Podcasts about South China

In this episode, we are joined by Professor Henry Yu from University of British Columbia. We discuss Vancouver's Chinatown as a living archive of anti-Asian racism, and what it reveals about the persistence of racism after the acute pandemic period. We also use Yu's essay “The white elephant in the room” to reflect on why naming white supremacy matters, and what coalition-building—including national forums on anti-Asian racism—can and cannot accomplish. Resources: Henry Yu: https://acam.arts.ubc.ca/henry-yu/ The white elephant in the room: anti-Asian racism in Canada: https://beyond.ubc.ca/henry-yu-white-elephant/ Thinking Orientals: Migration, Contact, and Exoticism in Modern America: https://academic.oup.com/book/47996 Chinese Canadian Historical Society of British Columbia: http://www.cchsbc.ca/ Chinatown Reimagined: https://www.chinatownreimagined.ca/ Bio: Professor Henry Yu was born in Vancouver, B.C., and grew up in Vancouver and on Vancouver Island. He received his BA in Honours History from UBC and an MA and PhD in History from Princeton University. After teaching at UCLA for a decade, Yu returned to UBC as an Associate Professor of History to help build programs focused on trans-Pacific Canada. Yu himself is both a second and fourth generation Canadian. His parents were first generation immigrants from China, joining a grandfather who had spent almost his entire life in Canada. His great-grandfather was also an early Chinese pioneer in British Columbia, part of a larger networks of migrants who left Zhongshan county in Guangdong province in South China and settled around the Pacific in places such as Australia, New Zealand, Hawai'i, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, the United States, and Canada. Prof. Yu's book, Thinking Orientals: Migration, Contact, and Exoticism in Modern America (Oxford University Press, 2001) won the Norris and Carol Hundley Prize as the Most Distinguished Book of 2001, and he is currently working on a book entitled How Tiger Woods Lost His Stripes: Finding Ourselves in History. Currently, he is the Director of the Initiative for Student Teaching and Research on Chinese Canadians (INSTRCC) and the Principal of St. John's College at UBC, as well as a Board Member of the Chinese Canadian Historical Society of British Columbia (CCHSBC).

The China Meteorological Administration raised its major meteorological disaster emergency response on Monday morning, escalating it from level four, the lowest, to level three, and expanding the alert to cover both torrential rain and severe convective weather.6月15日上午，中国气象局将重大气象灾害应急响应由最低的四级提升至三级，并将预警范围扩大至暴雨和强对流天气。Meanwhile, the National Meteorological Center has renewed a blue alert for severe convective weather, the lowest level of its three-tier warning system, adding that powerful thunderstorms, hail and torrential downpours will sweep across large parts of the country.与此同时，中央气象台继续发布强对流天气蓝色预警——这是其三级预警体系中最低级别——并提示，强雷暴、冰雹和暴雨将席卷全国大范围地区。The center said that from Monday afternoon through Tuesday afternoon, thunderstorms accompanied by gale-force winds above level 8, equivalent to gusts of at least 62 kilometers per hour, or hail are likely to hit some areas of central and eastern parts of North China and the southern part of South China.中央气象台表示，从6月15日下午至16日下午，华北中东部和华南南部部分地区可能出现雷暴大风或冰雹天气，风力可达8级以上，即阵风风速至少62公里/小时。In some areas of Hebei province, Beijing and Tianjin, winds will be even stronger, with gusts exceeding level 10, meaning speeds of more than 88 km/h.河北部分地区、北京和天津风力更强，阵风可达10级以上，即风速超过88公里/小时。Meanwhile, intense bursts of short-duration heavy rain are forecast for central and southern parts of Northeast China, central and eastern parts of North China, central and southern parts of South China and southern part of Southwest China.同时，东北中南部、华北中东部、华南中南部及西南南部地区预计将出现短时强降水。These storms could deliver hourly rainfall of more than 20 millimeters.这些风暴的小时雨量可能超过20毫米。The downpours are expected to be heavier in the southern part of Hebei, the southeastern part of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and the southern part of Guangdong province, where hourly rates may surpass 50 mm and could peak above 90 mm.预计河北南部、广西东南部和广东南部降水更强，小时雨量可能超过50毫米，局部可达90毫米以上。The center said that from Monday through Wednesday, heavy to violent rainfall is expected to hit most parts of Guangdong and Guangxi, central and southern parts of Fujian province, the southern part of Jiangxi province, western and eastern parts of Yunnan province, the southern part of Sichuan province and the southwestern part of Guizhou province, with some areas likely to be hit by severe rainstorms.中央气象台表示，6月15日至17日，广东大部、广西大部、福建中南部、江西南部、云南东西部、四川南部和贵州西南部将有大到暴雨，部分地区可能遭遇大暴雨。Coastal areas of southern China will experience localized heavy downpours of extreme intensity.华南沿海地区将出现局地极端强降水。The eastern part of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Northeast China, North China, and the eastern part of the Yellow-Huaihe River Valley are expected to experience scattered showers or thundershowers, with localized heavy rain or storms, along with short-duration heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, strong winds, hail, and other severe convective weather.内蒙古东部、东北地区、华北及黄淮东部等地预计将出现分散性阵雨或雷阵雨，局地有大雨或暴雨，并伴有短时强降水、雷暴大风、冰雹等强对流天气。Sun Qianqian, a meteorological analyst at Weather China, a website affiliated with the CMA, said the main reason for so much rainfall recently in Northeast and North China is the frequent eastward movement of upper-level troughs and cold vortices.中国气象局官网“中国天气网”气象分析师孙倩倩表示，近期东北、华北地区降雨频繁，主要原因是高空槽和冷涡东移频繁。"These systems continuously guide cold air southward to collide with warm and moist airflows, bringing frequent rainfall and severe convective weather," she said.“这些系统不断引导冷空气南下，与暖湿气流交汇，带来频繁降雨和强对流天气，”她说。The alerts followed days of exceptional rain that have already saturated parts of Guangdong and Guangxi where over 600 mm of rainfall has been recorded.此轮预警发布前，广东和广西部分地区连日遭遇强降雨，累计雨量已超过600毫米，土壤含水量饱和。Heavy to torrential rain, with local extreme downpours, has hit northern Guangdong, the northern Pearl River Delta, and eastern coastal areas since Friday.自6月12日以来，粤北、珠三角北部及粤东沿海地区出现大到暴雨，局地出现极端强降水。As of 8 pm on Sunday, 13,283 people had been evacuated, according to the provincial emergency management department.据广东省应急管理部门消息，截至6月14日晚8时，已紧急转移安置13283人。Affected by the rain, some trains operating between Yangcun township and Huizhou Station on the Beijing-Kowloon Railway service were adjusted on Monday, with measures including passenger diversion, suspension, and breaking a journey, railway authorities said.铁路部门表示，受降雨影响，6月15日京九铁路杨村镇至惠州站间部分列车运行调整，采取迂回、停运和缩短行程等措施。Guangdong-based media Nanfang Plus reported that in Huilai county, Jieyang city, local residents reported relentless heavy rain since Saturday night, with floodwaters rising chest-deep for some ground-floor residents.广东媒体“南方+”报道，揭阳市惠来县居民反映，自6月13日晚起持续强降雨，部分一楼住户家中积水已齐胸深。China News Service reported that the Guangxi's hydrology center said on Monday that four rivers had exceeded warning levels due to heavy rainfall, with the highest surpassing the alert mark by 1.76 meters.中新社报道，广西水文中心6月15日表示，受强降雨影响，已有4条河流出现超警洪水，最高超警1.76米。meteorological disaster /ˌmiːtiərəˈlɒdʒɪkəl dɪˈzɑːstə/气象灾害torrential rain /təˈrenʃəl reɪn/暴雨severe convective weather /sɪˈvɪə kənˈvektɪv ˈweðə/强对流天气gusts /ɡʌsts/阵风scattered showers /ˈskætəd ˈʃaʊəz/分散性阵雨thundershowers /ˈθʌndəʃaʊəz/雷阵雨upper-level troughs /ˈʌpə ˈlevəl trɒfs/高空槽cold vortices /kəʊld ˈvɔːtɪsiːz/冷涡hydrology center /haɪˈdrɒlədʒi ˈsentə/水文中心

Chinese humanoid robot startups are moving beyond choreographed demonstrations and into factories and retail stores, racing to secure real-world deployments that could eventually scale to tens of thousands of machines.中国的人形机器人初创企业正走出编排好的演示阶段，进入工厂和零售商店，争相实现真实场景的部署，最终有望达到数万台机器的规模。The shift gained further momentum on Tuesday when the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council launched a nationwide initiative to accelerate humanoid robot adoption across manufacturing, logistics, retail, healthcare and other sectors.这一转变在6月9日获得了进一步动力，工业和信息化部与国务院国有资产监督管理委员会当天启动了一项全国性专项行动，旨在加速人形机器人在制造业、物流、零售、医疗等领域的应用。The initiative aims to create more than 100 high-value application scenarios by the end of 2026 and drive large-scale deployment of more than 10,000 humanoid robots, underscoring China‘s ambition to turn humanoid robots into a new pillar of industrial growth.该专项行动的目标是，到2026年底打造100个以上高价值应用场景，带动形成万台级规模落地能力，凸显出中国将人形机器人培育为产业增长新支柱的决心。Among the early movers is Beijing-based Robotera, whose humanoid robots have already been deployed in more than 10 logistics centers operated by China Post and SF Holding across North, East and South China.总部位于北京的星动纪元（Robotera）是该领域的先行者之一，其人形机器人已在中国邮政和顺丰控股于华北、华东和华南地区运营的10多个物流中心投入应用。In a facility in Beijing on Wednesday, a Robotera humanoid robot packed products into cardboard boxes. When an item was unexpectedly removed from the box, the robot immediately detected the change, retrieved the object and completed the task again.6月10日，在北京的一处设施内，一台星动纪元的人形机器人正将产品装入纸箱。当一件物品意外被从箱中取出时，机器人立即察觉这一变化，重新拾起该物品，并再次完成了任务。Chen Jianyu, founder of Robotera, said that its humanoid robots can process up to 1,200 parcels per hour, approaching human-level productivity in some logistics environments.星动纪元创始人陈建宇表示，其人形机器人每小时最多可处理1200个包裹，在某些物流环境中已接近人类的生产效率。“We want robots to enter factories and logistics parks and become real productive forces,” he said.“我们希望机器人进入工厂和物流园区，成为真正的生产力，”他说。The company‘s commercial traction is already visible. Robotera's co-founder Xi Yue said the company is already delivering orders in thousands of units this year as demand accelerates.该公司的商业化进展已经显现。星动纪元联合创始人席悦表示，随着需求加速增长，公司今年已开始交付数千台订单。A similar race is unfolding in retail. Beijing-based Galbot, another embodied AI startup, has opened autonomous retail stores, known as galaxy capsules, across the city, and deployed humanoid robots in some of Beijing‘s FamilyMart convenience stores.类似的竞赛也在零售领域展开。总部位于北京的具身智能初创企业银河通用（Galbot）已在全市开设了名为“银河太空舱”的无人零售店，并在北京的部分全家便利店部署了人形机器人。Inside the silver, spacecraft-like capsule stores, humanoid robots prepare coffee, retrieve drinks and serve customers without human assistance.在银色、类似太空舱的胶囊店铺内，人形机器人无需人工协助即可制作咖啡、取用饮料并为顾客服务。The pace of improvement has been rapid. When Galbot opened its first capsule store last August, a robot took 46 seconds to pick up and deliver a cup of coffee. Less than a year later, that time has been cut to 18 seconds.改进的速度非常快。去年8月银河通用开设首家胶囊店时，机器人取送一杯咖啡需要46秒。不到一年后，这一时间已缩短至18秒。Galbot‘s co-founder Zhang Zhizheng said the company plans to launch similar stores in 10 cities, locating them in commercial districts, transportation hubs, tourist attractions and urban neighborhoods.银河通用联合创始人张志正表示，公司计划在10个城市开设类似的店铺，选址于商业区、交通枢纽、旅游景点和城市社区。He added that Galbot has pursued a dual-track strategy, deploying robots in both industrial and retail settings.他补充说，银河通用采取了双轨战略，在工业领域和零售场景同时部署机器人。According to him, its Galbot S1 mobile robot, capable of carrying loads of up to 50 kilograms while operating continuously through battery swapping, has entered production lines at companies including battery giant CATL and automaker BAIC Group.据他介绍，其Galbot S1移动机器人能够通过更换电池持续运行，可承载高达50公斤的负载，已进入电池巨头宁德时代和汽车制造商北汽集团等公司的生产线。Jiang Han, a senior researcher at market consultancy Pangoal, said: “What‘s happening now is a transition from laboratory validation to large-scale commercial deployment.市场咨询机构盘古智库的高级研究员江瀚表示：“当前正经历从实验室验证到大规模商业部署的转变。The key breakthrough is not that the robots can move. It's that they can operate autonomously in complex, dynamic environments as part of everyday business operations.”“关键的突破不在于机器人能动，而在于它们能够作为日常商业运营的一部分，在复杂、动态的环境中自主运行。”choreographed /ˈkɒriəɡrɑːft/精心编排的Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) /ˈmɪnɪstri əv ˈɪndəstri ənd ˌɪnfəˈmeɪʃən tekˈnɒlədʒi/工业和信息化部State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) /steɪt əʊnd ˈæsets ˌsuːpəˈvɪʒən ənd ədˌmɪnɪˈstreɪʃən kəˈmɪʃən/国务院国有资产监督管理委员会large-scale deployment /lɑːdʒ skeɪl dɪˈplɔɪmənt/规模化落地pillar of industrial growth /ˈpɪlə əv ɪnˈdʌstriəl ɡrəʊθ/产业增长支柱dual-track strategy /ˈdjuːəl træk ˈstrætədʒi/双轨战略

Freight rates on China-North America shipping routes have risen sharply in recent weeks as importers from the United States stepped up inventory replenishment and global shipping capacity tightened, said freight forwarders and industry analysts.货运代理和行业分析师表示，由于美国进口商加大补库存力度，加之全球运力收紧，近几周中国至北美航线的运价大幅上涨。They said space on US-bound routes has remained in short supply, with most capacity already booked through June.他们表示，美线舱位持续紧张，大部分运力直至6月已被预订一空。Freight rates on some routes have jumped more than 50 percent since late April amid strong demand and constrained vessel capacity.受强劲需求与运力受限的双重影响，自4月下旬以来，部分航线的运价涨幅已超过50%。At Pros-Forest Logistics, an international freight forwarding company based in Ningbo, Zhejiang province in East China, staffers repeatedly refreshed shipping lines‘ booking systems, closely monitoring the latest slots available.在位于浙江宁波的国际货运代理公司“普罗森林物流”（音译），员工反复刷新船公司的订舱系统，密切关注最新舱位动态。Securing vessel space and obtaining empty containers have become the company's top priorities in recent weeks.确保舱位和提取空箱已成为该公司近几周的首要任务。Jiang Lei, the company‘s president, said that since May, shipping routes between China and the US have been fully booked.该公司总裁蒋蕾（音译）表示，自5月以来，中美航线的舱位已全部订满。Vessel space has become extremely tight across East and South China, with cargo frequently being rolled over to later sailings.华东和华南地区舱位极度紧缺，货物经常被延至后续航次。“Most of the available capacity for June has already been reserved. Overall, the market has returned to the kind of tight conditions typically seen during the peak shipping season，” Jiang said.“6月的大部分舱位已被预订。总体而言，市场已恢复到航运旺季才有的紧张状态，”蒋蕾说。At the end of April, the freight rate for a forty-foot equivalent unit from Ningbo to ports on the US West Coast stood at about $2,900, while rates to the US East Coast were around $3,900, she said.她表示，4月底时，从宁波发往美国西海岸港口的40英尺集装箱运价约为2900美元，发往美国东海岸港口的运价约为3900美元。Following several rounds of increases, rates have now climbed to nearly $5,000 for the US West Coast and close to $6,000 for the US East Coast.经过数轮提价后，目前美西航线运价已攀升至近5000美元，美东航线则逼近6000美元。Meanwhile, several shipping lines are planning further rate hikes on US routes in mid-June, said Jiang.蒋蕾补充说，与此同时，多家船公司正计划在6月中旬对美国航线进一步提价。At a warehouse operated by Ningbo Ruiyuan Logistics Co, a freight forwarding company in Ningbo, consumer goods from Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces are gathered before being shipped to North America.在宁波货运代理公司“宁波瑞源物流有限公司”的一处仓库，来自江苏和浙江两省的消费品在此集结，随后运往北美。“From late April to late May, the warehouse handled an average of 70 to 80 FEUs per day, surpassing the shipping peak seen ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday this year，” said Hu Wanying, the company‘s executive vice-president.“4月下旬至5月下旬，该仓库日均处理70至80个40英尺集装箱，已超过今年春节前的出货高峰，”公司执行副总裁胡倇萤说。Qian Hanglu, an analyst at Ningbo Shipping Exchange, said that on the supply side, more than 300,000 twenty-foot equivalent units of container shipping capacity have been stranded in the Gulf due to tensions in the Middle East and disruptions to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.宁波航运交易所分析师钱杭璐指出，从供给端看，受中东局势紧张以及霍尔木兹海峡航运中断的影响，超过30万标准箱的集装箱运力滞留在波斯湾。Meanwhile, the resumption of normal shipping through the Red Sea has been delayed, forcing vessels to continue taking longer routes around the region.与此同时，红海航线恢复正常的时间被推迟，迫使船舶继续绕行该地区更远的航线。The decline in vessel turnover has effectively reduced available capacity and added further upward pressure on freight rates, Qian said.钱杭璐表示，船舶周转率下降导致有效运力减少，进一步加大了运价上涨的压力。“We have also observed that vessel speeds across the container shipping market have been declining. Shipping companies are slowing down, primarily to reduce fuel costs. This will effectively reduce available global shipping capacity，” she added.“我们还观察到，集装箱航运市场的船舶航速正在下降。船公司降低航速主要是为了降低燃油成本。这将进一步减少全球可用运力，”她补充道。Exports from Ningbo's ports to the US totaled more than 290,000 TEUs in May, with cargo value exceeding 36 billion yuan ($5.3 billion), up more than 25 percent year-on-year.宁波海关数据显示，5月宁波口岸对美出口总量超过29万标准箱，货值超过360亿元人民币（约合53亿美元），同比增长超过25%。Major export categories included mechanical and electrical products, apparel, textile products and household goods, said Ningbo Customs.主要出口商品包括机电产品、服装、纺织品和家居用品。freight rate /freɪt reɪt/运价inventory replenishment /ˈɪnvəntri rɪˈplenɪʃmənt/补库存rolled over /rəʊld ˈəʊvə/延至后续航次forty-foot equivalent unit (FEU) /ˈfɔːti fʊt ɪˈkwɪvələnt ˈjuːnɪt/ 40英尺集装箱twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) /ˈtwɛnti fʊt ɪˈkwɪvələnt ˈjuːnɪt/标准箱mechanical and electrical products /məˈkænɪkəl ənd ɪˈlektrɪkəl ˈprɒdʌkts/机电产品apparel /əˈpærəl/服装Ningbo Shipping Exchange /ˈnɪŋbəʊ ˈʃɪpɪŋ ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒ/宁波航运交易所

Humanoid robots performing martial arts, robotic dogs demonstrating their agility and robots dancing to foreign folk music have become some of the more unusual scenes on foreign leaders' trips to China this year.今年，外国领导人访华途中出现了一些不同寻常的场景：人形机器人打太极、机器狗灵活跳跃、机器人随外国民族音乐翩翩起舞。Behind the eye-catching moments is a broader trend: China's vast market and technological strength are drawing visiting leaders beyond formal talks in Beijing.这些引人注目的时刻背后，是一个更大的趋势：中国广阔的市场和技术实力正吸引着来访的领导人走出北京的外交会场。The latest is Thongloun Sisoulith, general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao president, who is currently making a five-day state visit to China.最新一位是正在对中国进行为期五天国事访问的老挝人民革命党中央总书记、国家主席通伦·西苏里。During a trip to DEEP Robotics in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province, shortly after his arrival in China on Tuesday, Thongloun operated a robotic dog and praised it as "very good" and "very flexible".通伦6月2日抵华后不久便前往浙江省会杭州，参观了杭州云深处科技有限公司。他亲自操作了一只机器狗，称赞其“很好”、“非常灵活”。He also visited the headquarters of Chinese tech company Alibaba Group, where he learned how e-commerce platforms help Lao products reach consumers across the Chinese market.他还参观了中国科技公司阿里巴巴集团总部，了解了电商平台如何帮助老挝产品触达中国市场各地的消费者。Thongloun is not alone. Earlier this year, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also included Zhejiang in their China itineraries.通伦并非个例。今年早些时候，塞尔维亚总统亚历山大·武契奇、巴基斯坦总理夏巴兹·谢里夫和德国总理弗里德里希·默茨也都在访华行程中安排了浙江。The province, long seen as an important window on China's reform and opening-up, is also one of the first places where the country's digital economy took root and flourished.浙江长期被视为中国改革开放的重要窗口，也是我国数字经济最早生根发芽并蓬勃发展的地区之一。Observers said the visits are more than lighthearted moments or technology showcases on packed diplomatic itineraries. Against the backdrop of global industrial transformation, the trips reflect a conscious choice by countries to embrace China's innovation drive and connect with its strengths in the digital economy, they said.观察人士指出，这些访问不仅仅是紧张外交行程中的轻松时刻或技术展示。在全球产业转型的背景下，这些行程反映出各国主动对接中国创新驱动发展战略、借力中国数字经济优势的明确选择。Zhejiang has become one of the most visible stops in this process because it allows visiting leaders to see, in one place, how digital platforms, artificial intelligence, robotics and advanced manufacturing are being applied in real industries.浙江之所以成为这一过程中最受瞩目的站点之一，是因为它能令来访的领导人实地看到，数字平台、人工智能、机器人及先进制造等技术如何在实际产业中落地应用。Jian Junbo, a researcher with the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, said the visits reflect foreign leaders' recognition of China's high-tech development, as well as their countries' desire to work with China and benefit from the momentum of its technological progress.复旦大学国际问题研究院研究员简军波表示，这些访问反映出外国领导人对中国高新技术发展的认可，也体现了他们与中国开展合作、借助中国技术进步势头获益的愿望。"They hope to carry out deeper and broader cooperation with China in areas such as sci-tech innovation, education and the application of technological achievements," Jian said.“他们希望与中方在科技创新、教育以及科技成果应用等领域开展更深层次、更广范围的合作，”简军波说。"The main purpose, and also their expectation, is to help drive the growth and development of their own domestic economies," Jian added.“其主要目的和预期，是希望能借此推动自身国内经济的增长与发展，”简军波补充道。Li Xiaopeng, a professor at Hangzhou City University, said: "Effective home-ground diplomacy is not just about meetings, group photos and signing ceremonies. It also requires letting guests see things for themselves — to see a country's development, its capabilities and where its future is heading."浙大城市学院教授李晓鹏表示：“有效的主场外交不仅是会谈、合影和签约，还需要让客人亲眼看一看——看看这个国家的发展、能力以及未来的走向。”Taking Hangzhou as an example, Li said the city has become a highly concentrated example of Chinese modernization. In 2025, Hangzhou's GDP exceeded 2.3 trillion yuan ($340 billion), while the added value of its core digital economy industries reached 678 billion yuan, official data shows.以杭州为例，李晓鹏表示，这座城市已成为中国式现代化的高度浓缩样本。官方数据显示，2025年杭州GDP突破2.3万亿元人民币（合3400亿美元），数字经济核心产业增加值达6780亿元。Behind the figures is an ecosystem that includes platform companies, robotics enterprises, AI startups and advanced manufacturers, forming a broader industrial chain that allows visiting leaders to see more than individual companies, Li said.李晓鹏说，这些数字背后是一个涵盖平台企业、机器人企业、人工智能初创公司及先进制造商的生态系统，形成了更长的产业链，使来访领导人看到的远不止单个企业。Zhejiang is not the only place where such out-of-capital trips have taken place.浙江并非外国领导人离京参访的唯一目的地。Foreign leaders visiting China have also traveled to places such as Shanghai, an international financial center; Xiong'an New Area in Hebei province; and Fujian, Shaanxi and Sichuan provinces — places that showcase Chinese modernization, coordinated regional development, poverty reduction and connectivity.访华的外国领导人还到访了上海这座国际金融中心、河北雄安新区，以及福建、陕西和四川等省份——这些地方展示着中国式现代化、区域协调发展、脱贫攻坚及互联互通建设成就。Jian, the researcher, said that in-person visits by foreign leaders play an irreplaceable role in helping them better understand the reasons behind China's economic success and its future development trends.复旦大学国际问题研究院研究员简军波表示，外国领导人亲身实地参访，在帮助他们更好地理解中国经济成功的原因及未来发展走向方面，发挥着不可替代的作用。"Such visits help them see China more objectively, dispel the interference of certain Western narratives, and put aside prejudice and stereotypes about China," he said.“这些实地参访有助于他们更客观地看待中国，排除某些西方叙事的干扰，摒弃对中国的偏见和刻板印象，”他说。While the Lao top leader was visiting Zhejiang, Yvette Cooper, the United Kingdom's foreign secretary, traveled to Shenzhen, the technology hub in South China's Guangdong province, on Wednesday for a trip focused on science and technology, after meetings in the Chinese capital.就在老挝最高领导人访问浙江期间，英国外交大臣伊薇特·库珀结束了在北京的会谈后，于6月3日前往华南科技重镇广东深圳，进行以科技为重点的参访。If Beijing is where diplomacy is conducted, Shenzhen is where China's industrial innovation takes shape on the ground, experts said.专家表示，如果说北京是开展外交活动的地方，那么深圳就是中国产业创新落地生根的地方。"Shenzhen now stands in the global spotlight, as it will host an important international meeting this year," said Cui Hongjian, a professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University's Academy of Regional and Global Governance.北京外国语大学区域与全球治理高等研究院教授崔洪建表示：“深圳目前备受国际关注，因为今年它将主办一场重要的国际会议。”The city is set to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting in November.今年11月，深圳将主办亚太经合组织（APEC）经济领导人会议。Cui said that Cooper's visit to the city and to technology companies shows that Britain's diplomacy toward China has a clear and targeted agenda — to make economic diplomacy a main thread of its China policy.崔洪建指出，库珀访问深圳及科技企业，表明英国对华外交有明确而具体的议程——让经济外交成为其对华政策的主线。draw /drɔː/吸引itinerary /aɪˈtɪnərəri/行程sci-tech innovation /ˈsaɪ tek ˌɪnəˈveɪʃən/科技创新Chinese modernization /tʃaɪˈniːz ˌmɒdənaɪˈzeɪʃən/中国式现代化international financial center /ˌɪntəˈnæʃənəl faɪˈnænʃəl ˈsentə/国际金融中心coordinated regional development /kəʊˈɔːdɪneɪtɪd ˈriːdʒənəl dɪˈveləpmənt/区域协调发展poverty reduction /ˈpɒvəti rɪˈdʌkʃən/脱贫攻坚dispel /dɪˈspel/消除narrative /ˈnærətɪv/叙事economic diplomacy /ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk dɪˈpləʊməsi/经济外交main thread /meɪn θred/主线

The Pinglu canal will become the shortest and most cost-effective shipping route between southwestern China and ASEAN markets.

Last time we spoke about the battle Yaoyi. Japan pushed hard into Hubei with a plan: surround the main Chinese forces and seize Yichang, hoping to use it to strike at Chongqing. At first, the fighting was chaotic and punishing. The Chinese side tried to hold the line and disrupt the advance, and they even managed setbacks for the Japanese, pushing back, retaking key ground, and hitting supply and positioning weaknesses. But victory came with a cost: commanders were lost, and every gain was hard-won. Still, the battle didn't unfold as a clean Chinese retreat or a simple Japanese win. As Japanese units shifted and tested for openings, the Chinese forces adjusted—delaying, regrouping, and fighting to keep their formations from being completely trapped. Eventually, Japan managed to break through at critical moments, especially through crossings and maneuvers that the Chinese had not fully sealed off. In the end, Japan succeeded in taking Yichang, but it didn't achieve the decisive annihilation it wanted.    #201 The New Fourth Army Incident and the Strained United Front Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. After the catastrophe of the early 1930s, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) entered the war against Japan in a political mood that was both hopeful and wary: it wanted to be seen as a genuine national leader of resistance, yet it also feared being absorbed—or destroyed—by the Guomindang (KMT) state it had spent years battling. That tension became the organizing principle of the war's early years. The turning point came from the Xi'an Incident in December 1936, which forced a new calculation in Nationalist politics. In the months that followed, agreements between KMT and CCP representatives were publicly proclaimed in August and September 1937, after the Shanghai fighting began. Under these arrangements, the CCP accepted constraints that in peacetime would have looked like surrender: it pledged to strive for Sun Yixian's "Three People's Principles," to end its former policies of armed revolt and sovietization, to abolish the soviet government, and to discontinue both the term "Red Army" and the expectation that its forces would operate outside central control. Communist troops would be treated as part of the national military under KMT command, and the revolution's old administrative structures were to be formally dismantled. In return, the KMT offered the CCP something just as important: space to exist publicly and politically. Liaison offices were permitted in key cities; the CCP was allowed to publish the New China Daily; and it could nominate representatives to KMT advisory bodies. Civil rights were extended—political prisoners were released—and subsidies were established to help cover administrative and military expenses in "reintegrated" areas and territories. The war thus transformed the tactical reality on the ground: the CCP could not treat the KMT as an immediate enemy, but it also could not afford to become politically passive. It had to learn how to fight Japan while building legitimacy fast enough to survive the next phase. In the first year and a half, the Party Center focused on three problems that kept returning in different forms: how the "united front" would be defined—especially what the CCP's relationship to the National government should be; how to coordinate military strategy and tactics with Nationalist units without losing control of its own operations; and how leadership should be consolidated, particularly for Mao Zedong in a party that still contained rival centers of authority. These disputes mattered not just for doctrine but for survival, because the CCP's autonomy was constantly being tested by the very alliance that was supposed to protect it. Mao's own approach to the united front combined cooperation with a refusal to surrender independence. Publicly, the CCP praised Jiang Jieshi and the KMT and promised unity, but it did so in language that was deliberately broad. In private (and in internal party debates), Mao treated unity as conditional: the CCP must not split the united front, but it also must not be "bound hand and foot." The strategic idea that emerged was political initiative under constraints—fighting when it could plausibly claim justification, keeping enough restraint that the CCP would not appear self-interested or anti-national, and deciding for itself when to engage and when to withdraw. This balance was reinforced through military reorganization. In August–September 1937, CCP forces were reorganized as the Eighth Route Army (8RA), with roughly 30,000 men drawn from Long March survivors, local forces, and new recruits. The 8RA was divided into three divisions: the 115th, 120th, and 129th, commanded by Lin Biao, He Long, and Liu Bocheng respectively. Shortly after the war began, the National government also authorized a second major Communist force: the New Fourth Army (N4A), to operate in central China. Its core came from those left behind when the Long March began in 1934—small groups surviving in difficult conditions against continuing KMT pressure. Officially authorized at 12,000, it took months to reach that strength. Nominally commanded by Ye Ting, actual military and political control rested with Xiang Ying and Chen Yi. From the start, then, the CCP's wartime "integration" with the National system coexisted with a clear effort to preserve internal control. Ideologically, the CCP worked to make its revolutionary program compatible—at least in appearance—with a national resistance coalition. On the New Democracy demonstrated how this strategy operated on two levels. In KMT-controlled spaces, its language could be read as aligning with liberal-democratic expectations: public participation, multi-party governance, legally protected civil rights. But in CCP-controlled areas, the same text could carry sharper class-based and authoritarian implications. The Party wanted a united front that broadened support without becoming committed to Nationalist limits on how society itself might be reorganized after victory. Meanwhile, even as the rhetoric of unity rose, the CCP worried about something more dangerous than military setbacks: the possibility that the KMT might accommodate Japan. Late 1939 and early 1940 made this fear harder to dismiss. Japan pursued collaboration with Wang Jingwei, culminating in the establishment of a "reorganized" government at Nanjing in March 1940. At the same time, Japanese intermediaries sought approaches to Chiang Kai-shek himself—an effort that the CCP tracked closely as a sign that peace negotiations might be possible even when battlefield conditions looked grim. Propaganda was involved, but the anxiety was real: if Japan and the Nationalists reached an arrangement, the CCP's whole wartime legitimacy-building effort could collapse overnight. As a result, the united front was interpreted inside the CCP not as a permanent coalition with the KMT, but as a flexible strategy with a cardinal purpose: to prevent peace between Japan and the Nationalists. Mao's position on the united front reflected this. For him, the alliance was meant to suspend the possibility of a China–Japan settlement, not to end the CCP's separate identity. The CCP could participate in a reconstituted national framework—possibly even a "democratic republic"—to gain legality and influence, but it should remain politically and, where possible, physically separate from the KMT. By 1939, however, the practical meaning of "flexibility" collided with reality. What had seemed, to some observers, like an unusually cordial entente began to fade. The KMT Central Committee adopted measures early in 1939 aimed at restricting Communist expansion, and armed clashes increased through the summer and continued into autumn and winter—especially around North China Communist bases. The period of rising conflict was later labeled by the CCP as the "first anti-Communist upsurge" (roughly spanning December 1939 into March 1940), but the crucial point was that both sides viewed each confrontation as a test of legal rights, moral legitimacy, and control over territory. Strategically, the CCP understood the KMT's effort as an attempt to check unauthorized growth of Communist armed power and to recover areas where influence had already slipped away—either to the Communists or, by indirect effect, to Japan. The KMT emphasized its traditional legal authority; the CCP countered with its claim to an "evolutionary" moral right to challenge the government's legitimacy. In practice, the conflict took the form of increasingly systematic military pressure, including a blockade around the Shen–Gan–Ning region. By this point, the blockade involved large numbers of troops (on the order of hundreds of thousands), halting Communist expansion and disrupting direct contact with other Communist forces farther afield, even as fighting flared along border zones and around vulnerable points in the Communist defensive perimeter. So, by the edge of the "middle years," the wartime alliance had not broken into open civil war—but it had also stopped being secure. The united front survived, yet it operated under strain: its language of cooperation continued, while "friction" between partners hardened into a central feature of the resistance struggle. Transition into the war's second phase began in early 1939, shaped by the stalemate Mao had already anticipated at the sixth plenum in late 1938. Mao argued that during this prolonged "new stage" the forces of resistance—above all, Communist-led forces—would strengthen. The overall result, however, was mixed. In Shandong and Central China, new Communist bases did take shape. But across much of North China, Japanese consolidation cost the resistance heavily in manpower and population. Base-area economies suffered serious strain, and the peasantry endured hardships more severe than at any earlier point. This stalemate had two main dimensions. The first was the growing resentment of the Nationalists toward Communist expansion—resentment made especially sharp by their own losses. As the Nationalists were driven out of regions that had previously provided them their greatest wealth and power in the central and lower Yangtze basin, they also lost the "cream" of their armies. In contrast, the CCP was spreading through the wider countryside behind Japanese lines, extending its influence and winning broader popular support. The second dimension was Japan's desire—and need—to consolidate territories it had only nominally conquered and to extract economic value from them. After all, the logic of the "China Incident" was to draw on China's labor and resources to strengthen Japan, not to bleed Japan's gains away by draining wealth into China's vast interior. A Japanese colonel, lamenting the situation, captured the frustration of this drift into deeper entanglement: he regretted that Japan had not ended the "China Incident" once its initial objectives were reached. Instead, Japan was drawn into the hinterland and became bogged down in endless attrition—leaving it with little more than "real estate" rather than the popular support it believed it would secure from those it claimed to "liberate." To improve their position, Japanese authorities—still fragmented by internal rivalry—pursued several strategies. One was a new peace offensive aimed simultaneously at Jiang Jieshi, alongside efforts to establish a "reformed" Nationalist government under Wang Jingwei, who had fled Chongqing in December 1938. Japan also recruited more collaborators and puppet officials. Finally, it carried out forceful military, political, and economic measures intended to establish effective territorial control and eliminate opposition. During the middle years of the war, the Communists described their conflicts with the Nationalists using the euphemism "friction". By 1939, what many observers—possibly incorrectly—had viewed as an unusually warm alliance began to break down. In early 1939, the KMT Central Committee adopted measures meant to restrict the CCP. From the summer onward, military clashes began and continued into autumn and winter with increasing frequency and intensity, most of them concentrated around and within the North China base areas. The Communists later labeled the period from December 1939 to March 1940 the "first anti-Communist upsurge." Naturally, each side accused the other of aggression and claimed self-defense against unjust attacks. Strategically, though, the North China "upsurge" functioned as a Nationalist attempt to limit the CCP's expansion beyond the areas assigned to it and to regain influence in regions the Communists—or the Japanese—had already taken from the KMT. Jiang Jieshi framed the matter as a defense of legal rights grounded in tradition, while the Communists asserted an "evolutionary" right to challenge the moral legitimacy of those legal claims. During 1939, the Nationalists began to blockade Shen–Gan–Ning around its southern and western perimeter. Within a year, this blockade grew to nearly 400,000 troops, including some of the last remaining Central Army units under the command of Hu Zongnan. The blockade stopped further Communist expansion, especially into Gansu and Suiyuan, and severed direct contact between SKN and Communists operating in Xinjiang (Chinese Turkestan) adjacent to Soviet Central Asia. The Xinjiang Communists—including Mao Zedong's brother—were eliminated in 1942. Meanwhile, fierce fighting erupted along the Gansu–Shaanxi border and in the north-eastern corner of SKN near the Great Wall at Suide, as the blockading forces probed for weak points. Elements of He Long's 120th Division were even pulled back from the Jin–Sui base across the Yellow River to strengthen SKN's regular defenses. Economically, the blockade was even more damaging. During 1939, central government subsidies to the Border Region budget were cut off. Trade between the Border Region and other parts of China nearly stopped, a devastating blow to a region unable to supply itself with many basic commodities. At the same time, Nationalist and regional forces also attempted to expand their military and administrative authority into Hebei, Shanxi, Henan, and Shandong—areas the CCP now considered its base zones. In resisting these efforts, the CCP predictable accused its rivals of harming resistance work and damaging the people's interests. The "experts in dissension" were said to cooperate with the Japanese and their puppets. Based on increasing collaboration by regional units with Japan, the CCP implied that this was a deliberate and cynical strategy—described as "crooked-line patriotism"—intended to preserve those units for future anti-Communist operations. Even so, the CCP tried to avoid an open break with the Nationalist regime in Chongqing. In public, it consistently portrayed these clashes as being initiated by local commanders acting beyond orders from higher authority—despite knowing this depiction was false. Jiang Jieshi, unable to refute the claim outright, effectively permitted it to serve as the justification for a firm Communist response. Mao Zedong outlined the general resistance policy as "justification, expedience, and restraint". The CCP was to fight when it could claim justification and when it could gain advantage, but not to press attacks beyond what the Nationalists would tolerate or in ways that could damage its image as selfless patriots. Communist forces were expected to keep initiative as much as possible in their own hands—deciding when to engage, whether to engage, and when to disengage. The most striking episode of the "first anti-Communist upsurge" was the rupture with Yan Xishan in December 1939. Tensions in Shanxi had been rising throughout the summer and autumn, as Yan and his conservative supporters—associated with the "Old Army"—linked the Sacrifice League and the Dare-to-die Corps of the "New Army" with Communist forces. When base areas and Japanese occupation eventually took over much of his province, Yan was forced into exile at Qiulin across the Yellow River in Shaanxi. In November, Yan ordered his Old Army to disarm the Dare-to-die forces with help from central units dispatched by Hu Zongnan. In the bloody fighting that followed, these elements gradually broke free of even nominal provincial control and fully completed their connection with Communist forces. More than 30,000 people went over to the Communists. One KMT intelligence agent described the process with bitterness and a sense of inevitability: the Communists were first "full of sweet words," flattery, and distortions designed to open things up and conceal their actions. But once they had fully entrenched themselves, and once the low-level base had been established, they turned and bit. The agent suggested they had suspected things might end this way, but were not aware how quickly events would move—or that it could happen precisely while Communist calls for "united front" and "maintenance of unity for resistance" filled the air. About a month later, in February and March 1940, elements of the 8RA beat back this so-called upsurge. Zhang Yinwu's forces were disarmed and dispersed across the plains of north Hebei. To the south, Chu Huaiping and Shi Yusan were pushed out of the base area, as was the KMT-appointed provincial governor Lu Zhonglin. Although some non-Communist forces remained in the region, the CCP's and CCLY bases were never again seriously threatened by forces affiliated with the central government. Reinforcing the CCP's accusations, Shi Yusan was later executed in 1940 by the central government for collaboration with the Japanese. By late 1939, CCP central authorities maintained that the areas where the CCP could expand its armed strength were mainly limited to Shandong and Central China. In those regions, the CCP continued trying to carve out bases where they could operate. The situation in Shandong was complicated. After the Japanese invasion, most Nationalist-affiliated forces stayed in the province, while Communist forces and bases were weaker and more scattered than further west. Only in late 1938 did major 8RA units from the 115th and 129th Divisions—led by Xu Xiangqian and Luo Ronghuan—enter Shandong to link up with the Shandong column and local guerrillas, including survivors of a large band recently decimated by the Japanese. Even with these efforts, Communist actions led to clashes not only with Japanese forces but also with various Nationalist-affiliated groups—groups that were stronger than the Communists at the time. Until late 1940, the CCP's clashes with Nationalist forces in Shandong were actually bloodier than clashes with the Japanese. The CCP understood that its Chinese rivals mistrusted one another, and that their attitudes toward the CCP varied widely. The main Nationalist forces were often not tightly affiliated with Chiang Kai-shek or the central government. Instead, they operated under independent—and at times disgruntled—regional commanders. Communist tactics were expressed through slogans emphasizing ways to win support and isolate hardliners: develop progressive forces and win over fence-sitters while isolating "die-hards"; flatter top echelons, enlist the middle ranks, and hit the rank and file; and win over Yi Xuezhong, isolate Shen Honglie, and eliminate Qin Qirong. Still, unlike other North China base areas, the Communists were unable for several years to neutralize Nationalist forces in Shandong. Even if Japanese mop-up campaigns had not weakened those Nationalists, the text suggests the Communists may still have struggled to do so. By November 1940, Xu Xiangqian claimed meaningful progress while admitting Shandong had not yet become a fully consolidated base. CCP successes were greatest along parts of the Shandong–Hebei border, around the Taishan massif in central Shandong, and near the tip of the peninsula far to the east. Elsewhere, "progressive forces" remained weak. Communist regular troops numbered about 70,000, which was far below the party center's goals of 150,000 regulars and between 1.5 and 2 million self-defense forces. Moreover, systematic economic reforms had barely begun. The CCP relied on familiar practices—confiscations, collections of "national salvation grain," contributions, and loans—alongside a conventional taxation system adjusted to favor poorer peasants. Communist expansion in Central China was even riskier, with a greater likelihood of large-scale conflict with central government forces than in the north. In much of North China, "friction" came primarily from rapid Communist expansion into areas with partial vacuums. In Central China, however, base-building required displacing an existing Nationalist military-administrative presence closely tied to Jiang Kai-shek and the Chongqing government. The burden of this expansion was carried mainly by the 6th Detachment (northern Anhui and Jiangsu) and the 5th Detachment, which was reinforced by 15,000 to 20,000 8RA troops under Huang K'o-ch'eng. As Chen Yi's 1st Detachment crossed from south to north through the corridor provided by Guan Wenwei's local forces, it became actively involved as well. This expansion—driven by increasingly urgent directives from Mao and Liu during the latter part of 1939 and into 1940—brought the N4A north of the river into ever more frequent and sharper clashes with Nationalist authorities in Anhui and Jiangsu, especially with units under Jiangsu governor Han Deqin. South of the river, though, Xiang Ying did not directly challenge Chongqing's commanders. Mao later charged that Xiang Ying may have been influenced by Wang Ming, or else he may simply have seen no realistic alternative. His forces—three detachments plus a headquarters unit—were heavily outnumbered by Qu Chutong's Nationalist units, not to mention Japanese forces and their puppets. Even if Mao insisted bases could be built "anywhere," the Shanghai–Hangzhou–Nanjing triangle was especially difficult terrain. Xiang Ying and his followers had survived with extraordinary tenacity in the mountains of South China between 1934 and 1937, enduring brutal search-and-destroy operations that were not lifted until the war began. It therefore seems unlikely that such survivors would suddenly become "right-wing capitulationists."  Yet by spring 1940, Mao was pressing Xiang Ying more intensely. The Central Committee's message was explicit: expansion was necessary in all cases. It meant reaching into all enemy-occupied areas rather than being bound by the Kuomintang's restrictions—going beyond Kuomintang limits, not waiting for official appointments, not depending on higher-ups for financing, and instead expanding armed forces freely and independently. It also meant setting up base areas without hesitation, independently mobilizing the masses in those areas, and building united front organs of political power under Communist Party leadership. The struggle between Nationalists and Communists involved more than contests for control of territory behind Japanese lines. It also involved national-level politics, ideology, and leadership. One worrying development for the CCP was the campaign throughout 1939 to expand Jiang Kai-shek's prestige and formal power—adding more titles for him across major party, government, and military positions. In early 1939, the Central Executive Committee appointed him "director-general" of the Kuomintang, a title reminiscent of the one previously held by Sun Yat-sen. In addition, during the summer and autumn of 1939 there was talk of constitutional rule. In November, the KMT announced plans to convene a constitutional assembly the following year. If Jiang could fulfill these promises, he and his government could gain new legitimacy and wider popularity. Mao and his colleagues could not allow this to go unchallenged. If the Nationalists were to have a paramount leader and authoritative spokesperson, the CCP needed one as well. The timing of Mao's famous "On the new democracy"—written in late 1939 and published the next January—was therefore no accident. Its substance had been anticipated earlier, but its final timing and full development were shaped by the KMT's constitutional movement. The CCP's entry into this competition served as both a bid for support away from the KMT and a statement of the multi-class united front that the CCP wanted to lead. Although "On the new democracy" was written in a tone that seemed moderate, it persuaded many Chinese readers that the CCP had either diluted its revolutionary objectives or postponed them to a distant future. In Kuomintang-controlled areas, the work could be read through the liberal values associated with Anglo-American democracy—popular participation, multi-party government, legally protected civil rights. In CCP-controlled territories, the same language carried stronger authoritarian, class-based meanings. In internal documents meant for party audiences rather than public consumption, the ambiguity was removed, showing a tough but patient and flexible commitment not only to resistance but also to social control and social change. During this same period, the Communists expressed deep concern about Nationalist capitulation to Japan—not only on the battlefield behind Japanese lines but also at the highest levels. Some of this concern was propaganda, but beneath propaganda lay genuine anxiety. In late 1939 and early 1940, politically aware Chinese already knew that Japan was negotiating with the unpredictable Wang Jingwei, who had fled Chongqing a year earlier. A "reorganized national government" in Nanjing was finally established in March 1940, representing the most formidable collaboration with Japan to date. Less well known, but equally important, was that Japan was also seeking an understanding directly with Jiang Kai-shek through intermediaries in Hong Kong. This effort, called "Operation Kiri"—described as spreading a "feast for Chiang"—combined intrigue with a kind of dark comedy. Reports suggested Chiang's reported interest in peace could have been a stratagem designed to discredit Wang Jingwei by keeping him waiting. But even if Chiang had no intention of coming to terms with Japan, the Communists could not be sure what the outcome would be until after the multi-pronged peace offensive had failed. By the middle of 1940, China had never been so isolated. In Europe, the "phony war" ended in the spring when Germany launched a blitz across the Low Countries. France fell soon after, and England appeared likely to be next. Japan used this moment to press China to sever its last tenuous connections to the outside world: cutting the Burma Road, trade with neutral Hong Kong, and the rail link running from Hanoi to Kunming. At the same time, Russia was engaged in a difficult and embarrassing war with Finland and reduced military aid to the Nationalists. The United States was only gradually moving away from isolationism and clearly regarded England as more important than China. In Chongqing and elsewhere in "Free China," signs of war weariness, despair, and demoralization were visible. Under these circumstances, Mao's insistence on aggressive expansion was a calculated risk—either it would deter any Japanese advance, or it would place the Communists in the strongest possible position in case a split between the KMT and the CCP became unavoidable. In Central China, the size and pace of the fighting kept increasing, starting in the final months of 1939. One flashpoint was the clash between Luo Pinghui's 5th Detachment and units of Han Deqin's Jiangsu force near Lake Gaoyou. In the following months, Guan Wenwei's forces ranged along the left bank of the Yangtze, repeatedly running into Luo's troops as they operated farther north. Luo also began receiving some 8RA reinforcements, moving them south through areas controlled by the 6th Detachment. Clearly, a major showdown was taking shape across north and central Jiangsu. At the same time, the South Yangtze Command was doing poorly. Nationalist commanders Leng Xin and Qu Chutong restricted its activities so severely that Mao and Liu gradually abandoned the idea of building a unified, consolidated base in that region. During late spring and early summer, Chen Yi moved most of his 1st and 2nd Detachments north of the Yangtze. In September, the 3rd Detachment followed suit, crossing the river into the area around Lake Chaohu, where the 4th Detachment was already stationed. After these moves, only the Headquarters Detachment—under Ye Ting and Xiang Ying—remained south of the Yangtze, positioned at Qingxian in southern Anhui. As the military situation edged toward an open confrontation, negotiations began in June 1940 between representatives of the KMT and the CCP. The core issues were Communist operating zones and the authorized strength of the armies led by the CCP. Proposals were exchanged, followed by equally sharp and hostile counter-proposals, but no agreement was reached. The KMT viewed it as a concession to permit the CCP "free rein" north of the pre-1938 course of the Yellow River, with the exception of southern Shanxi, which was to remain under the influence of Yan Xishan. In exchange, the KMT demanded that all 8RA and N4A units evacuate Central China. In effect, the KMT was offering the CCP something it was already prepared to allow, in return for the CCP giving up what it might soon be able to obtain by force of arms. Nationalist authorities then issued a set of deadlines, but without clearly stating what would happen if those deadlines were violated. On the surface, the CCP appeared to be complying in part. The movements of Chen Yi and the South Yangtze Command could look like obedience, but in reality they were responses to orders coming from their own superior leadership rather than instructions issued by the Nationalists. Even so, Xiang Ying's continued delays and evasions during the autumn and winter of 1940 remained puzzling. One possibility is that he felt—quite reasonably—that Mao had already lost confidence in him and that once he crossed to the north bank of the river he would lose his command. Another complication was that directives from Yan'an were sometimes ambiguous and even contradictory. He may also have been trying to reach secure understandings with KMT commanders about evacuation routes and guaranteed safe conduct out of the area. For a period, Han Teqin kept most of his forces—estimated at about 70,000 men, far outnumbering the N4A—in north Jiangsu, thereby blocking the expansion of the 6th Detachment and slowing further southern intrusions by 8RA troops. But by mid-summer he realized he would have to counter the N4A build-up in central Jiangsu, or else risk writing that region off to the Communists. A confusing sequence of engagements then unfolded, culminating in a decisive battle in early October 1940 near the central Jiangsu town of Huangjiao. Over the course of four days, several of Han's main-force units belonging to the 89th Army were destroyed, while others were scattered. That battle also served as a signal for the 6th Detachment to advance more aggressively in the north. In the aftermath, one of Han's principal commanders entered collaboration with the CCP, while another defected to the Nanjing government under Wang Jingwei. Although Han Teqin managed to maintain a foothold in Jiangsu until 1943, his real power had been broken. Relatively little attention was paid to the battle of Huangjiao in the Chinese press. The KMT did not want to publicize what it considered a disastrous defeat, while the Communists were satisfied to stay silent about an episode that conflicted with their proclaimed policy of a united front. As could be expected, during the autumn—after Han Teqin's defeat—KMT-CCP negotiations deteriorated further. In early December, Jiang Kai-shek personally ordered that all N4A forces withdraw from southern Anhui and southern Jiangsu by 31 December. He also ordered that the entire 8RA be positioned north of the Yellow River by the same deadline, followed one month later by the N4A. Discussions then followed between Ye Ting and Qu Chutong's deputies concerning the route to be taken, safe conduct, and—astonishingly—the money and supplies that were to be provided to the N4A to help it move. On 25 December, Mao Zedong ordered Xiang Ying to begin evacuating immediately. Yet it was not until 4 January 1941 that Ye and Xiang actually started moving. Almost immediately, Qu Chutong's forces harassed and dispersed the N4A Headquarters Group, which included administrative personnel, wounded soldiers and dependents, as well as combat-ready troops. In an attempt to reorganize, they moved southwest toward Maolin, where they were surrounded by Nationalists and, over the next several days, were cut to pieces. Losses were heavy on both sides. The CCP suffered an estimated 9,000 casualties. Xiang Ying tried twice to break out of the blockade on his own, but failed. He was then denounced as a deserter by Ye Ting, who took over full command of the doomed forces. Xiang Ying eventually escaped, but he was killed a couple of months later by one of his own bodyguards, motivated by the N4A gold reserves that he had taken with him. Up to the very end, Xiang either failed or refused to seek refuge in Liu Shaoqi's domain north of the Yangtze. The unfortunate Ye Ting was arrested and spent the rest of the war in prison. He was finally released in 1946, only to die one month later in a plane crash, along with several other high-ranking party members. On 17 January, Jiang Kai-shek declared that the New Fourth Army was dissolved for insubordination. Direct contacts between Yan'an and Chongqing nearly came to an end, and CCP military liaison offices in several cities held by the Nationalists were closed. This is what became known as the New Fourth Army incident, also referred to as the South Anhui incident. Clearly, it functioned as an act of retaliation for the defeats suffered by Han Teqin in north and central Jiangsu. It ended any realistic prospect of establishing a consolidated Communist base south of the Yangtze. Still, from a strategic perspective, these losses were ultimately more than offset by the gains achieved farther north. In fact, only a few months later, the reorganized N4A quietly began reintroducing some units into this region, where they carried out guerrilla activities without possessing a secure territorial base. Unlike the relative silence surrounding the fighting at Huangjiao, the New Fourth Army incident sparked bitter, prolonged controversy. The CCP argued that it was a second "anti-Communist upsurge," even more serious than the first. Presenting themselves as martyred patriots, they depicted their opponents as people who wanted to end the War of Resistance through what they called "Sino-Japanese cooperation" aimed at "suppressing the Communists." In their account, the Nationalists wanted to replace the war of resistance with civil war, substitute capitulation for independence, trade unity for a split, and replace light with darkness. People were telling each other the news and were horrified. Indeed, they claimed that the situation had never been as critical as it was at that moment. The Nationalist response, of course, was that provocations had been numerous and serious, and that violations of military discipline could not be tolerated. But the KMT's unwillingness to describe in detail its own defeats at the CCP's hands left it speaking in broad generalities. In the propaganda battle, the CCP clearly gained the better position and won more political capital. If it was politically valuable to be regarded as a national hero, it was even more valuable to be seen as a national martyr.  Many Chinese—and some outside—observers were genuinely alarmed and feared that civil war might openly resume. Yet, with a few exceptions, the events that culminated in the New Fourth Army incident have generally been interpreted as marking the breakdown of the second united front. That interpretation, however, is described as being wrong in two respects. First, the CCP understood the united front not as a narrow arrangement limited to a few major partners, but as a strategy that could be applied flexibly to all political, military, and social forces in China—from the highest levels of the central government down to the smallest village. Relations with Jiang Jieshi and the Guomindang regime mattered, but they did not, by themselves, constitute the whole of the united front. Even regarding Jiang and the Nationalists specifically, the common reading is said to be misguided. Throughout the war, a cardinal objective of the united front was to prevent peace between Japan and the Nationalists. Therefore, if clashes between CCP forces and those of the central government on such a large scale as at Huangjiao and Maolin could occur without leading to peace with Japan and without triggering a full-scale resumption of civil war, then this should not be understood as the end of the united front—it should be seen as its fundamental vindication. If friction at that scale could nevertheless be tolerated by Jiang Jieshi, then fears about his future accommodation with Japan were greatly reduced. Following the New Fourth Army incident, the CCP reorganized its political and military presence in Central China. The Central Plains and South-east China Bureaus were merged and renamed the Central China Bureau, with Liu Shaoqi placed in charge, reflecting the area's importance to Party Central. The New Fourth Army was also reorganized completely and substantially regularized. Chen Yi became its new acting commander, since Ye Ting was imprisoned. He directed the force, now divided into seven divisions. Each division had territorial responsibilities, and in each region the CCP claimed the establishment of a base. Indeed, base construction proceeded in earnest only after the friction of 1940 and the New Fourth Army incident. In the years that followed, the operating areas of the First through Fourth Divisions contained expanding enclaves of consolidated territory, where military dominance was joined with open party work: administrative control, the development of mass organizations, local elections, and socio-economic reforms. The other three areas fluctuated between semi-consolidated and guerrilla status. With the incident, the worst phase of the KMT-CCP conflict was now over. When CCP documents later speak of a third upsurge in 1943, they refer to something openly political. With the exception of Shandong—where a fairly strong Nationalist presence persisted for a longer time—the overall balance of power among Chinese forces behind Japanese lines had shifted in favor of the CCP by mid-1941. In subsequent years the CCP's predominance became even more pronounced, until by the end of 1943 the Communists were virtually beyond challenge by Chinese rivals.   I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. After the CCP and KMT entered the united front, cooperation felt conditional from the start. Mao pushed the New Fourth Army to reorganize and preserve Communist autonomy, even as the 1937 agreements publicly pledged obedience to KMT leadership. In 1939–40 the Communists worried that Chiang might negotiate peace with Japan; so they expanded bases and military presence, triggering repeated clashes. The pressure intensified when KMT orders forced the New Fourth Army to evacuate south Anhui in late 1940. 

The gang discusses two papers that investigate ancient bioherms. The first paper looks at the formation of early Phanerozoic reefs, and the second paper investigates patterns of reef building and collapse in the late Devonian. Meanwhile, James is being advertised to, Amanda plans unique roadtrips, and Curt solicits legal advice.   Up-Goer Five (Amanda Edition): Today our friends talk about animals that have green friends that make hard bits. These animals that make hard parts are really important today because they make good places for other animals to live. But we don't know all about them and where they first came from and how they first started making hard parts for places to live. So the first paper looks at where these animals that make hard parts for other animals to live in come from. They look at really early animals that make hard parts and show what kinds of places they live in, and also how they stick themselves to the bottom. It looks like different animals got started in different ways, then went out to all sorts of different places and got better at making hard parts for other animals to live in, until that was all they could do. The second paper talks about a bad time when everything died and how animals that make hard parts for other things to live in all died and tiny things we can't see without making them look big took over from them. At this time there were different animals that made hard parts for other animals to live in that lived together to make big areas of hard parts, but then they all died and never came back. But when we look at the rocks we find that tiny things we can't see without making them look big are all over the place while the animals that make hard bits for other animals to live in all die. This paper talks a lot about rocks, but the important thing is that they think the tiny things we can't see without making them look big might be the kind of thing that takes over all the places when times are bad and everything dies, but that might not be the case.   References: Zhuravlev, Andrey Yurevich, and Rachel Wood. "On the origin of metazoan reefs." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 293.2068 (2026). Xinsong, Zhang, et al. "How microbes replaced metazoans in reef ecosystem during the Late Devonian mass extinction: new insights from platform facies in South China." Lethaia 58.4 (2025): 1-22.

Last time we spoke about the first battle of Changsha. Japanese forces under General Okamura Yasuji, including the 6th, 13th, and 33rd Divisions, launched a multi-pronged offensive, crossing the Xin Qiang River and capturing Yingtian amid brutal fighting. Chinese defenses, commanded by Xue Yue in the Ninth War Zone, employed gradual resistance strategies, with units like the 195th Division under Qin Yizhi holding key positions such as Bijia Mountain and Fulinpu, inflicting heavy losses. Battalion Commander Luo Wenlang recaptured Dongtang in a midnight assault, grieving his fallen brother amid Mid-Autumn moonlight. Chiang Kai-shek, from Chongqing, oversaw operations while hosting a festive banquet, buoyed by international support like U.S. loans. By October, Japanese advances stalled; Okamura ordered a retreat on October 2, exposed by a downed plane yielding critical documents. Chinese forces pursued, reclaiming lines by October 8, annihilating over half the invaders per Chiang's commendation.   #198 The Battle of South Guangxi Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. In January 1939, the Japanese General Headquarters, responding to naval needs, ordered the 21st Corps to seize Hainan Island. The goal was to establish a base for air operations against southwestern China and to enforce blockade measures. Supported by the Japanese Navy, the Corps deployed the Taiwan Brigade, which landed at Haikou on February 10. After initial defeats, Chinese peace preservation units withdrew to the island's interior and conducted harassment operations. Japanese troops soon occupied northern counties including Qiongshan, Wenchang, Ding'an, Qionghai, and Chengmai, followed by the port of Yulin, which positioned them for southward advances toward Guangxi.   This invasion was part of a broader strategy to disrupt Chinese supply lines and secure a foothold in southern China. Although Chinese resistance on Hainan ultimately failed to repel the invaders, it highlighted the resilience that would define regional fighting.   After the costly Battle of Wuhan, the Sino-Japanese War reached a stalemate in central China, despite ongoing large-scale conflicts and Japanese strategic bombings that caused heavy casualties without breaking the deadlock. Politically, Japan's alignment with the Axis powers and the start of World War II in Western Europe led European nations to bolster ties with China. With major coastal ports under Japanese control, the Nationalist government's main overseas supply route became the Haiphong-Kunming railway in French Indochina, which transported four times more war materials in 1938 than in 1937, including heavy equipment purchased abroad.   The Hainan occupation negatively impacted Japan's war efforts, though diplomatic pressure on Britain and France proved ineffective. Meanwhile, the Imperial Japanese Navy proposed a southward advance: invading from Nanning to Longzhou County in Guangxi by sea to establish an airfield for strategic bombing. An April 15, 1939, Navy Department assessment deemed large-scale inland army operations challenging, recommending instead that the army and navy collaborate to occupy Shantou—the largest trading port on the South China coast—before pushing into Guangxi to seize Nanning and sever China's vital Indochina supply line.   In June, the Japanese General Staff's "Military Geography" emphasized that occupying Nanning would provide convenient transportation in all directions, reaching Guangdong, Hunan, Guizhou, and Yunnan. The Nanning-Lang Son road had become a major artery for Chiang Kai-shek's regime to connect with the southwest. To cut it off directly, Nanning must be captured first. Once occupied, heavy troops near Tokyo Bay would not be needed to achieve the operation's purpose. This idea gained considerable support both politically and tactically. The Army's northward policy had been defeated by the Soviet Union in the Battle of Khalkhin Gol in September 1939. Major General Tominaga Kyoji, the newly appointed head of the First Department of the General Staff, sought to avoid further embarrassments. Supporting the proposal involved transferring the 5th Division of the Kwantung Army, originally intended for Khalkhin Gol, to the south. This prevented front-line units from misjudging higher-ups' positions and allowed implementation without affecting existing troops.   In September, the European war broke out. The Japanese General Headquarters ordered the 21st Army to capture the vicinity of Nanning, cut off the international passage between Guangxi and Vietnam, and obtain a base for air operations in southwest China. Japan aimed to completely sever China's most important supply route. According to Japanese intelligence, the French Indochina line accounted for 85% of China's foreign aid in late 1939, with 12,500 tons transported in September alone.   On September 1, 1939, Germany attacked Poland; on September 3, Britain and France declared war on Germany, igniting World War II. Japan, eager to resolve the China issue and free up troops to seize Western colonies in Asia and the Pacific, stated through Prime Minister Nobuyuki Abe on September 4: "At the outbreak of the European war, the Empire will not intervene and has decided to focus on resolving the China Incident." In Nanjing, the China Expeditionary Army Headquarters was established, with General Nishio Hisazo as Commander-in-Chief and Lieutenant General Itagaki Seishiro as Chief of Staff, overseeing the North China Area Army, the 11th Army, the 13th Army, and the 21st Army.   On September 23, the Japanese General Headquarters issued an order to prepare for a swift response to the China Incident. On October 16, "Continental Order No. 375" directed the Commander-in-Chief of the China Expeditionary Army to swiftly cut off enemy supply routes from Nanning to Longzhou with a portion of the navy. Also on October 16, "Continental Order No. 582," a central Army-Navy agreement, aimed to cut off enemy routes along the Nanning-Longzhou line and strengthen naval air operations against the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway and the Burma Road. The operation was scheduled for mid-November. On October 19, Nishio Juzo issued orders for the Guangxi operation, involving the 5th Division, Taiwan Mixed Brigade, supporting units, the 5th Fleet (renamed the 2nd Expeditionary Fleet in mid-November), and the 3rd Combined Naval Air Group. Total strength: about 30,000 men, over 70 warships, 2 aircraft carriers, and about 100 aircraft. Tominaga Kyoji announced: "This is the last battle of the China Incident."   Politically, the Guangxi Army was a key pillar of the National Government after retreating to Sichuan. Attacking Guangxi could impact the Guangxi clique's stance on continuing the war. Cutting off the Nanning-Longzhou line would affect Vietnam-China transportation security and allow actions against French Indochina amid Europe's distractions. With tactical and political alignment, the plan was approved.   In September 1939, the Chinese repelled the Japanese attack on Changsha. In October, the National Government held the Second Nanyue Military Conference in Hengshan, summarizing the First Changsha Campaign and deciding on a new offensive. On October 29, Chiang Kai-shek announced: "Our future strategic application and the mentality of officers and soldiers must be completely transformed. We must start to turn defense into offense, turn stillness into movement, and actively take offensive measures." On November 5, after the meeting, intelligence indicated Japan's intention to invade the south. U.S. and British agencies reported the Japanese fleet gathering in Tokyo Bay, signaling an imminent operation against Nanning. Chiang flew from Hengshan to Guilin to arrange defenses.   At this time, coastal defense was guarded by the 16th Army Group under Xia Wei (transferred, with Cai Tingkai taking over), a Guangxi clique force comprising the 46th and 31st Armies. Bai Chongxi, director of the Guilin Headquarters, was in Chongqing for the Sixth Plenary Session of the Fifth National Congress of the Kuomintang, while Chief of Staff Lin Wei was in Rong County mourning Xia Wei's mother. The headquarters was essentially deserted. Zhang Fakui, commander of the Fourth War Zone, and Chief of Staff Wu Shiyuan were in Shaoguan, Guangdong. The three-tiered command structure—headquarters, war zone, army group—was practically non-existent.   The Chinese forces north of the pass were commanded by Bai Chongxi's Guilin Headquarters, with Lin Wei as Chief of Staff; they included the Fourth War Zone under Zhang Fakui and the 16th Army Group under Xia Wei. They commanded: the 31st Army (Commander Wei Yunsong; 131st Division under He Weizhen; 135th Division under Su Zuxin; 188th Division under Wei Zhen); the 46th Army (Commander He Xuan; 170th Division under Li Xingshu; 175th Division under Feng Huang; New 19th Division under Huang Gu); and a portion of the 200th Division of the 5th Army (Commander Dai Anlan). Together with the 1st-4th Independent Infantry Regiments of the Guangxi Training Corps, total strength was approximately 60,000 men.   After the Japanese landing, Bai Chongxi was stationed in Qianjiang, while the 16th Army Group headquarters in Xiawei was at Heishiyan near Binyang.   In early November 1939, the Japanese 5th Fleet and the aircraft carrier Kaga escorted the 5th Division and the Taiwan Brigade to concentrate in Haikou. Japanese aircraft bombed important cities in Guangxi. At that time, the Chinese army defended the coast from Nanning to Qinzhou Bay and Fangcheng with part of the 16th Army Group of the Fourth War Zone. The 46th Army was responsible for the coastline of Fangcheng, Qinxian, Hepu, and Liankou, and the 31st Army for key points along the Xijiang River.   On November 9, Japanese troops assembled at Sanya Bay on Hainan Island. Lieutenant General Ando Rikichi, commander of the 21st Army, personally commanded from Sanya. On the 13th, the fleet set sail. On the 14th, vanguard ships feinted at Beihai with over ten ships. A battalion of the 175th Division retaliated and was ordered to destroy Beihai, but Commander Chao Wei of the 524th Regiment believed no landing was intended, avoiding complete destruction. That night, Japanese ships turned toward Qinzhou.   To safeguard the international communications link between Guangxi and Indochina, the Chinese Generalissimo's Headquarters in Guilin assigned defensive missions. The 46th Corps of the 16th Army Group was tasked with defending the coastline from Fangcheng to Qinzhou, Hepu, and Lianjiang. The 31st Corps was responsible for key positions along the Xi River. Defensive positions were prepared in advance, and communications infrastructure was sabotaged to facilitate gradual resistance, aiming to attrition Japanese forces before a decisive engagement along the Yong River.   On November 15, under air and naval fire support, the Japanese 5th Division and Taiwan Brigade executed a forced landing on the west coast of Qinzhou Bay. Following intense resistance, the Chinese New 19th Division withdrew to Pancheng and Shangsi. After capturing Qinzhou, the Japanese 5th Division advanced north along the Yong-Qin Highway, while the Taiwan Brigade moved along Xiaodong–Baiji–Bujin Road. On November 17, the Japanese army captured Qinzhou and Fangcheng. The 5th Division immediately split into three routes along the Yongqin Highway, while the Taiwan Brigade advanced north along Xiaodong-Baekje-Pujin. On the 18th, they attacked Xiaodong, the headquarters of the New 19th Division. Division Commander Huang Gu fled alone in the face of battle. His troops were routed, and the Japanese continued northward. Meanwhile, bandits from the Shiwan Mountains formed numerous plainclothes teams to lead the Japanese advance, accelerating their northward movement. By November 21, they approached the south bank of the Yu River. On December 1, they occupied Gaofeng Pass. On December 4, they occupied Kunlun Pass and then adopted a defensive posture.   On November 16, Chiang Kai-shek summoned Bai Chongxi in Chongqing, ordering him to return to Guilin immediately to command the battle, without attending the plenary session. Bai requested full command without intervention from Zhang Fakui, and that all armies obey the Headquarters directly. Chiang approved and transferred his elite Fifth Army and other units to Bai's command. Bai telegraphed Du Yuming to lead troops by train from Hengyang to southern Guilin and reinstated Xia Wei as commander of the 16th Army Group, with Cai Tingkai awaiting orders. The 16th Army Group assembled, and Deputy Commander-in-Chief Wei Yunsong arrived in Nanning on the 19th. Units rushed to block Japanese advances. Bai flew to Guilin on the 19th and Qianjiang on the 21st, establishing the command post. Thus, as Japanese arrived in Nanning, Chinese reinforcements like the 170th Division reached Yongning on the 22nd, two regiments of the 135th Division entered Nanning on the 23rd, and the 600th Regiment of the 200th Division arrived at Ertang on the afternoon of the 24th. Other armies assembled in Liuzhou and Binyang.   On November 21, Japanese troops approached the south bank of the Yu River. Wu Zongjun, commander of the 405th Regiment of the 135th Division, arbitrarily ordered his regiments to abandon positions and retreat. Wei Yunsong ordered Su Zuxin to intercept, but Wu disobeyed. No troops defended Nanning's front lines. At dawn on the 24th, the 170th Division fought fiercely in Yongning. In the morning, the Japanese 21st Regiment crossed the river. By afternoon, Nanning had fallen. Over the next two days, they swept surrounding positions. On the morning of the 25th, the 600th Regiment of the 200th Division fought alone against Japanese regiments at Ertang. Under air cover, Japanese attacked, but Chinese resisted stubbornly. Regiment Commander Shao Yizhi and Adjutant Wu Qisheng were killed. Given the situation, Division Commanders Li Xingshu and Dai Anlan retreated to Gaofeng Pass after dusk. Though they failed to stop the advance, this was the fiercest resistance since the landing, lasting two days and nights. On November 25, Japanese attacked the 175th Division near Luwu from Xiaodong and the highway. The division moved to Nalong, assembling in villages there. The 175th attacked key points along the Yongqin Highway, including Datang, Naxiao, Dongya, Nabian, Xincheng, Xiaodong, Dadong, and Bancheng.   On November 20, the 21st Army opened its headquarters in Qinzhou. On November 26, Ando Rikichi announced the formation of the Yongqin Corps under Imamura Hitoshi. Ando left for Guangzhou on the 27th. Starting on the 26th, Japanese attacked Gaofeng Pass with aircraft cover. Despite fierce resistance, Chinese lost Gaofeng Pass on December 1. On the 4th, Japanese occupied Kunlun Pass, then adjusted deployment. The two sides confronted each other along the Kunlun Pass mountainous boundary. According to statistics up to December 1, Japanese suffered 145 dead and 315 wounded; Chinese had 6,125 dead bodies and 664 prisoners (but Japanese casualties were underreported; the 41st Infantry Regiment received 727 replacements on January 19, likely matching killed and wounded sent back). Seized in Nanning: 300 tons lead, 200 tons coal, 500 bundles cotton, 321 tons cotton thread, 30 tons iron, 60 tons tin. On December 2, the Japanese 5th Cavalry Regiment and Morimoto Battalion were attacked by about 1,500 Chinese with four tanks at Batang. Japanese dispatched the 21st Brigade (Nakamura Detachment), repelling a mixed force of the 200th and 188th Divisions. Japanese occupied Kunlun Pass but left only a battalion to defend it, withdrawing the rest to Nanning.   Bai Chongxi, director of the Guilin Headquarters and deputy chief of staff, proposed a counter-offensive plan, which was approved by Chiang Kai-shek.   On November 24, when Japanese had just occupied Nanning, Bai Chongxi demanded an immediate counterattack while Japanese were unstable and weak. After failing to gain approval, Bai asked Du Yuming to submit a request. Du sent a telegram on December 1: "The enemy occupying Nanning is less than two divisions. They succeeded by exploiting our dispersed forces, but lack heavy weapons and supplies. Our army should gather superior forces and launch a counter-offensive quickly (before December 10) to defeat them and restore international transportation." Chiang decided on a counter-offensive on December 7. On the 8th, Bai conveyed the objective: "capturing Kunlun Pass and then recovering Nanning." By mid-December, assembly was complete. Chiang dispatched Chen Cheng and Li Jishen to supervise, and Zhang Fakui arrived in Qianjiang.   In the early stages, Guangxi lacked heavy armored forces for counterattacking beyond Guangxi clique troops. The fall of Kunlun Pass prompted Chongqing to deploy the reorganized Fifth Army and its armored corps for a strong attack. The Fifth Army was the main force at Kunlun Pass, with the National Revolutionary Army providing cover while launching a full-scale counterattack in Nanning.   To recapture Kunlun Pass and Nanning, Bai Chongxi dispatched approximately nine armies and twenty-seven divisions, totaling 300,000 troops: Xia Wei of the 16th Army Group, Ye Zhao of the 37th Army Group, Deng Longguang of the 35th Army Group, and Cai Tingkai of the 26th Army Group (31st, 5th, 64th, 46th, and 43rd Armies, etc.) to attack Kunlun Pass. The Japanese, with the Nakamura Brigade as main force and special forces, had strong fortifications. Xu Tingyao of the 38th Army Group, with Li Yannian of the 2nd Army, Gan Lichu of the 6th Army, Yao Chun of the 36th Army, and Fu Zhongfang of the 99th Army. The 5th Army, plus the 1st Honorary Division (Zheng Dongguo), New 22nd Division (Qiu Qingquan), and all armored, cavalry, artillery, and engineer regiments, arrived.   The Japanese forces consisted of the 5th Division (Lieutenant General Hitoshi Imamura; 9th Brigade under Major General Genichiro Ogawa; 21st Brigade under Major General Masao Nakamura; Taiwan Mixed Brigade under Major General Sadashiro Shiota), Marine Corps (over 70 warships), and Air Force (100 aircraft), totaling about 30,000. Later reinforcements: Imperial Guard Division and a brigade from the 18th Division. Total about 100,000, but only 45,000 fought. After a traitor reported over 100,000 Nationalist troops north of Kunlun Pass, Imamura dismissed it as "impossible." Higher Japanese ranks hoped to instigate rebellion by the Guangxi clique. On December 10, Imamura issued a telegram "Letter to Generals Li and Bai," expressing respect and stating the attack on Nanning was to cut off Chiang's lines, hoping for Japan-China cooperation. If insisted, the Japanese garrison would win. Finally: "The more than 4,200 brave soldiers who died in Nanning have been buried in Zhongshan Park and solemnly offered sacrifices. Please rest assured."   On December 15, Bai Chongxi took a decisive step in the escalating conflict by issuing the first counter-offensive order, setting the stage for a coordinated push against enemy positions. He organized the forces into three main route armies, with additional reserves held back for support.   The Northern Route Army, under Xu Tingyao's command, focused its efforts on Kunlun Pass. The 5th Army led the direct assault there, while the 92nd Division from the 99th Army skirted around Lingliwei to strike at Qitang, effectively flanking the pass and adding pressure from the side.   Meanwhile, the Western Route Army, led by Xia Wei, split into two columns to cover multiple fronts. The First Column, commanded by Zhou Zuhuang, targeted Gaofeng Pass in a bold advance. The Second Column, under Wei Yunsong, positioned itself at Suwei to block any reinforcements heading toward Nanning, cutting off potential enemy supply lines.   On the eastern flank, Cai Tingkai's Eastern Route Army aimed to disrupt key logistics. The 46th Army moved against Luwu and Lingshan, intent on severing the vital Yongqin Highway. At the same time, the 66th Army joined the assault on Kunlun Pass before pushing onward to Gula and Gantang. To bolster these efforts, the remaining two divisions of the 99th Army were kept in reserve, ready to reinforce wherever needed.   The very next day, on December 16, Du Yuming—now serving as army commander—gathered his officers for a critical conference within the 5th Army. There, they crafted a clever encirclement strategy dubbed "close the gate and fight the tiger," designed to trap and overwhelm the opposition. The plan's core involved the 200th Division, led by Dai Anlan, and the 1st Honorary Division under Zheng Dongguo launching the primary attack on Kunlun Pass. Flanking from the right, Qiu Qingquan's New 22nd Division would seize Wutang and Liutang, then turn to intercept any incoming reinforcements. On the left wing, Peng Bisheng commanded two regiments in a daring bypass of Gantang and Chang'an, aiming to strike at Qitang and Batang and seal off the enemy's retreat routes.   The enemy at Kunlun Pass was the Matsumoto Sozaburo Battalion of the 21st Brigade. Its 42nd and 21st Regiments were along Jiutang-Nanning. On December 16, Imamura ordered Major General Kawai Genshichi of the 9th Brigade to lead thousands in a surprise attack on Longzhou and Zhennan Pass, departing on the 17th.   At 8 p.m. on December 17, the Battle of Kunlun Pass began.   On December 18, Chinese forces began their attack and captured Kunlun Pass and Jiutang on the same day. On December 19, it captured Gaofeng Pass. On December 20, Gaofeng Pass, Jiutang, and Kunlun Pass fell into the hands of the Japanese army again. At dawn on December 18, the artillery of the 5th Army opened fire. After extension, the 200th and 1st Honorary Divisions attacked. Hundreds of Japanese planes bombed. By night, the 1st Honorary captured Fairy Mountain, Laomaoling, Wanfu Village, Luotang, and Hill 411; 200th captured Hills 653 and 600, taking Kunlun Pass. At noon on the 19th, massive Japanese air raid. Imamura dispatched the 21st Regiment under Colonel Miki Yoshinosuke, recapturing it. Positions were contested repeatedly. The New 22nd occupied Wutang and Liutang; Wutang recaptured by Japanese, but Liutang held, blocking reinforcements. When Imamura ordered Taiwan Mixed Brigade reinforcement, they were blocked at Liutang by Qiu Qingquan. Du Yuming ordered Zheng Dongguo to send Zheng Tingji's 3rd Regiment to encircle Jiutang from the right. They captured high ground west of Jiutang at night. On December 20, enemy at Kunlun Pass weakened, sending urgent reports. Imamura ordered Nakamura Masao with 42nd Regiment to reinforce, but blocked at Wutang for two days, reaching Qitang on the 22nd, blocked again. Nakamura was wounded on the 23rd morning. At 1:30 pm, Miki reported: "If the brigade cannot arrive before dusk, the front line will be difficult to secure."   Imamura ordered Colonel Lin Yixiong's 1st Regiment and Colonel Watanabe Nobuyoshi's 2nd Regiment of the Taiwan Mixed Brigade to reinforce, but blocked by 175th Division on Yongqin Road. Watanabe's regiment blocked at Luwu by 524th Regiment (Chao Wei), and after three days, couldn't pass. Watanabe was killed, remnants fled to Qin County. On the 20th, Imamura ordered the 9th Brigade's 3rd Battalion of Ito's unit back in 105 vehicles to reinforce.   The Japanese confirmed the attack and Imamura ordered Nakamura Detachment rescue. Over two weeks, encirclement and breakout battles occurred on the Nanning-Kunlun Pass highway.   On the 18th, the 170th Division launched the Battle of Gaofeng Pass, capturing a hill on the 19th but ambushed that night. On the 20th, the pass fell, retreating to Gewei. Bai inspected but no improvement; failed to capture Gaofeng Pass or block reinforcements. Ito's unit on Yonglong Road intercepted by 131st at Xichangwei. On the 22nd, Imamura sent two companies from Nanning, intercepted by 188th near Suwei. Ito's battalion besieged in Xichangwei for three days, spared because 131st avoided close combat. Under air cover, both broke through to Nanning on the 26th.   On November 21, Chiang was dissatisfied with Kunlun Pass progress, ordering: "If front-line troops and artillery fail to attack or complete tasks, they shall be punished for cowardice."   By the 23rd, two divisions of 5th Army had over 2,000 casualties; Japanese over 1,000. Six days yielded no results, with reinforcements arriving. Du changed tactics to concentrate forces, tightening encirclement.   On the 24th, Oikawa Detachment ordered back to Nanning, destroying captured materials and withdrawing from Longzhou and Zhennanguan. Bai learned some escaped, telegraphing Wei Yunsong: "If the second batch escapes, it affects the main force. The deputy commander-in-chief should be punished." Main force still escaped; local troops preserved strength, benefiting Japanese.   On the main position, Zheng Tingji spotted Japanese officers meeting and ordered fire, inflicting heavy casualties, requiring airdropped officers.   On the 25th, Second Regiment of First Division captured Luotang South Heights, annihilating over 200. From December 25, Fifth Army and 159th and 92nd Divisions occupied key high grounds. Fierce battle until December 31, capturing Kunlun Pass and Tianyin, killing Nakamura Masao, annihilating over 5,000.   Following the intense clashes at Kunlun Pass, the battle's toll on the Japanese forces became starkly evident in the weeks that followed. On January 19, just a month after the fighting peaked, the Japanese rushed in 3,389 fresh replacements to replenish their battered 5th Division. This influx was distributed unevenly: 1,848 went to the 21st Infantry Regiment and 814 to the 42nd, figures that likely corresponded directly to the number of dead and seriously wounded who had been evacuated back home—though those with minor injuries weren't factored into these counts. The ferocity of the engagement was further underscored by the capture of numerous Japanese strongholds, where Chinese forces found that every defender had been killed, leaving no survivors behind.   In many ways, this outcome represented a stunning annihilation for the Japanese, particularly the 21st Brigade, which was effectively wiped out. Key figures fell in the fray, including Brigade Commander Masao Nakamura, Acting Commander Sakata Genichi, Miki Yoshinosuke, along with various deputies and battalion commanders. The leadership losses were catastrophic: over 85% of officers above the squad leader level were killed. Japanese records themselves acknowledged more than 4,000 soldiers dead, painting a grim picture that their own war histories later described as "the darkest era for the army." On the Chinese side, the victory came at a heavy price, with over 10,000 casualties suffered, yet remarkably, the core officer corps remained largely intact, preserving command structure for future operations.   Zooming out to the broader theater in December 1939, the Japanese 5th Division and the Taiwan Mixed Brigade found themselves holding the line against an overwhelming force of more than 150,000 Nationalist troops. At the same time, the Japanese 21st Army was shifting its focus to Guangdong Province in preparation for Operation Weng Ying, while the Oikawa Detachment—primarily composed of the 11th Infantry Regiment—pushed forward to Longzhou. They captured Zhennanguan on November 21, securing valuable stocks of fuel and arms in the process. However, these stretched deployments and insufficient troop numbers left the Japanese without adequate reserves when encirclement loomed at Kunlun Pass. Ultimately, they were forced to abandon their offensive plans in Guangdong, pulling back to consolidate defenses around Nanning. Meanwhile, from their base in Chongqing, Chinese commanders had meticulously planned the recapture, turning the tide through careful strategy and sheer determination. Shocked, Japanese dispatched Vice Chief of Staff Sawada Shigeru to Guangzhou. On December 29, 21st Army sent staff to Nanning. Failed to change 21st Brigade's defeat. Imamura planned personal charge for revenge on January 1, but Ando ordered holding Nanning for reinforcements: "The 21st Army is transferring powerful force to annihilate enemy. 5th Division secure Nanning and key locations."   After capturing Kunlun Pass and annihilating two regiments of 21st Brigade, 5th Army thought to recapture Nanning. Remaining 21st Brigade and Taiwan regiments between Jiutang and Batang. At noon January 1, 1940, Oikawa's thousands arrived at Batang; Imamura ordered Oikawa replace killed Sakata. First battle on Hill 441. 1st Division held north side; Japanese south. On January 1, Japanese bombed and attacked; 1st Division reduced to hundred but held. At dawn 2nd, counterattack all day, no progress. On 3rd, Du mobilized 200th and part New 22nd; brutal fighting, heavy casualties. At nightfall, Japanese retreated to Jiutang. On 4th, Japanese abandoned Jiutang to Batang. New 22nd moved into Jiutang. 5th Army attacked Batang; by 12th, no progress. Exhausted with heavy casualties, 5th Army ordered to Silong for rest. Mission transferred to 36th Army. 5th Army withdrew.   On January 7, Chiang flew to Guilin, visiting Qianjiang on 10th to discuss plans with Bai, Chen, Zhang, Xu, Lin. Bai proposed offensive with new armies to recapture Nanning. Chiang approved. On 11th, as Bai issued orders, Chiang overturned, changing to defensive. Japanese gained time for counter-offensive.   To salvage defeat, Japanese transferred 18th Division and Konoye Brigade from Guangdong. Combined with existing, formed 22nd Corps under Seiichi Kuno, under South China Front Army commanded by Reikichi Ando, preparing counteroffensive.   On January 25, a brigade from the Japanese 18th Division and elements of the 15th Division attacked frontally along Yongbin Road, while Konoye Brigade flanked toward Guizhou via Yongyong Road, in Binyang Campaign. Konoye crossed at Tingziwei, then Yongchun County, via Gantang, Luwei, Gula, Wuling to Binyang, cutting rear. Bai Chongxi rushed 175th Division of 46th Army north to tail Konoye. After reinforcements, 21st Army launched offensive to drive and encircle south of Binyang; accumulated supplies in Nanning. On January 22, 18th and Konoye reached attack points. 38th Army Group HQ in Binyang bombed, communications cut, independent combat.   On January 28, Japanese launched offensive (Binyang Operation). On February 3, 41st Infantry of 5th Division occupied Kunlun Pass. On February 4, Ando reached captured Binyang. Nationalists lost Kunlun Pass, lines collapsed, many encircled. Battle ended with withdrawal; February 13, Japanese withdrew to Nanning, lines stalemated.   In the wake of the Binyang clashes, the 18th Division was indeed shifted to Guangzhou. Japanese records from January 28 to February 13 painted a picture of their spoils: they claimed to have captured 19 tanks, 5 light armored vehicles, 30 automobiles, 20 field or mountain guns, 13 rapid-fire guns, and 41 mortars. Additionally, they reported counting 27,041 Chinese bodies on the battlefield and taking 1,167 prisoners. The Chinese forces, for their part, regrouped with their main strength positioned east of the Yongqin Highway, while some elements maneuvered west to harass Japanese rear lines and coordinate actions from the north bank.   On February 21, 1940, Chiang arrived in Liuzhou, residing at Yangjiao Mountain. From February 22, he convened over 100 generals for a four-day Liuzhou Military Conference to review Guinan operations. Chiang demoted Bai Chongxi for poor supervision and Chen Cheng for poor guidance from first- to second-class generals. He also punished and rewarded other senior officers. The 46th Army and 175th Division were commended for discipline. On February 26, Fourth War Zone Commander Zhang Fakui announced: "No need for counterattack on Nanning currently." The entire Guinan Campaign ended.   The defeat embarrassed Chongqing; not only disrupted Guangxi-Vietnam traffic, but massive effort ended in rout. Pre-battle, Guilin Headquarters misjudged Japanese intentions; during, both Guangxi and Huangpu clique leaders showed poor performance, infuriating Chiang. Post-battle punishments were unprecedented in the war.   I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. In November 1939, Japanese forces, including the 5th Division and Taiwan Brigade, landed at Qinzhou Bay, captured Nanning, and advanced to Kunlun Pass. Chinese troops, under Bai Chongxi and reinforced by the elite 5th Army, launched fierce counteroffensives, recapturing Kunlun Pass in December with heavy casualties. 

China–Spain relations are entering a new phase of high-frequency engagement and strategic depth. What does this consistent diplomatic rhythm reveal about the future of global partnerships? How could Spain serve as a potential bridge between China and the wider European market? In this edition of the Hub, CGTN host Wang Guan is joined by Humberto Alvarez, vice president of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in South China; Song Xin, founder of Sinnvoll Consulting and former European Parliament policy advisor; and Andy Mok, senior research fellow at the Center for China and Globalization. Together, they explore Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's fourth visit to China in four years and examine what this pattern reveals about the stability and maturity of bilateral ties. The conversation also looks into Spain's role as a bridge in China–Europe relations, assessing whether its approach can serve as a model for broader regional cooperation.

Program description: Darers and Doers, a special segment of China Business Uncovered, showcases groundbreaking innovations from China and features company founders and CEOs who are turning cool, bold ideas into reality. Produced by Caixin Global.  Episode intro: Cancer treatment has long relied on a largely fixed set of options: surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and targeted drugs. But a new generation of biotech founders is trying to push the field toward something more precise — treatments built around the biology of a single patient. In this debut episode of Darers & Doers, Likang Life Sciences Founder and CEO Chen Li explains how his Beijing-based biotech startup is using artificial intelligence to develop personalized mRNA cancer vaccines.  Chen's entrepreneurial journey began with the cancer diagnosis of his mother, who later became his company's first patient. Ten years on, Likang's product, LK101, is already being used on patients in South China's Hainan province under a pilot policy, has won FDA approval, and is now advancing toward international clinical development. Speaking with Caixin Global Managing Director Li Xin, Chen discusses how his approach aims to overcome the limits of current immunotherapy, how he sees the race between biotech startups and pharmaceutical giants, and why China's biotech boom matters to the rest of the world. Chapters: (01:41) Why current cancer treatments aren't enough (04:44) Likang Life Science's approach and success (07:19) A founder's personal mission (10:56) Rethinking cancer treatment for solid tumors (16:06) The race between startups and big players  (21:09) From China lab to FDA approval (24:04) Real world clinical application and scaling up (26:45) Why China's biotech boom matters globally This episode of Darers & Doers was recorded in Mandarin and produced in English with the help of AI. Producers: Kelsey Cheng and Qing Na Read more on Caixin Global: Cover Story: Chinese Pharma Turns to Global Deals to Cure Capital Crunch China Aims to Tame Cancer Gene Test Pricing With Bulk-Buying Plan Subscribe now to unlock full access to Caixin Global and The Wall Street Journal for $200 a year. Group discounts are available — contact us for a customized plan.  

1. Robotic traffic police commander debuts in south China's Shenzhen 2. Chinese optical clock contributes to calibration of International Atomic Time 3. China unveils mass-produced high-strength carbon fiber

1. China intensifies efforts to translate scientific breakthroughs into industrial strength. 2. China's quantum computer operating system Origin Pilot opens for public download. 3. Chinese scientists map ice "treasure map" for Chang'e-7 mission at moon's south pole 4. "Relic doctors" step into spotlight at south China museum

The Ransom of Canton.The lame-duck Superintendent watches helplessly as a triumvirate of Qing officials arrives to reverse every compromise his predecessor had wrought... & promptly launches the most ambitious Chinese military operation of the entire war. In the midst of that rain-soaked battlefield, a brief skirmish between British soldiers and peasant militiamen plants the seed of a legend that will haunt Chinese politics for the next century. Time Period Covered:Feb. 1841–Oct. 1841 Major Historical Figures: The Qing Empire:The Daoguang Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Minning) [r. 1820–1850]Yishan, Imperial Commissioner and Pacifier-General of the Rebellious (靖逆) [1790–1878]Longwen, Manchu nobleman and ministerial attaché [d. 1841]Yang Fang, Governor-General and military commander [c. 1770–1846]She Baoshun, Prefect of Canton [fl. 1840s]Yuqian, Imperial Commissioner for Military Operations in Zhejiang [fl. 1841] The British Empire:Queen Victoria [r. 1837–1901]Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, Foreign Secretary [1784–1865]Charles Elliot, Chief Superintendent of British Trade in China [1801–1875]Sir Henry Pottinger, incoming Plenipotentiary to China [1789–1856]Sir Hugh Gough, Commander of British Land Forces [1779–1869]Captain William Hutcheon Hall, commanding HMS Nemesis [c. 1797–1878] Major Sources Cited:Wakeman, Frederic Jr. "Canton Trade and the Opium War." The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 10.Wakeman, Frederic Jr. Strangers at the Gate: Social Disorder in South China, 1839–1861.Fay, Peter Ward. The Opium War, 1840–1842.Lovell, Julia. The Opium War: Drugs, Dreams and the Making of China. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

China is on alert as a fresh wave of rain and snow is expected over the next three days, potentially causing travel and tourism disruptions following the Spring Festival holiday. While less widespread and intense than recent weather events, the precipitation warrants attention.气象部门发出预警，预计未来三天我国将迎来新一波雨雪天气，可能导致春节假期结束后交通和旅游出现中断。虽然此次过程的强度和影响范围不及之前，但仍需引起注意。On Sunday, significant snowfall affected Shanxi, Hebei and Henan provinces, while heavy rains drenched much of southern China. The National Meteorological Center forecasts an eastward shift in snowfall, bringing light to moderate accumulations to the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, eastern and northern North China, most of Northeast China and the northern Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang province may experience heavy snow and localized blizzards.3月1日，山西、河北和河南等地出现显著降雪，与此同时，强降雨影响了南方大部地区。中央气象台预计，降雪区域将向东移动，内蒙古自治区、华北中东部、东北地区大部和新疆维吾尔自治区北部等地将迎来小到中雪，累计降雪量一般有1～3毫米。其中，内蒙古和黑龙江等地局地可能出现大雪或暴雪。Simultaneously, South China is bracing for heavy rainfall, with moderate to heavy precipitation expected in the southern provinces of Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and Taiwan. Localized downpours and possible thunderstorms are also anticipated.与此同时，华南地区将迎来强降雨，预计福建、广东、海南、广西壮族自治区和台湾等南方省份将有中到大雨。局地可能出现暴雨和雷暴天气。Offshore, strong winds will affect eastern sea areas due to an intensifying cyclone entering the sea near Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. On Tuesday, gusts reaching 24.5 meters per second are predicted for the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, Taiwan Strait and parts of the South China Sea.在近海区域，由于入海气旋加强，江苏和浙江附近海域将出现大风。周二，预计黄海、东海、台湾海峡和南海部分海域将出现阵风达每秒24.5米的大风。Despite these localized events, forecasters predict no large-scale rain or snow across China this week, with precipitation expected to be scattered and generally light.预报员指出，尽管有这些局地天气事件，但预计本周全国范围内不会出现大范围的雨雪天气，降水总体较为分散，强度一般。However, persistent rain in eastern Southwest China will create slippery roads and reduce visibility, requiring public vigilance during travel.然而，我国西南地区东部持续的阴雨天气将导致道路湿滑和能见度降低，公众出行需注意安全。Northern China will experience a brief warming trend before a cold front arrives on Wednesday and Thursday. Conversely, the south will cool down, providing relief from recent warmth. Daytime highs in Haikou, Hainan, are expected to drop to 20 C by Wednesday.北方地区在周三和周四冷空气到来之前将经历短暂的回暖过程。与之相对，南方地区将迎来降温，使近日的回温天气得到缓解。到周三时，海南海口的白天最高气温预计将降至20摄氏度。In addition, most of China's northern winter wheat region is projected to experience near-average temperatures and 10 to 30 millimeters of rainfall over the next 10 days, which will improve soil moisture and aid the resurgence of winter wheat growth, according to agricultural forecasts.此外，农业气象预报显示，未来10天，我国北方冬麦区大部气温接近常年同期，降水量有10～30毫米。降水将有效改善土壤墒情，利于冬小麦返青生长。The Yangtze River Delta, South China and Southwest China are expected to see near-average or slightly above-average temperatures with 10 to 50 mm of precipitation, benefiting reservoir storage and providing water for spring planting, it added.预报还指出，长江中下游、华南及西南地区南部等地气温接近常年同期或偏高，降水量有10～50毫米，利于增加库塘蓄水和保障春播用水。precipitation /prɪˌsɪpɪˈteɪʃən/降水drench /drentʃ/湿透，浸透National Meteorological Center /ˈnæʃənəl ˌmiːtiərəˈlɒdʒɪkəl ˈsentər/ 中央气象台localized blizzards /ˈləʊkəlaɪzd ˈblɪzədz/局地暴雪downpour /ˈdaʊnpɔː/倾盆大雨，暴雨cyclone /ˈsaɪkləʊn/气旋gust /gʌst/一阵强风，阵风vigilance /ˈvɪdʒɪləns/警惕，警戒resurgence /rɪˈsɜːdʒəns/复苏，再现

Free trains and dedicated buses are helping a large number of migrant workers return to jobs after the Spring Festival holiday, especially those traveling from China's central and western regions to the eastern seaboard.春节假期过后，大批外出务工者踏上返岗之路。免费专列、包车等暖心服务正助力他们便捷返岗，尤其是那些从中国中西部地区前往东部沿海地区的务工人员。On Tuesday, a traveler surnamed Yang boarded a special train free of charge at Qiandongnan Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture in Guizhou province and arrived in Foshan, Guangdong province, in South China.2月24日（正月初八），春节假期后返岗首日，来自贵州省黔东南苗族侗族自治州的杨女士免费搭乘专列抵达广东省佛山市。The prefecture's human resources department provided about 500 seats for migrant workers such as her.黔东南州人力资源和社会保障局为务工者提供了约500个座位。More free trains will depart from the prefecture through Feb 28 to destinations including cities such as Hangzhou in Zhejiang province and Guangzhou in Guangdong province. Roughly 500 free seats per service are reserved exclusively for locals who work outside their hometown.到2月28日，该州还将开设更多免费专列，开往浙江杭州、广东广州等城市，每趟专列将为外出务工人员预留约500个免费座位。Each year after the Chinese New Year holiday, firms resume operations and many workers who spent the break at home must return to their posts. That produces a short surge in travel and makes securing tickets the top priority for many.每年春节假期过后，企业复工复产，回乡探亲的务工人员都得返回工作岗位，从而形成节后出行高峰，买到车票成了许多人的头等大事。Yang told China Daily that she scanned a QR code to register after her village issued the notice, and she received a confirmation message the next day. She posted about securing the free ride online and replied to fellow villagers' queries about how to apply.杨女士向《中国日报》表示，在村里下发通知后，她扫码登记，第二天就收到了确认信息。她在网上分享了乘坐免费专列的消息，并回复了同村人关于如何申请的问题。Another beneficiary, Yang Ying from Huangping county in Qiandongnan, said past returns required multiple transfers and a day or more of exhausting travel while carrying heavy luggage.另一位受益者、来自贵州省黄平县的杨英表示，过去返岗需要在多个换乘点之间奔波，耗费一天多的时间，还得拖着沉重的行李。"I have worked in Hangzhou for more than three years. Every year, the hardest task after the holiday is getting tickets. When I saw the free train notice, I scanned, applied and received confirmation within a few days. I felt relieved," she said.她说："我在杭州务工三年多了，每年春节返岗最发愁的就是抢票，看到免费专列报名公告，我第一时间就扫码报名了，没几天就收到确认短信，心里一下子就踏实了。"Wang Wanmin, director of the prefecture's human resources and social security bureau, said they will continue to operate special trains and buses to transport 20,000 fellow townspeople to jobs, further stabilizing employment and boosting incomes.黔东南州人力资源和社会保障局局长王万敏表示，当地将继续开设专列、包车，护送2万余名外出务工人员返岗，进一步稳定就业，促进增收。Railway authorities said the China Railway Chengdu Group plans to run 32 post-festival special trains for workers, which are expected to carry about 18,000 passengers through March 6.铁路部门称，中国铁路成都局集团有限公司计划在节后开行32趟务工人员专列，预计在3月6日前运送约1.8万名旅客。The group manages lines serving provinces such as Sichuan and Guizhou, regions that are major sources of migrant labor.该公司管理四川、贵州等务工人员输出大省的铁路线路。Similar targeted services operate nationwide. Also on Tuesday, a special train for workers from Xi'an in Shaanxi province departed for Suzhou, Jiangsu province, delivering employees directly to contracted employers in Suzhou and nearby Taicang city.全国其他地方也有类似的精准服务。同样在2月24日，一列满载务工人员的专列从陕西省西安市驶往江苏省苏州市，直接将员工送至苏州及太仓市的签约企业。Officials said the transported workers had been prematched with positions in high-end intelligent manufacturing, electronic information, auto parts and precision machinery industries. Roles include technical operators, quality control staff, warehousing personnel and support service staff.据官方介绍，此次输送的务工人员已提前与高端智能制造、电子信息、汽车零部件和精密机械等行业的岗位匹配，涵盖技术操作工、品质管控、仓储物流及配套服务等。After the workers arrived at Suzhou North Railway Station, local human resources departments provided dedicated shuttle vehicles to take them directly to factory dormitories.务工人员抵达苏州北站后，当地人社部门安排专用接驳车，闭环运送务工人员直达厂区宿舍。More flexible, targeted transport has also been added. Guangdong province has introduced bus routes from labor-exporting areas to provide point-to-point service.更灵活、精准的返岗运输服务也在加码。广东省已开通从劳务输出大县到务工集中地的返岗直通车。Between Feb 19 and Feb 25, passengers could scan a code to find buses from provinces including Hunan, Jiangxi and Hubei bound for Guangzhou city, and register their return-to-work transport needs online, local media reported.据当地媒体报道，2月19日至25日，旅客可扫码查询从湖南、江西、湖北等省份发往广州的专车，并在线登记返岗出行需求。Huizhou city in Guangdong province will also set up return-to-work shuttle services at major transport hubs to provide last-mile connections for arriving migrant workers. The program is expected to serve more than 3,000 returning workers.广东省惠州市也将在主要交通枢纽设置返岗接驳专线，为返岗务工人员提供"最后一公里"的便利。该项目预计将为3000多名返岗务工人员提供服务。ree of charge /friː əv tʃɑːrdʒ/免费top priority /tɒp praɪˈɒrəti/重中之重；最优先事项shuttle services /ˈʃʌtəl ˈsɜːrvɪsɪz/接驳服务；班车服务

Some lesser-known or small Chinese towns and cities — with a strong festive ambience during Chinese New Year — alongside Neo-Chinese style destinations, have experienced "wealth beyond measure" during the nine-day Spring Festival holiday. Both domestic and international tourists have shown a tendency to linger in these areas.在为期9天的春节假期期间，一些不太出名的小城镇以及新中式风格的旅游目的地迎来了"泼天富贵"。国内游客和外国游客都喜欢在这些地方多玩几天。This year's extended Spring Festival holiday, which began on Feb 15 and concluded on Monday, inspired widespread travel.今年春节假期从2月15日开始，到2月23日结束，激发了人们的出游热情。"It's really stunning looking down at the lantern show from the ancient city walls. I felt like I was traveling back in time," said Sha Anna as she marveled at a lantern show on Feb 17 in Datong, Shanxi province. The Beijing resident visited the picturesque ancient city with family.北京居民沙安娜（音译）2月17日与家人一起游览了山西省大同市的古城。她在欣赏灯会时感叹道："从古城墙上俯瞰灯会，真的很震撼。我感觉自己穿越回了古代。"The city rose to popularity after the release of the Chinese-developed video game Black Myth: Wukong in 2024, which features several game scenes closely related to ancient Buddhist culture and Taoism.大同在2024年国产游戏《黑神话：悟空》发售后火了，这款游戏的几个场景与古老的佛教和道教文化密切相关。She said a desire to experience the lively festive atmosphere of Chinese New Year that differed from Beijing, led her to plan a trip to Datong — a city that boasts a rich cultural heritage. "The food here is also very delicious, especially the knife-cut noodles. The city left us with memories of historical legacies and human touch, and we will come back next Spring Festival."沙安娜说，她想体验与北京不同的热闹新年气氛，于是计划去大同旅游。大同市拥有丰富的文化遗产。她说："这里的食物也非常美味，尤其是刀削面。这座城市给我们留下了历史遗产和人情味的记忆，明年春节我们还会来。"Lively discussions on Datong and many other niche but attractive towns and small cities circulated online during the Spring Festival holiday. Their distinctive celebration practices, flavorful cuisine and strong cultural heritage have generated interest from tourists looking for unique experiences.春节期间，大同和许多其他小众但具有吸引力的城镇在网上引发了热议。它们独特的庆祝方式、风味美食和深厚的文化底蕴吸引了寻求独特体验的游客。Data from travel portal Tuniu shows that the number of tourists to Baoting Li and Miao autonomous county in South China's Hainan province and Dehong Dai and Jingpo autonomous prefecture in Southwest China's Yunnan province increased twofold compared with the previous Spring Festival period, as these places enjoy distinctive and exotic ethnic cultures. Destinations such as Chao zhou in Guangdong province, Shang rao and Jingdezhen in Jiangxi province have seen tourist numbers double year-on-year.旅游门户途牛网的数据显示，前往海南省保亭黎族苗族自治县和云南省德宏傣族景颇族自治州的游客数量比上一个春节增加了一倍，这些地方拥有独特而富有异域风情的民族文化。广东潮州、江西上饶和景德镇等目的地的游客数量同比翻了一番。Qunar, another online travel agency, noted strong enthusiasm among young people for Neo-Chinese style destinations — which blend contemporary and traditional Chinese cultures — during the holiday period. The agency reported that some history or novel-based theme parks like Millennium City Park and Wansui Mountain Wuxia City in Henan province were among the top destinations on their platform during the holiday.另一家在线旅游机构去哪儿网指出，假期期间，年轻人对新中式风格旅游目的地的热情很高。该机构报告称，河南的清明上河园和万岁山武侠城等一些历史或小说主题公园是假期期间其平台上最受欢迎的目的地之一。The extended holiday also stimulated Chinese people's desire for long-distance overseas trips. According to Qunar, between Feb 15 and Monday, its users flew to nearly 1,000 cities worldwide. The most popular overseas destinations were those with shorter flight times, friendly visa policies and milder climates, including Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.这个长假也刺激了中国人出国长途旅行的欲望。根据去哪儿网的数据，2月15日至23日期间，去哪儿网的用户飞往全球近1000个城市。最受欢迎的海外目的地是飞行时间较短、签证政策友好、气候温和的地方，包括曼谷、吉隆坡和香港。Among the travelers who went overseas was Zhang Yi, who took a four-day trip to Thailand with her family and returned to Shanghai on Sunday. "It was our third time visiting the country, but the first time celebrating Chinese New Year there. Thailand is a good place to relax," she said.张怡（音译）是出境游的游客之一，她与家人去泰国玩了四天，于周日返回上海。她说："这是我们第三次去泰国，但第一次在那里庆祝中国新年。泰国是个放松身心的好地方。"Qunar also noted that many of its users spent the Spring Festival holiday in Italy, the host nation of the recently concluded Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. "Based on our figures, flight ticket bookings to Italy on Feb 14 and Feb 15 — the day before the Spring Festival holiday started and the first day of the holiday — increased by 64 percent compared with the previous two days," it said.去哪儿网还指出，许多用户选择在意大利度过春节假期。意大利是最近结束的2026年米兰-科尔蒂纳冬奥会的主办国。该机构表示："根据我们的数据，2月14日和2月15日前往意大利的机票预订量与前两天相比增长了64%。"Additionally, the social media trend "becoming Chinese" has extended to the tourism market, with an increasing number of international travelers visiting the mainland during the Spring Festival holiday to partake in festivities. In 2024, Spring Festival was officially inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, enhancing its global influence.此外，社交媒体上"成为中国人"的热潮也延伸到了旅游市场，越来越多的外国游客在春节期间来内地旅游。2024年春节被列入联合国教科文组织人类非物质文化遗产代表作名录，提升了其在全球的影响力。Data from Qunar shows that flight bookings to the mainland made by travelers holding non-Chinese passports grew by 20 percent year-on-year during the holiday.去哪儿网的数据显示，春节期间，持非中国护照的旅客赴内地机票预订量同比增长20%。Top destinations for these international travelers included not just big cities like Shanghai and Beijing but also lesser-known places like Jinggangshan in Jiangxi and Altay in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.这些国际游客的主要目的地不仅包括上海、北京这样的大城市，还包括江西井冈山、新疆维吾尔自治区阿勒泰等不太知名的地方。"Most of these travelers came from South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Australia, and the United States. Domestic places with richer festive atmospheres and celebration events are most attractive to them," said Qunar, adding that travel trends among international travelers have transformed from quick sightseeing excursions to immersive experiences of Chinese traditions.去哪儿网表示："这些游客大多来自韩国、越南、新加坡、澳大利亚和美国。节日氛围和庆祝活动更丰富的国内地方对他们最有吸引力。"该机构指出，国际游客的旅游趋势已从快速观光游览转变为沉浸式体验中国传统。niche /niːʃ/ 小众的；定位明确的festive ambience /ˈfestɪv ˈæmbiəns/ 节日气氛linger in /ˈlɪŋɡə(r) ɪn/ 在……逗留；流连于picturesque /ˌpɪktʃəˈresk/ 风景如画的rise to popularity /raɪz tuː ˌpɒpjuˈlærəti/ 流行起来；走红human touch /ˈhjuːmən tʌtʃ/ 人情味year-on-year /ˌjɜːr ɒn ˈjɪr/ 同比Millennium City Park /mɪˈleniəm ˈsɪti pɑːk/ 清明上河园sightseeing excursions /ˈsaɪtsiːɪŋ ɪkˈskɜːʃənz/ 观光游览；短途旅游

Britain carries the Opium War to Beijing's unready doorstep with steam and iron, moving the crisis from the border frontiers to the heart of the imperial court itself. As imperial defenses strain and diplomacy replaces defiance, the two empires probe each other's resolve – and discover that both of their understandings of the other have been built on little more than smoke. Time Period Covered:July 1840 – March 1841 Major Historical Figures:The Qing Empire:The Daoguang Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Minning) [r. 1820–1850]Lin Zexu, Imperial Commissioner [1785–1850]Qishan, Imperial Commissioner and Governor-General of Zhili [d. 1854]Yiliang, Governor-General of Liangguang [fl. 1840s]The British Empire:Queen Victoria [r. 1837–1901]Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, Foreign Secretary [1784–1865]Charles Elliot, Chief Superintendent of British Trade in China [1801–1875]Sir Henry Pottinger, Plenipotentiary to China [1789–1856]Sir James Bremer, Royal Navy commander [1786–1850] Major Sources Cited:Platt, Stephen R. Imperial Twilight: The Opium War and the End of China's Last Golden Age.Lovell, Julia. The Opium War: Drugs, Dreams and the Making of China.Wakeman, Frederic Jr. Strangers at the Gate: Social Disorder in South China, 1839–1861.Fairbank, John K. Trade and Diplomacy on the China Coast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex in South China's island province of Hainan, customers stood in a long line behind a checkout counter. Anton, a tourist from Belarus, was shopping with his family and soon picked out the iPhone 17 he wanted.在海南三亚国际免税购物中心，顾客们在收银台前排起长队。来自白俄罗斯的游客Anton正与家人购物，很快便选中了心仪的iPhone 17。"This phone is much cheaper here than in Belarus," Anton said. It was his second vacation trip to Hainan. "It's freezing cold in Belarus right now, unlike the warm winter in Hainan, so we came here for a holiday."Anton说道：“这手机在这里比白俄罗斯便宜多了。”这是他第二次来海南度假。“白俄罗斯现在冷得要命，海南的冬天却很暖和，所以我们来这里度假。”In the depths of winter, Hainan has entered its peak tourist season. For many visitors, duty-free shopping has become an indispensable part of their itinerary. Especially since the Hainan Free Trade Port officially launched island-wide special customs operations on Dec 18, duty-free shopping has been exceptionally booming, highlighting the strong vitality and huge potential of Hainan as an international tourism and consumption center.寒冬时节，海南已迎来旅游旺季。对许多游客而言，免税购物已成为行程中不可或缺的环节。尤其自12月18日海南自由贸易港正式启动全岛特殊海关模式以来，免税购物呈现异常火爆的景象，彰显出海南作为国际旅游消费中心强劲的活力与巨大的潜力。The duty-free consumption boom stems not only from the soaring popularity brought by the special customs operations, but also from the concentrated release of policy dividends.免税消费热潮不仅源于特殊海关操作带来的飙升人气，更源于政策红利的集中释放。To better meet the diverse needs of tourists, Hainan's duty-free policy was adjusted again on Nov 1. The categories of duty-free goods increased from 45 to 47, and the beneficiary range was expanded to include outbound travelers, attracting more international tourists to duty-free shopping.为更好地满足游客多样化需求，海南免税政策于11月1日再度调整。免税商品品类从45类增至47类，受益范围扩大至出境旅客，吸引更多国际游客享受免税购物。"This shopping center is amazing. There are many things I want to buy and the price is cheap," said a tourist from Russia, adding that the duty-free store had a lot of international brands, many of which are hard to find in her country.一位来自俄罗斯的游客说道：“这家购物中心太棒了，我想买的东西很多，而且价格便宜。”她补充道，免税店里汇集了众多国际品牌，其中许多在她的国家都很难找到。In addition, the new duty-free policy has significantly lowered the purchase threshold for local residents. Under the policy, local residents with a departure record can purchase up to 15 "pick-up" items at any time of the year, which has also boosted shopping enthusiasm.此外，新推出的免税政策大幅降低了本地居民的购物门槛。根据该政策，持有离境记录的本地居民全年可随时购买最多15件“自提”商品，这也进一步激发了购物热情。At a duty-free store in Haikou, bapital of Hainan, Pan Meishi, a local resident who had left the island a week ago, was wandering around the cosmetics area.在海南省会海口的免税店里，一周前刚离开海口的当地居民潘美诗（音译）正漫无目的地在化妆品区闲逛。"In the past, local residents could only buy duty-free products when leaving the island, but now shopping is much more convenient. Visiting a duty-free store is just like going to an ordinary mall," she said.她说道：“过去，当地居民只能在离岛时购买免税商品，但如今购物变得方便多了。逛免税店就像去普通商场一样。”According to Haikou customs, from Dec 18 to Jan 17, the duty-free sales supervised by customs reached 4.86 billion yuan ($697.9 million), up 46.8 percent year-on-year, and the number of shoppers rose 30.2 percent year-on-year to 745,000, showing sustained strong consumption vitality.据海口海关统计，12月18日至次年1月17日期间，海关监管免税销售额达48.6亿元（约合6.979亿美元），同比增长46.8%，购物人次达74.5万人次，同比增长30.2%，消费活力持续强劲。Since the implementation of the new duty-free policy, especially after the special customs operations of the Hainan FTP, the Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex has seen a steady rise in both average daily sales and passenger flow.自新免税政策实施以来，特别是海南自贸港特殊海关业务启动后，三亚国际免税购物中心日均销售额和客流量均呈现稳步上升态势。Liu Kun, deputy general manager of China Tourism Group, said: "Duty-free shopping is a core pillar for the construction of the Hainan international tourism and consumption center. It plays an irreplaceable role in gathering global consumption resources, attracting international customers and upgrading consumption levels."中国旅游集团副总经理刘昆表示：“免税购物是海南国际旅游消费中心建设的核心支柱，在汇聚全球消费资源、吸引国际客源、提升消费水平方面发挥着不可替代的作用。”The booming duty-free consumption is just a microcosm of the construction of the Hainan international tourism and consumption center.蓬勃发展的免税消费，正是海南国际旅游消费中心建设的缩影。Latest official data show that in 2025, Hainan received 106 million tourist visits, up 9.1 percent year-on-year, and total tourist spending reached 225.4 billion yuan, up 10.5 percent year-on-year. Among them, the number of visits by inbound overnight tourists surpassed 1.5 million, surging 35.2 percent year-on-year.最新官方数据显示，2025年海南接待游客1.06亿人次，同比增长9.1%，游客消费总额达2254亿元，同比增长10.5%。其中，过夜入境游客量突破150万人次，同比增长35.2%。According to an official implementation plan, China aims to build Hainan into a globally influential tourism and consumption destination by 2035.根据官方实施计划，中国计划到2035年将海南建设成具有全球影响力的旅游消费目的地。inbound tourism入境旅游microcosm/ˈmaɪ.kroʊˌkɑː.zəm/n.缩影

When Anh Nguyen Austen was a small girl, her family fled South Vietnam on a boat which met a once-in-a-century storm in the South China sea. When all on board thought hope was lost, they were rescued.

China's tourism market hit its first travel peak of the year during the three-day New Year holiday period starting Thursday, with a strong festive demand drawing both domestic and international travelers to destinations across the country.中国旅游市场在自周四起的三天元旦假期期间迎来了年内首个出行高峰，旺盛的节日需求吸引着国内外游客前往全国各地的旅游目的地。The Ministry of Culture and Tourism said 142 million domestic trips were made during the holiday, generating about 84.8 billion yuan ($12.13 billion) in tourism revenue. This year's three-day holiday lasted two days longer than last year, a likely contributor to travel demand.文化和旅游部表示，假期期间国内旅游人次达 1.42 亿，实现旅游收入约 848 亿元人民币（折合 121.3 亿美元）。今年的三天假期较去年延长了两天，这很可能是提振出行需求的一个因素。Yan Lijie and three of her university dorm mates spent New Year's Eve on Wednesday night at Beijing's 798 Art District, an industrial heritage art zone, before staying in the city for a two-day tour through Friday.严丽洁（音译）和三名大学室友于周三晚在北京市 798 艺术区（一处工业遗产艺术园区）跨年，随后留在北京游玩至周五，行程共计两天。"We are in our third year at a college in Tianjin, neighboring Beijing, and it's our dorm's tradition to spend New Year's Eve in a nearby city over the past two years," said Yan, 23. "There were so many activities, including art exhibitions, fairs and performances that night, and the rich festive atmosphere really touched us."“我们是天津一所高校的大三学生，天津与北京相邻。过去两年，我们宿舍的传统就是去邻近城市跨年。”23 岁的严丽洁说，“当晚有超多活动，包括艺术展览、集市和演出，浓厚的节日氛围真的很打动我们。”Qi Chunguang, vice-president of travel portal Tuniu, said tourism consumption during the holiday showed increasing diversification, with the market offering a wider range of options such as theme park tours, winter tourism and temple visits for new year blessings.旅游门户网站途牛副总裁齐春光表示，假期期间的旅游消费呈现出日益多元化的趋势，市场提供了更丰富的选择，例如主题公园游、冬季旅游以及新年祈福逛庙会等。"We've noticed that younger travelers show stronger preferences for concerts, music festivals, drone shows or fireworks displays to count down to the new year," Qi said.齐春光说：“我们注意到，年轻游客更青睐通过演唱会、音乐节、无人机表演或烟花秀等方式跨年倒计时。”Data from travel platform Qunar supported that observation. Taking Kaifeng in central China's Henan province as an example, Qunar said hotel bookings in the city tripled during the holiday, driven by its two Chinese-style theme parks — Wansuishan and Millennium City Park.旅游平台去哪儿网的数据印证了这一观察结果。去哪儿网表示，以中国中部河南省开封市为例，在万岁山和清明上河园两大中式主题公园的带动下，该市假期期间的酒店预订量增长了两倍。Qunar said that beyond first-tier cities such as Guangzhou in Guangdong province, Beijing and Shanghai, smaller counties and towns also attracted large numbers of travelers welcoming the New Year.去哪儿网称，除广东广州、北京、上海等一线城市外，众多县域小镇也吸引了大批游客前来跨年。"Hotels booked by our users span more than 1,000 counties nationwide this holiday, ranging from warmer Nan'ao in South China's Guangdong province to northern counties such as Antu in Jilin province, known for snow scenery and winter resorts," Qunar said.去哪儿网表示：“本次假期，我们用户预订的酒店遍布全国超 1000 个县域，从气候温暖的中国南部广东省南澳县，到以雪景和冬季度假胜地闻名的中国北部吉林省安图县等县域都包含在内。”Inbound and outbound tourism also recorded strong growth. Qunar said its users booked hotels in nearly 3,000 cities worldwide during the holiday, with short-haul overseas destinations including Seoul, Bangkok and Hong Kong among the top three choices.出入境旅游也迎来强劲增长。去哪儿网称，假期期间平台用户预订了全球近 3000 座城市的酒店，短途境外目的地中，首尔、曼谷和中国香港位列前三。The platform added that a growing number of international tourists chose to ring in the New Year on the Chinese mainland. Travelers holding non-Chinese passports booked flights to 97 cities across China, with Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing attracting the largest numbers.该平台补充道，越来越多的国际游客选择在中国大陆跨年。持外国护照的游客预订了飞往中国 97 座城市的航班，其中上海、广州和北京的入境游客数量位居前三。"Most international tourists came from neighboring countries, including Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia, while visitors from Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and the United States also recorded significant growth during the holiday," Qunar said.去哪儿网表示：“大多数国际游客来自越南、新加坡、马来西亚等周边国家，而沙特阿拉伯、乌兹别克斯坦和美国的游客数量在假期期间也实现了显著增长。”Figures released on Sunday by the National Immigration Administration showed about 6.62 million inbound and outbound trips by Chinese and foreign travelers during the three-day holiday. Of those, about 828,000 trips were made by foreign nationals, representing a year-on-year increase of 29.8 percent.国家移民管理局于周日发布的数据显示，三天假期期间，中外人员出入境总量约 662 万人次。其中，外国公民出入境人次约 82.8 万，同比增长 29.8%。peak /piːk/ n. 高峰；顶峰diversification /daɪˌvɜːsɪfɪˈkeɪʃn/ n. 多样化；多元化inbound /ˈɪnbaʊnd/ adj. 入境的；入站的outbound /ˈaʊtbaʊnd/ adj. 出境的；出站的

Several travel agencies have reported a significant hike in winter vacation tour bookings after schools and universities across China recently announced their winter holiday schedules. Industry insiders said domestic destinations with milder climates and overseas scenic spots are in intense competition to attract winter holiday travelers.多家旅行社表示，随着全国中小学和高校陆续公布寒假安排，冬季度假游预订量显著攀升。业内人士称，气候温和的国内目的地与海外景点正展开激烈竞争，争夺寒假游客资源。Since late November, primary and high schools nationwide, as well as universities, have been releasing their winter holiday plans, with vacation lengths ranging from 25 days to over 40 days.自11月下旬以来，全国中小学及高校陆续公布寒假安排，假期时长从25天到40多天不等。In Shanghai, for instance, primary and high school students will have 25 days off from Feb 2 to 27. In contrast, winter holiday breaks last 43 days in Heilongjiang province in Northeast China, starting in mid-January, as the region experiences earlier and more severe cold weather.例如，上海的小学生和中学生将从2月2日至27日享受25天的假期。相比之下，中国东北的黑龙江省因寒冷天气来得更早且更为严酷，其寒假从1月中旬开始，长达43天。As students' winter vacations will overlap with the Spring Festival holiday—a traditional Chinese period for family reunions falling in mid-February next year—many families are choosing to travel during the first half of their children's winter breaks to avoid travel peaks and potential price hikes for flights and hotel rooms during the Spring Festival holiday period.由于学生寒假将与春节假期重叠——这个中国传统的团圆时节将于明年二月中旬到来——许多家庭选择在孩子寒假的前半段出行，以避开春节期间的出行高峰和机票酒店可能上涨的价格。"I plan to take my son on a week-long winter tour in late January using my paid leave, although we haven't finalized the dates yet," said Wang Li, 39, who works in Beijing." We have two final choices—Hainan in South China and Kunming in Southwest China—both of which enjoy milder climates in winter."39岁的北京上班族王莉（音译）表示：“我计划在一月底用带薪休假带儿子进行为期一周的冬游，不过具体日期尚未敲定。我们有两个最终选择——中国南部的海南和西南部的昆明，这两个地方冬季气候都比较温和。”Wang said she previously sent her son to winter holiday tutoring classes, such as ice hockey and tennis, and scheduled family trips during the Spring Festival holiday. "Those plans cost much more because accommodation and flight prices skyrocketed during Spring Festival. This winter holiday, I want to move the family trip to earlier," she said.王莉（音译）表示表示，她此前曾让儿子参加寒假补习班，比如冰球和网球课程，并在春节假期安排了家庭旅行。她说：“这些计划花费更高，因为春节期间住宿和机票价格飞涨。这个寒假，我想把家庭旅行提前安排。”Wang is not alone. Travel portal Qunar said tour bookings from mid-January—when most students begin their winter school breaks—to the period before the Spring Festival holiday have seen significant growth since late November.王莉（音译）并非个例。旅游门户网站去哪儿网表示，自1月下旬（多数学生开始寒假）至春节假期前的旅游预订量，自11月下旬以来呈现显著增长。Qunar also reported a notable increase in flight ticket bookings for children during that period. Bookings for infants and children aged up to 12 rose by 60.7 percent year-on-year. Domestically, warmer destinations including Zhuhai in Guangdong province, Sanya in Hainan, and Xishuangbanna in Yunnan province have all seen a surge in tourism bookings, the platform said.去哪儿旅游网数据显示，同期儿童机票预订量显著增长，0至12岁婴幼儿及儿童机票预订量同比增长60.7%。该平台指出，国内旅游方面，广东珠海、海南三亚、云南西双版纳等温暖目的地均迎来旅游预订高峰。Overseas destinations such as Thailand and Russia are also popular choices for winter holiday travelers. According to Qunar, Thailand is currently the top overseas destination on its platform, with flight ticket bookings from the Chinese mainland to the country increasing 21 percent from mid-January to the eve of the Spring Festival holiday.泰国和俄罗斯等海外目的地也是冬季度假游客的热门选择。据去哪儿旅游网数据显示，泰国目前在其平台上位居海外目的地榜首，1月中旬至春节假期前夕，中国大陆至泰国的机票预订量同比增长21%。Qi Chunguang, vice-president of travel portal Tuniu, noted a boom in overseas winter holiday tours.途牛旅游网副总裁齐春光指出，海外冬季度假游呈现爆发式增长。"Some long-distance tour products to Australia and New Zealand for the winter holiday have already sold out," Qi said. "Tours to Europe, Dubai and Egypt will see a booking rush this month." He added that tour products to overseas island destinations such as the Maldives are also entering their peak reservation season.齐春光表示：“部分澳大利亚和新西兰的冬季长途旅游产品已售罄，本月欧洲、迪拜和埃及的旅游线路将迎来预订高峰。”他补充道，前往马尔代夫等海外岛屿目的地的旅游产品也正进入预订旺季。Zhou Chenjie, 42, who lives in Shanghai, said she has booked a five-day family trip to Thailand starting Feb 4. "It's my daughter's birthday wish," Zhou said. "Traveling before the Spring Festival holiday is a good deal, as flight tickets and hotel rooms are offered at discounted prices."现居上海的42岁周晨洁（音译）表示，她已预订了2月4日起为期五天的泰国家庭游，她说：“这是女儿的生日愿望。春节前出行很划算，机票和酒店都提供折扣价。”

This is a big moment as Hainan, the Free Trade Port in South China, officially launches its special customs arrangements that will allow more goods, services, investments, data, and people to move more freely into the island. This is a major policy move, demonstrating China's resolve to become more open and inclusive in this new era. How will all this work in reality? What will these special customs operations mean for global investors and companies?

防衛研究所がまとめた「中国安全保障リポート２０２６」防衛省のシンクタンク「防衛研究所」は２０日、中国の軍事動向に関する年次報告書「中国安全保障リポート２０２６」を発表した。 China and Russia have been deepening military cooperation over Taiwan and the East and South China seas, a Japanese government think tank said Thursday.

①China unveils initiative to promote international green shipping corridors ②South China's Hainan sees over 2 million inbound, outbound passengers this year ③China's generative AI users double to 515 mln: report ④China to build millisecond-latency computing network across urban areas by 2027 ⑤Hong Kong to launch exhibition on ancient Egyptian civilization ⑥Over 1,800-year-old dragon kiln site found in east China ⑦Global study shows intensifying drought may wreck grasslands

AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports Typhoon Ragasa has made landfall and is battering Hong Kong and south China after killing dozens in Taiwan and Philippines.

South China's Guangdong Province has raised its wind emergency response to Level I, the highest level, amid the approaching Typhoon Ragasa, which is expected to make landfall on Wednesday.

As Super Typhoon Ragasa approaches, public transportation in Guangdong province — particularly train services — will be heavily disrupted starting on Tuesday, while most coastal cities in the province have suspended school, work, production and business operations.随着超强台风“桦加沙”逼近，广东省公共交通（尤其是铁路运输）将于2日起遭遇严重影响，该省多数沿海城市已启动停课、停工、停产、停业措施。Ragasa, the 18th typhoon of 2025, was upgraded to a super typhoon by China's National Meteorological Center on Sunday morning, with the maximum wind force near the center reaching above level 17.“桦加沙”作为2025年第18号台风，中国气象局于周日上午将其升级为超强台风，台风中心附近最大风力达17级以上。High-speed and regular trains within Guangdong will gradually be suspended from noon on Tuesday, with the range of suspensions adjusted systematically according to the storm's impact, China Railway Guangzhou Group said on Monday. All train services in the province will be suspended on Wednesday, it added. Services are expected to resume once the typhoon weakens, with schedules updated accordingly.中国铁路广州局集团有限公司1日发布消息称，2日中午起，广东省内高铁及普速列车将逐步停运，停运范围将根据台风影响情况统筹调整；3日，该省所有列车运行将全面暂停。待台风强度减弱后，铁路部门将逐步恢复列车运营，并及时更新列车运行时刻。The typhoon is forecast to make landfall along the coast from Huizhou in Guangdong to Wenchang in Hainan province between the early morning and afternoon on Wednesday. At that time, it is expected to be a strong typhoon or super typhoon, with winds of level 14 to 16, said Wang Haiping, chief forecaster at the National Meteorological Center.中国气象局首席预报员王海平表示，预计“桦加沙”将于3日凌晨至下午时段，在广东惠州至海南文昌一带沿海登陆。登陆时，其强度预计为强台风或超强台风级别，风力可达14至16级。"One of the main reasons for the high intensity of Typhoon Ragasa is that the ocean has been continuously heated throughout the summer, resulting in relatively high sea temperatures after autumn," Wang said. He added that typhoons in autumn often interact with cold air masses moving south, a process that lifts warm, moist air and can trigger extreme rainfall.王海平指出：“台风‘桦加沙'强度偏高的主要原因之一，是整个夏季海洋持续升温，导致入秋后海温仍处于较高水平。”他补充道，秋季台风常与南下的冷空气相互作用，这一过程会抬升暖湿气流，可能引发极端强降雨。"The strong typhoon will bring heavy to torrential rainfall in South China's coastal area," Wang said at a Monday news conference.在1日召开的新闻发布会上，王海平强调：“此次强台风将给我国华南沿海地区带来大到特大暴雨。”Authorities in Guangdong on Monday morning raised the province's wind emergency response to Level II, the second-highest in China's four-tier warning system.1日上午，广东省应急管理部门将该省台风应急响应级别提升至Ⅱ级——这是我国四级应急预警体系中的第二高级别。Local railway operators have adjusted train operations based on the storm's expected path. Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport said it would adjust or cancel flights depending on conditions, while ferry service to Chuanshan Islands in Jiangmen will be suspended from Tuesday as nearby sea winds are expected to reach about 72 kilometers per hour.当地铁路部门已根据台风预计路径调整列车运行计划。广州白云国际机场表示，将依据天气情况调整或取消航班；江门川山群岛航线轮渡将于2日起停运，届时该区域附近海面风力预计将达每小时72公里。As of 10 am Monday, Guangdong's Maritime Safety Administration had relocated more than 10,000 coastal vessels to safe waters.截至1日上午10时，广东海事局已组织逾1万艘沿海船舶转移至安全水域避风。By Monday afternoon, authorities in Zhuhai, Dongguan, Shanwei, Shenzhen, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Yangjiang and Huizhou had announced suspensions of classes, work, production, public transport and business operations on Tuesday and Wednesday.截至1日下午，珠海、东莞、汕尾、深圳、中山、江门、阳江、惠州等地已陆续发布通知，2日至3日期间，当地将实施停课、停工、停产、暂停公共交通及停业措施。In Hong Kong, education officials said classes at all schools — including secondary schools, primary schools, special schools, kindergartens, kindergarten-cum-child care centers and evening schools — would be suspended for both days.香港特区教育部门宣布，全港所有学校（包括中学、小学、特殊学校、幼儿园、幼稚园暨幼儿中心及夜校）2日至3日将全面停课。Hong Kong International Airport will remain open during the storm, but a substantial number of flights are expected to be grounded, Airport Authority Hong Kong said. Wing Yeung Tak-wing, the authority's service delivery director, told reporters the airport would see a significant reduction in flights after 6 pm on Tuesday and a full-day impact on Wednesday. Passengers are urged to confirm flight statuses with airlines before heading to the airport.香港机场管理局表示，台风影响期间香港国际机场将保持开放，但预计大量航班将延误或取消。香港机场管理局服务总监杨永恒向媒体介绍，2日下午6时后机场航班起降将大幅减少，3日全天航班运行都将受到显著影响。机场管理局提醒旅客，前往机场前务必先与航空公司确认航班状态。In Hainan, the Haikou Transportation and Port & Shipping Administration announced that Xinhai Port, Xiuying Port and Railway South Port will suspend operations beginning at 6 pm on Tuesday. The closures are expected to last until Thursday evening, depending on weather conditions.在海南省，海口市交通运输和港航管理局宣布，新海港、秀英港、铁路南港将于2日下午6时起停止运营。停运时间预计将持续至4日晚间，具体恢复运营时间将根据天气情况另行通知。Although the typhoon's eye may not make direct landfall on Hainan, the island's northern and western coasts are forecast to see winds of level 10 to 12, with torrential rain expected in Haikou and other regions.气象部门预计，尽管台风“桦加沙”的中心可能不会直接在海南登陆，但海南岛北部及西部沿海地区将遭遇10至12级大风，海口等多地将出现特大暴雨。Wang Changxiao, director of the disaster prevention and mitigation department at the Emergency Management Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, urged residents to prepare sufficient emergency supplies such as bread and medicine.深圳市应急管理局防灾减灾处负责人王长晓提醒市民，需提前储备充足的面包、药品等应急物资。"The super typhoon will become one of the most significant storms to hit the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area since 2018," Wang said. "While staying at home, residents should secure doors and windows and have sufficient emergency supplies ready."王长晓表示：“此次超强台风将成为2018年以来影响粤港澳大湾区的最强台风之一。市民居家期间，需加固门窗，并准备好充足的应急物资。”suspendv.暂停，中止； /səˈspend/torrentialadj.特大的，暴雨的/təˈrenʃl/mitigationn.减轻；缓解/ˌmɪtɪˈɡeɪʃn/

War is spreading like a plague across the globe. From the brutal war in Ukraine to the genocide in Gaza, from the conflicts in Sudan to the rising tensions in the South China sea, the world seems to be barreling towards violence and destruction. Meanwhile, arms manufacturers laugh all the way to the bank as the western imperialists increase military spending to its highest point since WWII.It seems like the world has gone mad. But why is this happening? And does it really have to be this way? Is the rise in militarism and violence something that just has to be accepted, or can it be fought? And if so, how?This is the topic of comrade Jeremy's talk, recorded September 5, 2025.Want to join the fight against capitalism? Join us! https://www.marxist.ca/join

Chinese star Xin Zhilei won the Best Actress award at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on Saturday, becoming the second actress from the Chinese mainland to receive the honor, more than three decades after Gong Li's historic win in 1992.当地时间周六，中国演员辛芷蕾在第82 届威尼斯国际电影节上斩获最佳女演员奖，成为继 1992 年巩俐历史性获奖后，第二位摘得该荣誉的中国内地女演员。With her vivid portrayal of a woman trapped in a love triangle in the arthouse flick The Sun Rises on Us All, Xin received the Volpi Cup for Best Actress from Zhao Tao, also a famous Chinese actress who served as one of this year's international jurors.在影片《日掛中天》中，辛芷蕾生动演绎了一位深陷情感纠葛的女性角色。这部艺术电影的颁奖环节，由本届电影节国际评审团成员、中国知名演员赵涛为辛芷蕾颁发了最佳女演员沃尔皮杯。Directed by Cai Shangjun, who is regarded as a leading figure in Chinese neo-noir cinema, the film — shot in multiple cities across South China's Guangdong province — tells the story of two former lovers who reunite after seven years, only to find their encounter ending in tragedy at the hands of an inescapable fate.《日掛中天》由中国新黑色电影代表导演蔡尚君执导，取景于中国南方广东省多个城市。影片讲述了一对昔日恋人时隔七年重逢，却在命运的捉弄下，最终以悲剧收场的故事。Overcome with joy, Xin, the 39-year-old actress, tearfully said in her acceptance speech: "This feels like a dream. Over a decade ago, when I first started in the film industry, I made a bold claim — I wanted to become an international superstar on a world-class stage. Back then, I faced a lot of ridicule."39 岁的辛芷蕾在领奖时难掩激动，含泪发表获奖感言：“这感觉像一场梦。十几年前刚进入电影行业时，我曾大胆立下目标 —— 要在世界级舞台上成为国际巨星。那时，我遭到了不少嘲讽。”Having begun her showbiz career in 2005, the actress overcame many difficulties to stand on the award stage in Venice, one of the three most prestigious film festivals in Europe. She said she felt proud of herself and encouraged all women by saying: "If you have a dream, dare to dream big and dare to go for it. Who knows — one day it might just come true, just like it did for me."辛芷蕾于2005 年开启演艺生涯，历经诸多挑战，最终站上了欧洲三大顶级电影节之一 —— 威尼斯国际电影节的领奖台。她表示，为自己感到骄傲，同时鼓励所有女性：“只要心怀梦想，就大胆去畅想、勇敢去追逐。说不定有一天，梦想就会像我这样，照进现实。”The film's title is inspired by a line from a Cantonese Opera, which is based on a script by Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) playwright Tang Xianzu. The original work depicts a tragic romance between a poet and a young woman during the Tang Dynasty (618-907).该片片名灵感源自一部粤剧的台词，而这部粤剧改编自明代（1368-1644 年）戏曲家汤显祖的剧本。原著讲述了唐代（618-907 年）一位诗人与一名女子之间的悲情爱情故事。Xin revealed she was captivated by her character — an ordinary person striving to overcome a painful past and build a better life. She explained that the character is difficult to define as simply "good" or "bad", and that audiences may find her choices challenging to understand.辛芷蕾透露，自己被所饰演的角色深深吸引—— 这个普通人物努力摆脱痛苦过往、追寻美好生活的经历极具感染力。她解释道，这个角色难以简单用 “好” 或 “坏” 来定义，观众或许会对角色的选择感到费解。Recounted through a delicate and nuanced narrative, the film focuses not on a dramatic plotline, but on the inner emotional journey of a woman grappling with her own tsunami-like feelings, added Xin.辛芷蕾补充说，影片采用细腻入微的叙事手法，并未侧重紧张刺激的剧情，而是聚焦于女性角色的内心情感历程，展现她如何应对汹涌如潮的复杂情绪。According to her agency, filming in Guangdong was challenging due to the humid temperatures, which frequently left Xin's costume and hair drenched. Despite this, she gave her best performance in every scene.据辛芷蕾所属经纪公司介绍，影片在广东拍摄期间，当地潮湿的气候给拍摄带来不小挑战，辛芷蕾的戏服和头发常常被汗水浸湿。即便如此，她在每一场戏中都展现出最佳状态。A native of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, Xin first earned international recognition for the 2016 Chinese film Crosscurrent, which won the Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution for Cinematography at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival. Her most popular roles include an emperor's favored concubine in the hit costume drama Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace (2018) and a mysterious restaurant operator in Hong Kong auteur Wong Kar-wai's directorial TV debut Blossoms Shanghai (2023).辛芷蕾籍贯为中国东北黑龙江省。2016 年，她凭借中国电影《长江图》首次获得国际关注，该片曾在第 66 届柏林国际电影节上荣获杰出艺术贡献银熊奖（摄影奖）。她的代表作还包括 2018 年热门古装剧《如懿传》中饰演的皇帝宠妃，以及 2023 年香港导演王家卫首部电视剧《繁花》中塑造的神秘餐厅经营者。In an earlier interview, director Cai recalled that because the film is told from a woman's perspective, it placed particularly high demands on casting the female lead. After an initial struggle — having reached out to around 20 actresses and 10 actors for the two leading roles — Cai finally chose Xin, with the recommendation from his wife and co-writer, Han Nianjin, who saw Xin on a variety show and was impressed by her natural, easygoing and decisive temperament.导演蔡尚君在早前采访中回忆，由于影片以女性视角展开叙事，对女主角的选角要求极高。起初，为男女主角两个核心角色，剧组接触了约20 位女演员和 10 位男演员，选角工作一度陷入困境。最终，在妻子兼联合编剧韩念瑾的推荐下，蔡尚君确定由辛芷蕾出演。韩念瑾此前在一档综艺节目中关注到辛芷蕾，被她自然随性、果断干练的气质所打动。Cai said that China's film industry has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, challenged by a shrinking box office, as well as the unprecedented expansion of short videos and micro-dramas. In this climate, an enduring event like the Venice International Film Festival becomes a cherished destination for artists, he added.蔡尚君表示，近年来中国电影行业经历了显著变革，不仅面临票房下滑的压力，还受到短视频和微短剧爆发式发展带来的冲击。他认为，在此背景下，威尼斯国际电影节这样具有持久影响力的国际影展，成为了电影人珍视的展示平台。

①Over 800 mln railway journeys made during China's 2025 summer travel rush②China's e-commerce sector posts steady growth in first 7 months③China solicits public opinions on regulating price-related acts of platform economy④Lampposts in south China's Shenzhen double as cozy bird nurseries⑤Study finds moon's Apollo Basin formed 4.16 billion years ago⑥Asia's longest tyrannosaur femur fossil identified in east China⑦Beijing to boost relic research, technological displays

Strong winds and heavy rain whipped South China's Hainan province and parts of Guangdong province on Sunday, as Typhoon Kajiki passed over open waters to the south of Hainan and headed toward Vietnam's central coast.周日，台风“剑鱼”经过海南南部的开阔水域，向越南中部海岸移动，强风和暴雨袭击了中国南部的海南省和广东省部分地区。A short video posted online by Guangdong Radio and Television showed winds snapping off tree branches, and heavily rocking a docked boat and sending waves sliding over the pier.广东广播电视台在网上发布的一段短视频显示，风刮断了树枝，一艘停靠在码头上的船剧烈摇晃，海浪滑过码头。Kajiki gained strength as it moved westward over the sea with maximum sustained winds of 162 kilometers per hour, China's National Meteorological Center said.中国国家气象中心称，“剑鱼”向西移动，在海上增强，最大持续风速为每小时162公里。Rainfall of 25 to 40 centimeters was forecast for southern parts of Hainan Island, including Sanya, a popular beach resort.预计海南岛南部地区将有25到40厘米的降雨，包括著名的海滩度假胜地三亚。Hainan took extensive measures to prepare for Typhoon Kajiki, amid fears that it could be the strongest typhoon to hit the region in the past 40 years.海南采取了广泛的措施来应对台风“剑鱼”，人们担心这可能是过去40年来袭击该地区的最强台风。As Typhoon Kajiki approached, the province raised its emergency response to the highest level. The typhoon, the 13th of the year, intensified from a severe tropical storm to a full typhoon at 2 am on Sunday. It gained strength and headed toward Hainan's southern coast, with landfall or a close pass expected on Sunday evening, said Cai Qinbo, spokesperson for the Hainan provincial meteorological bureau.随着台风剑鱼（Kajiki）的逼近，该省将应急响应提升至最高级别。今年的第13号台风于周日凌晨2点从强烈热带风暴增强为台风。海南省气象局发言人蔡钦波表示，台风增强并向海南南部海岸移动，预计将于周日晚上登陆或近距离通过。Authorities in Sanya evacuated 31,843 people from potentially vulnerable areas to safety by 3 pm on Sunday, according to the city's publicity department. Temporary shelters were set up at some local facilities like primary schools to receive the affected.据三亚市宣传部称，截至周日下午3点，三亚市有关部门已将31843人从潜在脆弱地区疏散到安全地带。在小学等一些当地设施设立了临时避难所，以接收受影响的人。Across the province, over 770,000 emergency supplies had been prepared for vulnerable areas. More than 2,800 rescue workers are on standby with necessary vehicles and equipment, said Wu Zhanchao, deputy head of the Department of Emergency Management of Hainan Province.全省为脆弱地区准备了77万多件应急物资。海南省应急管理厅副厅长吴占超表示，2800多名救援人员随时待命，配备了必要的车辆和设备。All 30,769 local fishing boats had either returned to port or were safely sheltered, with over 21,000 crew members moved to shore.所有30 769艘当地渔船要么已返回港口，要么已得到安全庇护，21 000多名船员已移到岸上。Residents were advised to avoid unnecessary travel, stay away from low-lying areas, temporary structures and the coast, and be alert for potential geological hazards.政府建议居民避免不必要的旅行，远离低洼地区、临时建筑和海岸，并警惕潜在的地质灾害。In Sanya, measures included closing schools, offices, business operations, suspending public transportation and shipping, and shutting scenic areas.在三亚，措施包括关闭学校，办公室，商业运营，暂停公共交通和航运，以及关闭景区。Hotels in Sanya took comprehensive steps to ensure guest safety. Atlantis Sanya provided multilingual notices in Chinese, English and Russian in each guest room, detailing the latest weather updates, temporarily suspended facilities, and offered alternative indoor activities within the resort.三亚的酒店采取了全面措施来确保客人的安全。三亚亚特兰提斯酒店在每间客房都提供了中、英、俄三种语言的通知，详细介绍了最新的天气情况、暂停使用的设施，并在酒店内提供了其他室内活动。"I'm not worried about the typhoon at all because the tour guide and travel agency have a lot of experience in dealing with it. They explained the precautions during the typhoon and reminded us to stay indoors as much as possible," said Yelena Rostova, a Russian tourist visiting Sanya as part of a tour group.“我一点也不担心台风，因为导游和旅行社在应对台风方面有很多经验。他们解释了台风期间的预防措施，并提醒我们尽可能呆在室内，”来三亚旅游的俄罗斯游客叶莲娜·罗斯托娃（Yelena Rostova）说。"I hope the typhoon passes quickly so that my family and I can enjoy the sunny beaches and our vacation," she added.她补充说：“我希望台风快点过去，这样我和我的家人就可以享受阳光明媚的海滩和我们的假期。”With strong winds and heavy rain lashing the city, Wang Wen, a resident of Sanya, chose to stay home over the weekend. "It has not significantly affected my daily life," she said.随着强风和暴雨袭击城市，三亚居民王文（音）选择在周末呆在家里。“这对我的日常生活没有太大影响，”她说。

Hainan has upgraded its emergency response to the highest level as Typhoon Kajiki approaches. Authorities have evacuated over 20,000 people from potentially hazardous areas.

This episode forms part of a new strand of our podcast: Seapower Past and Present which explores seapower as it is understood and practised in the modern world whilst offering a historical perspective on the themes we explore. Each episode is chosen according to a theme or a location – a hotspot in the modern world where seapower has a major influence on geopolitics. So if you enjoy this episode do please seek out others in this strand – you will shortly be able to find episodes on economic warfare, critical national infrastructure, how technology is changing the nature of warfare at sea; and on hugely significant locations in the modern maritime world – the Black Sea, South China Sea, Middle East and Arctic.To make this series come alive we've teamed up with the Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre. In each episode you will hear from at least one historian and from at least one practitioner, a member of the armed forces who has direct first hand, personal experience of the topic being discussed.In this episode, Dr Sam Willis speaks to three guests at the Royal Naval Base in Portsmouth to help us understand seapower in the South China Sea. This region is rich in maritime history and diverse in its modern strategic concerns. To discuss this further, the podcast is joined by Dr Jennifer Sabourah-Till from Permanent Joint Headquarters, who commands joint and multinational military operations on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. Dr Matthew Heaslip, Senior Lecturer in Naval History at the University of Portsmouth, also joins to discuss the Royal Navy in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. He provides expert knowledge on the use of gunboat diplomacy, amphibious operations and imperial policing in the South China Sea. Also joining Sam in this episode is Joe Reilly, a junior Warfare Officer in the Royal Navy who has previously spent time in the Asia-Pacific theatre on board the patrol vessel HMS Spey. Joe is also a Richmond Fellow with the Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Local authorities have confirmed that two people among those trapped by a rain-triggered landslide in Guangzhou on Wednesday have died.

Concerted disaster mitigation and relief efforts, including the relocation of affected individuals, are being conducted in northern China to address the challenges posed by extremely heavy rainfall.为应对强降雨带来的严峻挑战，中国北方地区正在开展协同的灾害应对和救援行动，其中包括对受灾人员的转移安置工作。Beijing experienced extremely heavy rainfall for 147 hours between July 23 and Tuesday, and this caused sudden mountain torrents in the city's northern areas such as Miyun, Huairou, Pinggu and Yanqing districts.7月23日，北京遭遇了长达147小时的强降雨，这导致了该市北部地区（如密云、怀柔、平谷和延庆等区）出现了突发的山洪。At 10 am on Sunday, the Beijing Meteorological Observatory issued a blue alert—the lowest level of China's four-tier weather warning system—for heavy rain, forecasting significant rainfall in Beijing from Monday afternoon to early Tuesday morning.周日上午10点，北京气象台发布了蓝色预警——这是中国四级气象预警体系中的最低级别——称北京将有强降雨，预计从周一下午到周二凌晨，北京地区将有大量降雨。Cumulative precipitation could reach more than 50 millimeters in most areas of the city, while in certain mountainous regions, it could reach up to 100 mm, which might trigger secondary disasters such as mountain torrents and landslides, it said.该部门表示，全市大部分地区的累计降水量可能超过50毫米，而在某些山区，降水量甚至可能达到100毫米，这可能会引发诸如山洪和山体滑坡等次生灾害。In China's weather warning system, a red alert is the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue.在中国的天气预警系统中，红色预警是最为严重的级别，其次是橙色、黄色和蓝色预警。Meteorological observatories in Huairou and Miyun issued an orange alert for rainstorms on Sunday, indicating that from 11 pm on Sunday to 8 am on Tuesday, heavy rainfall is expected in those districts, with some areas receiving over 100 mm of rain.怀柔和密云的气象观测站于周日发布了暴雨橙色预警，这意味着从周日晚上11点到周二早上8点，这些地区将有强降雨，部分地区的降雨量将超过100毫米。The risk of disasters such as mountain torrents, debris flows and landslides is extremely high in mountainous and hilly areas, and waterlogging might occur in low-lying areas, it said.该报告指出，在山区和丘陵地区，发生山洪、泥石流和山体滑坡等灾害的风险极高，而低洼地区还可能出现内涝现象。As of Sunday morning, Huairou had implemented temporary scheduling measures for 55 bus routes, including suspension of 37 routes.截至周日上午，怀柔区已对55条公交线路实施了临时调度措施，其中包括暂停37条线路的运营。In neighboring Hebei province, in response to the rainfall forecast for parts of Xinglong county in the city of Chengde over the next three days, residents of seven villages in Liudaohe township have been relocated to a local middle school as a safety precaution.在邻近的河北省承德市兴隆县，鉴于未来三天该地区部分区域的降雨预报，柳道河乡的七个村庄的居民已被转移到当地的一所中学，以采取安全防范措施。The school has converted two dormitory buildings into a temporary shelter, providing over 800 beds and essential supplies to accommodate the displaced individuals.该学校将两栋宿舍楼改造成了临时避难所，提供了超过800张床位和必需的物资，以安置那些被迫流离失所的人员。Wang Xinyu, who is in charge of the settlement site at the school, said: "For the elderly, weak, sick or those who need special care, we will arrange separate rooms. At present, food is being supplied through external donations, and we have also purchased approximately 3,000 kilograms of vegetables, as well as rice, flour and oil."负责学校安置点工作的王新宇表示：“对于老人、体弱者、病人或需要特殊照顾的人，我们将安排单独的房间。目前，食物是通过外部捐赠提供的，我们还购买了约3000公斤的蔬菜，以及大米、面粉和食用油。”A heavy rainstorm that hit Xinglong on July 28 left three people dead and four others missing at a vacation resort. Rescue operations continue at the site.7月28日，一场强降雨袭击了兴隆市，造成3人死亡，另有4人失踪，他们当时正在一处度假胜地游玩。救援工作仍在该地进行中。Tianjin's meteorological bureau upgraded its blue alert for rainstorms to yellow, the second-lowest level, early Sunday morning. But later on Sunday, the city lifted the alert for rainstorms.天津气象局于周日清晨将暴雨蓝色预警级别提升至黄色（这是二级预警级别），但随后在周日傍晚，该市解除了暴雨预警。Recent heavy rain caused damage to several villages in the city's Jizhou district. Responding promptly to recent rainstorm alerts, Jizhou had relocated 2,130 people by Saturday night.近期的强降雨给该市吉州区的几个村庄造成了破坏。吉州区迅速响应了近期的暴雨警报，截至周六晚上已转移了2130名居民。To cope with waterlogging, more than 600 flood prevention workers from the Tianjin Drainage Management Center and over 400 social support personnel set in motion all drainage pumps to accelerate water removal. Main roads were cleared of water as of Sunday.为应对内涝情况，来自天津排水管理中心的600多名防汛工作人员以及400多名社会救援人员启动了所有排水泵，以加快排水速度。截至周日，主要道路的积水已被排干。Besides northern China, some other parts of the nation are also facing the threat of heavy rain and flooding.除了中国北方地区，该国的其他一些地区也正遭受着暴雨和洪水的威胁。On Sunday, the Ministry of Water Resources activated a Level IV emergency response—the lowest level—for flooding in Gansu and Qinghai provinces as well as the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, following a forecast of heavy to torrential rainfall.周日，水利部针对甘肃、青海两省以及宁夏回族自治区的洪水情况启动了四级应急响应（这是最低级别响应），此前已预测到会有强降雨至暴雨天气。China has a four-tier emergency response system for flood control, with Level I being the most severe.中国针对防洪工作设有四级应急响应机制，其中一级响应级别最为严重。The ministry urged local authorities to closely monitor weather conditions and take necessary measures, and it has sent working groups to Qinghai and Ningxia to assist in flood control.该部门要求地方当局密切监测天气状况并采取必要措施，并已派遣工作组前往青海和宁夏协助进行防洪工作。South China's Guangdong province issued a Level IV emergency response in anticipation of heavy rain on Sunday. The province is expected to face torrential rains from Sunday to Tuesday, potentially leading to flooding, mountain torrents, geological hazards and urban and rural waterlogging, the provincial meteorological service said.中国南部的广东省于周日启动了四级应急响应，以应对即将到来的强降雨。广东省气象部门表示，从周日到周二，该省预计将遭遇暴雨，可能会引发洪水、山洪、地质灾害以及城乡内涝。The Emergency Management Bureau of Huidong county in Guangdong announced on Sunday that five people who had been hiking on a local mountain on Friday were confirmed dead.广东省惠东县应急管理局于周日宣布，周五在该县一座山上进行徒步旅行的五人已被确认死亡。Due to continuous heavy rainfall in recent days, as well as the area's complex terrain and swift water flow, members of a search and rescue operation that faced significant challenges found the bodies on Sunday, the bureau said.该部门表示，由于近日持续的强降雨，加之该地区地形复杂、水流湍急，参与此次搜救行动的人员在周日找到了遇难者的遗体。 heavy rainfalln.强降雨/ˈheviˈreɪnfɔːl/emergency responsen.应急响应/ɪˈmɜːdʒənsi rɪˈspɒns/

Welcome back to the Superhumanize Podcast. Today, we step into the radiant realm of healing, where ancient light meets modern science. My guest is Forrest Smith, a visionary at the intersection of wellness innovation and technology.As the founder of Kineon Labs and a former extreme athlete, Forrest brings decades of insight, both as a high-performing human and as a pioneering entrepreneur. His journey spans continents, from the rugby fields of South China to the tech corridors of North America. Along the way, he has built and sold multiple companies, delved deep into Chinese medicine and philosophy, and emerged with a powerful mission: to make cutting-edge red light therapy accessible, effective, and rooted in science.In this conversation, we explore what makes red light such potent allies for recovery, inflammation, performance, and even emotional well-being. We discuss photobiomodulation, how light interacts with our tissues at the molecular level, and why precise dosing truly matters. We also touch on the exciting future of light therapy for brain health, mood support, and energy optimization.Whether you are curious about pain management without pharmaceuticals, or interested in how light can nourish and heal the body, this episode will light the path.Episode highlights:02:00 – Forrest's journey from China-based tech entrepreneur and extreme athlete to mission-driven wellness innovator.04:00 – The founding vision of Kineon Labs: making high-quality red light and laser therapy devices accessible for home use.05:00 – Explanation of red light therapy and photobiomodulation—how light interacts with the body at a molecular level.07:00 – Why precise dosing matters: understanding the biphasic dose curve and photon absorption.09:00 – The role of nitric oxide and hemoglobin in increasing oxygen delivery and blood flow through light exposure.10:30 – How light affects mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, and inflammation on a cellular level.13:00 – Use of red light therapy in stroke recovery: extending the life of cells deprived of oxygen.14:00 – Designing devices backwards from desired biological outcomes instead of product features.17:00 – Why lasers outperform LEDs for dosing depth and precision.19:30 – Real-world outcomes from Kineon's Move+ device: high performance athletes, military, and aging populations.21:00 – Sustainable pain relief and mobility improvements for osteoarthritis and chronic injuries.24:00 – Long-term cardiovascular effects of untreated joint injuries—and how light therapy reverses them.27:00 – The power of stacking light therapy with stem cells, PRP, and shockwave treatments.31:00 – Protocols for joint pain and recovery: knees, backs, and sprains.39:00 – Forrest's favorite protocol: “Proximal Priority Therapy” for systemic inflammation and mood enhancement.41:00 – Transcranial light therapy and its promise for brain health, neurotransmitter balance, and immune resilience.44:00 – Future innovations: EEG and vagus nerve stimulation to support PTSD and autonomic regulation.50:00 – What's next: real-time brain energy mapping with single photon avalanche diodes.51:00 – Where to find Kineon products and community resources.Resources mentioned:Kineon Labs website – https://kineon.ioMove+ wearable...

China is emerging from the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran in a much weaker position. For years, Beijing counted on Tehran to serve as a bulwark against Washington. Today, though, that's no longer possible as the Iranian government and its proxies across the Middle East have been neutralized, at least for now. The conflict also exposed a major Chinese vulnerability following threats that Iran might close the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for the attacks on its nuclear facilities. This would be devastating for the Chinese economy, given that between a third and half of all Chinese oil imports pass through this strategic waterway. Ahmed Aboudouh, head of the China research unit at the Emirates Policy Center and an associate fellow in the Chatham House Middle East and North Africa program, joins Eric & Cobus to discuss the new realities facing Beijing in the aftermath of the war in Iran. JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @stadenesque Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social FOLLOW CGSP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC: Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Arabic: عربي: www.alsin-alsharqalawsat.com | @SinSharqAwsat JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

NATO member states agree to raise their defense spending to five percent of GDP annually by 2035 (01:11). The United States will hold talks with Iran on a possible deal over Iran's nuclear program (09:03). Heavy rains are battering large parts of southern China (23:07).

  Last time we spoke about the February 26th incident. Within the turbulent “ government of assassination” period of 1936 Japan, a faction of discontented junior officers, known as the Kodoha, believed that their emperor, Hirohito, was being manipulated by corrupt politicians. In a desperate bid for what they termed a "Showa Restoration," they meticulously plotted a coup d'état. On February 26, they launched a rebellion in Tokyo, attempting to assassinate key figures they deemed responsible for undermining the emperor's authority. The young officers executed coordinated attacks on prominent leaders, resulting in several deaths, while hoping to seize control of the Imperial Palace. However, their plan unraveled when their actions met with unexpected resistance, and they failed to secure strategic locations. Dark snow blanketed the city as Hirohito, outraged by the violence, quickly moved to suppress the uprising, which ultimately led to the downfall of the Kodoha faction and solidified the military's grip on power, ushering in a new era marked by militarism and radicalism.   #151 The Suiyuan Operation Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. So we last left off with the February 26th incident breaking out in Japan, but now I would like to return to China. Now we spoke a little bit about some influential Japanese politicians in the previous episode. Prime Minister Satio Makoto oversaw Japan from May 1932 to July 1934, succeeded by Prime Minister Keisuke Okada from July 1934 to March 1936. The foreign policy of Japan towards China during the Saitō and Okada administrations exhibited a notable paradox, characterized by two conflicting elements. On one hand, Foreign Minister Hirota championed a diplomatic approach that emphasized friendship, cooperation, and accommodation with China. On the other hand, the military actively undermined the authority of the Nationalist government in northern China, creating a significant rift between diplomatic rhetoric and military action.    The Okada cabinet then endorsed the Army Ministry's "Outline of Policy to Deal with North China" on January 13, 1936. This policy document explicitly proposed the eventual detachment of five provinces, Hubei, Chahar, Shanxi, Suiyuan, and Shandong from the Nationalist government in Nanking. The approval of this outline marked a pivotal moment, as it represented the first official government endorsement of the military's longstanding agenda and underscored the army's evolution from a mere rogue entity operating in the region to the de facto authority dictating the course of Japan's policy towards China. Despite this, on January 22, during the 68th Diet session, Hirota reaffirmed his dedication to fostering better ties with China, to which a representative from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded positively. The Nationalist government in Nanjing also expressed interest in engaging in formal negotiations. However, this diplomatic initiative quickly faltered, and the expected discussions in Nanjing never took place. Shortly thereafter, a mutiny by young army officers on February 26, 1936, led to the fall of the Okada cabinet. Following Prince Konoe Fumimaro's refusal of the imperial mandate to form a new government, Hirota stepped in to establish a cabinet on March 9. General Terauchi Hisaichi was appointed as the Minister of the Army, Admiral Nagano Osami took charge of the Navy Ministry, and Baba Eiichi became the finance minister. Hirota briefly served as foreign minister until Arita Hachirö, who had just submitted his credentials as ambassador to China on March 6, returned to Japan. The Hirota Koki cabinet, established immediately following the February 26 incident further entrenched military influence in politics while allowing interservice rivalries to impede national objectives. In May 1936, Hirota, influenced by army and navy ministers, reinstated the practice of appointing military ministers solely from the ranks of high-ranking active-duty officers. He believed this would prevent associations with the discredited Imperial Way faction from regaining power. By narrowing the candidate pool and enhancing the army's power relative to the prime minister, Hirota's decision set the stage for army leaders to leverage this advantage to overthrow Admiral Yonai's cabinet in July 1940. Arita began his new job by meeting with Foreign Minister Chang Chen while hearing views from the Kwantung Army chief of staff General, Itagaki Seishiro. Yes, our old friend received a lot of promotions. Itagaki had this to say about the Kwantung Army's policy in China "The primary aim of Japan's foreign policy, is the sound development of Manchukuo based upon the principle of the indivisibility of Japan and Manchukuo. If, as is probable, the existing situation continues, Japan is destined sooner or later to clash with the Soviet Union, and the attitude of China at that time will gravely influence operations [against the Soviet Union]." The Kwantung Army's was growing more and more nervous about the USSR following its 7th comintern congress held in July and August of 1935. There it publicly designated Japan, Germany and Poland as its main targets of comintern actions. Japanese intelligence in the Red Army also knew the Soviets were gradually planning to expand the military strength so they could face a simultaneous west and east front war. This was further emboldened by the latest USSR 5 year plan. Alongside the growing Red northern menace, the CCP issued on August 1st a declaration calling upon the Nationalist Government to end their civil war so they could oppose Japan. By this time the CCP was reaching the end of its Long March and organizing a new base of operations in Yenan in northern Shanxi. The developments by the USSR and CCP had a profound effect on Japan's foreign policy in China. The Kwantung Army believed a war with the USSR was imminent and began to concentrate its main force along the border of Manchukuo. The Kwantung Army's plan in the case of war was to seize Vladivostok while advancing motorized units towards Ulan Bator in Outer Mongolia, hoping to threaten the Trans-Siberian Railway near Lake Baikal. Their intelligence indicated the USSR could muster a maximum of 250,000 troops in eastern Siberia and that Japan could deal with them with a force two-thirds of that number. The IJA at that point had inferior air forces and armaments, thus urgent funding was needed. The Kwantung Army proposed that forces in the home islands should be reduced greatly so all could be concentrated in Manchuria. To increase funding so Kwantung leadership proposed doing away with special allowances for Japanese officials in Manchuria and reorganizing the Japanese economic structure. The Kwantung leaders also knew the submarine base at Vladivostok posed a threat to Japanese shipping so the IJN would have to participate, especially against ports and airfields. All said and done, the Kwantung Army planned for a war set in 1941 and advised immediate preparations. On July 23, 1936, Kanji Ishiwara presented the army's document titled “Request Concerning the Development of Industries in Preparation for War” to the Army Ministry. He asserted that in order to prepare for potential conflict with the Soviet Union, Japan, Manchukuo, and North China must have the industries critical for war fully developed by 1941. Ishiwara emphasized the urgent need for rapid industrial growth, particularly in Manchukuo. He followed this request on July 29 with a draft of a “Policy on Preparations for War” regarding the Soviet Union, advocating for immediate reforms to Japan's political and economic systems to facilitate economic expansion and lay the groundwork for future fundamental changes. However, he cautioned that if significant turmoil erupted in economic sectors, Japan must be ready to execute a comprehensive overhaul without delay. At the same time, the Hirota cabinet initiated a review of its policy towards China. In the spring of 1936, a secret committee focused on the Current Situation was formed, consisting of officials from the Army, Navy, and Foreign ministries. Their discussions led to the adoption of the "Measures to Implement Policy toward China" by the Four Ministers Conference on August 11, along with the "Second Outline of Policy to Address North China," which the cabinet approved as part of the "Fundamentals of National Policy" on the same day. The first of these documents outlined the following actionable steps: “1. Conclusion of an anti-Communist military pact. a) To prepare for the conclusion of such a pact, a special secret committee of military experts from both countries should be organized. b) Their discussions should cover the scope and substance of the pact and ways and means of realizing the objectives of the pact.  2. Conclusion of a Sino-Japanese military alliance. A special secret committee, composed of an equal number of delegates from each nation, should be organized to prepare for the conclusion of an offensive and defensive alliance against attack by a third country.  3. Acceleration of solutions of pending questions between China and Japan. a) Engagement of a senior political adviser: The Nationalist government should engage a senior Japanese political adviser to assist in the conduct of the domestic and foreign affairs of the Nationalist government. b) Engagement of military advisers: The Nationalist government should engage military advisers, along with military instructors. c) Opening of airline services between China and Japan: Airline services between China and Japan should be opened immediately. To realize such a service, various means should be used to induce the Nanking authorities to establish an airline corporation in North China, to begin flights between Formosa and Fukien province, and to start test flights between Shanghai and Fukuoka. d) Conclusion of a reciprocal tariff treaty: A reciprocal tariff treaty should be concluded promptly between China and Japan, on the basis of the policy approved by the ministries concerned, with regard to the abolition of the special trade in eastern Hopei province and the lowering of the prohibitively high tariffs. For this purpose Japan should, if necessary, propose the creation of a special committee composed of Japanese and Chinese representatives.  4. Promotion of economic cooperation between China and Japan. Japan should promote cooperation with the common people of China to establish realistic and inseparable economic relations between China and Japan that will promote coexistence and co-prosperity and will be unaffected by changes in the Chinese political situation. “ The document also included suggestions for Japan's economic expansion into South China. This included tapping into the natural resources of the provinces of Fujian, Guangdong, and Guangxi, building a railway between Guangzhou and Swatow, and establishing air routes between Fuchoz and Taipei, which would connect to services in Japan and Thailand. It also called for survey teams to be dispatched to explore the resources of Sichuan, Gansu, Xinjiang, and Qinghai provinces, and for support to be provided to the independence movement in Inner Mongolia. However, these initiatives presented significant challenges. The preface to the "Second Outline of Policy to Deal with North China" cautioned, "In implementing this policy, we must carefully consider the Nanking government's prestige and avoid actions that could prompt it to adopt an anti-Japanese stance in response to the desires of the Chinese people."  On September 19th, six fundamental points for a settlement in North China were dictated to China to “establish a common defense against communism, promoting economic cooperation, lowering tariffs, initiating an airline service between the two nations, employing Japanese advisers, and controlling subversive Koreans." September 22 was set as the deadline for a response from China. While agreeing to some Japanese requests, the Chinese included several counter-demands that the Japanese found completely unacceptable. These demands required Japan to “(a) refrain from using armed intervention or arbitrary actions in its dealings with China, (b) recognize China as an equal and sovereign state, (c) avoid leveraging antigovernment groups or communist elements, and (d) remove any derogatory references to China from Japanese textbooks. The Chinese also insisted that any agreement regarding North China “must precede the annulment of the Tanggu and Shanghai cease-fire agreements, the disbanding of the East Hopei regime, a prohibition on unauthorized Japanese flights over North China, a ban on smuggling activities by Japanese, the restoration of China's right to control smuggling, and the disbandment of the illegal East Hopei government along with the armies of Wang Ying and Prince De in Suiyuan”. Now that mention of a Prince De in Suiyuan brings us to a whole new incident. This podcast series should almost be called “the history of Japanese related incidents in China”. Now we've spoken at great lengths about Japan's obsession with Manchuria. She wanted it for resources, growing space and as a buffer state. Japan also had her eyes set on Inner Mongolia to be used as a buffer state between Manchukuo, the USSR and China proper. Not to mention after the invasion of North China, Inner Mongolia could be instrumental as a wedge to be used to control Northern China. Thus the Kwantung Army began fostering a Mongolian independence movement back in August of 1933. They did so through a special organ led by chief of the general staff Koiso Kuniaki. He began work with the Silingol League led by Prince Sonormurabdan or “Prince So” and another influential Mongol, Prince Demchukdongrob or “Prince De”. Prince De was the West Sunid Banner in Northern Chahar. Likewise the Kwantung Army was grooming Li Xuxin, a Mongol commoner born in southern Manchuria. He had been a bandit turned soldier absorbed into Zhang Xueliangs army. Li had distinguished himself in a campaign against a group of Mongols trying to restore the Qing dynasty to further establish an independent Mongolia. During Operation Nekka Li had served in a cavalry brigade under Zu Xingwu, reputed to be the best unit in Zhang Xueliangs Northeastern border defense army. He led the army's advance unit into western Shandong. Afterwards Li suddenly became friends with Major Tanaka Hisashi, the head of the Special Service Agency at Dungliao where he defected to the Kwantung Army. He soon was leading a force too strong to be incorporated into the Manchukuo Army, thus it was disbanded, but his Kwantung Army buddies encouraged him to move to Tolun in Rehe province. At one point during the Nekka campaign, Li's army was threatened by a strong Chinese counterattack, but they had Manchukuo air support allowing them to capture Tolun. This victory launched what became the East Chahar Special Autonomous District with Li becoming a garrison commander and chief administrator.  Back in time, upon the founding of the Chinese Republic, the affairs of Inner Mongolia fell upon the Bureau of Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs. This was reorganized in 1930 into the Commission on Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs when the provinces of Chahar, Suiyuan and Ningxia were organized. Prince De had been a member of a nationalist group known as the Young Mongols, although his aim was self-determination for Inner Mongolia within China, not independence. The Nationalist government's support for Chinese settlement in Mongol territories and its disregard for Mongol perspectives quickly triggered a rise in Mongol nationalism and anti-Chinese feelings. This was exacerbated by the government's introduction of a law on October 12, 1931, requiring local Mongolian administrative units to consult with hsien officials on matters concerning their administration. The nationalist sentiment was further fueled by the presence of the neighboring Mongolian People's Republic in Outer Mongolia and the establishment of Xingan province in western Manchuria by Manchukuo authorities in March 1932. This new province included the tribes of eastern Inner Mongolia and granted them greater autonomy than other Manchukuo provinces while banning Chinese immigration into it. When Nanjing did not react to these developments, Prince De and his supporters took steps toward gaining autonomy. On July 15th, 1933, Mongol leaders from western Inner Mongolia gathered at Pailingmiao for two weeks to deliberate on a declaration for regional independence. Although many princes were initially hesitant to take this step, they reconvened on August 14 and sent a cable to Nanjing announcing their decision to create an autonomous Mongolian government. The cable was signed by Prince So and Prince De. Over the following two months, additional conferences at Pailingmiao were held to organize the new government, which would operate under Nanking's guidance but without involvement from provincial chairmen. On October 22, Prince Yun, head of the Ulanchap League and a close ally of Prince De, was elected to lead the new regime, with Prince De assuming the role of chief of its political affairs bureau. After receiving a cable from the Mongolian leaders in August, Nanjing quickly sent Minister of the Interior Huang Shao-hung and Xu Qingyang, head of the Commission on Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs, to halt the movement. However, the Mongols declined to travel to Kalgan or Kueisui to meet Huang. In November, as the leader of a special commission appointed by Nanjing, Huang reached an agreement with Yun De and other Mongolian leaders concerning a proposal that abandoned the Mongols' demand for an autonomous government. This agreement was later altered by Nanjing, and its essential points were excluded from a measure approved by the Central Political Council of the Kuomintang on January 17, 1934. The dispute reignited, fueled by the Nationalist government's rising concerns over the anticipated enthronement of Pu Yi in Manchukuo. On February 28, the Central Political Council enacted a measure that outlined "eight principles of Inner Mongolian autonomy" and created the Mongolian Local Autonomous Political Council. Since these principles did not grant authority over foreign and military affairs, powers explicitly reserved for the central government in the January measure, they were seen as a concession to the Mongols and were accepted. On March 7, the central government issued regulations to establish a semi autonomous regime for Inner Mongolia, which was officially launched at Pailingmiao on April 23. Although the council was led by three moderate princes, Prince Yun, supported by Princes So and Sha, the real administrative authority was held by Prince De, who served as the secretary-general. Most of the twenty-five council members were of Mongolian royalty, through whom Prince De aimed to fulfill his objectives. Nevertheless, the Nationalist government seemed to consider the council merely a token gesture to placate De, as Nanking never provided the promised administrative funds outlined in the "eight principle declaration." Was not much of a shock Prince De sought support from the Kwantung Army, which had established contact with him as early as June 1934. Japanese pressures in North China were starting to alter the power dynamics, and after the first Western incident in Jehol in February 1935, it compelled the relocation of Sung Queyuan's army from Chahar to Hopei, providing encouragement to Prince De. In May, he met with Kwantung Army Vice Chief of Staff Itagaki Seishirö, Intelligence Section Chief Kawabe Torashirö, and staff officer Tanaka Ryükichi, where he was officially informed for the first time about the Kwantung Army's intention to assist him. On July 25, the Kwantung Army drafted its "Essentials of Policy toward Inner Mongolia," which regarded Japanese support for cooperation between De and Li Xuxin as part of their strategic preparations for a potential conflict with the Soviet Union. Shortly after this policy was adopted, a conflict arose over who had the authority to appoint the head of the Mongol Xukung banner, situated north of the Yellow River and Paot'ou. Following the death of the previous administrator, Prince Xu declared that he had taken control of the position. In response to a request from the local abbot, Prince Yun, acting in his capacity as chairman of the Mongolian Political Council, dismissed Xu. Xu then turned to Nanking through Suiyuan Provincial Chairman Fu Zuoyi, arguing that the central government held the authority to appoint heads of administrative units. In retaliation, Prince De dispatched troops to Xukung. On November 10, Fu presented a mediation proposal, which was rejected since it not only failed to acknowledge Shih's dismissal but also demanded the withdrawal of De's forces. De refused to pull back, further intensifying his hostility toward the Nanking government. In December, the Kwantung Army attempted to move Li's forces from eastern Chahar into the six Xun to the north of Kalgan, which serves as Chahar's granary. Following the Qin-Doihara agreement, Matsui Gennosuke from the Kalgan Special Service Agency secured a deal to separate these six districts from the southern region predominantly populated by Chinese; a Mongolian peace preservation corps was tasked with maintaining order in the northern area, while a Chinese corps was responsible for the south. During the discussions for an autonomous regime centered around Song Queyuan in North China in November 1935, Kwantung Army troops were concentrated around Gubeikou. To exert pressure on Song's rear, the Kwantung Army proposed replacing the Chinese peace preservation unit in the area north of Kalgan with Li Xuxin's army, which would establish this territory as its base.   The operation commenced on December 8. In a surprise attack just before dawn, Li captured Paochang. By December 12, despite facing strong Chinese resistance and the heaviest snowfall in sixty years, Li, aided by Kwantung Army planes disguised as those of the Manchukuo Airline Corporation, had taken control of Kuyuan. Further advances were halted by an order from Kwantung Army headquarters, and on December 13, it was reported that, had the operation not been stopped, Tokyo would have issued an imperial command. The operation had faced opposition from the Tientsin army, which feared it would weaken Song Queyuan's position just as they were informing Tokyo that the autonomy movement was going smoothly. Additionally, both Britain and the United States publicly expressed strong opposition to the Kwantung Army's involvement in the autonomy movement. However, the directive was ultimately prompted by the emperor's anger upon discovering that a unit of the Kwantung Army led by Colonel Matsui Takurö had advanced to Tolun to support Li's progress. Although Li's advance was halted, the operation undeniably contributed to the formation of the Hopei-Chahar Political Council.   Although the operation was halted, the Kwantung Army remained committed to its objectives. They contended that Li's army's advance into the six districts north of Kalgan was merely a peace preservation unit moving into territory within the truce line established by the Tanggu Agreement. Consequently, on December 29, they ordered Li to advance southward. Li peacefully occupied Changpei the following day and entered Shangtu on December 31. Manchukuo civil officials were appointed to oversee the six districts, and the currency of Manchukuo was introduced, although the existing tax system initially remained unchanged. The Kwantung Army allocated silver worth 6 million yuan to support administrative expenses. This outcome, known as the Eastern Chahar incident, marked a complete success for the Kwantung Army, which then redirected its focus toward Suiyuan Province. Each year, the Kwantung Army developed a secret plan for covert operations for the following year. The 1936 plan included strategies to secure air bases for routes connecting Europe and Asia, targeting Tsinghai and Sinkiang provinces, Outer Mongolia, Western Mongolia, and even remote areas of Ningxia province. In January 1936, staff officer Tanaka Ryūkichi formulated a document titled "Essentials of Policy Toward (Northwestern) Inner Mongolia." This document advocated for the establishment of a Mongolian military government to facilitate Japanese operations in northwestern Mongolia and suggested pushing Fu Tso-yi out of Suiyuan into Shansi province. Tanaka's proposals were incorporated into the final plan of the Kwantung Army, ultimately leading to the Suiyuan incident of November 1936. In February 1936, a meeting at Pailingmiao, where Prince De proposed the independence of Inner Mongolia, resulted in the departure of Prince So and several other Mongolian leaders from the coalition. They sought to establish a rival political council at Kueisui under the protection of Fu Zuoyi. By April, De and his supporters decided to form a military government at Tehua in Chahar, which was officially inaugurated in June as the Inner Mongolian government, headed by De with Li Shou-hsin as his deputy. This new government quickly signed a mutual assistance treaty with Manchukuo, and the emperor granted De the title of prince.   In July, at a conference in Tehua, Tanaka was appointed as the head of the Special Service Agency for Inner Mongolia with the mission of implementing the army's Intelligence Section plans. He traveled to Pingtiqüan alongside Chief of Staff Itagaki and Intelligence Chief Mutō Akira to propose a local anti-Communist agreement to Fu. After failing to convince Fu, he attempted to persuade Sun Tien-ying to form a puppet army but managed to recruit only a bandit from Suiyuan, Wang Ying. The February 26 mutiny in Tokyo heightened anti-Japanese sentiments in China, resulting in increased violence. By August, the construction of an airplane hangar in Paot'ou was halted due to riots by local Chinese residents. On August 13, a group of fifteen Japanese, led by Nakajima Manzo, was ambushed while delivering ammunition to a pro-Japanese leader who was shortly thereafter assassinated. Chinese soldiers from Wang Qingkuo's 70th Division carried out the attack, and tensions escalated as the arrival of ammunition and Japanese laborers in Kalgan prompted border villages to strengthen their defenses.   By late September, Tanaka's "Guidelines for the Execution of the Suiyuan Operation" received approval, with operations set to commence in early November. The plan evolved from a covert mission into a personal initiative by Tanaka, financed largely through funds from the Kwantung Army's secret services and profits from special trading in eastern Hopei. Tanaka claimed to have transported 600,000 yen to Tehua in October and later sent 200,000 yuan into Inner Mongolia, estimating total expenses at approximately 6 million yen. He acquired new weaponry from the disbanded Northeast Army and established three clandestine forces: Wang Ying led 500 men, including artillery; Qin Xiashan commanded 3,000 from Sun Tienying's army; and Chang Futang also led 3,000 specialized units. During strategic meetings, Tanaka dismissed proposals for unified command and refusing to integrate secret units into the Mongolian army. He advocated for the slogan "Overthrow Chiang Kai-shek," while Matsui managed to include "Independence for Inner Mongolia."   The Japanese had developed the entire battle strategy. The 1st Army, commanded by Li Xuxin, would serve as the left flank, while the 2nd Army, led by Demchugdongrub, would be positioned on the right. Wang Ying's forces were designated as the central force. Their initial targets would be Hongort, Xinghe, Tuchengzi, and Guisui city, followed by a division to seize Jinging, Baotou, and Hetao. On November 13, Prince Demchugdongrub's and Wang Ying's forces left Shandu in two columns to assault Xinghe and Hongort. By the 15th, 1,500 troops reached Hongort, where they engaged the 1st Cavalry Division led by Peng Yubin. The next day, Ryukichi Tanaka, Demchugdongrub's chief advisor, sent two cavalry brigades and one infantry brigade to capture the town, effectively overrunning its defenders. Meanwhile, Wang Ying dispatched a smaller group to secure Tuchengzi.   Fu Zuoyi established his headquarters in Jining that same day. After assessing the situation, he concluded that if the enemy secured Hongort, it would diminish his defenders' morale. Consequently, he launched a counterattack. Peng Yubin led a joint force of the 1st Cavalry Division and Dong Qiwu's 218th Brigade to confront around 400 of Wang Ying's men defending Hongort and Tuchengzi. By 7 AM on the 18th, Tuchengzi was reclaimed, and at 8:30 AM, the 1st Cavalry Division entered Hongort, charging through 500 of Wang Ying's soldiers. The struggle for Hongort persisted for over three days, resulting in nearly 1,000 casualties before Fu Zuoyi regained control.   As the tide shifted against the invaders, Fu Zuoyi initiated an offensive toward the Bailing Temple, the rear base of the enemy, well-stocked and defended by 3,000 men under Prince Demchugdongrub. Fu Zuoyi ordered the 2nd Cavalry Division, along with the 211th and 315th Brigades, the 21st Artillery Regiment, and a convoy of 20 trucks and 24 armored vehicles to assault the Bailing Temple as quickly as possible. Taking advantage of the Mongolian chaos, Fu Zuoyi's 35th Brigade executed a flanking maneuver west of the Bailing Temple amid a severe snowstorm.   At 1 AM on the 24th, the battle for the Bailing Temple commenced as the Chinese engaged the Mongolians for the fortified positions around the temple. From 2 to 4 AM, the Chinese advanced closer to the temple walls, facing artillery and machine-gun fire. They launched desperate frontal assaults against the city gates, suffering heavy losses. A fierce stalemate ensued, with Japanese aerial bombardments causing significant casualties to the Chinese forces. Fu Zuoyi subsequently ordered all armored vehicles to converge at the main city gate. Despite intense fire, the armored cars managed to breach the gate, allowing Chinese infantry to flood into the temple area. The resulting carnage within the temple walls led to 900 Mongol deaths, with 300 captured as the rest fled. The Chinese suffered 300 casualties but secured the strategically vital rear base, along with a substantial stockpile of provisions, including 500 barrels of petrol, 600 rifles, 10 machine guns, vehicles, and field guns. Following the devastating defeat at Bailing Temple, the invaders regrouped at Xilamuleng Temple. On the 28th, the Japanese sent 100 vehicles to transport 3,000 troops to prepare for a significant counteroffensive to recapture Bailing Temple. On the 29th, Wang Ying personally led 2,000 cavalry north of Shangdu to Taolin in an attempt to contain the enemy. However, after he left the bulk of his forces at Xilamuleng Temple, officers from the Grand Han Righteous Army secretly began negotiating to defect to the Chinese side, undermining the forces needed for the counterattack against Bailing Temple.   The counteroffensive commenced on December 2nd, with 10 armored vehicles and 1,000 Mongol troops leading the charge at 6 AM. They were pushed back by the heavily fortified 211th Brigade, which was well-supplied with machine guns and artillery. The following day, at 3 AM, the Mongols attempted a surprise attack but faced an ambush as they crept toward the temple. They incurred hundreds of casualties, with 230 men either captured or having defected. After this, the counterattack stalled, as the Mongol forces couldn't approach within 3 miles of the temple. Subsequently, the Chinese 2nd Cavalry Division launched a pincer maneuver, causing significant casualties among the invaders. By 9 AM, the enemy had suffered 500 casualties and was in retreat. At 7 PM, Fu Zuoyi ordered another counteroffensive. By the next morning, hundreds more had been lost, and several hundred soldiers were captured. With such heavy losses, the defense of Xilamuleng Temple weakened significantly, prompting more officers to defect to the Chinese. Late on the 4th, Fu Zuoyi assembled a force comprising two cavalry regiments, one infantry regiment, one artillery battalion, four armored vehicles, and a squadron of cars to launch a nighttime assault on Xilamuleng Temple.   Meanwhile, the 2nd Cavalry Division clashed with Wang Ying's cavalry 30 miles northeast of Wulanhua. Wang Ying's 2,000 cavalry had been raiding nearby villages to create diversions, drawing enemy forces away from the Bailing-Xilamuleng theater. By the 9th, Wang Ying's cavalry were encircled in Xiaobei, where they were nearly annihilated, with Wang escaping with around a hundred guards toward Changpei. On the 7th, some Grand Han Righteous Army officers set in motion plans to defect to the Chinese side. Early on the 9th, these officers led their men to invade the residence of Japanese advisors, killing all 27 Japanese officers under Colonel Obama. Simultaneously, Fu Zuoyi's forces executed a flanking maneuver against the Xilamuleng Temple amidst the chaos. With mass defections, the Chinese forces surged into the temple area, resulting in the invader army disintegrating in confusion and surrender. After seizing the temple, the invaders were routed, their lines of communication severed, and only isolated pockets continued to resist. Taking advantage of the confusion, Fu Zuoyi launched simultaneous attacks, attempting to capture Shangdu. However, Yan Xishan sent him a telegram, ordering him to halt, stating that Shangdu fell under the jurisdiction of Shanxi and not Suiyuan.   In response to the loss, Tanaka planned a counteroffensive with Qin's troops, but Chiang kai-shek commanded a strong defense of Pailingmiao, successfully outmaneuvering Tanaka's strategies. The resurgence of Chinese forces led to the disintegration of Qin's troops, who revolted and eventually joined the Nationalist army. The Kwantung Army aimed to redeploy its forces for recovery but faced opposition from Tokyo, which criticized the situation. After Chiang kai-shek was kidnapped by Zhang Xueliang on December 12, Tanaka and Prince De seized the opportunity to reassess their strategy. Ultimately, the Kwantung Army decided to abandon efforts to reclaim Pailingmiao, marking the official end of hostilities on December 21. The Suiyuan incident ultimately strengthened Chinese resolve against Japan and increased international distrust.   The defeat of Japan's proxy forces inspired many Chinese to advocate for a more vigorous resistance against the Japanese. The triumph in Suiyuan was celebrated throughout China and surprised the international media, marking the first occasion where the Chinese army successfully halted a Japanese unit. Delegations traveled from as distant as southern Chinese provinces to encourage the defenders to continue their fight. Captured Japanese weapons and equipment served as proof of Japan's involvement in the conflict, despite Japan's Foreign Minister Hachirō Arita claiming that "Japan was not involved in this conflict in Suiyuan at all." After his defeat, Prince Demchugdongrub and his Inner Mongolian troops retreated to northern Chahar, where he had to reconstruct his army due to significant losses. The Japanese implemented new regulations for the Mongolian Army to enhance its effectiveness, and efforts to recruit new soldiers commenced.   I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. More incidents and more battles to seize territory raged in North China. However things did not go according to plan for the Japanese and their puppets. The tides had turned, and now a more angry and invigorating China would begin lashing out against the encroachment. It was only a matter of time before a full blown war was declared. 

Between 304 and 589 CE, China was divided into rivaling regimes occupying North and South China. While the north was controlled by a series of non-Han Chinese peoples, ultimately culminating in the Xianbei Northern Wei, the south was ruled by ruling houses of Han Chinese descent. In this companion episode to the interview ith Scott Pearce on the Northern Wei, Professor Andrew Chittick joins us to discuss the Southern Dynasties, from their development, to their society and culture, to their relationship with their northern neighbor, and finally to their legacy. Contributors: Andrew Chittick: Andrew Chittick is the E. Leslie Peter Professor of East Asian Humanities and History at Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, FL. His research focuses on the culture of early south China and maritime trade relations with Southeast Asia.  He is the author of numerous articles and two full-length books: Patronage and Community in Medieval China: The Xiangyang Garrison, 400-600 CE (SUNY Press, 2010) and The Jiankang Empire in Chinese and World History (Oxford University Press, 2020). The latter book introduces a ground-breaking new perspective on the history and political identity of what is now south China in the early medieval period (3rd-6th centuries CE), including its evolving ethnic identity, innovative military and economic systems, and engagement with broader Sino-Southeast Asian and Buddhist cultures.  Yiming Ha: Yiming Ha is the Rand Postdoctoral Fellow in Asian Studies at Pomona College. His current research is on military mobilization and state-building in China between the thirteenth and seventeenth centuries, focusing on how military institutions changed over time, how the state responded to these changes, the disconnect between the center and localities, and the broader implications that the military had on the state. His project highlights in particular the role of the Mongol Yuan in introducing an alternative form of military mobilization that radically transformed the Chinese state. He is also interested in military history, nomadic history, comparative Eurasian state-building, and the history of maritime interactions in early modern East Asia. He received his BA from UCLA, his MPhil from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and his PhD from UCLA. He is also the book review editor for Ming Studies. Credits: Episode no. 22 Release date: May 9, 2025 Recording date: February 10, 2025 Recording location: St. Petersburg, FL/Los Angeles, CA Images: Stone pixiu 貔貅 (winged lion), from the tomb of Xiao Hui, a prince of Southern Liang (502-557), in Nanjing. (Image Source) Greatest extent of the Liang Dynasty, one of the southern dynasties. (Image Source) Liang Emperor Wu, who reigned the longest out of all the Southern Dynasty emperors, from 502 to 549. His reign saw the growing importance of Buddhism. (Image Source) A scroll of tributary emperors paying homage to the Liang emperor. The Southern Dynasties oversaw a prosperous commercial economy, with trading networks spanning East and Southeast Asia. Song copy of the original Liang painting. (Image Source) A Tang dynasty copy of Wang Xizhi's (303–361), Lantingji xu, one of the most famous pieces of calligraphy in Chinese history. The Southern Dynasties are known for their cultural production. (Image Source) Selected References: Chittick, Andrew. The Jiankang Empire in Chinese and World History. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020. Dien, Albert E. Six Dynasties Civilization. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2009. Dien, Albert E. and Keith N. Knapp, eds. The Cambridge History of China: Volume 2, The Six Dynasties, 220–589. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2020. Graff, David A. Medieval Chinese Warfare, 300–900. London and New York: Routledge, 2002. Lewis, Mark Edward. China between Empires: The Northern and Southern Dynasties. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2009.

What do we owe to the dead? What responsibilities do we inherit from the past, and how do they intersect with the crises of the present? In an era of ecological collapse and cultural dislocation, how can we meaningfully honour ancestral memory when the material sites of remembrance - tombs, villages, traditions - are themselves vanishing? In this episode, sociologist and author Alice Mah joins us to discuss her new book, Red Pockets, a deeply personal yet globally resonant exploration of ancestry, ecological anxiety, and cultural memory. Mah is a writer and Professor of Urban and Environmental Studies at the University of Glasgow. Originally from a small town in northern British Columbia, she has a long-standing interest in ecology and place. Drawing on her experiences tracing her family's lineage from the rice-growing villages of South China, through the Chinatowns of Western Canada where she was raised, to the post-industrial landscapes of Scotland and England where she now lives, Mah reflects on what it means to reckon with a legacy of silence, displacement, and environmental degradation. As Qingming Festival tomb-sweeping traditions fade and wildfires rage across ancestral lands, Mah's meditation on the “hungry ghosts” of forgotten obligations is both an intimate memoir and a cultural history of rupture.  Joining Mah to discuss environmental sociology, intergenerational responsibility, and the often overlooked spiritual dimensions of ecological grief, is journalist and book critic Mythili Rao. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hainan—China's breathtaking tropical paradise—is famous for its pristine beaches and idyllic climate. But now, the island is making headlines for something even sweeter: its exotic fruit farms are becoming a delicious new driver of rural revitalization. We explore the opportunities of this juicy venture—and what lessons other regions can harvest from Hainan's success. On the show: Steve Hatherly, Niu Honglin & Laiming

On Wednesday's Mark Levin Show, President Trump's tariffs must be paired with major Trump tax cuts to avoid a recession and grow the economy. Tax cuts don't cause inflation or deficits—government spending and money printing do. Ronald Reagan's tax cuts prove this. Without tax cuts, a recession will hit, and Republicans will suffer in the midterms. This is the Democrat's economy which Trump is trying to fix.  Also, the Wisconsin Supreme Court vote was a tragic missed opportunity that could lead the state toward a California-like future. Non-voting Republicans failed to protect their communities, potentially dooming the state to soaring taxes and regulations, marking another instance of self-inflicted tyranny. Later, the media is shockingly defending criminals and terrorists, as seen when Leslie Stahl asked a hostage if Hamas starved him due to their own lack of food. Meanwhile, they ignore critical stories, like a young Palestinian murdered for opposing Hamas. You can't believe the media. Additionally, ICE has deported over 100,000 illegal immigrants in the last 70 days under the Trump administration. While the illegal immigration crisis is improving, progress is hindered by the radical left as Judges continue to challenge Trump's efforts to remove illegal criminals. Radical district judges claim that illegal criminals have a right to due process, aiming to clog the court system. These judges are bureaucrats hired by other bureaucrats. Finally, it's of great concern that Russia will invade a small NATO country triggering Article V and testing our resolve, but simultaneously China will invade Taiwan, which would create a very, very serious set of problems for our country.  Both countries are creating bases throughout the world, from the arctic circle to our hemisphere (including the Panama Canal), western Africa to the South China sea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last time we spoke about the first Tientsin Incident. In September 1931, as tensions rose between China and Japan, Commander Zhang Xueliang enjoyed an opera in Beiping, unaware of the impending Mukden Incident. With senior commanders absent, Japanese forces quickly gained local support. Chiang Kai-shek ordered non-resistance, fearing conflict would ruin Northeast China. Meanwhile, Japanese officials plotted to install Puyi as a puppet emperor. Covert riots erupted in Tianjin, orchestrated by the Japanese, leaving the city in chaos as Zhang's forces struggled to maintain order against the well-armed attackers. In a tense standoff at Haiguang Temple, the Japanese military issued an ultimatum to Chinese security forces, citing threats to overseas Chinese. Wang Shuchang ordered a strategic withdrawal, but the Japanese escalated with artillery fire. Despite fierce resistance, the plainclothes attackers regrouped, leading to ongoing skirmishes. Amidst the chaos, Puyi was covertly extracted by Japanese forces, paving the way for the establishment of the puppet state of Manchukuo. Ultimately, Japan's aggression continued, deepening tensions in China.   #142 the Jinzhou Operation  Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. When the Mukden Incident occurred, Zhang Xueliang was in Beiping serving in his capacity as the commander of the North China garrison. On the night of September 18, he was at the opera enjoying a performance by the famous singer Mei Lanfang. His deputies were also away from Shenyang: Wan Fulin was in Beiping, and Zhang Zuoxiang was attending his father's funeral in Jinzhou. With the absence of the senior provincial commanders during the Incident, the Japanese quickly gained cooperation from the acting commanders. In Shenyang, Yu Zhishan, the commander of the Eastern Borders Garrison, and in Changchun, acting provincial forces commander Xi Xia, both swiftly aligned themselves with the Japanese. Although the Northeastern Army had approximately 130,000 troops in the region compared to a Japanese force of 40,000 to 50,000, Chiang Kai-shek urgently issued a non-resistance order to the Northeastern troops, which Zhang Xueliang confirmed. It was actually his stance prior to September 18th, as there had been other incidents such as the Wanbaoshan Incident whereupon Zhang Xueliang sent a secret telegram to his subordinates starting on July 6, "If we go to war with Japan at this time, we will surely be defeated. If we lose, Japan will demand that we cede territory and pay compensation, and Northeast China will be ruined. We should avoid conflict as soon as possible and deal with it in the name of justice." A month after this Chiang Kai-Shek sent a telegram to Zhang Xueliang on August 16th "No matter how the Japanese army seeks trouble in Northeast China in the future, we should not resist and avoid conflict. My brother, please do not act out of anger and disregard the country and the nation. I hope you will follow my instructions." As the tensions between China and Japan increased on September 6th Zhang Xueliang sent this telegram to his subordinates "It has been found that the Japanese diplomatic situation is becoming increasingly tense. We must deal with everything and strive for stability. No matter how the Japanese try to cause trouble, we must be tolerant and not resist them to avoid causing trouble. I hope you will send a secret telegram to all your subordinates to pay close attention to this matter." Thus the Manchurian commanders were already well versed in what their stance would be. Chiang Kai-shek's hesitation to engage in combat is understandable; he was concerned about factions opposing him in South China, the potential reformation of the alliance between Feng Yuxiang and Yan Xishan in North China, and the threat posed by the CCP in Jiangxi, leaving him unable to confront another adversary. Zhang Xueliang's situation was also not as advantageous as it might seem. Although he commanded nearly 250,000 men, only 100,000 to 130,000 were stationed in the Northeast, with the remainder in Hebei. Both Chiang Kai-Shek and Zhang Xueliang most likely believed the League of Nations or the Wakatsuki government in Tokyo would restrain the occupiers eventually, so they were biding their time. According to Nelson Johnson, the American Minister in China, Counselor Yano of the Japanese Legation in Beiping had informal discussions with Zhang, suggesting that Jinzhou would inevitably succumb to the Japanese and that “the Tokyo Foreign Office would gain prestige and be better able to shape events to China's advantage if the Chinese avoided a clash by withdrawing voluntarily.” It was also implied that some of Zhang's supporters might be reinstated in official roles in the new government in Shenyang. Johnson concluded, “Chang is believed to have been led to his present decision by these inducements, along with the bitter hostility toward him at Nanking and the lack of support from that quarter.” In essence, Zhang was effectively coerced into non-resistance by both sides. Certainly, in December 1931, with no hope for international intervention and the Nanjing government in turmoil following Chiang Kai-shek's temporary resignation, Zhang's options were severely limited. The Kwantung Army received clear instructions not to move beyond the South Manchurian railway zone, which hindered the plans of Lt. Colonel Ishiwara Kanji, the architect of the Manchurian invasion. After securing the region around the South Manchurian railway, Ishiwara focused his attention on Jinzhou. Following the fall of Mukden, Jinzhou became the administrative headquarters and civil government of Zhang Xueliang, making it a focal point for Chinese forces. Jinzhou is the southernmost part of Liaoning province, directly enroute to Shanhaiguan, the critical pass that separates Manchuria from China proper. It was the furthest point Zhang Xueliang could establish an HQ while still holding foot within Manchuria and thus became the defacto “last stand” or “guanwai” outside the Shanhaiguan pass for Zhang Xueliangs Northeastern army. Japanese sources indicate that Zhang Xueliang began covertly instructing local governments in Manchuria to comply with and pay taxes to Jinzhou. He also dispatched spies to Japanese-occupied territories and was conspiring to assassinate Japanese officials and those opposed to Chiang Kai-shek. Obviously Jinzhou had to be seized to control Liaoning and thus all of Manchuria. The Japanese first tried to bully Jinzhou into submission by bombing it. On October 8th, Ishiwara commanded five captured Chinese aircraft from the 10th Independent Air Squadron, flying from Mukden to conduct a raid on Jinzhou, claiming it was merely a reconnaissance mission. They flew over Jinzhou at approximately 1:40 PM and dropped 75 bombs weighing 25 kg each, targeting the barracks of the 28th Division, government buildings, and Zhang Xueliang's residence. Additionally, they took photographs of the Chinese defensive positions. The attack served two main purposes: to intimidate Zhang Xueliang and to send a message to Tokyo HQ. The bombing of Jinzhou caused an uproar in Tokyo and shocked the League of Nations, which had previously been indifferent to the situation. Consequently, Tokyo HQ felt compelled to retroactively approve the Kwantung attacks while simultaneously demanding an end to further actions. Rumors began to circulate that Ishiwara and his associate Itagaki aimed to establish an independent Manchuria as a base for a coup d'état against the Japanese government, intending to initiate a Showa Restoration. On October 18th, War Minister Minami Jiro sent a telegram to the Kwantung Army, ordering them to halt offensives in Manchuria and dispatched Colonel Imamura Hitoshi to ensure Ishiwara and Itagaki ceased their reckless operations. However, when Hitoshi met with the two men at a restaurant in Mukden, they dismissed him. In reality, Ishiwara and Itagaki's plans were in jeopardy, but in early November, they found a pretext for action after Ma Zhanshan's forces damaged the Nenjiang railway bridge. This hostility provided them with justification to invade Heilongjiang alongside their allies, led by General Zhang Haipeng. Following the occupation of the north, a new opportunity arose in the southwest. The "first Tientsin incident" erupted on November 9th, initiated by Colonel Doihara Kenji with assistance from some Anti-Chiang Kai-shek Chinese. A small contingent launched an attack on the peace preservation corps in Tientsin. Doihara devised this plan with the intention of creating chaos to kidnap the former Manchu emperor Puyi, allowing the Kwantung army to later install him as the ruler of a new Manchurian state. Although Doihara sought reinforcements from Tokyo HQ, his request was denied, prompting him to turn to the Kwantung army for support. They agreed to coordinate an attack on Tientsin but insisted that a pretext be established first. To execute this plan, they would need to capture Jinzhou initially. A second Tientsin incident occurred on November 26th, when Chinese soldiers attacked the Japanese barracks in Tientsin at 8:20 PM, marking another false flag operation orchestrated by Doihara. Upon hearing the news, General Honjo Shigeru chose to support the Tientsin army, which they believed was in peril. The 4th Mixed Brigade and the 2nd Infantry Battalion of the 2nd Division, comprising 10,000 troops, advanced toward 13 armored vehicles stationed along the Peiping-Mukden railway. The Kwantung Army also requested assistance from the Korean Army, and Commander Hayashi organized a mixed brigade to cross the border. Of course in order to provide assistance at Tientsin meant heading through the Shanhaiguan pass and this meant going through Jinzhou. Tokyo General HQ was yet again thrown into consternation by the latest aggravation of the Manchurian crisis. Incensed by the Kwantung Army's “lack of sincerity in submitting to the discipline of Tokyo”. The force got within 30km of Jinzhou when War Minister General Jiro Minami ordered them to immediately withdraw to a line east of the Liao river. Ironically what actually made the Kwantung Army comply was not so much Tokyo's authority but rather the refusal or foot dragging of the Korea Army, who sent a message that they were unwilling to attack Jinzhou. The Kwantung army continued on getting into some skirmishes with Chinese defenders around the Taling River and Takushan as Tokyo HQ sent countless furious messages demanding they withdraw from the Jinzhou area and by the 28th they finally did. Facing the real possibility that the Jinzhou operation might devolve into a fiasco without reinforcements, Ishiwara relented, remarking at the time “Tokyo has collapsed before Jinzhou”. There was another factor at play as well. Some have speculated Ishiwara tossed his hand on the field initiative because he was playing for time, expecting the Japanese government to fall and the substitution of a new team at central army HQ, one perhaps more compliant to the aggressive Kwantung Army.    While the Japanese forces pulled back into the SMR zone, Prime Minister Wakatsuki Reijiro began negotiations with Chiang Kai-Shek's Nanjing government, through the League of Nations, suggesting the Jinzhou area be declared a neutral area. The Chinese initially refused, and while the Kwantung Army declared they would not attack, they still sent aircraft to circle Jinzhou. The Chinese, British, American, and French governments were willing to withdraw their troops from Jinzhou to Shanhaiguan if the Manchurian incident was resolved and Japan committed to not infringing upon the area.    Consequently, Tokyo's headquarters supported this approach and instructed the Kwantung Army to withdraw. Although Zhang Xueliang had assured that his forces would leave Jinzhou by December 7th, this did not occur. As a result, the Japanese began discussions to establish Jinzhou as a neutral zone. The Kwantung army intercepted two Chinese telegrams indicating Zhang Xueliang was strengthening the defenses at Jinzhou and that Nanjing was requesting he not pull his men out. The telegrams were sent to Tokyo HQ who agreed the Chinese were acting in a treacherous manner. The Japanese ambassador then told US Secretary Henry Stimson  “it would be very difficult to withhold the army from advancing again.” Stimson replied “ such actions would convince the American public that Japan's excuse for her incursions, namely that she was combating bandit attacks, was a ruse to destroy the last fragment of Chinese authority in Manchuria. It would be extremely difficult to ask China to withdraw her army from her own territory.” Thus began the Jinzhou Crisis.   On the same day the Japanese ambassador was meeting Stimson in Washington, the Nationalist minister of finance, T.V Soong sent a telegram to Zhang Xueliang advising “any Japanese attack on Jinzhou should be offered utmost resistance.” Also the American Minister in China, Nelson Johnson publicly expressed the view that Zhang Xueliang would resist at Jinzhou if attacked “if only to reassure the students and public in general, some of whom clamor for military action, despite the attitude of his old generals of the Fengtian clique who desire his resignation to enable them to sell out to the Japanese”.   It had become clear to all observers that the Japanese were intent on capturing Jinzhou, whether they were justified to do so or not. Their tactics of intimidation became even bolder as they began dropping air torpedoes on disused sections of railway track on December 10th, disrupting traffic along the Beiping-Shenyang rail route and hinting that the nearby populated areas might be next. Ishiwara's hopes came true on December 13th, whence Prime Minister Wakatsuki resigned on December 11th, having failed to control the Kwantung Army. A new cabinet was formed under Prime Minister Tsuyoshi Inukai, whom resumed negotiations with Nanjing, but then on December 15th, Chiang Kai-Shek resigned as chairman of the Nanjing government, leading Sun Ke to lead a weak interim government. Preoccupied with its own survival, the Nanjing government had no time to deal with the Jinzhou crisis.   Meanwhile War Minister Minami and Chief of staff Kanaya who had tried to moderate the Kwantung Army's aggressive initiatives had been replaced by Araki Sadao, a significantly more aggressive leader who happened to be the leading figure of the Kodoha faction. His counterpart was Prince Kan'in. With these new appointments, the atmosphere in Tokyo general HQ had changed dramatically. The new team elected to change the framing of the situation, they were not performing offensives against Chinese forces, but rather “suppressing bandits”. On December 15th, Tokyo HQ telegraphed Mukden instructing the Kwantung Army to “synchronize an assault on Jinzhou with an attack upon bandits”. Tokyo HQ even agreed to send some reinforcements from Korea and Japan. The 20th IJA division, the 38th mixed brigade of the 19th division crossed the border from Korea and the 8th mixed brigade, 10th division came over from Japan. With this the Kwantung army had been bolstered to around 60,450men.    On December 17th, the Japanese launched attacks on what they referred to as "soldier bandits" in Fak'u and Ch'angtuhsien, which was actually a precursor to their assault on Jinzhou. The following day, December 18th, Japanese aircraft bombed Daonglio, resulting in the deaths of three Chinese civilians and causing widespread panic in the city. The Japanese actions were all the more effective when concentrated with the absolute paralysis that had gripped China. Sun Ke was too preoccupied with the survival of his own government and had neither the time nor resources to spare for Manchuria. In addition, Stimson's strong words in private to the Japanese ambassador belied the State Department's public attitude toward interference in the conflict. On December 21st Hawkling Yen, the Chinese charge in Washington met with Stanley Hornback, the chief of the department of Far Eastern Affairs. Yen told Hornback that a Japanese attack on Jinzhou was imminent and asked the US to “protest in anticipate of it”. Hornbeck refused, stating the State Department was “already publicly on record with regard to the matter”. No other Western power was ready to advocate any strong measures against the Japanese either.   On the 22nd, the Japanese HQ at Shenyang announced they would soon begin an anti-bandit advance west of the Liao River and would remove any who interfered with said operation. They also added that if any Chinese forces at Jinzhou withdrew they would be left unmolested. By December 26th, all preparations for the assault on Jinzhou were finalized. On December 28th, Honjo initiated an "anti-bandit" campaign west of the Liao River. While Honjo publicly claimed they were merely "clearing the country of bandits,”. As the Japanese forces and their collaborationist allies spread across the South Manchurian railway area to eliminate remaining pockets of resistance, the 12th Division, led by Lt. General Jiro Tamon advanced from Mukden toward Jinzhou, supported by numerous bomber squadrons. Japanese intelligence estimated that Zhang Xueliang had 84,000 troops defending the city, along with 58 artillery pieces and two distinct defensive lines. The first line, located 20 miles north of Jinzhou, consisted of trenches designed to impede the Japanese advance at the Taling River Bridge on the Peiping-Mukden Railway. The second line was a series of earthworks and fortifications completely surrounding Jinzhou. The temperature was -30 degrees, and the Imperial Japanese Army troops were dressed in white winter camouflage uniforms. IJA reconnaissance aircraft reported approximately 3,000 Honghuzi were waiting to ambush them in Panshan County. Tamon's forces quickly overcame the alleged Honghuzi in a series of small skirmishes and continued their march toward Goubangzi, 50 km north of Jinzhou. It should be noted, many question whether the Honghuzi were real or simply local Chinese the Japanese coerced into action to justify their advance. By December 31, the Japanese vanguard had reached within 15 km of Jinzhou, along the banks of the Talin River. Tamon paused to allow the rest of the 2nd Division to catch up. Subsequently, Tamon's troops began setting up an intricate system of microphones to broadcast the sounds of the impending battle to Tokyo. This tactic appeared to be an attempt to demoralize the defenders, which proved effective as Zhang Xueliang's forces began to withdraw. On December 30, Zhang Xueliang had issued the order to retreat from Jinzhou. Two days later, the American Minister in China, Nelson Johnson, reported the following scene: “Jinzhou Railway station resembles beehive, every possible car being pressed into service and loaded with troops, animals, baggage, to last inch space.” The last Chinese troop train departed Jingzhou at 11 am on January 1st carrying away the final remnants of Zhang Xueliang's authority in Manchuria. The assault on Jinzhou occurred at a particularly inopportune moment for China. Chiang Kai-shek was temporarily out of office, lacking the full support of the Nanjing government and many generals. It is likely that Chiang Kai-shek understood that Zhang Xueliang's forces in Jinzhou would be significantly outmatched and could be annihilated. His priority was to prevent the situation from escalating into an official war, allowing him to strengthen China's military capabilities for a counteroffensive. Following the fall of Jinzhou, the northern China army retreated south of the Great Wall into Hebei Province. The Japanese then occupied Shanhaiguan, securing complete control over southern Manchuria. Despite the fall of Jinzhou there was still one last holdout in Manchuria. After Ma Zhanshan was driven out of Qiqihar by the Japanese, he led his troops northeast to establish a new HQ in Hailun where he was still technically ruling Heilongjiang province. Ma Zhanshan had gained international recognition as a resistance hero following his ill-fated battle at Qiqihar. The Kwantung Army took note of his fame and adjusted their strategies accordingly. Komai Tokuzo, the head of the Kwantung Board of Control, suggested that bringing Ma Zhanshan into their ranks would provide a significant propaganda advantage. To persuade him to negotiate with the Kwantung Army, they sent a local factory owner, Han Yunje. On December 7th, Colonel Itagaki Seishiro met with Ma Zhanshan in Hailun. Itagaki expressed that the Japanese aimed for two objectives: peace in East Asia and full cooperation between the Chinese and Japanese. He also mentioned that the officers of the Kwantung Army were impressed by Ma's remarkable bravery and were willing to grant him military command over Heilongjiang, provided they reached an agreement. In response, Ma Zhanshan stated that his forces had acted solely in self-defense and that he was bound by the orders of the Nanjing government. Itagaki then suggested Ma Zhanshan might be appointed military commander of the province under the provincial governor in Qiqihar, Zhang Jinghui. To this Ma Zhanshan replied “as Hailun is not very far from Harbin, he could consult with General Zhang Jinghui over the telephone or pay a call on the latter in person, and that a second trip to Hailun by the Japanese representative would not be necessary.” Despite Ma's position, Itagaki felt satisfied with the meeting, believing that Ma Zhanshan might align with them. However, he was constrained by anti-Japanese colleagues like his chief of staff Xie Ke and battalion commander Tang Fengjia. The situation shifted significantly for Ma Zhanshan when Zhang Xueliang withdrew his forces from Jinzhou. On December 7th, Itagaki and Ma met once more, during which Ma expressed his desire to serve as both the military leader and governor of Heilongjiang. Unbeknownst to the Japanese, Ma Zhanshan was secretly in discussions with another resistance leader, General Ding Chao. When Ma Zhanshan initiated his resistance against the Japanese, Ding Chao decided to take similar action in the northern city of Harbin. Harbin serves as the gateway to Northeast China and is the political, economic, and cultural hub of North Manchuria. It functions not only as the center of the Sino-Soviet co-managed Middle East Railway but also as an international marketplace where Chinese and foreigners coexist. The city houses the Special Administrative Region of the Three Eastern Provinces (with Daoli under this region and Daowai belonging to Jilin Province). Following the Mukden Incident, the Japanese army considered attacking Harbin; however, concerns about potential Soviet interference led to the plan being halted by Army Minister Minami Jiro. Harbin had largely remained peaceful, and the Japanese maintained control by appointing the puppet General Xi Qia as the governor of Kirin province. Together with Li Du, Xing Zhangqing, Zhao Yi, and Feng Zhanhai, Ding Chao formed the Kirin self-defense army to thwart the takeover of Harbin and Kirin province. Ma Zhanshan supported Ding Chao, and both generals kept in touch with Zhang Xueliang and Chiang Kai-shek, who could only offer limited support. In November of the same year, the Jilin Provincial Anti-Japanese Government, chaired by Cheng Yun, was established in Bin County. Feng Zhanhai, the head of the guard regiment at the Northeast Frontier Defense Army's deputy commander-in-chief office in Jilin, refused to surrender to the Japanese forces. He rallied over 3,000 members of his regiment to resist the Japanese and rebel forces. They marched from Yongji County in Jilin Province to Shulan County, where they joined forces with the national salvation armies led by Gong Changhai and Yao Bingqian, which were based on green forest armed groups, to create the Jilin Anti-Japanese National Salvation Army, with Feng as the commander. On November 12, the Jilin Provincial Provisional Government was established in Bin County . Feng Zhanhai was appointed as the garrison commander and commander of the 1st Brigade. The units led by Gong and Yao were reorganized into cavalry brigades under Feng's command. This series of anti-Japanese actions significantly boosted the fighting spirit of the people in Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces. To launch an attack on Harbin, the Japanese Kwantung Army first needed to "punish" the anti-Japanese armed forces by force. To eliminate Feng's anti-Japanese forces, the Japanese puppet authorities dispatched Yu Shencheng, the commander of the Jilin "bandit suppression" unit, to lead the puppet army in an offensive aimed at seizing Harbin as a base to control the Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces. Feng Zhanhai's troops strategically abandoned Shulan City to lure the enemy deeper into the area. The puppet army fell into a trap and launched a major assault on Yao Bingqian's brigade stationed in Shuiquliu, which fiercely resisted the attack. On the same day, Gong Changhai's brigade maneuvered around to the rear of the puppet army for a surprise attack, while Yao's brigade counterattacked from the front. The puppet army's Ma Xilin brigade retreated, unable to be halted by the Japanese supervisory team. At this point, Feng Zhanhai led another brigade into the fray, pursuing Ma's brigade. After another seven hours of intense fighting, Shulan was retaken. In this battle, the garrison inflicted nearly 1,000 casualties on Japanese and puppet troops, captured hundreds, and saw many puppet soldiers defect. The battles of Shuiqu and Shulan were thus victorious. On the 16th, Yu Shencheng's puppet forces were defeated by the 25th Brigade of the Northeast Army in Yushu. Due to the precarious situation in Shulan, Feng Zhanhai had no choice but to abandon Shulan City and retreat his troops north of Wuchang. On the 19th, seeking urgently needed funds for his troops, Feng Zhanhai led a battalion from Acheng to Lalinkang, where they were surrounded by a significant number of Japanese and puppet troops. The following day, with the help of reinforcements, they managed to repel the Japanese and puppet forces. However, the troops suffered over 200 casualties and were compelled to leave Lalinkang and return to Acheng. On the 25th, Feng and Li moved their forces to the eastern suburbs of Harbin, with the 22nd, 26th, and 28th Brigades announcing their support in succession.On the morning of the 26th, Feng and Li entered the city from four directions, forcibly disarming five police brigades and seizing more than 3,000 firearms along with a number of heavy weapons. They stationed the 26th and 28th Brigades and one regiment in the Shanghao area, while Feng Zhanhai's four brigades and two detachments were positioned in the Sankeshu and Nangang areas. The 22nd Brigade was assigned to Shuangchengbao, preparing to defend against a Japanese assault.  Meanwhile the Japanese were still trying to win over Ma Zhanshan. This prompted our old friend Doihara to ask Xi Qia to advance his new “Jilin Army” to Harbin and then to Hailun. However in their way was the Jilin Self-Defense force of General Ding Chao and General Li Du had deployed his forces between Xi Qia and Harbin. On the 24th, representatives from Li Du and Ding Chao participated in a meeting with Ma Zhanshan's officers, convincing them to attempt to retake Qiqihar and defend Harbin for the resistance. When Xiqia's "New Jilin Army" finally advanced to Shuangcheng on the 25th, Zhang Xueliang instructed Ma Zhanshan and Ding Chao to abandon negotiations and begin fighting on the morning of the 26th. Kenji Doihara ultimately failed to intimidate the Chinese further, as his ally Xicha's troops encountered stiff resistance from Ding Chao's troops. Later that afternoon, Japanese aircraft dropped leaflets over Harbin, openly demanding that the anti-Japanese forces withdraw from the city immediately. The Japanese Consulate in Harbin also issued a notice to various foreign consulates, stating that the Japanese army would enter Harbin at 3:00 PM on the 28th. As the New Jilin army advanced towards Shuangcheng, this signaled to the Chinese resistance fighters that an attack was imminent. Zhang Xueliang instructed Generals Ma Zhanshan and Ding Chao to halt negotiations and prepare to make a stand. By late January, the Kirin Self-Defense Corps had grown to 30,000 members, organized into six brigades. Ding Chao fortified defensive positions between General Xi Qia's advancing troops and Harbin. Xi Qia was caught off guard by the well-organized resistance forces, resulting in heavy losses for his army, which was unable to break through. In desperation, Xi Qia sought assistance from the Kwantung Army, but they needed a justification to intervene. Once again, Colonel Doihara Kenji orchestrated a false flag operation. He incited a riot in Harbin that resulted in the deaths of one Japanese individual and three Koreans. Using the pretext that Japanese citizens were in danger, the 2nd Division under Lt. General Jiro Tamon began its advance toward Harbin from Jinzhou on the 28th. However, severe winter weather delayed their transportation. To complicate matters further, the Soviets denied Japanese trains access to Harbin via their section of the Chinese Eastern Railway, citing a breach of neutrality. The entire Manchurian incident had escalated tensions between the USSR and Japan. When they invaded Heilongjiang, there were genuine concerns about potential Soviet intervention, especially with their presence in Harbin. However, at the last moment, the Soviets agreed to allow transit on January 30th. Back on the 26, 1932, Feng Zhanhai and Li Du, the commander of the Yilan garrison, entered Harbin. Early on the 27th, Yu Shencheng, the commander of the puppet Jilin "bandit suppression," ordered two brigades to attack the Shanghao, Sankeshu, and Nangang areas. Japanese aircraft bombed the Sankeshu and Nangang regions. The two brigades tasked with defending the area fought valiantly, resulting in intense combat. Soon after, Feng Zhanhai and his reserve team joined the fray, launching a political offensive alongside their fierce attacks. The puppet army struggled to hold its ground and retreated to Lalincang. The defending troops in Shanghao fought tenaciously, inflicting heavy casualties on both Japanese and puppet forces, shooting down one plane, and attempting to persuade puppet army commander Tian Desheng to lead a revolt. By evening, the puppet army had been driven back. On the morning of the 28th, the anti-Japanese forces advanced to the Jile Temple and Confucian Temple, capturing advantageous positions near Xinfatun with artillery support. The cavalry brigade flanked the puppet army and launched a vigorous assault, leading to the collapse and retreat of the puppet forces towards Acheng. Gong Changhai led the cavalry in pursuit for 15 kilometers, capturing a significant number of puppet troops. After two days of fierce fighting on the 27th and 28th, the initial invasion of Harbin by Japanese and puppet troops was successfully repelled. Due to the defeat of Yu Shencheng and other puppet forces, the Japanese Kwantung Army launched a direct assault on Harbin on the morning of the28th, under the pretext of "protecting overseas Chinese." They ordered Hasebe, commander of the 3rd Brigade of the Kwantung Army, to lead the 4th Regiment, an artillery battalion, and two tanks on a train from Changchun to Harbin for combat. On the29th, another combat order was issued: the 2nd Division was to assemble in Changchun and then be transported to Harbin by truck. Part of the 4th Mixed Brigade was also moved from Qiqihar to Anda and Zhaodong by truck to support the 2nd Division from the north of Harbin. The 1st, 3rd, 8th, and 9th Squadrons of the Kwantung Army Flying Team were tasked with covering the assembly, advance, and attack of the 2nd Division. Hasebe's 4th Regiment departed from Changchun by train, but due to extensive damage to the railway caused by the Northeast Army, their train was attacked by the Northeast Army at dawn on the 29th as it reached the Laoshaogou area on the south bank of the Songhua River. The Japanese forces quickly shifted to an offensive strategy and, despite ongoing resistance, managed to reach Shitouchengzi Village north of the Sancha River that night. On the night of January 29, Zhao Yi's brigade received word of the Japanese assault on Harbin and immediately prepared for battle. At dawn on January 30, Brigade Commander Zhao Yi led six battalions in a light advance, launching a surprise attack on Shilipu, where they decisively defeated the puppet army's Liu Baolin Brigade, capturing over 700 soldiers and seizing more than 600 weapons. They then returned to Shuangchengbao to prepare for the annihilation of the advancing Japanese forces. Around 8:00 PM, the 3rd Brigade of the Japanese Army, along with the Changgu Detachment and two military vehicles, arrived at Shuangcheng Station, intending to camp there and attack Harbin the following day. Zhao Yi's troops set up an ambush in the area. As the Japanese forces disembarked and assembled to plan their attack on Harbin, the ambushing troops took advantage of their unpreparedness, launching a surprise attack from three sides. They unleashed heavy firepower, forcing the enemy back onto the platform before engaging in close combat with bayonets and grenades. The Japanese were caught off guard and suffered significant casualties. The next day, the Japanese dispatched reinforcements from Changchun, supported by aircraft, artillery, and tanks, to assault Shuangchengbao. Brigade Zhao found himself trapped in the isolated city, suffering over 600 casualties, including the regiment commander, and was ultimately forced to abandon Shuangchengbao and retreat to Harbin. With Shuangcheng captured, Harbin was left vulnerable. The Self-Defense Army stationed the majority of its troops in the southern, southeastern, and southwestern regions of Harbin, including Guxiangyuetun, Bingyuan Street, Old Harbin City, and Lalatun. On the same day, several commanders convened: Li Du, the garrison commander of Yilan and leader of the 24th Brigade; Feng Zhanhai, commander of the Jilin Provincial Security Army; Xing Zhanqing, commander of the 26th Brigade; Zhao Yi, commander of the 22nd Brigade; Ding Chao, acting commander of the Railway Protection Army and leader of the 28th Brigade; and Wang Zhiyou, director of the Jilin Police Department. They agreed to establish the Jilin Provincial Self-Defense Army, appointing Li Du as commander, Feng Zhanhai as deputy commander, and Wang Zhiyou as the commander-in-chief of the front line. They decided to utilize the 22nd, 24th, 26th, and 28th Brigades for the defense of Harbin, while Feng Zhanhai would lead the 1st Brigade and other units in a flanking maneuver against Jilin and Changchun to thwart the Japanese advance. On February 3, 1932, various units of the Japanese 2nd Division arrived in the Weitanggou River area. Under the command of Duomen, the division initiated an assault on the Self-Defense Army's outposts located outside Harbin. The 3rd Infantry Brigade of the 2nd Division, alongside Yu Shencheng, the commander of the pseudo-Jilin "bandit suppression" forces, led an attack with five brigades as the right flank against Chinese defenders in the Qinjiagang, Nangang, and Shanghao regions. Meanwhile, the 15th Infantry Brigade of the Japanese Army formed the left flank, targeting Guxiangtun via Balibao along the Songhua River. Following the conflict, all outposts of the Self-Defense Army were lost, forcing them to retreat to their primary positions. On the morning of February 4th, the Japanese forces launched a full-scale attack, engaging the Self-Defense Army in battle. By afternoon, the Japanese had positioned themselves on both sides of the railway, south of Guxiang Yuetun, Yongfatun, and Yangmajia. The 3rd Brigade was stationed east of the railway, while the 15th Brigade took position to the west. After a preparatory artillery barrage, the Japanese forces commenced their assault. The Jilin Self-Defense Army defended tenaciously, utilizing fortifications and village structures, and concentrated their artillery fire on the advancing enemy, inflicting significant casualties.   Despite their efforts, the Japanese attack was initially repelled, prompting them to adopt a defensive stance. By 16:00, the area from Yangmajia to Yongfatun had fallen to the Japanese. The Self-Defense Army continued to resist fiercely, but the Japanese intensified their assaults. The left flank launched a vigorous attack on Guxiangtun. The 28th Brigade of the Self-Defense Army, defending this area, utilized civilian structures and walls for their defense. However, brigade commander Wang Ruihua fled under pressure, leading to a loss of command and forcing the troops to abandon their positions and retreat into the city. Simultaneously, the Japanese right flank aggressively targeted the defense of the 26th Brigade of the Self-Defense Army. Despite the desperate efforts of brigade commander Xing Zhanqing and his troops, they were ultimately compelled to retreat to the river dam at Shiliudao Street due to inferior equipment. Around this time, the western and southern defense lines under Wang Zhiyou's command began to fall one after another. In this critical situation, Commander-in-Chief Li Du personally went to the front lines to organize the troops and establish a third defensive line on the city's edge. They fought until nightfall, successfully halting the Japanese advance. At dawn on February 5th the Self-Defense Army initiated a counteroffensive. The artillery first conducted preparatory fire, targeting the positions of the Japanese 3rd Brigade located east of the railway. Following this, the infantry launched their attack. The Japanese troops on the front lines found themselves in a precarious situation. In response, Jiro Tamon, the commander of the 2nd Division, urgently ordered artillery to intercept the Self-Defense Army's counterattack and deployed the tank and reserve units to assist. Four squadrons from the air force took off from a temporary forward airfield in Shuangcheng, alternating between bombing and strafing to support the ground troops. The battle was intensely fierce, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides. Lacking air support and facing significant threats from Japanese aircraft, the Self-Defense Army retreated to the area east of Harbin by the afternoon of the 5th. The Japanese forces then entered Harbin, leading to its immediate capture. On the 6th, the remaining self-defense forces learned of Harbin's fall and decided to abandon their original plan for a surprise attack against the Japanese army. Instead, they returned to Binxian and Fangzheng. During their retreat, they gathered some stragglers who had fled from Harbin and proceeded to Fangzheng County to regroup with Li Du. General Ding Chao's forces were compelled to retreat northeast along the Sungari River, while Japanese aircraft attacked them from above. After a grueling 17-hour battle, Ding Chao's army ultimately faced defeat. Following this loss, Ma Zhanshan made the decision to defect. On February 16, General Honjo held a conference for the Northeast Political Affairs Committee in Mukden, attended by senior Chinese officials of the new regime, including Zhang Jinghui, Ma Zhanshan, Zang Shiyi, Xi Qia, and others. The conference aimed to assign delegates to roles in the soon-to-be-established “Manchukuo.” On February 14, Ma Zhanshan was appointed governor of Heilongjiang province and received gold worth one million dollars. On February 27th, Ding Chao proposed a ceasefire, marking the official end of Chinese resistance in Manchuria. On March 1st, Puyi would be installed as the ruler of the new state of Manchukuo. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. With the fall of Jinzhou, Zhang Xueliang had effectively been kicked out of Manchuria. With the loss of Harbin, came the loss of any significant resistance to the Japanese invasion of Manchuria. Japan had conquered the northeast and now would enthrone the last Emperor of the Qing Dynasty forming the puppet state of Manchukuo. 

In this episode, we discuss the role of Macau, the Portuguese colony in South China, and the experiences of John Reeves, the British Consul stationed there. Despite Portugal's official neutrality, Macau found itself caught in the geopolitical struggles of the Pacific War. With Japanese forces surrounding the colony, John Reeves had the difficult task of representing British interests while navigating an increasingly precarious situation. His work included intelligence gathering, aiding refugees, and balancing diplomacy with survival in an environment where Japan's influence was ever-present. I'm joined by Peter Rose author of 'The Good War of Consul Reeves, which focuses on wartime Macau.   patreon.com/ww2podcast  

When Donald Trump criticized Panama for its management of the canal that he claimed had fallen under Chinese control, many people at first thought this was just another round of Trump's usual bluster. But since his election last November, the President has been relentless in pressuring the government in Panama City and shows no signs of backing down until all Chinese entities have been expelled from the canal zone. Alonso Illueca, an associate law professor at the Universidad Santa María La Antigua and a specialist in China-Panama relations, joins Eric & Cobus from Panama City to discuss the escalating crisis and why the government doesn't have a lot of options to push back against the U.S. JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @stadenesque  Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social FOLLOW CGSP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC: Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Arabic: عربي: www.alsin-alsharqalawsat.com | @SinSharqAwsat JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth  

It's Die Hard in a creature feature!This week, hosts Phil and Liam dive into the murky depths of DEEP RISING with special guest Rob Hackett, an executive at James Wan's company Atomic Monster!During a rough storm, Captain John Finnegan (Treat Williams) and his crew are hired by a group of mercenaries to take them to an undisclosed location in the South China sea. Unbeknownst to Finnegan, the mercenaries plan to hijack and rob a recently built luxury cruise liner, but when they arrive, they find the massive ship eerily deserted. As the group attempt to uncover this mystery and complete their mission, they realize that the entire ship is infested with deadly tentacular beasties who have slaughtered everyone on board. Can Finnegan and the group find a way to escape this floating death house before the damaged ship sinks into the dark ocean?The episode explores the unique challenges of pulling off a horror-comedy like DEEP RISING, where the tone constantly shifts between gruesome terror and over-the-top action. Rob Hackett lends his expertise from the world of genre filmmaking, shedding light on why blending horror and humor can be so tricky, and why it's so rewarding when it is executed this skillfully. From the visual effects to the memorable performances, this film serves as a perfect example of how genre-blending can work when the right balance is struck.As always, the discussion wouldn't be complete without dissecting the ‘Die Hard DNA' that runs through DEEP RISING - an ensemble of quirky characters trapped in a confined space with a deadly threat, all while a tough-as-nails, monologuing protagonist, played by Treat Williams, steps up to lead the charge. Stay tuned for a look at the film's influences, its lasting cult appeal, and why it's such an underrated gem in the action-horror world. Plus, don't miss the always entertaining ‘Die Hard Oscars' and a thrilling round of ‘Double Jeopardy' trivia!DEEP RISING trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVFEVXIyu00At the time of release, DEEP RISING is streaming on Hoopla and is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV, Fandango and all the usual platforms.Click here to subscribe to our Patreon feed 48 HOURS OF BUDDY MOVIES!www.patreon.com/48hoursofbuddymovies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

GOOD EVENING: The show begins tonight in Scranton Pennsylvania, on North Washington Street, once the home of both the Casey and the Biden family... 1908 Pennsylvania CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR FIRST HOUR 9-915 #KeystoneReport: Bob Casey and Joe Biden on North Washington avennnue. Salena Zito, Middle of Somewhere, @DCExaminer Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, New York Post, SalenaZito.comhttps://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/3098233/does-casey-have-a-harris-problem/ 915-930 #PHILIPPINES: Blinken and Austin to the frontline of the South China sea. Craig Singleton, FDD.https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/07/23/us-south-china-sea-philippines-crisis-military-alliance-deterrence/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=dXMtc291dGgtY2hpbmEtc2VhLXBoaWxpcHBpbmVzLWNyaXNpcy1taWxpdGFyeS1hbGxpYW5jZS1kZXRlcnJlbmNl&pid=PNIIg2Uhiq5yk80 930-945 #SmallBusinessAmerica: Pawnshops in America. @GeneMarks @Guardian @PhillyInquirerhttps://www.pawnexpo.com/ 945-1000 #SmallBusinessAmerica: Update your website for Disability Act regulations. @GeneMarks @Guardian @PhillyInquirer https://www.wsj.com/business/entrepreneurship/small-business-web-accessibility-lawsuits-c910f6fb?mod=mhp SECOND HOUR 10-1015 #PacificWatch: #VegasReport: Farewell to the Tropicana and Mirage -- Greetings to MLB and Hard Rock Hotel. @JCBliss https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/tropicana-landowner-confident-in-ballys-as-development-projects-3102754/ 1015-1030 #LANCASTER REPORT: 3.5% OFF FOR CASH. Jim McTague, former Washington Editor, Barrons. @MCTagueJ. Author of the "Martin and Twyla Boundary Series." #FriendsofHistoryDebatingSocietyhttps://www.ft.com/content/50985749-f817-474e-82a4-428f0ac3f8e2?emailId=2eccbf97-cd46-4be8-bf5e-0ccce7f4ff97&segmentId=2785c52b-1c00-edaa-29be-7452cf90b5a2 1030-1045 SPACEX: Cleared for Blast-off. Bob Zimmerman BehindtheBlack.com https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/spacex-says-it-s-fixed-the-falcon-9-and-will-resume-launches-tomorrow/ar-BB1qHcwJhttps://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/spacex-announces-completion-of-investigation-of-july-11-falcon-9-second-stage-failure/ 1045-1100 WEBB: Carbon Monoxide in a Moon of Uranus. Bob Zimmerman BehindtheBlack.comhttps://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/webb-carbon-monoxide-detected-on-surface-of-uranuss-moon-ariel-suggests-an-underground-ocean/ THIRD HOUR 1100-1115 1/8: Heart of American Darkness: Bewilderment and Horror on the Early Frontier Hardcover – May 28, 2024 by Robert G. Parkinson (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Heart-American-Darkness-Bewilderment-Frontier/dp/1324091770 We are divided over the history of the United States, and one of the central dividing lines is the frontier. Was it a site of heroism? Or was it where the full force of an all-powerful empire was brought to bear on Native peoples? In this startingly original work, historian Robert Parkinson presents a new account of ever-shifting encounters between white colonists and Native Americans. Drawing skillfully on Joseph Conrad's famous novella, Heart of Darkness, he demonstrates that imperialism in North America was neither heroic nor a perfectly planned conquest. It was, rather, as bewildering, violent, and haphazard as the European colonization of Africa, which Conrad knew firsthand and fictionalized in his masterwork. At the center of Parkinson's story are two families whose entwined histories ended in tragedy. The family of Shickellamy, one of the most renowned Indigenous leaders of the eighteenth century, were Iroquois diplomats laboring to create a world where settlers and Native people could coexist. The Cresaps were frontiersmen who became famous throughout the colonies for their bravado, scheming, and land greed. Together, the families helped determine the fate of the British and French empires, which were battling for control of the Ohio River Valley. From the Seven Years' War to the protests over the Stamp Act to the start of the Revolutionary War, Parkinson recounts the major turning points of the era from a vantage that allows us to see them anew, and to perceive how bewildering they were to people at the time. For the Shickellamy family, it all came to an end on April 30, 1774, when most of the clan were brutally murdered by white settlers associated with the Cresaps at a place called Yellow Creek. That horrific event became news all over the continent, and it led to war in the interior, at the very moment the First Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, Michael Cresap, at first blamed for the massacre at Yellow Creek, would be transformed by the Revolution into a hero alongside George Washington. In death, he helped cement the pioneer myth at the heart of the new republic. Parkinson argues that American history is, in fact, tied to the frontier, just not in the ways we are often told. Altering our understanding of the past, he also shows what this new understanding should mean for us today. 42 illustrations 1115-1130 2/8: Heart of American Darkness: Bewilderment and Horror on the Early Frontier Hardcover – May 28, 2024 by Robert G. Parkinson (Author) 1130-1145 3/8: Heart of American Darkness: Bewilderment and Horror on the Early Frontier Hardcover – May 28, 2024 by Robert G. Parkinson (Author) 1145-1200 4/8: Heart of American Darkness: Bewilderment and Horror on the Early Frontier Hardcover – May 28, 2024 by Robert G. Parkinson (Author) FOURTH HOUR 12-1215 #NPT: China tells US to stop deploying. Henry Sokolski, NPEC.https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202407/1316642.shtml 1215-1230 #ITALY:Giorgia Meloni to China. Lorenzo Fiori, Ansaldo Foundation https://www.reuters.com/world/italys-meloni-visit-china-this-week-with-trade-investment-agenda-2024-07-24/ 1230-1245 SCOTUS: National Rent Control and Bomber Fleets. Richard Epstein Hoover Institutionhttps://www.hoover.org/research/keeping-rental-markets-safe 1245-100 AM SCOTUS: Court-Packing 2024, Richard Epstein, Hoover Institution. https://www.wsj.com/articles/bidens-court-smacking-plan-reform-term-limits-amendment-ethics-e43d1fed?mod=editorials_article_pos2

#PHILIPPINES: Blinken and Austin to the frontline of the South China sea. Craig Singleton, FDD. https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/07/23/us-south-china-sea-philippines-crisis-military-alliance-deterrence/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=dXMtc291dGgtY2hpbmEtc2VhLXBoaWxpcHBpbmVzLWNyaXNpcy1taWxpdGFyeS1hbGxpYW5jZS1kZXRlcnJlbmNl&pid=PNIIg2Uhiq5yk80 1915 MANILA