a record high, according to Shanghai Securities News.据《上海证券报》报道，人民币跨境清算结算的主要平台——人民币跨境支付系统（CIPS）近期单日交易量创下1.22万亿元人民币的历史新高。Meanwhile, Reuters reported last month that Indian refiners were settling payments for specific oil cargoes purchased under a US sanctions waiver using the Chinese yuan, while mining giant BHP Group has reportedly adopted a Chinese pricing benchmark in its iron ore trade with China, signaling a broader acceptance of RMB settlement and pricing in commodity markets.与此同时，路透社上月报道称，印度炼油商已开始使用人民币结算部分在美国制裁豁免下购买的石油货物。据报道，矿业巨头必和必拓集团也在与中国的铁矿石贸易中采用了中国的定价基准。这些动向都表明，人民币结算和计价在大宗商品市场正获得更广泛接受。Zhang Bin, a national political adviser and a nonresident senior research fellow at the China Finance 40 Forum, said these developments suggest that the RMB is increasingly providing global trading partners with a more diversified currency option for commodity trade.全国政协委员、中国金融四十人论坛非驻会高级研究员张斌表示，这些进展表明，人民币正日益为全球贸易伙伴在大宗商品贸易中提供更多元化的货币选择。"The dollar has long served as a dominant currency for pricing, settlement and investment. However, intensified geopolitical tensions and changes in global economic governance have led some countries to reconsider the assumption that the dollar is reliable," Zhang said. "As countries seek to add an extra layer of safeguard in investment and business operations, the yuan is a particularly promising option, given China's significant and expanding role in global trade and investment.""美元长期以来一直是定价、结算和投资的主导货币。然而，加剧的地缘政治紧张局势和全球经济治理的变化，让一些国家开始重新审视'美元是可靠的'这一假设。"张斌说，"随着各国寻求为投资和商业运营多添一重保障，鉴于中国在全球贸易和投资中的重要且日益扩大的角色，人民币是一个特别有前景的选项。"Huang Yiping, dean of Peking University's National School of Development, highlighted the potential of the RMB in playing a bigger role in commodity pricing, as China is one of the world's largest importers of commodities and a leading exporter of manufactured goods.北京大学国家发展研究院院长黄益平强调了人民币在大宗商品定价中发挥更大作用的潜力，因为中国既是世界最大的大宗商品进口国之一，也是主要的制成品出口国。"Promoting the use of the RMB to price more of our economic activities is both possible and an indispensable step of RMB internationalization," Huang said.黄益平说："推动更多经济活动用人民币定价，既具可能性，也是人民币国际化不可或缺的一步。"China launched yuan-denominated crude oil futures trading in Shanghai in 2018, an early step toward expanding the RMB's role in global commodity pricing. In recent years, countries like Russia have increasingly used the Chinese currency in oil trade with China.2018年，中国在上海启动了人民币计价的原油期货交易，这是扩大人民币在全球大宗商品定价中作用的早期一步。近年来，俄罗斯等国在与中国的石油贸易中越来越多地使用人民币。"The fundamental conditions for the formation of a 'petroyuan' cycle — in which oil is increasingly priced, settled and reinvested in RMB assets — are gradually taking shape after China has become the world's largest crude oil importer," said Zhang Ming, deputy director of the Institute of World Economics and Politics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.中国社会科学院世界经济与政治研究所副所长张明表示："随着中国成为全球最大的原油进口国，形成'石油人民币'循环——即石油的定价、结算和再投资均越来越多地使用人民币资产——的基础条件正在逐步具备。"However, analysts cautioned that how far the Chinese currency's role in commodity trade can evolve may ultimately depend on the depth of China's financial reforms and opening-up, the country's long-term economic strength, and the resilience of the US dollar's dominance.不过，分析人士也提醒，人民币在大宗商品贸易中的作用能走多远，最终可能取决于中国金融改革开放的深度、中国经济的长期实力，以及美元主导地位的韧性。"Part of the recent increase in RMB usage in commodity trade has been driven by short-term geopolitical factors, and the longer-term trajectory still needs to be observed," said Shao Yu, chief economist at the innovation center of Fudan University's School of Management.复旦大学管理学院科创中心首席经济学家邵宇表示："近期人民币在大宗商品贸易中使用量的增加，部分是受短期地缘政治因素驱动，长期趋势仍需观察。"Wu Xiaoqiu, former vice-president of Renmin University of China, said the key still lies in deepening market-oriented reforms to enable freer trade of the currency if a petroyuan system is to be established.中国人民大学原副校长吴晓求则表示，若要建立石油人民币体系，关键仍在于深化市场化改革，实现货币的更自由交易。Pan Gongsheng, governor of the People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, said China has worked to enhance institutional arrangements and financial infrastructure to support broader cross-border RMB usage to offer more diversified currency choices for all entities.中国人民银行行长潘功胜表示，中国已致力于完善制度安排和金融基础设施，以支持更广泛的跨境人民币使用，为所有主体提供更多元化的货币选择。The yuan's rising role in commodity trade is part of a broader expansion of the currency's international use, with a Deutsche Bank report saying that the process of RMB internationalization is likely to accelerate.人民币在大宗商品贸易中角色的提升，是其国际使用范围更广泛扩展的一部分。德意志银行的一份报告称，人民币国际化的进程可能会加速。Renminbi assets are becoming increasingly attractive, underpinned by China's strong growth prospects and the rapid development of future-oriented industries, said Stefan Hoops, CEO of DWS — Deutsche Bank's asset management arm.德意志银行资产管理分支DWS的首席执行官斯蒂凡·霍普斯表示，在中国强劲的增长前景和未来产业的快速发展支撑下，人民币资产正变得越发具有吸引力。Hoops pointed to a structural shift in trade invoicing: Whereas the vast majority of Chinese exporter invoices were denominated in US dollars five years ago, a growing share are now denominated in RMB.霍普斯指出了贸易计价方面的结构性转变：五年前，中国出口商的发票绝大多数以美元计价，而现在，以人民币计价的占比正在增长。pricing and settlement /ˈpraɪsɪŋ ænd ˈsetlmənt/定价和结算commodity transaction /kəˈmɒdəti trænˈzækʃən/大宗商品交易sanctions waiver /ˈsæŋkʃənz ˈweɪvər/制裁豁免underpin /ˌʌndərˈpɪn/支撑；巩固trade invoicing /treɪd ˈɪnvɔɪsɪŋ/贸易计价；贸易开票

China's DeepSeek AI startup has unveiled its latest model, reportedly at just a fraction of the cost of comparable U.S. systems. Could that price edge help it win over users? Reports say the launch was delayed to align with Chinese-made chips, marking a shift toward domestic hardware. Is that trade-off worth it? And after a stark warning from Nvidia's CEO and fresh pressure from Washington, what does this moment mean for DeepSeek's global presence? Host TU Yun joins Thorsten Jelinek, a research fellow at the Hertie School's Center for Digital Governance, Berlin, Germany. He is currently a visiting professor at the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Dr. Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation; and Josef Mahoney, a professor of politics and international relations at the East China Normal University to break down what DeepSeek V4 signals for the AI race beyond compute.

China and Africa mark 70 years of diplomatic ties with a major step toward deeper trade integration. Starting May 1, China will grant tariff-free access to all 53 African countries with diplomatic ties, alongside faster "green lanes" for exports. What does this new policy mean for African exporters? With protectionism on the rise, can the China-Africa partnership help shape a more open and balanced global trading system? On The Hub, Wang Guan brings together He Wenping, professor and senior research fellow at the Institute of West Asian and African Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and Lara Netherlands from South Africa, founder and CEO of Tilapia Solutions, a company based in Hainan, China. They explore the shift from scale to quality in China-Africa bilateral trade, discuss the impact of expanded market access, and examine the practical challenges facing exporters on the ground.

Crystal's backyard has been invaded and she has questions. This week on More Morgellons: the Joro spider, the silkworm computer, the cockroach with the Xbox controller, and what it means to be early instead of wrong.The Joro spider (Trichonephila clavata) arrived in Georgia around 2013 and has spread across the Southeast — confirmed in the Smoky Mountains, reportedly now in California. The official line is they're shy, they're harmless, they eat stink bugs, leave them alone. Crystal read the brochure. She has notes.In this episode:        •       The University of Georgia turkey baster study and the 67-minute freeze response (other orb-weavers average 96 seconds)        •       Why elevated heart rate during a freeze is biologically backwards but device-behavior forwards        •       Joro silk: gold pigmentation, tensile strength comparable to high-grade steel, 200–400% elasticity, and why the military has been trying to synthesize it for forty years        •       JSTX-3, the glutamate receptor inhibitor in Joro venom that neuroscience supply catalogs have sold by name for decades        •       Reports of Joros building preferentially on power line infrastructure        •       The international black market for invasive arthropods, the guy with the briefcase of ants in Nairobi, and how a Joro might end up in a shipping containerThen we zoom out to the broader pattern — the openly published cyborg insect research that's been running for almost twenty years:        •       DARPA's HI-MEMS program (Hybrid Insect Micro-Electromechanical Systems) and the moth-pupa electrode work        •       The remote-controlled cockroach demos posted to YouTube in 2009 (with the Xbox controller)        •       Russia's pigeon surveillance program        •       China's 2024 bee neural control announcement — 90% accuracy, stated use case: covert reconnaissance        •       Donghua University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences feeding silkworms cadmium, gold, carbon nanotubes, and graphene — and the resulting silk that conducts electricity and forms self-healing logic gatesThe episode closes with the question Crystal keeps coming back to: where exactly is the line between vigilance and paranoia, and who gets to draw it?Listener mail: A one-year update from a listener living with a Morgellons self-diagnosis, on being believed by family after a long stretch of dismissal. Send your own messages, written or voice — Crystal will listen. moremorgellons.comMentioned:University of Georgia entomology Joro behavior studies · DARPA HI-MEMS · Donghua University silk bioelectronics research · JSTX-3 in neuroscience literatureMore Morgellons is a podcast about noticing weird things. New episodes daily, weekly and unpredictably. Subscribe, share, send your stories.

Scientists vanishing. Antigravity claims surfacing. And questions no one can fully answer. From the mysterious death of researcher Amy Eskridge to the disappearance of high-level military figures like William Neil McCasland, this episode dives deep into one of the most bizarre and unsettling patterns emerging right now. Are these coincidences, personal tragedies… or something bigger? We break down the facts, the theories, and the uncomfortable gray area in between. ⚡ EPISODE SUMMARY This episode explores a growing list of scientists and officials who have gone missing or died under unusual circumstances—and the internet's rapid descent into conspiracy theories trying to explain it. The Amy Eskridge Case: Amy Eskridge publicly claimed that antigravity technology had been discovered—and warned she could be killed for revealing it. She later died under circumstances ruled a suicide, despite previously stating she was not suicidal. Antigravity & Suppression Claims: Eskridge alleged multiple independent discoveries of antigravity dating back to Nikola Tesla, all supposedly suppressed. The episode examines whether there's any credible evidence—or just speculation. Military Disappearance Mystery: William Neil McCasland, tied to advanced weapons programs, vanished under strange conditions—leaving behind personal items and raising questions about intent, health, or something else entirely. Patterns Raising Eyebrows: Several cases involve individuals leaving behind phones, valuables, or behaving out of character before disappearing—fueling online theories. China Angle: Reports of scientists disappearing from the Chinese Academy of Sciences add another layer—though this could point to internal political purges rather than global conspiracy. Reality vs. Rabbit Holes: The episode carefully walks the line between legitimate unanswered questions and the tendency to jump to conclusions without evidence. At its core, this isn't just about missing people—it's about how quickly mystery turns into narrative, and how hard it is to separate fact from speculation.

From AI-powered glasses to flying cars and next generation of humanoid robots, companies from home and abroad have gathered in China's Hainan province for the 6th China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE), also known as the Hainan Expo. What groundbreaking innovations are featured at the expo? Are these cutting-edge technologies just gimmicks, or will they truly become part of our future lives? And how can the deep integration of AI technology into daily life serve as a new engine for China's consumption upgrade? Host Xu Yawen is joined by Chen Jiahe, Chief Investment Officer of Novem Arcae Technologies; Dr. John Gong, Professor at the University of International Business and Economics; and Dr. Zhou Mi, Senior Research Fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, to find out the answers.

On this blue planet amid the vast starry expanse, humanity's mission has always been to understand each other and stand together in mutual support. On Monday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited Tsinghua University and the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, where he shared this very thought in his speech. Follow China Daily reporter Peng Yixuan to the scene of Sanchez's visit!

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has underscored the importance of international scientific cooperation during a visit to the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

China's consumer market is gaining fresh momentum from an explosion of new business formats and consumption scenarios as well as a robust policy push, and the dynamism is prompting global companies to position themselves for a stake in what they see as one of the world's most significant sources of future growth, analysts and executives said.新的业态和消费场景不断涌现，加上强有力的政策推动，为中国消费市场注入了新的活力。分析人士和企业高管指出，这股活力正促使全球企业纷纷布局，它们将中国视为未来全球经济增长最重要的引擎之一，希望从中分得一杯羹。Their remarks came ahead of the six-day China International Consumer Products Expo — one of Beijing's initiatives to shore up consumer spending — that opens on Monday in Hainan province, as policymakers place boosting consumption at the top of China's economic agenda for this year and beyond.这些言论发表之际，为期六天的中国国际消费品博览会即将于4月13日在海南省开幕。该博览会是我国提振消费支出的举措之一。当前，扩大消费已被列为我国今年及未来几年经济工作的重中之重。According to the outline of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), the country aims to "achieve a notable increase in household consumption as a share of gross domestic product, making domestic demand a more prominent economic driver" over the next five years.根据“十五五”规划纲要，未来五年，我国将“着力使居民消费占国内生产总值比重显著上升，使内需成为拉动经济增长的主动力和稳定锚”。"China's growth has moderated from its historic highs, but the economy — especially the consumer market — has proven remarkably adaptive," said Daniel Zipser, senior partner at global management consultancy McKinsey &Company.全球管理咨询公司麦肯锡资深董事合伙人泽沛达表示：“中国经济增速虽较高点有所放缓，但经济本身——尤其是消费市场——展现出了非凡的韧性。”Zipser said that the growth in the apparel, beauty, and food and beverage segments, the continued expansion of services and experiences, and inflation as a signal of demand strength, all point to "a market that is rebalancing".泽沛达指出，服装、美妆、食品饮料等领域的增长，服务和体验消费的持续扩张，以及作为需求强劲信号的通货膨胀，都表明“市场正在再平衡”。Earlier this month, China allocated a second tranche of 62.5 billion yuan ($9.1 billion) to support its consumer goods trade-in program, and unveiled guidelines to boost service consumption in both established sectors such as elderly and child care, and emerging growth areas including inbound consumption and live performance.本月早些时候，我国提前下达了第二批625亿元人民币消费品以旧换新资金，并发布了促进服务消费的指导意见，涵盖养老托育等成熟领域，以及入境消费、演艺消费等新兴增长点。"New types of consumption, green consumption and services consumption are projected to become long-term engines of growth," said Jeff Wu, vice-chairman of KPMG China.毕马威中国副主席吴旭初表示：“新型消费、绿色消费和服务消费预计将成为长期增长引擎。”Wang Xuekun, head of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said that events like the China International Consumer Products Expo are not just trade fairs; they are designed to help global businesses better resonate with Chinese buyers and translate the country's growing appetite for high-quality goods and services into tangible opportunities.商务部国际贸易经济合作研究院院长王学坤表示，像中国国际消费品博览会这样的活动不仅仅是贸易展会，其初衷是帮助全球企业更好地与中国消费者产生共鸣，将中国对高品质商品和服务日益增长的需求转化为实实在在的机遇。The sixth edition of the Hainan expo will bring together more than 3,400 brands from over 60 countries and regions, with international exhibits accounting for 65 percent of the total. More than 200 new products are expected to make their debut, double the number launched at last year's event.第六届消博会将汇聚来自60多个国家和地区的3400多个品牌，其中国际展品占比达65%。预计将有200多款新品首发亮相，数量是去年的一倍。"The internationalization of the expo has increased year by year," said Yang Gang, vice-chairman of Charoen Pokphand Group in China. The Thai multinational company mainly focuses on the agro industry and food segment in China.泰国跨国企业正大集团在中国主要经营农牧食品领域。正大集团中国区副董事长扬纲表示：“消博会的国际化程度逐年提高。”Yang noted that the company aims to leverage Hainan, which allows freer entry of overseas goods and expanded zero-tariff coverage following the inauguration of its island-wide special customs operations in December, as a logistics hub to efficiently deliver high-quality agricultural products from Southeast Asia to the Chinese market.扬纲指出，去年12月海南全岛启动封关运作后，境外商品入境更加自由，零关税范围进一步扩大。正大集团希望借助海南作为物流枢纽，将东南亚的优质农产品高效输送到中国市场。Chinese consumers are outpacing their global peers in embracing health-conscious, sustainable and internationally sourced products, creating fresh opportunities for overseas brands, according to a report on China's consumer market released by PwC in January.普华永道今年1月发布的关于中国消费市场的报告显示，中国消费者在拥抱健康环保、可持续发展和国际化产品方面，已领先全球其他地区的消费者，这为海外品牌创造了新的机遇。The trend is being further reinforced by the "Big Market for All: Export to China" initiative launched by the Ministry of Commerce, featuring more than 100 dedicated events this year designed to help overseas suppliers connect with Chinese buyers and bring a wider range of high-quality foreign products and services into the Chinese market.商务部发起的“共享大市场·出口中国”活动进一步强化了这一趋势。该活动今年将举办100多场专项活动，旨在帮助海外供应商与中国采购商对接，将更多优质的外国产品和服务引入中国市场。Supachai Junkeiat, president of TCP China, the Thai conglomerate behind the energy drink brand Red Bull, said:"We have always been optimistic about the upgrade potential of China's supersized consumer market. Going forward, we will continue to closely track the country's consumption trends and leverage product innovation to precisely meet new demands for consumption upgrades."红牛能量饮料品牌所属的泰国天丝集团中国区总裁曾森鸿表示：“我们始终看好中国超大规模消费市场的升级潜力。未来，我们将继续紧密跟踪中国消费趋势，通过产品创新精准满足消费升级的新需求。”apparel /əˈpærəl/服装；衣着tranche /trɑːnʃ/（款项的）一部分；一期consumer goods trade-in program /kənˈsuːmər ɡʊdz ˈtreɪdˌɪn ˈproʊɡræm/消费品以旧换新政策 outpace /aʊtˈpeɪs/超过；胜过；比…更快conglomerate /kənˈɡlɑːmərət/企业集团；联合大企业

April 8 is International Day for the Conservation of Rare Animals, a day dedicated to raising awareness about wildlife protection and promoting harmony between humans and nature. Raabia Hawa, Founder and Director of Ulinzi Africa Foundation in Kenya and Zhou Mi, Senior Research Fellow, Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, provide insights into the successful and sustainable conservation cases that have made a real difference on the ground in Africa and China, as well as potential areas for deeper China-Africa collaboration in wildlife conservation.

Concertgoers support sectors far beyond ticket sales, thanks to spillover effects大型活动带动效应显著，撬动周边消费潜力A growing number of Chinese localities are rolling out targeted policies designed to transform large-scale concerts and cultural events into fresh economic engines, as these events have emerged as catalysts that generate ripple effects across hospitality, dining, transportation and retail sectors, analysts said.分析人士指出，我国越来越多的地方政府正出台针对性政策，将大型演唱会和文化活动转化为新的经济增长引擎。这些活动已成为催化剂，对住宿、餐饮、交通和零售等行业产生连锁带动效应。The recently released outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) has identified the expansion of culture, sports and tourism consumption as a key priority, calling for optimized approval processes for commercial performances and sporting events — a signal that China's multibillion yuan concert economy is entering a new phase of quality-driven growth.日前发布的"十五五"规划（2026-2030年）纲要已将扩大文化、体育和旅游消费列为重点任务，提出优化营业性演出和体育赛事的审批流程。这标志着，中国价值数百亿元的演唱会经济正迈入以质量驱动增长的新阶段。Fans from other cities traveling for a show might spend on flights, hotels, meals, souvenirs and even extend their trips to explore local attractions, said Jiang Zhao, associate researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.商务部国际贸易经济合作研究院副研究员江昭表示，跨城观演的粉丝可能会在机票、酒店、餐饮、纪念品上消费，甚至延长行程游览当地景点。"What begins as a single transaction becomes a cascade of economic activity," Jiang said.他指出："最初的一笔交易演变为一连串的经济活动。"According to a report released in January by the China Association of Performing Arts, large-scale performances generate an average multiplier effect of 1:6.85 for other forms of consumption.据中国演出行业协会1月发布的报告，大型演出对其他消费的平均拉动效应达到1:6.85。This multiplier effect means that for every 1 yuan ($0.14) spent on a concert ticket, nearly 7 yuan of additional consumption is generated in surrounding spending scenarios.这意味着，每花费1元（约0.14美元）购买演唱会门票，就能在周边消费场景中带动近7元的额外支出。In 2025 alone, major commercial events with audiences exceeding 5,000 people drove more than 220 billion yuan in ancillary spending — including on transportation, accommodation, dining, tourism and retail — beyond direct ticket revenue, as noted by the report.报告显示，仅2025年一年，单场观众超过5000人的大型商业演出活动，在门票直接收入之外，带动了超过2200亿元的周边消费，涵盖交通、住宿、餐饮、旅游和零售等领域。In Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, when pop superstar Jay Chou took the stage for three nights there last April, he did more than entertain tens of thousands of fans.去年4月，流行巨星周杰伦在广西南宁连开三场演唱会，不仅为数万名粉丝带来欢乐，更产生了显著的经济效益。The concerts attracted 141,800 ticketed attendees and about 28,000 fans who gathered outside the concert venue to revel in the atmosphere. Notably, 85 percent of attendees traveled from outside Nanning, said Nanning Weining Group, a State-owned enterprise that manages the city's cultural and tourism assets.据管理该市文旅资产的国企南宁威宁集团介绍，这三场演唱会共吸引了14.18万名购票观众，以及约2.8万名在场外聚集感受气氛的粉丝。其中，85%的观众来自南宁市外。The three concerts generated 1.26 billion yuan in citywide consumer spending. The figure offered a vivid illustration of how major cultural events produce ripple effects across hotels, restaurants, retail and transportation — far outstripping ticket sales alone.三场演唱会期间，全市消费者总支出达12.6亿元。这一数字生动地说明了大型文化活动对酒店、餐饮、零售和交通产生的连锁效应——其影响远超门票收入本身。China's live performance market reached 96.9 billion yuan in 2025 and is projected to surpass 100 billion yuan this year, said consultancy iiMedia Research.咨询机构艾媒咨询表示，2025年中国演出市场规模达到969亿元，预计今年将突破1000亿元。Generation Z has emerged as the driving force behind China's surging concert economy, with nearly 60 percent of young consumers willing to pay for emotional value — a trend that is reshaping consumption patterns, said Tian Lihui, dean of the institute of financial development at Nankai University.南开大学金融发展研究院院长田利辉指出，Z世代已成为中国火爆演唱会经济背后的驱动力，近60%的年轻消费者愿意为情绪价值买单——这一趋势正在重塑消费模式。Cities are increasingly structuring their policies to capture these spillovers. Zhejiang province, for example, has introduced tiered rewards this year for large-scale performances based on cumulative ticket sales, revenue scale, and — crucially — the percentage of attendees traveling from outside the province.各城市正纷纷制定政策，力图抓住这些溢出效应。例如，浙江省今年针对大型演出推出了分级奖补措施，依据累计售票额、收入规模以及——至关重要的——省外观众占比进行奖励。Events that choose Zhejiang as their sole China stop, or launch their national tours in the province, may qualify for even higher support tiers.若演出选择浙江作为全国唯一站，或在浙江启动全国巡演，还可获得更高等级的支持。Guangdong province has taken steps beyond the event itself. Under new measures, the province encourages the integration of performance tickets with broader tourism experiences. A single ticket could now offer discounted or free entry to scenic areas, museums and cultural sites, while also unlocking savings at hotels, restaurants and retail outlets.广东省则采取了超越演出本身的措施。根据新规，该省鼓励演出门票与更广泛的旅游体验相结合。一张门票现在可以附带景区、博物馆和文化场所的折扣或免费入场，同时还能在酒店、餐厅和零售店享受优惠。China's concert economy is rapidly emerging as a prime investment destination, with strong momentum in physical consumption drawing sustained capital deployment into the sector. Listed companies are accelerating their entry, providing powerful momentum for a comprehensive upgrade of the performing arts industry chain, according to industry data.中国的演唱会经济正迅速成为热门的投资领域，实物消费的强劲势头持续吸引资本布局该行业。行业数据显示，上市公司正加速入场，为演艺产业链的全面升级提供了强大动力。A report released in January by the Research Center for Culture and Creativity Finance at Tsinghua University's PBC School of Finance showed that financing activity in the cultural sector accelerated significantly in the first half of 2025. The number of financing deals increased 63.2 percent year-on-year, while total financing volume surged 88.9 percent.清华大学五道口金融学院文创金融研究中心1月发布的报告显示，2025年上半年，文化产业融资活动显著提速。融资笔数同比增长63.2%，融资总额飙升88.9%。catalyst /ˈkætəlɪst/催化剂；促进因素ripple effect /ˈrɪpəl ɪˈfekt/连锁反应；涟漪效应multibillion /ˈmʌltiˌbɪljən/数十亿的cascade /kæˈskeɪd/瀑布般倾泻；串联ancillary spending /ænˈsɪləri ˈspendɪŋ/附带消费；辅助支出revel in the atmosphere /ˈrevəl ɪn ðə ˈætməsfɪər/沉浸在氛围中outstrip /ˌaʊtˈstrɪp/超过；超越tiered rewards /tɪəd rɪˈwɔːdz/分层奖励capital deployment /ˈkæpɪtəl dɪˈplɔɪmənt/资本配置

In 1976 near the ruins of the ancient capital Yin, archaeologists rediscovered the tomb of Fu Hao and it transformed our understanding of the Shang Dynasty. Most royal tombs were ravaged by looters, but the final resting place of Fu Hao remained perfectly preserved. Now we know in addition to her duties as queen, she was also a military general, priestess, and she managed lands of her own. For Women's History Month, learn about the life of this legendary figure through the contents of her tomb. From bronze Yue axes symbolizing her military authority to the world's oldest jade archery ring to trade goods from far off lands, learn about some of the artifacts that helped us rediscover a warrior queen from the first dynasty of Ancient China. Offline Sources Cited: Chinese Academy of History. 2025. Rituals of the Xia and Shang Dynasties (c. 2070–1046 BCE). In: A Concise History of Chinese Civilization. Springer, Singapore.. Kwok, Kian-Chow. 1984. The Tomb of Fu Hao. Thesis, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Science (Ed.). 2003. Zhongguo kaoguxue, xiashangjuan [Chinese archaeology, Xia and Shang dynasties]. China Social Sciences Press. Schwartz, Adam C. 2019. The Oracle Bone Inscriptions from Huayuanzhuang East: Translated with an Introduction and Commentary. De Gruyter. Links See photos related to episode topics on Instagram Loving the macabre lore? Treat your host to a coffee! Video | China's Forgotten Warrior Queen - Fu Hao by Xiran Jay Zhao Video | Historical vs modern archery by Blumineck Video | Onsite-Anyang Yinxu Museum by PaTh ArchPodNet APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com APN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnet APN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnet APN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnet APN Shop Affiliates Motion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

China's new development roadmap is shaping global opportunities in a time of uncertainty. What does China's next phase of growth mean for the world economy? And how can international partners engage in these emerging opportunities? In "China's Development Opportunities for the World," the special roundtable of The Hub, CGTN host Wang Guan sits down with Zhou Xing, head of Public Affairs at PwC China; Zhou Mi, senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation; Zha Daojiong, professor at Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development, at Peking University's School of International Studies; and John Milligan-Whyte, chairman of the America-China Partnership Foundation, to examine the global economic landscape as China advances its 15th Five-Year Plan, focusing on high-quality growth, stronger domestic demand, and the rise of new quality productive forces.

China says it will turn aerospace into a pillar industry that improves lives and promotes industrial development. What are included in this goal? How close are these ambitions to reality, and what could they mean for you and me? Host Dou Hongyu is joined by Quentin Parker, Director of Laboratory for Space Research, University of Hong Kong; Zhang Fan, Associate Professor of Astronomy with Beijing Normal University; Zhou Mi, Senior Research Fellow with Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, to unfold China's space roadmap.

As artificial intelligence continues to drive industrial change in China, data shows that AI has emerged as the most competitive talent battleground of this year's spring recruitment season, with companies racing to hire skilled professionals amid surging demand.随着人工智能持续驱动中国的产业变革，数据显示，AI已成为今年春季招聘季竞争最激烈的人才战场，在需求激增的背景下，各公司纷纷抢聘专业技能人才。In the first two months of 2026, the number of AI-related job postings increased about twelvefold year-on-year, far exceeding the overall growth of the new economy sector. According to a report released recently by domestic recruitment platform Maimai, the share of AI-related positions among all new economy jobs jumped to 26.23 percent from 2.29 percent a year earlier.2026年头两个月，AI相关岗位的招聘数量同比增长约十二倍，远远超过新经济行业的整体增幅。根据国内招聘平台脉脉最近发布的一份报告，AI相关职位在所有新经济职位中的占比从去年同期的2.29%跃升至26.23%。The new economy sector refers to industries driven by technologies such as the internet, big data, cloud computing and AI, which give rise to new products, business models and formats.新经济领域指的是由互联网、大数据、云计算和人工智能等技术驱动的行业，这些技术催生了新产品、新模式和新业态。Amid soaring demand, a shortage of talent is becoming increasingly evident. As of the end of February, high-performance computing engineers were among the scarcest, with a supply-demand ratio of 1:7, meaning there was only one qualified candidate against every seven vacant positions, the report showed.在需求激增的同时，人才短缺正变得日益明显。报告显示，截至2月底，高性能计算工程师属于最紧缺的岗位之一，供求比达到1:7，即每7个空缺职位只有1名合格候选人。Other roles, such as simultaneous localization and mapping, navigation algorithms, and cloud computing, are also facing a crisis of talent, it noted.报告指出，其他如即时定位与地图构建、导航算法、云计算等岗位也面临人才告急。The growing popularity of OpenClaw's open-source AI agent has further fueled demand for roles related to AI applications. According to data from recruitment portal Zhaopin, the number of AI-related job postings surged 455 percent year-on-year in the first three weeks after the Spring Festival holiday.OpenClaw开源AI智能体的日益普及进一步刺激了对AI应用相关岗位的需求。根据招聘门户网站智联招聘的数据，春节假期后的前三周，AI相关岗位的招聘数量同比增长了455%。Such roles offer highly competitive salaries. Maimai data shows that newly posted AI positions offer a monthly salary of 60,738 yuan ($8,837) on average, which is about 26 percent higher than the average salary in the new economy sector.这些岗位提供极具竞争力的薪酬。脉脉数据显示，新发布的AI岗位平均月薪为60738元，比新经济行业的平均薪资高出约26%。Experts said the surge in hiring reflects growing demand for talent as companies accelerate the commercialization of large models and expand AI applications across business scenarios.专家表示，随着企业加速大模型的商业化应用，并在各种业务场景中拓展AI应用，招聘热潮反映了对人才的旺盛需求。Zhu Keli, founding director of the China Institute of New Economy, said, "Over the next five years, the job structure in the internet industry will show three major trends — AI-centered roles, vertically specialized scenarios and increasingly hybrid skill sets."国研新经济研究院创始院长朱克力表示："未来五年，互联网行业的岗位结构将呈现三大趋势——以AI为中心的岗位、垂直细分的场景以及日益复合的技能组合。"The job landscape will shift from a software-defined model to one featuring hardware-software integration and the convergence of the physical and digital worlds, Zhu said, noting that the job value will be more closely tied to the ability to implement technologies.他指出，岗位格局将从软件定义模式转向软硬一体、数实融合的模式，岗位价值将与技术落地能力更加紧密地结合。Against this backdrop, major technology companies have increased their recruitment efforts during the spring hiring season, with AI roles taking center stage, he added.他补充说，在此背景下，主要科技公司在春季招聘季都加大了招聘力度，AI岗位占据核心位置。Earlier this month, Ant Group, which is affiliated with Alibaba, said that 85 percent of its openings are for technical roles, with more than 70 percent of those related to AI, covering areas such as large model algorithms and multimodal generation.本月早些时候，隶属于阿里巴巴的蚂蚁集团表示，其开放职位中有85%是技术岗，其中超过70%与AI相关，涵盖大模型算法、多模态生成等领域。ByteDance announced its largest-ever internship program, with plans to recruit over 7,000 interns, more than 60 percent of whom will be placed in research and development roles centered around AI.字节跳动宣布了其史上规模最大的实习生招聘计划，拟招募超过7000名实习生，其中超过60%将投身于以AI为核心的研发岗位。Meituan launched its recruitment program, which includes the year-round "Beidou Program", focusing on fields such as foundation models, AI applications, autonomous driving and intelligent decision-making.美团启动了招聘计划，其中包括全年开展的"北斗计划"，聚焦基础模型、AI应用、自动驾驶、智能决策等领域。New 'basic skills'新的"基础技能"Mo Rong, chief expert at the Chinese Academy of Labor and Social Security, said that digital literacy and the ability to apply AI are becoming new "basic skills" and, therefore, workers "need to understand AI principles and make effective use of AI tools".中国劳动和社会保障科学研究院研究员莫荣表示，数字素养和人工智能应用能力正在成为新的"基础技能"，因此劳动者"需要了解人工智能原理，并有效使用人工智能工具"。Lifelong learning and adaptability are becoming essential, as the shelf life of skills continues to shorten, making continuous upskilling a necessity, Mo added.莫荣补充说，随着技能的有效周期不断缩短，持续提升技能成为必然，终身学习和适应能力变得至关重要。AI-related skills are rapidly becoming baseline requirements for job seekers, rather than added advantages. The Maimai report shows that 34.39 percent of newly posted positions explicitly require AI — or large model-related skills, a sharp increase from 22.35 percent a year earlier.与AI相关的技能正迅速成为求职者的基本要求，而非加分项。脉脉报告显示，34.39%的新发布职位明确要求具备AI或大模型相关技能，较一年前的22.35%大幅上升。Job seekers are actively responding to this trend. Data from recruitment platform Liepin shows that in the first week after the Spring Festival holiday, resumes indicating proficiency in using AI tools surged 139.67 percent year-on-year.求职者正积极响应这一趋势。猎聘平台的数据显示，春节假期后第一周，表示熟练使用AI工具的简历数量同比增长了139.67%。new economy sector /njuː ɪˈkɒnəmi ˈsektə/新经济领域 high-performance computing /haɪ pəˈfɔːməns kəmˈpjuːtɪŋ/高性能计算 vertically specialized scenarios /ˈvɜːtɪkli ˈspeʃəlaɪzd sɪˈnɑːriəʊz/垂直细分场景 internship /ˈɪntɜːnʃɪp/实习；实习期 digital literacy /ˈdɪdʒɪtl ˈlɪtərəsi/数字素养

The ongoing trade talks between China and the United States in France carry great importance for sustaining the hard-won stability achieved by the world's two largest economies over the past year, analysts said.分析人士认为，正在法国进行的中美贸易谈判对于维持世界两大经济体过去一年来之不易的稳定局面具有重要意义。To this end, the analysts said, both Beijing and Washington need to act in good faith and meet each other halfway to seek more common ground rather than creating new obstacles, and this will serve the interests of both countries and help the world economy.为此，两国应相向而行，寻求更多共同点，而不是制造新的障碍，这样才符合两国的利益，也有利于世界经济。Vice-Premier He Lifeng is leading the Chinese delegation in discussions with his US counterparts on economic and trade issues of mutual concern, from Saturday to Tuesday.国务院副总理何立峰3月14日至17日率团赴法国与美方围绕两国彼此关心的经贸问题开展磋商。The talks represent the sixth round of bilateral economic and trade consultations following previous rounds conducted between May and October last year that helped pull the relationship back from the brink of escalating trade conflict.这是继去年5月至10月双方举行多轮经贸磋商之后，中美双方第六轮经贸磋商。The previous trade talks reached considerable points of consensus, but some of these understandings have not yet been transformed into formal outcomes, a situation that requires joint efforts to address, said Zhou Mi, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.商务部国际贸易经济合作研究院研究员周密表示，此前的贸易磋商达成了相当多的共识，但其中一些谅解尚未转化为正式成果，这种情况需要共同努力来解决。Zhou also said that the current talks might focus on how to properly handle US unilateral measures and consolidate mutual trust.他还表示，目前的谈判可能会集中在如何妥善处理美国的单边措施和巩固互信上。The Trump administration has sought to maintain leverage through alternative mechanisms after the US Supreme Court struck down the administration's broad presidential tariff authorities last month. Just days before the talks began in France, Washington launched Section 301 trade investigations into various trading partners, including China.美国联邦最高法院上月驳回了特朗普政府对总统征收关税的广泛授权后，特朗普政府试图通过其他机制来维持优势。在中美会谈开始的前几天，美国对包括中国在内的多个贸易伙伴发起了301贸易调查。The new round of trade talks will help "set the tone for the future direction of US trade policy" after the Supreme Court decision, said Cassey Lee, senior fellow and coordinator of the Regional Economic Studies Programme at the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.新加坡尤索夫伊萨东南亚研究院区域经济研究项目高级研究员李卡塞认为，在最高法院做出裁决后，新一轮贸易谈判将有助于"为美国贸易政策的未来方向定调"。A report in February from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said that roughly 90 percent of the economic burden from the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration last year was shouldered by US consumers and businesses, as opposed to foreign exporters.纽约联邦储备银行2月份的一份报告称，去年特朗普政府征收关税的经济负担中，大约90%落在了美国消费者和企业身上，而非外国出口商。He Weiwen, a senior fellow at the Center for China and Globalization in Beijing, said that "the common interests between China and the US are immense — far exceeding the tariff game". Both nations have much to gain from collaboration in frontier technologies such as open-source artificial intelligence, robotics and green transition, he added.北京全球化智库高级研究员何伟文表示，中美之间的共同利益是巨大的，远远超过关税博弈。他补充说，两国在开源人工智能、机器人技术和绿色转型等前沿技术方面的合作将大有裨益。Last week, national lawmakers approved the outline of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), vowing continued openness to global businesses, including those from the US, that seek to participate in the country's development.上周，全国人大审议通过了"十五五"规划纲要，并表示继续向包括美国在内的寻求参与中国发展的全球企业开放。China has a stable and predictable environment for business investment and cooperation, but it requires genuine commitment from the US to ensure that this can be extended into their shared areas of cooperation in manufacturing, technology industries and services, said Daryl Guppy, an international financial technical analyst.国际金融技术分析专家戴若·顾比表示，中国有一个稳定和可预测的商业投资与合作环境，但这需要美国作出真正的承诺，以确保中美两国在制造业、技术产业和服务业等领域的合作能够继续深入。hard-won /ˌhɑːdˈwʌn/来之不易的meet each other halfway /miːt iːtʃ ˈʌðə(r) ˌhɑːfˈweɪ/相向而行brink /brɪŋk/边缘

China has adopted three major pieces of legislation — the Ecological and Environmental Code, the Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law, and the National Development Planning Law — at the closing meeting of the fourth session of the National People's Congress. The passage of these landmark laws has drawn widespread attention. Why move forward with them at the very start of China's 15th Five-Year Plan period? Host Ge Anna is joined by Muhammad Ali Nasir, Professor of Economics, the University of Leeds, currently a visiting professor at Peking University; Einar Tangen, Senior Fellow, Center for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), a Canadian Think Tank; Dr. Zhou Mi, Senior Research Fellow, Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.

On Thursday afternoon, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz walked into a leading Chinese robotics company in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, for a tour and a robotic performance before wrapping up a two-day China visit that was both fruitful and significant.At Unitree, Merz watched the same martial arts performance by quadruped robots that was showcased during the 2026 Spring Festival Gala, which was livestreamed to hundreds of millions of viewers at home and abroad. Merz showed interest in the company's robotic hands and quadruped robots, learning about their applications and development.The one-hour tour, part of Merz's first trip to China since assuming office in May last year, demonstrated the two countries' shared desire to seize new opportunities for future development.Merz was the first foreign leader received by China in the Year of the Horse. Upon his arrival on Wednesday, he wrote in Chinese in a social media post: "Berlin and Beijing are nearly 7,500 kilometers apart. For many years, we have been very happy to bridge this distance. For me, it is very important to maintain and deepen our diplomatic and economic relations. To achieve this goal, we need open channels of dialogue."President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang met separately and held talks with Merz on Wednesday. Together with over 60 Chinese and German business leaders, Merz and Li also attended a symposium of the China-Germany economic advisory committee. The two countries inked a number of cooperative agreements in green transition, customs, sports and media. They also issued a joint media statement in which the two sides agreed to properly resolve each other's concerns through dialogue.Speaking to reporters at the end of his trip, Merz said he witnessed and supported the launch of new business partnerships during the visit."For me, it was important to gain a firsthand impression of the country, including through discussions with government leaders and business representatives," he said, noting that he was impressed by China's high level of technological development.For example, he said he was impressed by "Mercedes-Benz's advances in autonomous driving in China, Unitree's progress in robotics, and companies producing in China for the global market".Siemens CEO Roland Busch, who was among senior executives from about 30 leading German companies accompanying Merz, said Hangzhou is a highly innovative city — "perhaps the Tech Valley of China".Busch noted that China is seeking to boost productivity through automation and digitalization, areas in which Siemens holds strong global advantages — in industrial software and automation.As 2026 marks the start of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, the world's two major economies are expected to foster greater synergy between the plan and Germany's development strategies, in order to achieve mutually beneficial cooperation at higher standards, analysts said.Michael Schumann, chairman of the German Federal Association for Economic Development and Foreign Trade, said China's rapid progress in robotics and industrial artificial intelligence — visible during Merz's visit to Unitree — creates significant opportunities to combine German strengths in precision engineering, automation and industrial software with China's scale and speed of technological deployment."With continued dialogue and practical cooperation in future industries, Sino-German business ties can contribute meaningfully to global technological progress and sustainable industrial transformation, for the benefit of people in both our countries and beyond," Schumann said.Feng Zhongping, director of the Institute of European Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Merz's visit shows a return to a pragmatic and rational approach in Germany's China policy."Merz's visit sent a signal that as the world's third-largest economy, Germany sees broad space for cooperation with China, the second-largest economy, and is seeking to expand cooperation grounded in mutual benefit," Feng said.He added that German officials and business leaders are willing to better understand China's upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan, including its development priorities and strategic focus areas, in order to identify new opportunities for collaboration.Jin Ling, director of the Department for Global Governance and International Organization Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, said Merz's visit carries significance against the backdrop of debate within Europe over how to approach China.By emphasizing partnership and a cooperative tone, Merz has sent a signal aimed at filtering out "noise" and external interference, she said.Merz is the latest in a string of Western leaders to visit Beijing within just a few months, following visits by French President Emmanuel Macron, Irish Taoiseach, or prime minister, Micheal Martin, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer."These visits reflect recognition of China's global role and the opportunities presented by its market. Missing out on the Chinese market would mean missing out on opportunities," Jin said.

This episode is different. We're tackling China's energy transition, and instead of David, Sara, and Ed just talking about it, they went out and interviewed different experts on the subject.Why China? Because it's arguably the most important energy story on the planet right now. China is the world's largest emitter. It's also the world's largest investor in clean energy. It manufactures the lion's share of solar panels, batteries, and now electric vehicles in the world.Functionally, what happens there determines whether the world has any real shot at meeting long-term climate targets. David spoke with Andrew Light, distinguished professor at George Mason University and former Senior Climate Official in the Biden administration.Sara talked with Jeremy Wallace, professor of China Studies at John Hopkins and Christina Pan, a PhD candidate at Cornell researching renewable energy in China. And Ed interviewed Hong Li, a professor at the Institute of Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and an expert on battery chemistry.Three different perspectives followed by David, Sara, and Ed trying to make sense of it all.

The American think tank Council on Foreign Relations has ranked the ten best and worst decisions in U.S. foreign policy history. Now, as Washington grows more skeptical of multilateralism, reassesses alliances more transactionally, and returns to tariffs and sanctions, history feels closer than ever. What lessons—and what warnings—does America's diplomatic past hold for today? Host Ge Anna is joined by Zoon Ahmed Khan, Research Fellow at the Center for China and Globalization; Josef Mahoney, Professor of Politics and International Relations at East China Normal University; and Dr. Liu Kuangyu, Researcher at the Institute of Taiwan Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

This Spring Festival, China isn't just welcoming the Year of the Horse. It's welcoming the world. Foreign flight bookings are up more than 400 percent, with visitors flooding in from Russia, Europe, and even Argentina. Why now? What's driving this surge? Visas, social media, or something deeper? And as more foreigners come to China to experience the holiday, is Spring Festival becoming a global cultural event. Host Tu Yun joins Helen Han, Co-founder and Secretary General, the Beijing Club for International Dialogue, Dr. Zhou Mi, Senior Research Fellow, the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, and Mike Bastin, China observer and Senior Lecturer, the University of Southampton to break down the boom and what it means for China and for travelers from around the world.

In the new year, leaders of nations in Asia, Europe and North America have traveled to China to discuss reinforcing bilateral ties and expanding pragmatic cooperation, and countries such as Finland have confirmed or planned visits to China by their leaders in the near future.Observers said one major reason behind the visits is that Beijing projects great predictability and consistency in its domestic and foreign policy, signaling tangible and continued mutual benefit in a world plagued by soaring geopolitical tensions, unilateralism and hegemony.The next guest will be Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, who is scheduled to make a four-day official visit to China starting on Sunday.The first head of state and the first foreign minister that Beijing received in 2026 both came from neighboring countries — Republic of Korea President Lee Jae-myung and Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar.After President Xi Jinping's meeting with Lee on Jan 5, the two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of 15 cooperation documents covering fields including scientific and technological innovation, the environment, transportation and trade.The official visit by Taoiseach of Ireland Micheal Martin, from Jan 4-8, was the first by an Irish prime minister in 14 years, giving fresh momentum to both bilateral and China-EU ties.Last week, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney made an official visit to China, and the two sides issued a joint statement of the China-Canada leaders' meeting, vowing to advance outcomes in areas including trade, energy, public security, culture and multilateralism.As reported by the Canadian newspaper Toronto Sun, Melanie Joly, Canada's industry minister, told reporters in Beijing that "the conversations here have been more predictable and stable than sometimes with other countries, including our neighbor".Recently, media outlets in Britain and Germany have reported that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz may visit China later this year.The visits to China have helped nations, and will help more countries, improve their perception of China and rediscover the vast potential of the Chinese market, experts said.Vice-Foreign Minister Sun Weidong told a symposium on Monday that this year marks the first year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period and that China "will further step up its high-level opening-up".Wang Huiyao, president of the Beijing-based Center for China and Globalization, said the visits to China took place as unilateral bullying practices "have sparked widespread concern in the international community", and "the momentum of unilateralism is on the rise in transatlantic relations".Taking Canada as an example, Wang said the rebound in China-Canada relations "is both a testament to the strategic wisdom of both sides and a natural choice that aligns with public opinion and market realities".Gao Fei, president of China Foreign Affairs University, said countries clearly know who are serving as stabilizers in this volatile world, and "China is the most predictable one among the major countries".As many countries speak positively of China's role in peace, stability and growth, some of their leaders visited in the new year to learn more about China's wisdom and solutions, he added.As part of efforts by working teams from China and these countries to realize the leaders' fresh consensus, Chinese and ROK officials on Monday kicked off the 13th round of follow-up negotiations on services and investment under the China-ROK Free Trade Agreement.Wang Junsheng, a researcher on Northeast Asia studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' National Institute of International Strategy, noted that as the global economy remains sluggish and trade protectionism prevails, countries such as the ROK are grappling with challenges like tariff wars."In this context, maintaining stable economic and trade cooperation with China is crucial for the ROK's economic growth," Wang said."The global industrial supply chain is being disrupted by trade protectionism, so stable cooperation between the ROK and China in supply chain-related sectors is also of the utmost importance," he added.

President of the Republic of Korea Lee Jae-myung arrived in Beijing on Sunday afternoon, becoming the first head of state to visit China in the new year.It is Lee's first visit to China since assuming office in June. During his stay, Lee will meet with President Xi Jinping, their second engagement in just two months. The two presidents met in November in Gyeongju, the ROK, as Xi made a state visit to the neighboring country.The four-day state visit will also take Lee to Shanghai, where he will visit the historic site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea during Japan's colonial rule.In an interview with China Central Television before the trip, Lee said the purpose of his visit is to minimize or eliminate past misunderstandings or contradictions, and elevate bilateral relations to a new level.Lee said that Seoul should seek coexistence and cooperation with Beijing to the greatest extent possible, and actively and deeply explore areas that could achieve mutual benefits.China has remained the ROK's largest trading partner for more than two decades, while in 2024, the ROK surpassed Japan to become China's second-largest trading partner.Statistics from China Customs show that bilateral trade value totaled 2.14 trillion yuan ($306 billion) in the first 11 months of 2025, marking a 1.6 percent year-on-year increase.Lee said that in recent years, China's economy has achieved significant growth and development, and the country has surpassed the ROK in many fields in terms of technology and capital.He expressed hope that in areas such as artificial intelligence and high-tech industries, the two sides would build new, equal partnerships and foster a cooperative economic relationship that benefits both countries.Li Jiacheng, an associate professor at Liaoning University's School of International Studies, said the two leaders' second meeting in such a short time has shown Lee's emphasis on further putting bilateral ties back on the right track after a stagnation under the previous government, while achieving new progress.Lee, who is accompanied by a large business delegation, expects to expand, deepen and upgrade bilateral trade cooperation, especially at a time when the two countries are set to advance the second phase of negotiations on their free trade agreement to achieve closer economic ties, he added.Wang Junsheng, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' National Institute of International Strategy, said the top priority for Lee's administration is to promote domestic economic growth, which makes closer cooperation with China more essential.Deep integration across industrial and supply chains has formed a close bond between the two economies, which highlights the resilience and potential of China-ROK economic and trade relations, Wang said.Only by adhering to rationality and pragmatism can the two countries promote the sound and stable development of their relationship, he added.

From feeling no regret for wartime atrocities to nuclear rhetoric and military expansion, how far will Japan's prime minister push a bellicist mindset—and who will bear the consequences?  Host Ge Anna is joined by Sultan Hali, a retired Air Force officer and author in Pakistan; Liu Kuangyu, a researcher at the Institute of Taiwan Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; and Josef Mahoney, a professor of politics and international relations at East China Normal University. 

This episode of the Physics World Weekly podcast features Guangyu Zhang. Along with his colleagues at the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhang has bagged the 2025 Physics World Breakthrough of the Year award for creating the first 2D metals. In a wide-ranging conversation, we chat about the motivation behind the team’s research; the challenges in making 2D metals and how these were overcome; and how 2D metals could be used to boost our understanding of condensed matter physics and create new technologies. I am also joined by my Physics World colleague Matin Durrani to talk about some of the exciting physics that we will be showcasing in 2025. Physics World‘s coverage of the Breakthrough of the Year is supported by Reports on Progress in Physics, which offers unparalleled visibility for your ground-breaking research.

Softer rhetoric on China, but an intensified drive for economic and technological supremacy. A renewed Monroe Doctrine and a Western Hemisphere that tops America national priorities—is the 2025 U.S. National Security Strategy a real shift in American foreign policy, or just old wine in new bottles? In this episode, we explore how America's new National Security Strategy affects China-U.S. relations and what it means for Global South countries and the broader world order. Host Xu Yawen is joined by Zhao Hai, Director of International Political Studies at the National Institute for Global Strategy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Wang Haolan, Research Assistant at the Asia Society Policy Institute's Center for China Analysis; Clifford Kiracofe, Washington-based author and former Senior Professional Staff Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations; and George Tzogopoulos, Director of EU-China Programmes and Senior Research Fellow at the European Institute of Nice.

Washington has just reversed course again. It is now allowing Nvidia to sell its advanced H200 AI chips to China, with a hefty 25% revenue cut flowing straight to the U.S. government. Is this a strategic concession, a commercial calculation, or the start of a new conditional export model? Will Chinese tech giants rush to buy the H200? Can Washington achieve its intended goals with the policy shift? And will this prompt other governments or companies to reconsider their own restrictions on tech exports to China? Host Tu Yun joins Andy Mok, a professor of Beijing Foreign Studies University and a senior research fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, Dr. Zhou Mi, the Deputy Director of the Institute of American and Oceania Study, Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, and Dr. Warwick Powell, an adjunct professor of the Queensland University of Technology for a chat.

China will deepen multilateral cooperation on green technologies, support its new energy vehicle, battery and photovoltaic enterprises in expanding globally, and accelerate the low-carbon transition of its sprawling manufacturing sector, said the nation's top industry regulator.中国工业主管部门负责人表示，中国将深化绿色技术的多边合作，支持新能源汽车、电池和光伏企业“走出去”，并加快庞大制造业体系的低碳转型。Li Lecheng, minister of industry and information technology, said in an exclusive signed article written for China Daily that when global climate governance encounters setbacks and some nations are backsliding on their commitments, China's determination to pursue a green transition in manufacturing underlines its drive to foster new quality productive forces and pursue high-quality development.工业和信息化部部长李乐成在为《中国日报》撰写的署名文章中表示，当全球气候治理遭遇挫折、部分国家在承诺上出现倒退时，中国坚持推动制造业绿色转型，凸显了其培育新质生产力、推动高质量发展的决心。China will "encourage competitive Chinese enterprises in photovoltaics, wind power, lithium batteries and new energy vehicles to expand globally and to invest in and develop green energy projects in countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative and beyond", Li said.李乐成表示，中国将“鼓励具有竞争力的光伏、风电、锂电和新能源汽车企业加快全球布局，在共建“一带一路”国家和其他地区投资并开发绿色能源项目”。President Xi Jinping announced China's new Nationally Determined Contributions in his video speech in September to the United Nations Climate Summit 2025. Xi said that China will, by 2035, expand the installed capacity of wind and solar power to over six times the 2020 levels, striving to bring the total to 3,600 gigawatts, and make new energy vehicles the mainstream in the sales of new vehicles.习近平主席在今年9月的联合国2025气候峰会视频讲话中宣布了中国新的国家自主贡献目标。他指出，到2035年，中国风电和光伏装机容量将扩大到2020年的六倍以上，总装机规模力争达到3600吉瓦，同时让新能源汽车成为新车销售的主流。"The deep impetus for the green transition of China's sprawling manufacturing sector stems from President Xi's ecological civilization concept," Li said, adding that China's new NDC targets demonstrate a pragmatic and actionable ambition for emission reductions.李乐成称，“中国庞大制造业推进绿色转型的根本动力源自习近平生态文明思想”，新的国家自主贡献目标体现了务实且可操作的减排雄心。Highlighting that "China has built the world's largest new energy industry chain", Li said the country's renewable energy products are exported to over 200 countries and regions. Such products meet more than 80 percent of the global demand for photovoltaic modules and 70 percent of the global demand for wind power equipment. Meanwhile, over half of the world's electric vehicles run on Chinese roads.李乐成强调，“中国已建成全球规模最大的新能源产业链”，其可再生能源产品出口至200多个国家和地区，供应全球80%以上的光伏组件需求和70%的风电装备需求。同时，全球超过一半的电动汽车在中国道路上运行。"China has also collaborated with more than 100 countries and regions on green energy projects. ... These initiatives demonstrate the tangible impact of Chinese solutions in helping other developing nations address climate change while fostering economic growth," Li added.他补充说，“中国已与100多个国家和地区开展绿色能源合作项目……这些举措展示了中国方案在帮助广大发展中国家应对气候变化、促进经济增长方面的实质性成效”。According to Li, from 2021 to 2024, China produced about 15.6 trillion kilowatts of photovoltaic modules, which has helped the world generate about 3.2 trillion kilowatt-hours of green electricity and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 2.54 billion metric tons.据李乐成介绍，2021至2024年，中国生产光伏组件约15.6万亿千瓦，可帮助全球产生约3.2万亿千瓦时绿色电力，减少约25.4亿吨二氧化碳排放。China will also promote international cooperation in green infrastructure and transportation solutions, and actively participate in shaping international green and low-carbon regulations, he said.他表示，中国还将推动绿色基础设施和绿色交通方案的国际合作，并积极参与制定全球绿色低碳规则。Li outlined a systematic approach to reinforcing the green development of China's manufacturing economy, focusing on modernizing the industrial system, building green supply chains and deepening international cooperation.李乐成指出，中国将通过系统化路径推动制造业绿色发展，重点包括现代化产业体系建设、绿色供应链构建及深化国际合作。"China will strategically plan and deploy future-oriented energy and manufacturing industries, including hydrogen energy, energy storage, bio-manufacturing and carbon capture, utilization and storage," he said.他说，“中国将前瞻性布局氢能、储能、生物制造以及碳捕集、利用与封存（CCUS）等未来能源与制造业方向”。The senior official also emphasized technological innovation as the core driver for sustainable development. Nearly half of Chinese enterprises engaged in or planned green tech innovation in 2024, according to data from the China National Intellectual Property Administration.这位高层官员同时强调，技术创新是可持续发展的核心动力。国家知识产权局数据显示，2024年近一半中国企业已开展或计划开展绿色技术创新。"Over the past decade, China has contributed to a cumulative reduction of over 60 percent and 80 percent, respectively, in the global average levelized cost of electricity for wind power and solar photovoltaic technologies," Li said.李乐成表示，“过去十年，中国促使全球风电与光伏发电的平准化成本分别下降超过60%和80%”。"An ancient Chinese proverb reads: 'Those who persevere in action will achieve their goals.' ... No matter how the international landscape shifts, (China's manufacturing industry) remains committed to honoring its pledge of building a community with a shared future for mankind through tangible green initiatives," he added.他引用古语：“行而不辍，未来可期。”并补充称，无论国际形势如何变化，中国制造业都将继续以实际绿色行动践行构建人类命运共同体的承诺。He Kebin, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said: "After decades of efforts, China has taken the lead in research and development, and in the large-scale engineering application of new energy technologies. Its mature and cost-competitive technical solutions are becoming increasingly sought-after in the global market.中国工程院院士何科斌表示：“经过数十年的努力，中国已在新能源技术研发以及大规模工程化应用方面走在世界前列，其成熟且具成本优势的技术方案正在全球市场中备受青睐。”"In the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, China's unique expertise will provide crucial support for other countries that are rich in wind and solar resources but have weak grid foundations," the academician said.他指出，“在‘十五五'时期（2026—2030年），中国的独特技术能力将为那些风光资源丰富、但电网基础薄弱的国家提供重要支持”。He Xiaopeng, CEO of Chinese auto company Xpeng Motors, said that China "possesses distinct advantages in industrial chain and artificial intelligence, complemented by strengths in efficiency, cost, quality and scale", adding that "these factors can empower the global expansion of China's new energy vehicles".中国汽车企业小鹏汽车的首席执行官何小鹏表示，中国“在产业链和人工智能方面具有独特优势，并在效率、成本、质量和规模上占据显著长处”，这些因素将推动中国新能源汽车加快全球化布局。low-carbon transition 低碳转型Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)国家自主贡献installed capacity装机容量photovoltaic modules光伏组件carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS)碳捕集、利用与封存

Japan's stance on the Taiwan question has long defined its relations with China. Japan must reaffirm its commitment to the four important documents which are the bedrock of bilateral relations. However, it has purposely maintained strategic ambiguity on the Taiwan question.日本在台湾问题上的立场长期决定着中日关系的走向。日本必须重申其对构成两国关系基础的四个重要政治文件的承诺。然而，日本在台湾问题上刻意保持战略模糊。As a result, the Taiwan question has remained a persistent pivot, shaped by Japan's post-war legal positioning, its domestic political constraints and, above all, its reliance on the United States-Japan security alliance.因此，台湾问题一直是中日关系的关键点，受日本战后法律定位、国内政治约束，尤其是对美日同盟依赖的共同影响。After World War II, Japan accepted the Potsdam Proclamation and its requirement to restore Taiwan to China. But in practice, it followed the US-led "Treaty of San Francisco" signed in 1951, which had been signed without the participation of representatives from China. That "treaty" required Japan only to "renounce" Taiwan, without specifying its return to China. Using this omission as an excuse, Japan claimed it did not have the legal authority to define "Taiwan's status".二战后，日本接受《波茨坦公告》及其“台湾归还中国”的要求。但在实践中，日本却遵循1951年美主导的《旧金山和约》——该“和约”签署时并无中国的参与。该“和约”要求日本“放弃”台湾，但并未明确台湾应归还中国。日本借此漏洞声称其无权定义“台湾地位”。The position was blatantly contradictory. Japan was simultaneously agreeing to adhere to the Potsdam Proclamation while relying on a so-called "treaty" that obscured what Potsdam had made explicit. This dual-track approach was driven not by legal logic, but by strategic calculation.这种立场明显自相矛盾。日本一方面声称遵守波茨坦公告，另一方面又依赖一个刻意模糊其明确内容的所谓“和约”。这种“双轨策略”源于战略算计，而非法律逻辑。Another key factor in Japan's Taiwan policy is the US-Japan security framework during the Cold War. During the early Cold War, the US regarded Taiwan as a critical strategic asset.影响日本台湾政策的另一关键因素是冷战时期的美日安全框架。在早期冷战中，美国将台湾视为重要战略资产。As China and Japan sat down to normalize ties in the 1970s, the US was deeply concerned about how Japan would address the Taiwan question in the negotiations. Tokyo repeatedly reassured Washington that the US-Japan alliance would not be affected and that the US would have access to bases for "Taiwan-related operations".当中日于上世纪70年代讨论邦交正常化时，美国高度关注日本在谈判中如何处理台湾问题。东京反复向华盛顿保证，美日同盟不会受影响，美国仍可使用驻日基地进行“涉台行动”。Even after normalization of China-Japan diplomatic relations, Japanese officials stated that including Taiwan within the "Far East" framework served US strategic interests.即便中日实现邦交正常化，日本官员仍声称将台湾纳入“远东”框架符合美国战略利益。After the Cold War, Japan further strengthened these security linkages. The 1997 and 2015 revisions in the Guidelines for Japan-US Defense Cooperation broadened bilateral roles in regional contingencies, widely interpreted as including the Taiwan island.冷战结束后，日本进一步强化了这些安全联动。《日美防卫合作指针》于1997年和2015年的修订扩大了双方在地区突发事件中的角色，普遍被解读为涵盖台湾地区。Japan's 2015 security legislation tried to provide so-called "legal grounds" for supporting US military operations in a "crisis in Taiwan".日本2015年的安保法试图为日本在“台湾有事”时支持美国军事行动提供所谓“法律依据”。In 2021, for the first time since 1969, Japan and the US issued a joint statement expressing concerns over peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.2021年，美日首次自1969年以来在联合声明中对台湾海峡的和平与稳定表示关切。The recent provocative remarks by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi have severely damaged ties with China.日本首相高市早苗近期的挑衅性言论严重损害了中日关系。Speaking in the Japanese Diet, she claimed that a "Taiwan contingency" would constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan — the most explicit formulation ever made by a serving Japanese leader.她在国会中声称，“台湾有事”将构成日本的“存亡危机事态”——这是日本在任领导人迄今最明确的表述。Her statement not only breaks with Tokyo's long-standing strategic ambiguity but also signals a shift toward treating Taiwan as a core element of Japan's national security, which is a blatant violation of China's internal affairs.此言论不仅突破东京长期坚持的战略模糊，更表明日本正将台湾视为其国家安全核心要素，公然干涉中国内政。Japan's dual-track approach of offering political assurances to China while aligning with the US regional strategy during past US administrations has given Tokyo flexibility, but also created inconsistencies.日本过去以对华政治保证与配合美国地区战略并行的“双轨模式”虽为东京带来灵活性，却也造成了明显矛盾。Japan claims it abides by the Potsdam Proclamation but relies on the "San Francisco Peace Treaty", which China regards as invalid.日本声称遵守《波茨坦公告》，却依赖中国明确视为无效的《旧金山和约》。Japan reassures China that it does not support Taiwan independence and upholds the one-China principle, yet expands the scope of US-Japan military cooperation in ways that could involve Japan in "Taiwan contingencies".日本安抚中国，声称不支持“台独”并坚持一个中国原则，但同时不断扩大可能使其卷入“台湾有事”的美日军事合作范围。However, as the Chinese leadership and the incumbent US administration reaffirm the importance of managing the Taiwan question responsibly, Japan's increasingly explicit security framing stands in sharp contrast.然而，在中美领导层均强调负责任管控台湾问题的重要性之际，日本愈发明确的安全定位形成鲜明对比。Rather than reducing tensions, Tokyo's new rhetoric risks injecting additional uncertainty into an issue that the world's two major countries are actively seeking to stabilize.东京的新言论非但不会缓和局势，反而可能向这一中美共同努力稳定的问题注入更多不确定性。Fortunately on Nov 24, President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump held a phone conversation in which the Taiwan question was a central focus.所幸的是，11月24日，习近平主席与美国总统特朗普通话，台湾问题成为核心议题。President Xi elaborated on China's principled position, stressing that the restoration of Taiwan to China is an integral part of the post-war international order.习近平主席阐明了中方原则立场，强调台湾回归中国是战后国际秩序的重要组成部分。President Trump responded by expressing the US side's understanding of Taiwan's significance to China, signaling that even amid strategic competition, Washington acknowledges the sensitivity and centrality of the issue.特朗普总统表示美方理解台湾对中国的重要性，显示出即使在战略竞争中，美国也承认这一问题的敏感性和核心地位。Hopefully, the phone call between the Chinese and US top leaders, followed by another call between President Trump and Prime Minister Takaichi, has clearly conveyed China's unshakable stance on the Taiwan question to the Japanese politicians.希望中美元首的通话，以及随后特朗普总统与高市早苗的通话，已向日本政界清晰传达了中国在台湾问题上的坚定立场。Additionally, President Trump can demonstrate his political acumen by influencing Japan, encouraging the Japanese politician to correct her missteps.此外，特朗普总统也可通过劝导日本纠正其错误言论来展现政治智慧。For Japan, strategic ambiguity on the Taiwan question is a shield. From Japanese politicians' perspective, an explicit acknowledgment that Taiwan is part of China may undermine Japan's post-war "security architecture" and its flexibility to maneuver in the region's shifting geopolitical landscape.对日本而言，台湾问题上的战略模糊是一种“保护伞”。从其政界角度看，明确承认“台湾属于中国”可能冲击日本战后“安全架构”，削弱其在地区地缘政治变化中的操作空间。However, if Japan fully implements the latest remarks, it will be seen as a blatant infringement on China's integrity of sovereignty and territory, given that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.然而，如果日本真正落实其最新言论，则将被视为公然侵犯中国主权和领土完整，因为台湾是中国不可分割的一部分。Such statements, made on the 80th anniversary of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45), are evoking strong memories among the Chinese people of Japan's military past and also remind the people of the Asia-Pacific region of Japan's wartime atrocities in the region.在中国人民抗日战争（1931–45）80周年之际发表此类言论，更激起中国人民对日本军国主义历史的强烈记忆，也提醒亚太地区民众注意日本战争暴行的历史。It is crucial for Takaichi to retract her misguided remarks, especially at this highly sensitive time, as they risk paving the way for a revival of militarism that can threaten regional peace.在当前高度敏感的时期，高市早苗必须撤回其错误言论，因为这类言辞可能助长军事主义复活，威胁地区和平。The author is director-general of the Institute of Japanese Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and chairman of the Chinese Association for Japanese Studies.The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.normalization of China-Japan diplomatic relations实现外交关系正常化internal affairs内政Potsdam Proclamation《波茨坦公告》San Francisco Peace Treaty《旧金山和约》blatantly contradictory明显自相矛盾

This week we talk about radioactive waste, neutrons, and burn while breeding cycles.We also discuss dry casks, radioactive decay, and uranium.Recommended Book: Breakneck by Dan WangTranscriptRadioactive waste, often called nuclear waste, typically falls into one of three categories: low-level waste that contains a small amount of radioactivity that will last a very short time—this is stuff like clothes or tools or rags that have been contaminated—intermediate-level waste, which has been contaminated enough that it requires shielding, and high-level waste, which is very radioactive material that creates a bunch of heat because of all the radioactive decay, so it requires both shield and cooling.Some types of radioactive waste, particularly spent fuel of the kind used in nuclear power plants, can be reprocessed, which means separating it into other types of useful products, including another type of mixed nuclear fuel that can be used in lieu of uranium, though generally not economically unless uranium supplies are low. About a third of all spent nuclear fuel has already been reprocessed in some way.About 4% of even the recyclable stuff, though, doesn't have that kind of second-life purpose, and that, combined with the medium- and long-lived waste that is quite dangerous to have just sitting around, has to be stored somehow, shielded and maybe cooled, and in some cases for a very long time: some especially long-lived fission products have half-lives that stretch into the hundreds of thousands or millions of years, which means they will be radioactive deep into the future, many times longer than humans have existed as a species.According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, something like 490,000 metric tons of radioactive spent fuel is currently being stored, on a temporary basis, at hundreds of specialized sites around the world. The majority of this radioactive waste is stored in pools of spent fuel water, cooled in that water somewhere near the nuclear reactors where the waste originated. Other waste has been relocated into what're called dry casks, which are big, barrel-like containers made of several layers of steel, concrete, and other materials, which surround a canister that holds the waste, and the canister is itself surrounded by inert gas. These casks hold and cool waste using natural air convection, so they don't require any kind of external power or water sources, while other solutions, including storage in water, sometimes does—and often the fuel is initially stored in pools, and is then moved to casks for longer-term storage.Most of the radioactive waste produced today comes in the form of spend fuel from nuclear reactors, which are typically small ceramic pellets made of low-enriched uranium oxide. These pellets are stacked on top of each other and encased in metal, and that creates what's called a fuel rod.In the US, alone, about 2,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel is created each year, which is just shy of half an olympic sized swimming pool in terms of volume, and in many countries, the non-reuseable stuff is eventually buried, near the surface for the low- to intermediate-level waste, and deeper for high-level waste—deeper, in this context, meaning something like 200-1000 m, which is about 650-3300 feet, beneath the surface.The goal of such burying is to prevent potential leakage that might impact life on the surface, while also taking advantage of the inherent stability and cooler nature of underground spaces which are chosen for their isolation, natural barriers, and water impermeability, and which are also often reinforced with human-made supports and security, blocking everything off and protecting the surrounding area so nothing will access these spaces far into the future, and so that they won't be broken open by future glaciation or other large-scale impacts, either.What I'd like to talk about today is another potential use and way of dealing with this type of waste, and why a recent, related development in China is being heralded as such a big deal.—An experimental nuclear reactor was built in the Gobi Desert by the Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, and back in 2023 the group achieved its first criticality, got started up, basically, and it has been generating heat through nuclear fission ever since.What that means is that the nuclear reactor did what a nuclear reactor is supposed to do. Most such reactors exist to generate heat, which then creates steam and spins turbines, which generates electricity.What's special about this reactor, though, is that it is a thorium molten salt reactor, which means it uses thorium instead of uranium as a fuel source, and the thorium is processed into uranium as part of the energy-making process, because thorium only contains trace amounts of fissile material, which isn't enough to get a power-generating, nuclear chain reaction going.This reactor was able to successfully perform what's called in-core thorium-to-uranium conversion, which allows the operators to use thorium as fuel, and have that thorium converted into uranium, which is sufficiently fissile to produce nuclear power, inside the core of the reactor. This is an incredibly fiddly process, and requires that the thorium-232 used as fuel absorb a neutron, which turns it into thorium-233. Thorium-233 then decays into protactinium-233, and that, in turn, decays into uranium-233—the fuel that powers the reactor.One innovation here is that this entire process happens inside the reactor, rather than occurring externally, which would require a bunch of supplementary infrastructure to handle fuel fabrication, increasing the amount of space and cost associated with the reactor.Those neutrons required to start the thorium conversion process are provided by small amounts of more fissile material, like enriched uranium-235 or plutonium-239, and the thorium is dissolved in a fluoride salt and becomes a molten mixture that allows it to absorb that necessary neutron, and go through that multi-step decay process, turning into uranium-233. That end-point uranium then releases energy through nuclear fission, and this initiates what's called a burn while breeding cycle, which means it goes on to produce its own neutrons moving forward, which obviates the need for those other, far more fissile materials that were used to start the chain reaction. All of which makes this process a lot more fuel efficient than other options, dramatically reduces the amount of radioactive waste produced, and allows reactors that use it to operate a lot longer without needing to refuel, which also extends a reactor's functional life.On that last point, many typical nuclear power plants built over the past handful of decades use pressurized water reactors which have to be periodically shut down so operators can replace spent fuel rods. This new method instead allows the fissile materials to continuously circulate, enabling on-the-fly refueling—so no shut-down, no interruption of operations necessary.This method also requires zero water, which could allow these reactors to be built in more and different locations, as conventional nuclear power plants have typically been built near large water sources, like oceans, because of their cooling needs.China initiated the program that led to the development of this experimental reactor back in 2011, in part because it has vast thorium reserves it wanted to tap in its pursuit of energy independence, and in part because this approach to nuclear energy should, in theory at least, allow plant operators to use existing, spent fuel rods as part of its process, which could be very economically interesting, as they could use the waste from their existing plants to help fuel these new plants, but also take such waste off other governments' hands, maybe even be paid for it, because those other governments would then no longer need to store the stuff, and China could use it as cheap fuel; win win.Thinking further along, though, maybe the real killer application of this technology is that it allows for the dispersion of nuclear energy without the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation. The plants are smaller, they have a passive safety system that disallows the sorts of disasters that we saw in Chernobyl and Three-Mile Island—that sort of thing just can't happen with this setup—and the fissile materials, aside from those starter materials used to get the initial cycle going, can't be used to make nuclear weapons.Right now, there's a fair amount of uranium on the market, but just like oil, that availability is cyclical and controlled by relatively few governments. In the future, that resource could become more scarce, and this reactor setup may become even more valuable as a result, because thorium is a lot cheaper and more abundant, and it's less tightly controlled because it's useless from a nuclear weapons standpoint.This is only the very first step on the way toward a potentially thorium-reactor dominated nuclear power industry, and the conversion rate on this experimental model was meager.That said, it is a big step in the right direction, and a solid proof-of-concept, showing that this type of reactor has promise and would probably work scaled-up, as well, and that means the 100MW demonstration reactor China is also building in the Gobi, hoping to prove the concept's full value by 2035, stands a pretty decent chance of having a good showing.Show Noteshttps://www.deepisolation.com/about-nuclear-waste/where-is-nuclear-waste-nowhttps://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/5-fast-facts-about-spent-nuclear-fuelhttps://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/3-advanced-reactor-systems-watch-2030https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/nuclear-waste/radioactive-wastes-myths-and-realitieshttps://www.visualcapitalist.com/visualizing-all-the-nuclear-waste-in-the-world/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-level_radioactive_waste_managementhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioactive_wastehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_reprocessinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_cask_storagehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_geological_repositoryhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/er.3854https://archive.is/DQpXMhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorium-based_nuclear_powerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorium_fuel_cycle This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe

(00:00:00) Lunar Relics and Interstellar Insights: Discoveries from the Moon and Comet 3I ATLAS (00:00:46) Relics of the outer solar system discovered on the Moon (00:03:30) Insights from interstellar comet 3I ATLAS (00:07:31) SpaceX's Starship Mega rocket test flight (00:23:54) The Science report (00:31:46) Episode Wrap In this episode of SpaceTime, we explore remarkable discoveries that provide new insights into our solar system and beyond.Relics of the Outer Solar System Found on the MoonA groundbreaking study reveals that meteorites found on the Moon originated from the outer solar system. Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have identified olivine-bearing clasts from lunar regolith collected by the Chang'e 6 mission. These relics, believed to be carbonaceous chondrites, offer critical information about the formation and evolution of planets. The findings suggest that the Moon serves as a pristine archive for meteorites, with implications for understanding the origins of lunar water and organic materials.Interstellar Comet 3I ATLAS: Insights into Alien Solar SystemsThe interstellar comet 3I ATLAS is revealing fascinating details about the composition of other solar systems. New observations indicate that 3I ATLAS has been active longer than expected, releasing various molecules as it travels through our solar system. This segment discusses how the comet's behavior challenges existing assumptions about comet activity and provides clues about the materials present in distant star systems.SpaceX's Starship Mega Rocket Test FlightSpaceX has successfully completed its 11th test flight of the Starship Mega rocket, demonstrating significant advancements in its design and capabilities. The mission involved various maneuvers, including hot staging and payload deployment, as well as tests of the spacecraft's reentry and landing procedures. This episode highlights the importance of these tests for future missions to the Moon and Mars, as SpaceX continues to refine the Starship for interplanetary travel.www.spacetimewithstuartgary.com✍️ Episode ReferencesProceedings of the National Academy of Scienceshttps://www.pnas.org/Astrophysical Journal Lettershttps://iopscience.iop.org/journal/2041-8205Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/spacetime-your-guide-to-space-astronomy--2458531/support.Relics of the Outer Solar System Found on the MoonInterstellar Comet 3I ATLAS: Insights into Alien Solar SystemsSpaceX's Starship Mega Rocket Test Flight

China's security authorities say they have found conclusive evidence of a major cyber intrusion by the U.S. National Security Agency targeting the National Time Service Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Topics: Best practice in communication in teams; different ways of collaboration; are virtual tools a game changer; national styles; are we moving towards “big history”? Discussants: Olival Freire Jr. is Professor in history of science at the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil, and Director of the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development. Roberto Lalli is Assistant Professor in history of science and technology at the Polytechnico di Turino, Italy, and PI of the research project “FusEUrope”. Jinyan Liu is Professor at the Institute for the History of Natural Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, China, and vice-chair of the department of History of International Science and Technology. Recorded on April 24, 2025. For more information visit: https://www.chstm.org/node/79326

First up on the podcast, aggressive tumors have a secret cache of DNA that may help them beat current drug treatments. Freelance journalist Elie Dolgin joins host Sarah Crespi to talk about targeting so-called extrachromosomal DNA—little gene-bearing loops of DNA—that help difficult-to-treat cancers break the laws of inheritance.   Next on the show, producer Meagan Cantwell talks with Weidong Sun, director of the Center of Deep Sea Research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, about the discovery of a hydrogen-rich system so large it makes up at least 5% of current estimates for global hydrogen emissions from abiotic sources. They discuss how hydrogen gas rising from the mantle reacting with oxygen could have triggered an explosion that formed holes hundreds of meters across and dozens of meters deep.  This week's episode was produced with help from Podigy. Authors: Sarah Crespi; Elie Dolgin; Meagan Cantwell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Li-Meng Yan w/ The Voice of Dr. Yan – Whistleblowers disclosed that this program was specifically designed for grooming the CCP's new generation of elites, preparing them to become future top leaders. In fact, a senior official at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences admitted back in 2016 that some “party and government cadres” were dispatched to Harvard as part of an educational program in...

This week on Sinica, I speak with Kendra Schaefer, the partner at Trivium China who heads their tech practice. She recently published a fascinating paper looking at the Cyberspace Administration of China's comprehensive database of generative AI tools released in China, and she shares the insights and big takeaways from her research on that database. It's a terrific window into what Chinese firms, both private and state-affiliated, are doing with generative AI.03:51 – Mandatory registration of generative AI Tools in China10:28 – How does the CAC categorize AI Tools?14:25 – State-affiliated vs. non-state-affiliated AI Tools18:55 – Capability and competition of China's AI Industry22:57 – Significance of Generative Algorithmic Tools (GAT) registration counts26:06 – The application of GATs in the education sector29:50 – The application of GATs in the healthcare Sector31:00 – Underrepresentation of AI tools in other sectors32:56 – Regional breakdown of AI innovation in China36:07 – AI adoption across sectors: how companies integrate AI40:21 – Standout projects by the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS)42:42 – How multinationals navigate China's tech regulations47:50 – Role of foreign players in China's AI strategy49:38 – Key takeaways from the AI development journey53:41 -– Blind spots in AI data57:25 – Kendra's future research directionPaying it Forward: Kenton Thibaut.Recommendations:Kendra: The Chinese Computer: A Global History of the Information Age by Thomas Mullaney.Kaiser: the Rhyming Chaos Podcast by Jeremy Goldkorn and Maria RepnikovaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Continuing the end of year 2024 edition of Unearthed!, this installment includes these categories: potpourri, edibles and potables, and books and letters Research: Giuffrida, Angela. “Painting found by junk dealer in cellar is original Picasso, experts claim.” The Guardian. 10/1/2024. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2024/oct/01/painting-found-by-junk-dealer-in-cellar-is-original-picasso-experts-claim Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “‘Horrible’ Painting Found by a Junk Dealer Could Be a Picasso Worth $6 Million.” ArtNet. 10/1/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/junk-dealer-picasso-2545786 Kuta, Sarah. “This Shipwreck’s Location Was a Mystery for 129 Years. Then, Two Men Found It Just Minutes Into a Three-Day Search.” Smithsonian. 9/30/2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-shipwrecks-location-was-a-mystery-for-129-years-then-two-men-found-it-just-minutes-into-a-three-day-search-180985165/ Peru murals https://archaeology.org/news/2024/10/01/additional-moche-murals-uncovered-in-peru-at-panamarca/ Leung, Maple. “Team makes distilled wine in replica of bronze vessel found at emperor’s tomb.” MyNews. 12/13/2024. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3290709/team-makes-distilled-wine-replica-bronze-vessel-found-emperors-tomb Feldman, Ella. “Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers From ‘The Wizard of Oz’ Sell for a Record-Breaking $28 Million.” Smithsonian. 12/10/2024. s-from-the-wizard-of-oz-sell-for-a-record-breaking-28-million-180985620/ Tamisiea, Jack. “Hairballs Shed Light on Man-Eating Lions’ Menu.” The New York Times. 10/11/2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/11/science/tsavo-lions-man-eating-dna.html Spears, Nancy Marie. “First-ever oral histories of Indian boarding school survivors, collected with care.” ICT. 10/16/2024. https://ictnews.org/news/first-ever-oral-histories-of-indian-boarding-school-survivors-collected-with-care Kuta, Sarah. “Biden Issues a ‘Long Overdue’ Formal Apology for Native American Boarding Schools.” Smithsonian. 10/25/2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/biden-issues-a-long-overdue-biden-formally-apologizes-for-native-american-boarding-schools-180985341/ Schrader, Adam. “A New Monument Confronts the Dark Legacy of Native American Boarding Schools.” ArtNet. 12/13/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/indian-boarding-school-national-monument-2586044 Boucher, Brian. “This Contemporary Artist Will Complete a Missing Scene in the Millennium-Old Bayeux Tapestry.” Artnet. 10/29/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/helene-delprat-complete-bayeux-tapestry-2560937 Reuters. “Ancient Pompeii site uncovers tiny house with exquisite frescoes.” 10/24/2024. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ancient-pompeii-site-uncovers-tiny-house-with-exquisite-frescoes-2024-10-24/ The History Blog. “Tiny house frescoed like mansion in Pompeii.” 10/25/2024. http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/71444 Bowman, Emma. “New DNA evidence upends what we thought we knew about Pompeii victims.” NPR. 11/9/2024. https://www.npr.org/2024/11/08/g-s1-33553/pompeii-dna-evidence-vesuvius-victims Benzine, Vittoria. “Pompeii Experts Back Up Pliny’s Historical Account of Vesuvius Eruption.” ArtNet. 12/13/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/pompeii-pliny-vesuvius-eruption-date-2587228 Willsher, Kim. “‘Bodies were dropped down quarry shafts’: secrets of millions buried in Paris catacombs come to light.” The Guardian. 10/19/2024. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/19/bodies-quarry-shafts-millions-buried-paris-catacombs Kuta, Sarah. “See the Wreck of Ernest Shackleton’s ‘Endurance’ in Astonishing Detail With This New 3D Scan.” Smithsonian. 10/18/2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-wreck-of-ernest-shackletons-endurance-in-astonishing-detail-with-this-new-3d-scan-180985274/ Boucher, Brian. “In a Rare Move, Boston’s Gardner Museum Snaps Up a Neighboring Apartment Building.” ArtNet. 10/18/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/boston-gardner-museum-buys-apartment-building-2555811 Whipple, Tom. “Letters reveal the quiet genius of Ada Lovelace.” The Times. 6/14/2024. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/history/article/ada-lovelace-letters-shed-light-woman-science-1848-kdztdh9x0 Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “This 18th-Century Painting Could Rewrite Black History in Britain.” ArtNet. 10/14/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/this-18th-century-painting-could-rewrite-black-history-in-britain-2552814 Factum Foundation. “William Blake’s Earliest Engravings.” 2024. https://factumfoundation.org/our-projects/digitisation/archiox-analysing-and-recording-cultural-heritage-in-oxford/william-blakes-earliest-engravings/ Whiddington, Richard. “William Blake’s Earliest Etchings Uncovered in Stunning High-Tech Scans.” ArtNet. 10/23/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/william-blake-earliest-engravings-copper-plates-bodleian-2558053 Kinsella, Eileen. “X-Ray Analysis of Gauguin Painting Reveals Hidden Details… and a Dead Beetle.” ArtNet. 12/2/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/gauguin-little-cat-analysis-van-gogh-museum-2577081 Oster, Sandee. “Archaeologists reveal musical instruments depicted in Zimbabwe's ancient rock art.” Phys.org. 11/29/2024. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-archaeologists-reveal-musical-instruments-depicted.html Niskanen, Niina. “Prehistoric hunter-gatherers heard the elks painted on rocks talking.” EurekAlert. 11/25/2024. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1065949 Metcalfe, Tom. “WWII British sub that sank with 64 on board finally found off Greek Island.” LiveScience. https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/wwii-british-sub-that-sank-with-64-on-board-finally-found-off-greek-island Medievalists.net. “Tudor Sailors’ Bones Reveal Link Between Handedness and Bone Chemistry.” https://www.medievalists.net/2024/11/tudor-sailors-bones-reveal-link-between-handedness-and-bone-chemistry/ Benzine, Vittoria. “Astonishing Trove of Rare Roman Pottery Uncovered Beneath Sicilian Waters.” 11/7/2014. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/rare-richborough-pottery-underwater-sicily-2565780 Kuta, Sarah. “Divers Recover 300-Year-Old Glass Onion Bottles From a Shipwreck Off the Coast of Florida.” Smithsonian. 10/31/2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/divers-recover-300-year-old-glass-onion-bottles-from-a-shipwreck-off-the-coast-of-florida-180985358/ Babbs, Verity. “This Sunken Ship May Be the 1524 Wreckage From Vasco da Gama’s Final Voyage.” ArtNet. 11/30/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/sunken-ship-vasco-da-gama-2577760 Roberts, Michael. “Researchers locate WWI shipwreck off Northern Ireland.” PhysOrg. 12/3/2024. https://phys.org/news/2024-12-wwi-shipwreck-northern-ireland.html ACS Newsroom. “New hydrogel could preserve waterlogged wood from shipwrecks.” EurekAlert. 12/3/2024. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1066769 Dedovic, Yaz. “Bad weather led Dutch ship into Western Australian coast.” EurekAlert. 12/8/2024. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1067496 Bassi, Margherita. “1,200 years ago, a cat in Jerusalem left the oldest known evidence of 'making biscuits' on a clay jug.” LiveScience. 8/28/2024. https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/1-200-years-ago-a-cat-in-jerusalem-left-the-oldest-known-evidence-of-making-biscuits-on-a-clay-jug Oster, Sandee. “Tunisian snail remains provide insights on a possible 7700-year-old local food tradition.” Phys.org. 10/8/2024. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-tunisian-snail-insights-year-local.html Medievalists.net. “Vikings and Indigenous North Americans: New Walrus DNA Study Reveals Early Arctic Encounters.” https://www.medievalists.net/2024/10/vikings-and-indigenous-north-americans-new-walrus-dna-study-reveals-early-arctic-encounters/ Billing, Lotte. “Early interactions between Europeans and Indigenous North Americans revealed.” Lund University. Via EurekAlert. 9/28/2024. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1059638 Bliege Bird, R., Bird, D.W., Martine, C.T. et al. Seed dispersal by Martu peoples promotes the distribution of native plants in arid Australia. Nat Commun 15, 6019 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-50300-5 Tutella, Francisco. “Landscape effects of hunter-gatherer practices reshape idea of agriculture.” 10/10/2024. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1060928 aranto, S., Barcons, A.B., Portillo, M. et al. Unveiling the culinary tradition of ‘focaccia’ in Late Neolithic Mesopotamia by way of the integration of use-wear, phytolith & organic-residue analyses. Sci Rep 14, 26805 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-78019-9 Brinkhof, Tim. “People Were Making Focaccia Bread 9,000 Years Ago.” ArtNet. 12/15/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/ancient-focaccia-recipe-study-2580239 Ward, Kim. “How MSU is bringing shipwrecked seeds back to life.” MSU Today. 11/6/2024. https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2024/how-msu-is-bringing-shipwrecked-seeds-back-to-life Kuta, Sarah. “Seeds That Were Submerged in a Lake Huron Shipwreck for Nearly 150 Years.” Smithsonian. 11/25/2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-are-trying-to-make-whiskey-using-rye-seeds-that-were-submerged-in-a-lake-huron-shipwreck-for-nearly-150-years-180985493/ Tutella, Francisco. “Peaches spread across North America through Indigenous networks.” Penn State. Via EurekAlert. 11/22/2024. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1065907 Irish Central Staff. “2000-year-old fig discovered by Irish archaeologists in Dublin.” Irish Central. 11/25/2024. https://www.irishcentral.com/news/archaeologists-fig-drumanagh-dublin Kieltyka, Matt. “Genetic study of native hazelnut challenges misconceptions about how ancient Indigenous peoples used the land.” EurekAlert. 12/5/2024. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1067317 Pflughoeft, Aspen. “2,800-year-old bakery — with tools and food remains — uncovered in Germany” Miami Herald. 11/29/2024. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/article296316409.html#storylink=cpy Chinese Academy of Sciences. “Traces of 10,000-year-old ancient rice beer discovered in Neolithic site in Eastern China.” Phys.org. 12/9/2024. https://phys.org/news/2024-12-year-ancient-rice-beer-neolithic.html#google_vignette McHugh, Chris. “Medieval origins of Oxford college unearthed.” BBC. 12/15/2024. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd0el584nrvo Morgan Library and Museum. “New Work by Frédéric Chopin Recently Discovered in the Collection of the Morgan Library and Museum.” https://host.themorgan.org/press/Morgan_Chopin_MediaRelease.pdf Henley, Jon. “Remains of man whose death was recorded in 1197 saga uncovered in Norway.” The Guardian. 10/27/2014. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/27/remains-of-man-whose-death-was-recorded-in-1197-saga-uncovered-in-norway Babbs, Verity. “Archaeologists Unearth a 2,000-Year-Old Inscription Honoring an Ancient Wrestler.” ArtNet. 10/26/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/archaeologists-unearth-a-2000-year-old-inscription-honoring-an-ancient-wrestler-2557032 Whiddington, Richard. Amateur Sleuth Uncovers Bram Stoker’s Lost Supernatural Tale—A Precursor to ‘Dracula’?” ArtNet. 11/22/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/lost-bram-stoker-story-gibbet-hill-found-2557360 British Library. “An unknown leaf from the Poor Clares of Cologne.” Medieval Manuscripts Blog. https://blogs.bl.uk/digitisedmanuscripts/2024/12/poor-clares-of-cologne.html Thompson, Karen. “The Incas used stringy objects called 'khipus' to record data—we just got a step closer to understanding them.” Phys.org. 11/13/2024. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-incas-stringy-khipus-closer.html Whiddington, Richard. “An Archaeologist’s 150-Year-Old Message in a Bottle Is Uncovered by Norwegian Researchers.” ArtNet. 11/20/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/archaeologists-150-year-old-message-uncovered-norwegian-lorange-2572859 Kuta, Sarah. “Read the 132-Year-Old Message in a Bottle Found Hidden Inside the Walls of a Scottish Lighthouse.” Smithsonian. 11/26/2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/read-the-132-year-old-message-in-a-bottle-found-hidden-inside-the-walls-of-a-scottish-lighthouse-180985528/ Benzine, Vittoria. “Professor Translates 2,600-Year-Old Inscription That Linguists Claimed Could Never Be Read.” ArtNet. 11/20/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/2600-year-old-inscription-decoded-2572494 Alberge, Dalya. “16th-century graffiti of Tower of London prisoners decoded for first time.” The Observer. 12/1/2024. https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2024/dec/01/16th-century-graffiti-of-tower-of-london-prisoners-decoded-for-first-time Oster, Sandee. “Ancient Iberian slate plaques may be genealogical records.” Phys.org. 12/3/2024. https://phys.org/news/2024-12-ancient-iberian-slate-plaques-genealogical.html Robbins, Hannah. “Oldest known alphabet unearthed in ancient Syrian city.” EurekAlert. 11/20/2024. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1065620 Göttingen University. “Press release: Skill and technique in Bronze Age spear combat.” 8/10/2024. https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/3240.html?id=7562 Jackson, Justin. “'Getting high' in Paleolithic hunting: Elevated positions enhance javelin accuracy but reduce atlatl efficiency.” Phys.org. 10/16/2024. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-paleolithic-hunters-benefited-high.html#google_vignette Diamond, L.E., Langley, M.C., Cornish, B. et al. Aboriginal Australian weapons and human efficiency. Sci Rep 14, 25497 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-76317-w Langley, Michelle and Laura Diamond. “First-ever biomechanics study of Indigenous weapons shows what made them so deadly.” Phys.org. 10/28/2024. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-biomechanics-indigenous-weapons-deadly.html Babbs, Verity. “Rare Portrait of the Last Byzantine Emperor Unearthed in Stunning Greek Find.” ArtNet. 12/18/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/byzantine-emperor-constantine-xi-fresco-greece-2589737 Nelson, George. “Archeologists Discover Hidden Tomb in Ancient City of Petra and a Skeleton Holding Vessel Resembling Indiana Jones’s ‘Holy Grail’.” 10/22/2024. https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/petra-ancient-city-jordan-secret-hidden-tomb-archaeology-1234721828/ Osho-Williams, Olatunji. “Archaeologists in Petra Discover Secret Tomb Hiding Beneath a Mysterious Structure Featured in ‘Indiana Jones’.” Smithsonian. 10/15/2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-in-petra-discover-secret-tomb-hiding-beneath-a-mysterious-structure-featured-in-indiana-jones-180985275/ Anderson, Sonja. “Archaeologists Say This Tiny Amulet Is the Oldest Evidence of Christianity Found North of the Alps.” Smithsonian. 12/19/2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-say-this-tiny-amulet-is-the-oldest-evidence-of-christianity-found-north-of-the-alps-180985674/ UCL News. “Stonehenge may have been built to unify the people of ancient Britain.” 12/20/2024. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2024/dec/stonehenge-may-have-been-built-unify-people-ancient-britain Casey, Michael. “Centuries-old angels uncovered at Boston church made famous by Paul Revere.” Associated Press. 12/24/2024. https://apnews.com/article/boston-old-church-angels-uncovered-paul-revere-4656e86d3f042b8ab8f7652a7301597c Benzine, Vittoria. “Thousands of Stolen Greek Artifacts Just Turned Up in an Athens Basement.” ArtNet. 12/19/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/stolen-greek-artifacts-found-athens-basement-2589662 The History Blog. “Unique 500-year-old wooden shoe found in Netherlands cesspit.” 12/24/2024. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/71988 Anderson, Sonja. “Archaeologists Discover Rare Clay Commander Among Thousands of Life-Size Terra-Cotta Soldiers in China.” Smithsonian. 12/31/2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-rare-clay-commander-among-thousands-of-life-size-terra-cotta-soldiers-in-china-180985747/ Gammelby, Peter F. “Water and gruel—not bread: Discovering the diet of early Neolithic farmers in Scandinavia.” Phys.org. 12/20/2024. https://phys.org/news/2024-12-gruel-bread-diet-early-neolithic.html#google_vignette See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This first installment the end of year 2024 edition of Unearthed! starts with updates, so many shipwrecks, and so much art. Research: Giuffrida, Angela. “Painting found by junk dealer in cellar is original Picasso, experts claim.” The Guardian. 10/1/2024. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2024/oct/01/painting-found-by-junk-dealer-in-cellar-is-original-picasso-experts-claim Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “‘Horrible’ Painting Found by a Junk Dealer Could Be a Picasso Worth $6 Million.” ArtNet. 10/1/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/junk-dealer-picasso-2545786 Kuta, Sarah. “This Shipwreck’s Location Was a Mystery for 129 Years. Then, Two Men Found It Just Minutes Into a Three-Day Search.” Smithsonian. 9/30/2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-shipwrecks-location-was-a-mystery-for-129-years-then-two-men-found-it-just-minutes-into-a-three-day-search-180985165/ Peru murals https://archaeology.org/news/2024/10/01/additional-moche-murals-uncovered-in-peru-at-panamarca/ Leung, Maple. “Team makes distilled wine in replica of bronze vessel found at emperor’s tomb.” MyNews. 12/13/2024. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3290709/team-makes-distilled-wine-replica-bronze-vessel-found-emperors-tomb Feldman, Ella. “Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers From ‘The Wizard of Oz’ Sell for a Record-Breaking $28 Million.” Smithsonian. 12/10/2024. s-from-the-wizard-of-oz-sell-for-a-record-breaking-28-million-180985620/ Tamisiea, Jack. “Hairballs Shed Light on Man-Eating Lions’ Menu.” The New York Times. 10/11/2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/11/science/tsavo-lions-man-eating-dna.html Spears, Nancy Marie. “First-ever oral histories of Indian boarding school survivors, collected with care.” ICT. 10/16/2024. https://ictnews.org/news/first-ever-oral-histories-of-indian-boarding-school-survivors-collected-with-care Kuta, Sarah. “Biden Issues a ‘Long Overdue’ Formal Apology for Native American Boarding Schools.” Smithsonian. 10/25/2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/biden-issues-a-long-overdue-biden-formally-apologizes-for-native-american-boarding-schools-180985341/ Schrader, Adam. “A New Monument Confronts the Dark Legacy of Native American Boarding Schools.” ArtNet. 12/13/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/indian-boarding-school-national-monument-2586044 Boucher, Brian. “This Contemporary Artist Will Complete a Missing Scene in the Millennium-Old Bayeux Tapestry.” Artnet. 10/29/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/helene-delprat-complete-bayeux-tapestry-2560937 Reuters. “Ancient Pompeii site uncovers tiny house with exquisite frescoes.” 10/24/2024. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ancient-pompeii-site-uncovers-tiny-house-with-exquisite-frescoes-2024-10-24/ The History Blog. “Tiny house frescoed like mansion in Pompeii.” 10/25/2024. http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/71444 Bowman, Emma. “New DNA evidence upends what we thought we knew about Pompeii victims.” NPR. 11/9/2024. https://www.npr.org/2024/11/08/g-s1-33553/pompeii-dna-evidence-vesuvius-victims Benzine, Vittoria. “Pompeii Experts Back Up Pliny’s Historical Account of Vesuvius Eruption.” ArtNet. 12/13/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/pompeii-pliny-vesuvius-eruption-date-2587228 Willsher, Kim. “‘Bodies were dropped down quarry shafts’: secrets of millions buried in Paris catacombs come to light.” The Guardian. 10/19/2024. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/19/bodies-quarry-shafts-millions-buried-paris-catacombs Kuta, Sarah. “See the Wreck of Ernest Shackleton’s ‘Endurance’ in Astonishing Detail With This New 3D Scan.” Smithsonian. 10/18/2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-wreck-of-ernest-shackletons-endurance-in-astonishing-detail-with-this-new-3d-scan-180985274/ Boucher, Brian. “In a Rare Move, Boston’s Gardner Museum Snaps Up a Neighboring Apartment Building.” ArtNet. 10/18/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/boston-gardner-museum-buys-apartment-building-2555811 Whipple, Tom. “Letters reveal the quiet genius of Ada Lovelace.” The Times. 6/14/2024. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/history/article/ada-lovelace-letters-shed-light-woman-science-1848-kdztdh9x0 Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “This 18th-Century Painting Could Rewrite Black History in Britain.” ArtNet. 10/14/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/this-18th-century-painting-could-rewrite-black-history-in-britain-2552814 Factum Foundation. “William Blake’s Earliest Engravings.” 2024. https://factumfoundation.org/our-projects/digitisation/archiox-analysing-and-recording-cultural-heritage-in-oxford/william-blakes-earliest-engravings/ Whiddington, Richard. “William Blake’s Earliest Etchings Uncovered in Stunning High-Tech Scans.” ArtNet. 10/23/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/william-blake-earliest-engravings-copper-plates-bodleian-2558053 Kinsella, Eileen. “X-Ray Analysis of Gauguin Painting Reveals Hidden Details… and a Dead Beetle.” ArtNet. 12/2/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/gauguin-little-cat-analysis-van-gogh-museum-2577081 Oster, Sandee. “Archaeologists reveal musical instruments depicted in Zimbabwe's ancient rock art.” Phys.org. 11/29/2024. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-archaeologists-reveal-musical-instruments-depicted.html Niskanen, Niina. “Prehistoric hunter-gatherers heard the elks painted on rocks talking.” EurekAlert. 11/25/2024. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1065949 Metcalfe, Tom. “WWII British sub that sank with 64 on board finally found off Greek Island.” LiveScience. https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/wwii-british-sub-that-sank-with-64-on-board-finally-found-off-greek-island Medievalists.net. “Tudor Sailors’ Bones Reveal Link Between Handedness and Bone Chemistry.” https://www.medievalists.net/2024/11/tudor-sailors-bones-reveal-link-between-handedness-and-bone-chemistry/ Benzine, Vittoria. “Astonishing Trove of Rare Roman Pottery Uncovered Beneath Sicilian Waters.” 11/7/2014. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/rare-richborough-pottery-underwater-sicily-2565780 Kuta, Sarah. “Divers Recover 300-Year-Old Glass Onion Bottles From a Shipwreck Off the Coast of Florida.” Smithsonian. 10/31/2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/divers-recover-300-year-old-glass-onion-bottles-from-a-shipwreck-off-the-coast-of-florida-180985358/ Babbs, Verity. “This Sunken Ship May Be the 1524 Wreckage From Vasco da Gama’s Final Voyage.” ArtNet. 11/30/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/sunken-ship-vasco-da-gama-2577760 Roberts, Michael. “Researchers locate WWI shipwreck off Northern Ireland.” PhysOrg. 12/3/2024. https://phys.org/news/2024-12-wwi-shipwreck-northern-ireland.html ACS Newsroom. “New hydrogel could preserve waterlogged wood from shipwrecks.” EurekAlert. 12/3/2024. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1066769 Dedovic, Yaz. “Bad weather led Dutch ship into Western Australian coast.” EurekAlert. 12/8/2024. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1067496 Bassi, Margherita. “1,200 years ago, a cat in Jerusalem left the oldest known evidence of 'making biscuits' on a clay jug.” LiveScience. 8/28/2024. https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/1-200-years-ago-a-cat-in-jerusalem-left-the-oldest-known-evidence-of-making-biscuits-on-a-clay-jug Oster, Sandee. “Tunisian snail remains provide insights on a possible 7700-year-old local food tradition.” Phys.org. 10/8/2024. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-tunisian-snail-insights-year-local.html Medievalists.net. “Vikings and Indigenous North Americans: New Walrus DNA Study Reveals Early Arctic Encounters.” https://www.medievalists.net/2024/10/vikings-and-indigenous-north-americans-new-walrus-dna-study-reveals-early-arctic-encounters/ Billing, Lotte. “Early interactions between Europeans and Indigenous North Americans revealed.” Lund University. Via EurekAlert. 9/28/2024. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1059638 Bliege Bird, R., Bird, D.W., Martine, C.T. et al. Seed dispersal by Martu peoples promotes the distribution of native plants in arid Australia. Nat Commun 15, 6019 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-50300-5 Tutella, Francisco. “Landscape effects of hunter-gatherer practices reshape idea of agriculture.” 10/10/2024. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1060928 aranto, S., Barcons, A.B., Portillo, M. et al. Unveiling the culinary tradition of ‘focaccia’ in Late Neolithic Mesopotamia by way of the integration of use-wear, phytolith & organic-residue analyses. Sci Rep 14, 26805 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-78019-9 Brinkhof, Tim. “People Were Making Focaccia Bread 9,000 Years Ago.” ArtNet. 12/15/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/ancient-focaccia-recipe-study-2580239 Ward, Kim. “How MSU is bringing shipwrecked seeds back to life.” MSU Today. 11/6/2024. https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2024/how-msu-is-bringing-shipwrecked-seeds-back-to-life Kuta, Sarah. “Seeds That Were Submerged in a Lake Huron Shipwreck for Nearly 150 Years.” Smithsonian. 11/25/2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-are-trying-to-make-whiskey-using-rye-seeds-that-were-submerged-in-a-lake-huron-shipwreck-for-nearly-150-years-180985493/ Tutella, Francisco. “Peaches spread across North America through Indigenous networks.” Penn State. Via EurekAlert. 11/22/2024. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1065907 Irish Central Staff. “2000-year-old fig discovered by Irish archaeologists in Dublin.” Irish Central. 11/25/2024. https://www.irishcentral.com/news/archaeologists-fig-drumanagh-dublin Kieltyka, Matt. “Genetic study of native hazelnut challenges misconceptions about how ancient Indigenous peoples used the land.” EurekAlert. 12/5/2024. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1067317 Pflughoeft, Aspen. “2,800-year-old bakery — with tools and food remains — uncovered in Germany” Miami Herald. 11/29/2024. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/article296316409.html#storylink=cpy Chinese Academy of Sciences. “Traces of 10,000-year-old ancient rice beer discovered in Neolithic site in Eastern China.” Phys.org. 12/9/2024. https://phys.org/news/2024-12-year-ancient-rice-beer-neolithic.html#google_vignette McHugh, Chris. “Medieval origins of Oxford college unearthed.” BBC. 12/15/2024. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd0el584nrvo Morgan Library and Museum. “New Work by Frédéric Chopin Recently Discovered in the Collection of the Morgan Library and Museum.” https://host.themorgan.org/press/Morgan_Chopin_MediaRelease.pdf Henley, Jon. “Remains of man whose death was recorded in 1197 saga uncovered in Norway.” The Guardian. 10/27/2014. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/27/remains-of-man-whose-death-was-recorded-in-1197-saga-uncovered-in-norway Babbs, Verity. “Archaeologists Unearth a 2,000-Year-Old Inscription Honoring an Ancient Wrestler.” ArtNet. 10/26/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/archaeologists-unearth-a-2000-year-old-inscription-honoring-an-ancient-wrestler-2557032 Whiddington, Richard. Amateur Sleuth Uncovers Bram Stoker’s Lost Supernatural Tale—A Precursor to ‘Dracula’?” ArtNet. 11/22/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/lost-bram-stoker-story-gibbet-hill-found-2557360 British Library. “An unknown leaf from the Poor Clares of Cologne.” Medieval Manuscripts Blog. https://blogs.bl.uk/digitisedmanuscripts/2024/12/poor-clares-of-cologne.html Thompson, Karen. “The Incas used stringy objects called 'khipus' to record data—we just got a step closer to understanding them.” Phys.org. 11/13/2024. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-incas-stringy-khipus-closer.html Whiddington, Richard. “An Archaeologist’s 150-Year-Old Message in a Bottle Is Uncovered by Norwegian Researchers.” ArtNet. 11/20/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/archaeologists-150-year-old-message-uncovered-norwegian-lorange-2572859 Kuta, Sarah. “Read the 132-Year-Old Message in a Bottle Found Hidden Inside the Walls of a Scottish Lighthouse.” Smithsonian. 11/26/2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/read-the-132-year-old-message-in-a-bottle-found-hidden-inside-the-walls-of-a-scottish-lighthouse-180985528/ Benzine, Vittoria. “Professor Translates 2,600-Year-Old Inscription That Linguists Claimed Could Never Be Read.” ArtNet. 11/20/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/2600-year-old-inscription-decoded-2572494 Alberge, Dalya. “16th-century graffiti of Tower of London prisoners decoded for first time.” The Observer. 12/1/2024. https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2024/dec/01/16th-century-graffiti-of-tower-of-london-prisoners-decoded-for-first-time Oster, Sandee. “Ancient Iberian slate plaques may be genealogical records.” Phys.org. 12/3/2024. https://phys.org/news/2024-12-ancient-iberian-slate-plaques-genealogical.html Robbins, Hannah. “Oldest known alphabet unearthed in ancient Syrian city.” EurekAlert. 11/20/2024. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1065620 Göttingen University. “Press release: Skill and technique in Bronze Age spear combat.” 8/10/2024. https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/3240.html?id=7562 Jackson, Justin. “'Getting high' in Paleolithic hunting: Elevated positions enhance javelin accuracy but reduce atlatl efficiency.” Phys.org. 10/16/2024. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-paleolithic-hunters-benefited-high.html#google_vignette Diamond, L.E., Langley, M.C., Cornish, B. et al. Aboriginal Australian weapons and human efficiency. Sci Rep 14, 25497 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-76317-w Langley, Michelle and Laura Diamond. “First-ever biomechanics study of Indigenous weapons shows what made them so deadly.” Phys.org. 10/28/2024. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-biomechanics-indigenous-weapons-deadly.html Babbs, Verity. “Rare Portrait of the Last Byzantine Emperor Unearthed in Stunning Greek Find.” ArtNet. 12/18/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/byzantine-emperor-constantine-xi-fresco-greece-2589737 Nelson, George. “Archeologists Discover Hidden Tomb in Ancient City of Petra and a Skeleton Holding Vessel Resembling Indiana Jones’s ‘Holy Grail’.” 10/22/2024. https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/petra-ancient-city-jordan-secret-hidden-tomb-archaeology-1234721828/ Osho-Williams, Olatunji. “Archaeologists in Petra Discover Secret Tomb Hiding Beneath a Mysterious Structure Featured in ‘Indiana Jones’.” Smithsonian. 10/15/2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-in-petra-discover-secret-tomb-hiding-beneath-a-mysterious-structure-featured-in-indiana-jones-180985275/ Anderson, Sonja. “Archaeologists Say This Tiny Amulet Is the Oldest Evidence of Christianity Found North of the Alps.” Smithsonian. 12/19/2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-say-this-tiny-amulet-is-the-oldest-evidence-of-christianity-found-north-of-the-alps-180985674/ UCL News. “Stonehenge may have been built to unify the people of ancient Britain.” 12/20/2024. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2024/dec/stonehenge-may-have-been-built-unify-people-ancient-britain Casey, Michael. “Centuries-old angels uncovered at Boston church made famous by Paul Revere.” Associated Press. 12/24/2024. https://apnews.com/article/boston-old-church-angels-uncovered-paul-revere-4656e86d3f042b8ab8f7652a7301597c Benzine, Vittoria. “Thousands of Stolen Greek Artifacts Just Turned Up in an Athens Basement.” ArtNet. 12/19/2024. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/stolen-greek-artifacts-found-athens-basement-2589662 The History Blog. “Unique 500-year-old wooden shoe found in Netherlands cesspit.” 12/24/2024. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/71988 Anderson, Sonja. “Archaeologists Discover Rare Clay Commander Among Thousands of Life-Size Terra-Cotta Soldiers in China.” Smithsonian. 12/31/2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-rare-clay-commander-among-thousands-of-life-size-terra-cotta-soldiers-in-china-180985747/ Gammelby, Peter F. “Water and gruel—not bread: Discovering the diet of early Neolithic farmers in Scandinavia.” Phys.org. 12/20/2024. https://phys.org/news/2024-12-gruel-bread-diet-early-neolithic.html#google_vignette See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.