Podcasts about State Council

In response to a media inquiry on US President Donald Trump's remarks related to "unification" when commenting on the ongoing trade negotiations between the US and China, which have drawn high attention in the Taiwan island, Chen Binhua, a spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said that"we have taken note of the relevant reports."国务院台湾事务办公室发言人陈斌华，在回答媒体有关美国总统特朗普提到台湾岛内引起高度关注的中美贸易谈判且有关“统一 ”言论的提问时表示，“我们已经注意到了相关报道”。We hope the international community will gain a broader understanding of and support the just cause of the Chinese people in opposing“Taiwan independence”separatist activities and striving to achieve national reunification, Chen said.陈斌华说，我们希望国际社会能够更广泛地理解并支持中国人民反对“台独”分裂活动、争取实现国家统一的正义事业。Washington and Beijing on Monday agreed to slash steep tariffs for at least 90 days, pausing their trade war, a move Trump praised when speaking to reporters at the White House, Reuters reported on Tuesday. 据路透社周二报道，华盛顿和北京周一达成协议，在至少90天将大幅削减关税，暂停贸易战。特朗普在白宫对记者发表讲话时称赞了这一举措。"They've agreed to open China, fully open China, and I think it's going to be fantastic for China, I think it's going to be fantastic for us, and I think it's going to be great for unification and peace," Trump said, according to the Reuters report.据路透社报道，特朗普称：“他们已同意全面开放中国，我认为这对中国的未来会非常棒，我认为这对我们也非常棒，我认为这对统一与和平也会非常有利。”Although Trump didn't mention Taiwan island, his remarks triggered a discussion on the island of Taiwan, with some Taiwan independence-minded organizations expressing obvious unease over the matter.尽管特朗普没有提及台湾岛，但他的言论在台湾岛引发了讨论，一些“台独”组织对此明显感到不安。unification/ˌjuːnɪfɪˈkeɪʃn /n. 统一; 联合international community国际社会national reunification国家统一；祖国统一slash/slæʃ/vt. 大幅度削减; 大大降低steep tariffs高额关税

Take your flashlight and grab a compass - let's go exploring! Peter Berquist lives and breathes boats. He captains the R/V Investigator, a 24 foot Carolina Skiff. Every semester he takes his students out on the boat for adventures and first-hand research experience. Peter has been named an outstanding faculty member by The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. And: Dave Waldien is a real life explorer. And he has the title to prove it! He's a National Geographic Explorer and travels all over the world protecting endangered bat species. Later in the show: European explorers first made contact with West Africa in the 15th century, and thriving trade relations soon followed. But Neil Norman says the Europeans weren't the ones calling the shots - it was powerful West African kingdoms like Ouida, located in present day Benin.

China is likely to announce additional stimulus policies, including extra fiscal support, targeted monetary easing and stronger consumption-boosting initiatives, to put its economic growth on a more solid footing, as the country's top leadership usually convenes a high-level meeting centered on economic issues around the end of April, analysts said.分析人士表示，中国有望宣布更多刺激政策，包括增加财政支持、定向货币宽松以及更有力的促消费举措，以进一步夯实经济增长基础。中国最高领导层通常会在4月底左右召开一次以经济问题为中心的高层会议。The tone-setting meeting would be an important occasion for China's policymakers to reassess the fast-paced developments in the trade war initiated by Washington against Beijing over the past month, and to formulate offsetting policies in response, they added.他们补充道，此次定调会议将成为中国政策制定者重新评估过去一个月华盛顿对北京发起的贸易战快速发展态势，并制定相应政策的重要契机。"While the 5.4 percent GDP growth rate in the first quarter is a good start, key indicators like the consumer price index and producer price index suggest that weakness in domestic demand still persists," said Xiong Yuan, chief economist at Guosheng Securities.国盛证券首席经济学家熊园表示：“虽然第一季度GDP增长率达到5.4%是一个良好的开端，但消费者价格指数和生产者价格指数等关键指标表明，国内需求仍然疲软。”The impact of the tariffs by the United States, which is expected to materialize more visibly in the second quarter, further underscores the urgency for policymakers to ramp up supportive efforts, Xiong said.熊园表示，预计美国加征关税的影响将在第二季度更加明显，这进一步凸显了政策制定者加大支持力度的紧迫性。China's top leadership has suggested on various occasions that the country has ample capability to roll out new policy measures as needed, to address the rising uncertainties in the external environment.中国高层领导已多次表示，中国有足够的能力根据需要推出新的政策措施，以应对外部环境中日益增加的不确定性。Premier Li Qiang said on April 17 during a study session held by the State Council—the country's Cabinet—that at critical moments, the government must act swiftly to deploy policy tools across various fronts in order to generate positive market expectations.4月17日，李强总理在国务院举行的一次学习会议上表示，在关键时刻，政府必须迅速行动，综合运用各种政策工具，以创造积极的市场预期。Analysts expect that the end-April meeting is poised to introduce significant fiscal stimulus measures, potentially exceeding 1 trillion yuan ($137 billion) in scale.分析人士预计，4月底的会议将推出重大财政刺激措施，规模可能超过1万亿元人民币（1370亿美元）。"We expect incremental funds of 1.5 trillion yuan, or 1 percent of GDP, on top of the budget approved earlier this year. End-demand, especially consumption, should be more a focus than investment this time, given the nature of the tariff shock," Citi analysts said in a report on Monday.花旗分析师周一在一份报告中表示：“我们预计，在年初批准的预算基础上，新增资金将达到1.5万亿元人民币，占GDP的1%。鉴于关税冲击的性质，此次应该更多地关注终端需求，尤其是消费，而非投资。”China Galaxy Securities also said on Sunday in a report that the size of the new fiscal stimulus measures could be around 1.5 to 2 trillion yuan, with a particular emphasis on further strengthening policies to stimulate consumption.中国银河证券周日也在一份报告中表示，新的财政刺激措施规模可能在1.5万亿至2万亿元人民币左右，尤其强调进一步加强刺激消费的政策。In particular, with the goal of better offsetting the slowdown in external demand, the overall fiscal budget for consumption-boosting measures this year might be increased from the initially planned 300 billion yuan to a range of 700 billion yuan to 1 trillion yuan, said Feng Lin, executive director of the research and development department at Golden Credit Rating International.东方金诚国际信用评估有限公司研究发展部执行总监冯琳表示，为了更好地抵消外部需求放缓的影响，今年用于刺激消费措施的财政总预算可能会从最初计划的3000亿元人民币增加到7000亿至1万亿元人民币。China's annual exports to the US have been around $500 billion in recent years, which is equivalent to 7-8 percent of the China's domestic consumer goods consumption, according to Feng.冯琳表示，近年来，中国对美年出口额约为5000亿美元，相当于中国国内消费品消费的7%至8%。"This means that as long as domestic consumption is effectively stimulated, China is capable of absorbing the decline in exports to the US. Before the pandemic, the normal growth rate of the country's total retail sales of consumer goods was between 8 and 9 percent," Feng said.“这意味着，只要有效刺激国内消费，中国就有能力消化对美出口的下滑。疫情爆发前，中国社会消费品零售总额的正常增长率在8%到9%之间，”冯琳表示。Notably, any major fiscal policy in China requires going through legislative procedures. The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, which has the power to approve budget adjustments, is scheduled to meet in Beijing from Sunday to Wednesday.值得注意的是，中国任何重大财政政策都需要经过立法程序。拥有预算调整审批权的全国人大常委会计划于本周日到周三在北京召开会议。"If any fiscal resolution indicated by the upcoming meeting is approved by the NPC Standing Committee, it would buttress Beijing's determination to achieve growth despite the trade hardships," Citi said.花旗银行表示：“如果即将召开的全国人大常委会会议中提出的任何财政决议获得批准，这将坚定中国政府在贸易摩擦中实现增长的决心。”Even if the upcoming meeting and the NPC Standing Committee session greenlight new fiscal stimulus measures, analysts said the details and timeline of the rollouts would be determined in a flexible manner, depending on the evolving economic dynamics.分析人士表示，即使即将召开的全国人大常委会会议和全国人大常委会会议批准新的财政刺激措施，这些措施的具体细节和时间表也将根据不断变化的经济形势灵活确定。For the previously announced government bonds in March, the country is expected to accelerate their issuance in the second quarter, and expedite the utilization of these funds to support concrete projects, said Zhang Jun, chief economist at China Galaxy Securities.中国银河证券首席经济学家章俊表示，对于此前宣布的3月份国债发行，预计国家将在第二季度加快发行，并加快资金用于支持具体项目。The anticipated introduction of the extra fiscal stimulus measures and accelerated implementation of the existing ones would "create a window of opportunity" for a corresponding level of liquidity support from the monetary policy side, Zhang said.章俊表示，预期中的额外财政刺激措施将出台，现有措施也将加快落实，这将为货币政策层面提供相应流动性支持“创造机会窗口”。China's central bank is expected to employ a combination of both quantitative and structural policy tools, with a reserve requirement ratio cut of around 20 basis points likely to be implemented on the heels of the end-April meeting, followed by a potential interest rate reduction around June. The government is also expected to introduce a range of structural monetary policies aimed at providing targeted relief to the foreign trade sector, as well as bolstering consumer demand and technological innovation, Zhang added.预计中国央行将结合运用数量型和结构性政策工具，在4月底会议后可能实施约20个基点的降准，随后可能在6月左右再度降息。章俊补充道，预计政府还将推出一系列结构性货币政策，旨在为外贸行业提供定向纾困，并提振消费需求和技术创新。Citi said in its report that, "Finding patience to play the long game, the end-April meeting will stick to the policy framework of 'high-quality development' and will not take an all-out approach."花旗在其报告中表示：“4月底的会议将秉持耐心，着眼长远，坚持‘高质量发展'的政策框架，不会采取全面举措。”stimulus/ˈstɪmjələs/n.刺激（措施）；促进因素reassess/ˌriːəˈses/v.重新评估；重新考虑buttress/ˈbʌtrəs/v.支持；加强liquidity/lɪˈkwɪdəti/n.流动性；资产变现能力

With rising strategic importance in terms of improving expectations and boosting confidence, China's capital market now provides opportunities for both Chinese and foreign investors as global economic growth stagnates due to Sino-US trade frictions, experts said.专家表示，在中美贸易摩擦导致全球经济增长停滞的背景下，中国资本市场在改善预期、提振信心方面的战略意义日益凸显，为中外投资者提供了投资机会。Their comments followed messages delivered during a State Council executive meeting on Friday, which included making continuous efforts to stabilize the stock market and advance the sound and stable development of the property sector. Once related measures are introduced, they should affect targeted companies and individuals directly. The implementation efficiency of the measures should be improved and their effect ensured, according to the meeting.此前，国务院常务会议于上周五发布消息，强调要持续稳定股市，促进房地产市场健康稳定发展。会议指出，相关措施一旦出台，要直接惠及相关企业和个人。会议强调，要提高措施的执行效率，确保其效果。The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.45 percent on Monday while the Shenzhen Component Index closed up 1.27 percent. The tech-heavy ChiNext in Shenzhen jumped 1.59 percent.周一，上证综指上涨0.45%，深证成指上涨1.27%，以科技股为主的深圳创业板上涨1.59%。The A-share market is crucial for lifting market confidence during trade tensions. Investors should be confident in China's dedication to safeguarding the stability of its capital markets, said Qiu Xiang, chief A-share market strategist at CITIC Securities.中信证券首席A股策略师裘翔表示，A股市场对于在贸易摩擦期间提振市场信心至关重要。投资者应该对中国维护资本市场稳定的决心充满信心。Economic resilience is crucial during the ongoing stalemate. China has more choices and room for more policies, helping it to last longer during the tensions. But the huge amount of government debt that will mature or need refinancing before July will serve as the first turning point for US tariff policies, said Qiu.在持续的僵局中，经济韧性至关重要。中国拥有更多选择和政策空间，有助于其在紧张局势中维持更长时间。但裘翔表示，7月前即将到期或需要再融资的巨额国债将成为美国关税政策的第一个转折点。Against such a backdrop, self-reliant technology companies, sectors benefiting from Europe's increasing capital expenditure, consumer staple providers and companies generating stable dividends are worth looking at in the A-share market, he added.在这样的背景下，他建议A股市场关注自主科技企业、受益于欧洲资本支出增加的行业、消费必需品提供商，以及能够提供稳定分红的公司。Market turmoil and volatility continued in overseas markets last week, indicating continued external pressure. But the Chinese market is stable, thanks to its recovering economic fundamentals and quick responses to recent uncertainties, said Zhang Qiyao, chief strategy analyst at Industrial Securities.上周，海外市场动荡和波动持续，表明外部压力仍在。但中国市场保持稳定，得益于经济基本面持续恢复，以及对近期不确定性作出的迅速反应，兴业证券首席策略分析师张启尧指出。Meanwhile, China's dual circulation development pattern and the country's strategic focus will help to anchor market stability, said Zhang.同时，张启尧表示，中国的双循环发展格局和国家战略重点将有助于巩固市场稳定。Experts from Huaxi Securities wrote in a recent report that the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong stock markets may serve as havens for foreign investors, while other markets are undergoing more drastic fluctuations in the short term and global economic growth faces more uncertainties.华西证券专家在近期报告中指出，在其他市场短期内出现更剧烈波动、全球经济增长面临更多不确定性的背景下，中国内地和香港股市或将成为海外投资者的避风港。The Chinese government has been dedicated to advancing supply side reform and deeper restructuring. Combined with its continued efforts in expanding domestic demand, Chinese firms are provided with a better environment, which means new investment opportunities, Huaxi said.华西证券表示，中国政府致力于推进供给侧结构性改革，深化结构调整，加之持续扩大内需，为中国企业提供了更有利的环境，意味着新的投资机会。In addition, Chinese equity assets now enjoy more valuation advantages compared to their foreign peers. The former's investment value over the mid to long term is especially noticeable. The market should not underestimate policymakers' resolution to stabilize market performance and investor expectations, they added.此外，与境外同类资产相比，中国股票资产目前享有更大的估值优势，其中长期投资价值尤为突出。他们补充道，市场不应低估政策制定者稳定市场表现和投资者预期的决心。During a forum on Sunday, Liu Yuhui, a council member of the China Chief Economist Forum, said that now is a good time to invest in the A-share market, as it is projected to enjoy longer-term prosperity. Investors are especially advised to look for opportunities in core China assets, whose investment value has been manifested during the China-US trade frictions, he said.在周日举行的论坛上，中国首席经济学家论坛理事刘煜辉表示，目前是投资A股市场的好时机，预计A股将迎来长期繁荣。他建议投资者重点关注“核心中国资产”，在中美贸易摩擦中其投资价值已显现。Fu Si, China portfolio strategist at Goldman Sachs, said that global actively managed funds and overseas hedge funds have increased their exposure to A shares since the beginning of the year, mainly driven by the rapid development of Chinese artificial intelligence technology. But their current exposure is still lower than historic levels, while selling room is limited. Therefore, global capital will flow back to the A-share market in the mid to long term, Fu said.高盛中国股票策略分析师付思表示，自年初以来，全球主动管理型基金和海外对冲基金已增加了对A股的配置，主要受到中国人工智能技术快速发展的推动。但目前其配置仍低于历史水平，进一步减仓的空间有限，因此预计全球资本将在中长期回流A股市场。As of the end of March, qualified foreign institutional investors have increased their holdings in A shares—both in terms of volume and market value—on a quarterly basis, according to market tracker Wind Info. QFII held at least 500 million yuan ($68.6 million) worth of shares in Zijin Mining, Centre Testing International Group and China XD Group each, with the latter—a transmission and distribution equipment maker—seeing the most rapid increase of QFII holdings in the past three months.据万得资讯的数据，截至3月底，合格境外机构投资者（QFII）在A股的持股数量和市值均环比上升。QFII在紫金矿业、华测检测和中国西电等公司的持股市值均超过5亿元人民币（约合6860万美元）。其中，作为输配电设备制造商的中国西电，是近三个月QFII持仓增长最快的企业。resilience/rɪˈzɪliəns/n.韧性；应变能力volatility/ˌvɒləˈtɪləti/n.波动性；不稳定性implementation/ˌɪmplɪmenˈteɪʃn/n.执行turmoil/ˈtɜːmɔɪl/n.混乱；骚动

China will raise additional tariffs on all goods imported from the United States to 84 percent, starting at 12:01 am on Thursday, and has added 18 US entities to its export control and unreliable entity lists in order to counter the US' unilateral tariff hikes.中国将于周四零点零1分起对自美国进口的全部商品加征关税至84%，并将18家美国实体企业列入出口管制清单和不可靠实体清单，以反制美方单方面加征关税。Analysts said the countermeasures send a clear message that China, the world's second-largest economy, is prepared to stand firm in defense of its legitimate interests and the rules-based multilateral trading system.分析师表示，这些反制措施传递出明确信号：作为全球第二大经济体，中国已做好准备坚决捍卫自身合法权益及以规则为准的多边贸易体系。On Wednesday evening, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Education issued separate risk alert to tourists and students planning to go to the US.周三晚间，中国文化和旅游部与教育部分别对计划赴美旅游和留学人员发布了风险预警。Beijing's latest moves follow Washington's decision to increase its so-called "reciprocal tariffs" on Chinese goods to 84 percent, bringing the total additional tariffs imposed by the current Trump administration to 104 percent.中方最新举措是对华盛顿决定将所谓"对等关税"提高至84%的回应，至此特朗普政府任内对华加征关税总额已达104%。The Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council, China's Cabinet, said in a statement on Wednesday that the US' decision to increase tariffs on Chinese goods is "a mistake upon a mistake".国务院关税税则委员会周三发表声明指出，美方提高对华商品关税是"错上加错"。The US' tariff hikes, which severely infringe on China's legitimate rights and interests, damage the rules-based multilateral trading system and destabilize the global economic order, are "a clear example of unilateralism, protectionism and economic coercion", the commission said.该委员会表示，美方加征关税严重侵犯中国合法权益，损害基于规则的多边贸易体系，扰乱全球经济秩序，是"典型的单边主义、保护主义和经济胁迫"。Also on Wednesday, the Ministry of Commerce announced that it has included 12 more US entities, including American Photonics and BRINC Drones, on China's export control list, thereby effectively banning the export of dual-use items — goods that can be used for both civilian and military purposes — from China to these entities.同样在本周三，商务部宣布将包括美国光电公司和布莱恩无人机公司在内的另外12家美国实体列入中国出口管制清单。从而有效地禁止了中国向这些实体出口军民两用物项（兼具民用和军事用途的商品）。The ministry said it has also added six more US companies, including Shield AI and Cyberlux Corp, to China's unreliable entity list. It means these companies are banned from trading or investing in the country.该部门同时将6家美国企业列入不可靠实体清单，新增企业包括Shield AI、赛博勒克斯公司等。被列入清单意味着这些企业被禁止在华开展贸易投资活动。Furthermore, China has filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization over the latest US tariff hikes, the ministry added.商务部补充称，中方已就美方最新加征关税措施向世界贸易组织提起诉讼。Guo Kai, executive president of CF40 Institute, a research center affiliated with the think tank China Finance 40 Forum, said Beijing's strong countermeasures have proved that Washington's expectations of China succumbing to the pressure of US tariffs were miscalculated.智库“中国金融四十人论坛”下属研究中心CF40研究院执行院长郭凯表示，中方强有力的反制措施证明，美方期待中国屈服于关税压力的预期构成了战略误判。。It may take some time, but Beijing's firm stand to "fight until the end" will make Washington realize that it underestimated China's endurance to tariffs, Guo said, underscoring that the realization would eventually bring the US back to the negotiation table.郭凯指出，尽管可能需要时间，但中方"奉陪到底"的坚定立场将使美方意识到其低估了中国承受关税压力的耐力，这种认知最终将促使美方重返谈判桌。"And when that time comes, it (the negotiation) will be on China's terms, not on the US' terms," Guo added.郭凯强调："当谈判重启之时，届时谈判将按中方条件进行，而非美方条件。"Lin Meng, director of the modern supply chain research institute at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation in Beijing, noted that China's countermeasures reflect its firm opposition to US hegemony and underscore its commitment to upholding a fair, rules-based global trading system.中国国际贸易与经济合作研究院现代供应链研究所所长林梦指出，中方反制措施既体现了反对美国霸权的坚定立场，也彰显了维护公平、基于规则的全球贸易体系的决心。"This offers other countries a reference for defending their interests through multilateralism and reinforces the importance of a rules-based global trading system amid rising unilateral pressures," Lin said.林梦表示："这为各国通过多边主义捍卫自身利益提供了范例，并在单边压力加剧之际强化了基于规则的全球贸易体系的重要性。"Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University's Institute of International Relations, said the White House is playing the tariff card to advance its domestic political agenda and secure gains in the upcoming midterm elections.中国外交学院国际关系研究所教授李海东表示，白宫正通过关税牌推进国内政治议程，为即将到来的中期选举谋取利益。"Given that China is a staunch proponent of globalization, the Trump administration is escalating the 'tariff war' in an attempt to overturn the multilateral trading system of the past decades and recast it in a way that preserves the US' dominance and allows it to continue draining the rest of world," Li said.李海东指出："中国作为全球化坚定捍卫者，正面临特朗普政府不断升级的'关税战'，其意图是颠覆过去数十年的多边贸易体系，重构有利于维持美国霸权、允许其持续掠夺全球的体系。"However, global consulting firm PwC told China Daily that the US' "reciprocal tariff" policy may only encourage other countries to strengthen regional economic cooperation by establishing regional free trade zones and enhancing trade agreements, thereby reducing trade costs and improving supply chain stability.不过，普华永道会计师事务所向《中国日报》表示，美国的"对等关税"政策或将促使其他国家通过建立区域自贸区、深化贸易协定等方式加强区域经济合作，从而降低贸易成本、提升供应链稳定性。Su Jian, a professor of economics at Peking University, said that for the next step, it is essential for Chinese companies to minimize related risk exposure by adjusting trade partner selection, managing order cycles, reassessing key supply chain interdependency, strengthening communication with US market partners, and preparing for future supply security and pricing mechanisms.北京大学经济学教授苏剑建议，下一步中国企业应通过以下措施最大限度降低相关风险敞口：调整贸易伙伴选择、管理订单周期、重新评估关键供应链依赖关系、加强与美方市场伙伴沟通、做好未来供应保障和定价机制准备。countermeasuresn.对抗措施reciprocal tariffs对等关税unreliable entity list不可靠实体清单export control list出口管制清单unilateralism单边主义multilateralism多边主义filed a complaint提起诉讼

On a special time-sensitive episode we are joined by members of the arts community in New Hampshire to discuss the risk of potential budget cuts to the arts, and specifically the NHSCA. ConcordTV is a nonpartisan organization but thought it was important to provide a platform for this discussion about both the economic and holistic value of supporting the arts. Featuring: Deanna Hoying, NH Symphony; Dr. Roger Brooks, fmr. chair NHSCA and arts advocate; and Lynne Sabean, Concord Community Music SchoolMore information and how to get involved: https://arts4nh.org/https://www.nharts.dncr.nh.gov/https://symphonynh.org/https://www.ccmusicschool.org/

Last time we spoke about Operation Jinzhou and the defense of Harbin. In the tumultuous landscape of early 1930s China, Chiang Kai-shek hesitated to engage in combat, fearing internal factions and the looming threat of the CCP. Zhang Xueliang, commanding a substantial force, felt pressure from both the Japanese and his own government. As tensions escalated, the Kwantung Army launched a brutal campaign against Jinzhou, leading to its fall. Amidst chaos, resistance leaders like Ma Zhanshan and Ding Chao emerged, rallying against Japanese aggression, determined to protect their homeland despite limited support. In November, the Jilin Provincial Anti-Japanese Government formed under Cheng Yun, rallying over 3,000 troops led by Feng Zhanhai against Japanese forces. After several battles, including the retaking of Shulan, they faced fierce resistance but ultimately had to retreat. As the Japanese advanced, the Jilin Self-Defense Army was established, but after intense fighting, Harbin fell to the Japanese on February 6. Despite earlier victories, the Chinese resistance crumbled, leading to the establishment of Manchukuo and the end of organized resistance in Manchuria.   #145 What was Manchukuo? 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.   To start off this episode I want to turn back to our old friend Ishiwara Kanji. Ishiwara's ambition to dominate Manchuria was primarily a means to an end: to secure resources and a strategic position against America. After gaining control of Manchuria, Ishiwara shifted his focus toward another objective: fostering racial cooperation among Asian peoples. His vision for Manchukuo, or rather his interpretation of it, served as a launching pad for his idea of an East-Asian league, rooted firmly in his Final War theory. During his time in Manchuria in 1932, this Pan-Asian concept of Manchukuo distinguished him from many of his colleagues in the Kwantung Army and marked him as unconventional within the Imperial Japanese Army .   As many of you may know, Manchukuo was a fraudulent puppet state designed to legitimize Japan's takeover of Manchuria. The Japanese high command aimed to disguise their invasion of this part of China as an indigenous independence movement. To achieve this, they installed Puyi, the last Qing emperor, as the figurehead of Manchukuo while promoting ideals of racial harmony. This facade was necessary, as controlling a population that harbored resentment towards them required some effort to win their favor. Fortunately for the Japanese, there were factions in Manchuria that actually desired independence. This region was the heartland of Nurhaci's Manchu people—yes that guy we spoke about all the way back in the beginning of this podcast. The Japanese had considerable leverage, framing their actions as a noble revival of the Qing dynasty or a restoration of power to the Manchu. Additionally, there was a significant Mongolian presence, and Inner Mongolia would soon play a role in these events. Manchuria was reluctantly drawn into the nationalist movement, and it shared Japan's apprehension towards the USSR, having faced its own struggles against it for a long time. Moreover, a large population of Japanese settlers in Manchuria welcomed the takeover, as the Zhang Xueliang regime had not been particularly accommodating to them, implementing various discriminatory measures. Zhang Xueliang's alliance with the Nationalists effectively sealed the fate of the Japanese settlers, who anticipated expulsion.   As military operations progressed, Ishiwara and Itagaki convened with other prominent Kwantung officers to strategize control over Manchuria. They met with Officer Katakura, Chief of Staff Miyake, and Dohihara Kenji from the Mukden special service, reviewing a prior plan by Colonel Dohihara for a multi-ethnic autonomous nation in Manchuria. This entity was to be led by Puyi, possessing complete autonomy in internal matters, while defense and foreign relations would be managed by Japan. Ishiwara drafted the plans by September 22nd, which were sent to Tokyo on October 2nd. Although Tokyo's high command disapproved of the objectives, they collaborated with the Kwantung Army for five months to establish a new state based on two main principles: the purported indigenous movement for Manchurian independence and the administrative framework for Kwantung Army control.   The Kwantung Army proceeded to utilize Manchuria's traditional structure of local self-governing bodies. Throughout 1931, they bribed, persuaded, and threatened local leaders to foster a movement for autonomy against the Kuomintang hardliners. One of their first initiatives was the establishment of the "Jichi Shidobu Self-Government Guidance Board," responsible for coordinating regional independence movements in collaboration with the Kwantung Army to, as Miyake put it, "guide Manchuria to self-government." The board was headed by Yu Ch'ung-han, a Mukden elder statesman educated in Japan and a former advisor to Zhang Zuolin. It comprised 20 Japanese and 10 Manchurian members. Such organizations attracted Japanese civilians in Manchuria, who supported the so-called multiracial political structure, as they could exploit it for their own interests. The Kwantung Army heavily promoted slogans like “racial harmony, racial equality, and the righteous way.” Their control over Manchuria was solidified by placing Japanese advisors in all governmental bodies with ultimate veto power, ensuring that everything was effectively under Japanese control. While it seemed that Ishiwara's vision was unfolding as planned, by 1933, he became a fierce critic of the very system he had helped establish.   It's quite ironic that the man who played a key role in initiating the conquest of Manchuria would be unable to exert his influence in shaping Manchukuo. While Ishiwara Kanji served as the operations officer officially responsible for planning and executing military operations to capture Manchuria, the political arrangements for the new state fell outside his control. Nevertheless, Ishiwara was very vocal about his views on the development of Manchukuo, strongly advocating for racial harmony. He persistently urged his colleagues that the economic growth of Manchukuo should embody the spirit of racial cooperation. Ishiwara believed that the economic interests of Manchukuo would naturally align with those of the Kwantung Army, as both aimed for the unity of Asia against the West. He was gravely mistaken. Ishiwara was driven by his theory of a final war, and everything he did was aimed at preparing for it; thus, his fixation on racial harmony was part of this broader strategy.   In March 1932, the self-government guidance board was dissolved, transferring its functions and regional organizations to newly established bureaus within the Manchukuo government. In April, an organization called the Kyowakai (Concordia Association) was formed, led by Yamaguchi Juji and Ozawa Kaisaku, with the goal of promoting racial harmony. This initiative received support from members of the Kwantung Army, including Ishiwara, Itagaki, and Katakura. The Kwantung Army invested heavily in the organization, which quickly gained traction—at least among the Japanese. General Honjo expressed concerns about the organization's potential political influence in Manchukuo; he preferred it to remain an educational entity rather than evolve into an official political party. By "educational role," he meant it should serve as a propaganda tool for the Kwantung Army, allowing them to exert influence over Manchukuo without significant commitment.   But to Ishiwara the Concordia Association was the logical means to unify the new nation, guiding its political destiny, to be blunt Ishiwara really saw it should have much more authority than his colleagues believed it should. Ishiwara complained in August of 1932, that Manchuria was a conglomerate of conflicting power centers such as the Kwantung army, the new Manchukuo government, the Kwantung government, the Mantetsu, consular office and so on. Under so many hats he believed Manchukuo would never become a truly unified modern state, and of course he was one of the few people that actually wanted it to be so. He began arguing the Kwantung army should turn over its political authority as soon as possible so “Japanese of high resolve should hasten to the great work of the Manchurian Concordia Association, for I am sure that we Japanese will be its leaders. In this way Manchukuo will not depend on political control from Japan, but will be an independent state, based on Japanese Manchurian cooperation. Guided by Japanese, it will be a mode of Sino-Japanese friendship, an indicator of the present trends of world civilization” Needless to say the Concordia Association made little headway with the Chinese and it began to annoy Japanese leaders. The association gradually was bent into a spiritless propaganda and intelligence arm of the IJA, staffed largely by elite Japanese working in the Manchukuo government.  Ishiwara started utilizing the Concordia Association to advocate for various causes, including the return of leased territories like the Railway zone, the abolition of extraterritoriality, and equal pay for different races working in Manchukuo—efforts aimed at fostering racial harmony. However, this advocacy clashed significantly with the Japanese military's interests, damaging Ishiwara's reputation. As a result, the staff of the Kwantung Army began to shift dramatically, leaving Ishiwara increasingly isolated, except for Itagaki and a few loyal supporters. The higher-ups had grown weary of the disruptive Concordia Association and gradually took control, ensuring that discussions about concessions were halted. In August 1932, Ishiwara received a new assignment, and he appeared eager to leave Manchuria. Now that finishes off our story of Ishiwara, he will return later on in future episodes. Again if you want a full sort of biography on him, check out my youtube channel or Echoes of War podcast where I have a 4 part series on him.    Now I want to get more into the specifics of what exactly was this new state known as Manchukuo? During the mayhem that was the invasion of Manchuria, by October 6th of 1931, the Japanese cabinet had finally relented and decided to no longer interfere with the establishment of a new regime in Manchuria and Inner Mongolia. The remaining disagreement between the Japanese government, Tokyo General HQ and the Kwantung army was not whether or not to establish a new regime, but whether or not to promote the establishment of a new regime. Japan obviously did not want to break the Washington system established by the treaty of Versailles. Yet they of course wanted to expand Japanese interest in Manchuria. So it was to be a delicate game of chess balancing their interests in coordination with the western powers. This was specifically why Prime Minister Wakatsuki Reijiro had opposed direct participation of Japanese soldiers in the establishment of a new regime, because clearly it would open Japan to condemnation from the west.    Over the course of the invasion, Japan managed to occupy the 3 northeastern provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang by establishing pro-japanese regimes within each under Zhang Shiyi, Xi Qia and Ma Zhanshan respectively. On September 20, 1931, Jianchuan proposed the establishment of a Japanese-backed regime led by Puyi during a meeting with Honjo Shigeru, the commander of the Kwantung Army. Obviously Jianchuan was in league and under the influence of our old friend Doihara. Two days later, on September 22, the Kwantung Army General Staff developed the "Solution to the Manchuria-Mongolia Issue," based on Doihara's suggestion to create a Five-Nation Republic in Manchuria and Mongolia, with Japan as the "leader." The plan outlined the establishment of a new regime under Puyi, supported by Japan, to govern the 3 northeastern provinces and Mongolia. The new regime would entrust Japan with national defense and diplomacy, as well as the management of key transportation and communication infrastructure. It also proposed appointing Xi Qia, Zhang Haipeng, Tang Yulin, Yu Zhishan, and Zhang Jinghui to oversee garrisons in locations such as Jilin, Taonan, Rehe, Dongbiandao, and Harbin. To execute this plan, the Japanese Kwantung Army, led by Chief of Staff Itagaki, utilized local intelligence agencies and some mainland ronin to initiate a so-called strategic operation. To facilitate the plan's implementation, the Kwantung Army informed the commander of the Japanese Army in Tianjin that afternoon, requesting immediate "protection" for Emperor Xuantong.   After the Kwantung Army took control of Jinzhou, it believed the moment was right to establish the hastily assembled puppet regime. To secure the full backing of the Japanese government and the military leadership, the Kwantung Army decided to send Itagaki back to Tokyo for negotiations. At that time, Itagaki had a fairly detailed plan to present. The proposed "Manchuria-Mongolia Central Government" aimed to create a centralized power structure that would be distinct from mainland China, effectively becoming a truly "independent" nation. They intended to appoint local collaborators as officials at all levels and were prepared to fabricate "public opinion" to obscure global perceptions of Japan's scheme to establish this regime. This of course was highly influenced by the announcement from the League of Nations that they would be investigating the entire incident in what would become known as the Lytton Commission.  Thus they believed it was essential to set up the regime before the League of Nations investigation team arrived in Manchuria. They understood that if these actions were "carried out directly by Japan," they would violate both the Nine-Power Treaty and the League of Nations. However, they reasoned that if the Chinese initiated the separation themselves, it would not contradict the principles of those treaties.   The Kwantung Army established puppet organizations using collaborators, starting with the "Liaoning Provincial Local Maintenance Association," which was formed on September 25, 1931. The association's chairman, Yuan Jinkai, represented the civil governance faction of the Fengtian clique. After the First Zhili-Fengtian War, he was appointed governor of Fengtian Province by the Zhili government, which led to his unpopularity with Zhang Zuolin. At the time of the incident, he was already retired. The association's vice chairman, Kan Chaoxi, had previously served as the governor of Rehe and commander of the Third Division. He fell out of favor with Zhang Zuolin due to his involvement with Guo Songling and subsequently retired. A common characteristic of the puppet organizations created by the Kwantung Army is that they always included Japanese advisors, regardless of their level. The "Liaoning Provincial Local Maintenance Association" was no exception, hiring Kanai Shoji, head of the health section of the local department of the Manchurian Railway and chairman of the Manchurian Youth League, as its top advisor. In the Japanese-occupied Fengtian, this highest advisor effectively became the leader of the maintenance association. While the association was ostensibly responsible for maintaining local order, it actually functioned as a tool for Japan to establish a puppet regime. Recruiting discontented officials and creating puppet institutions was just a minor part of the Kwantung Army's strategy to set up a puppet regime. The crucial factor in this endeavor was gaining the support of influential local warlords. To achieve this, the Japanese Kwantung Army, along with various intelligence agencies, employed a mix of soft and hard tactics, including coercion and incentives. As a result, they successfully pressured figures such as Yu Zhishan, Zhang Haipeng, Zhang Jinghui, Xi Qia, Zang Shiyi, and Ma Zhanshan to defect to the Japanese forces.   Following the Mukden Incident, former Qing nobles who had hoped to restore the Qing Dynasty believed the moment had arrived. Xi Qia, a member of the former Qing royal family and the Chief of Staff of the Jilin Provincial Army at the time, took advantage of the Jilin governor's absence due to his mother's funeral to open the gates of Jilin and surrender to Japan. This made Xi Qia the first Chinese official to collaborate with the Japanese invaders since their invasion of China. He sent a secret letter to the abdicated Qing emperor Puyi, urging him to return to "the birthplace of the ancestors, restore the Qing Dynasty, and rescue the people from their suffering," with the backing of "friendly nations". Xi Qia and the former Manchu nobles, who had elevated him to acting governor of Jilin Province, proposed to the Japanese to invite Puyi to the Northeast to establish a monarchy. The Japanese Kwantung Army had already identified Puyi as a suitable puppet leader. After the 15 year war had concluded, under interrogation, Shirono Hiroshi confessed that the reason why the Japanese chose Puyi was: First, Puyi had “no connection with the Kuomintang in mainland China”; Secondly, "some old classes in the Northeast and Mongolia still have traditional yearnings for the Qing Dynasty"; Third, “the peasants in general… seemed to welcome the kingly political system implemented by the Aisin-Gioro family.”   On November 8th, 1931, Doihara orchestrated the "Tianjin Incident" and covertly removed Puyi from his home in the Japanese Concession in Tianjin. They traveled through Dagukou, Yingkou, and Lushun before arriving in Fushun. By February 5th, 1932, the Japanese army had taken control of Harbin, stabilizing the situation in North Manchuria. Afterwards the Kwantung Army Headquarters organized a series of "National Construction Staff Meetings" to plan for a "National Construction Conference" involving collaborators. On February 16th, leaders from the Northeast provinces, including Zhang Jinghui, Xi Qia, Ma Zhanshan, Zang Shiyi, Xie Jieshi, Yu Chonghan, Zhao Xinbo, and Yuan Jinkai, gathered for the "Northeast Political Affairs Conference" at the Yamato Hotel in Shenyang. The meeting was led by Honjo Shigeru, the commander of the Kwantung Army. They decided to invite Puyi to rule the puppet state of "Manchukuo" and assigned government positions to the attendees. Notably, Itagaki Seishirō was appointed as the head of the Fengtian Special Agency and the chief advisor to the Military and Political Department of Manchukuo.    On February 18th, the "Northeast Administrative Committee" issued a "Declaration of Independence," stating: "From now on, we declare that the regions of Manchuria and Mongolia will be separated from the Chinese central government. Based on the free choice and appeal of the residents of Manchuria and Mongolia, these regions will achieve complete independence and establish a fully independent government." On February 23rd, Itagaki met with Puyi in Fushun to inform him that he would be the "ruler" of Manchukuo. Although Puyi had hoped to reclaim the throne, he was disappointed with the "ruler" designation but felt compelled to accept it. On the 29th, the "All-Manchuria National Construction Promotion Movement Conference" passed a resolution urging Puyi to take on the role of ruler. In February, the Japanese army began its offensive against Rehe. Meanwhile, the League of Nations declared that it would not recognize Manchukuo.   On March 1st, Japan orchestrated the establishment of "Manchukuo," appointing Puyi as its "ruler" under the reign title "Datong." China firmly rejected the notion of Manchukuo's "independence" and lodged a strong protest against Japan on the same day. On March 8th, Puyi officially declared his inauguration as the "ruler of Manchukuo" in Xinjing. Concurrently, officials were appointed to various "offices," "ministerial positions," and "ministries," leading to the formal establishment of Manchukuo. The following day, Puyi conducted an inauguration ceremony, and on March 10th, a secret agreement was signed with Japan. Japanese Ambassador to Manchuria, Nobuyoshi Mutō, and "Prime Minister" Zheng Xiaoxu signed the Japan-Manchuria Agreement in Changchun, with the Japanese government issuing a statement recognizing "Manchukuo."   In October of 1932, the League of Nations Assembly released the Lytton Commission Report.  Alarmed by the Mukden incident, the League of Nations had dispatched a group of investigators, led by British statesman Lord Lytton, to uncover the truth of what was going on. The commission traveled to Manchuria, gathering testimonies and examining evidence. Their task was daunting: Japan insisted its actions were defensive, protecting its economic interests and citizens. Meanwhile, China accused Japan of orchestrating the railway incident as an excuse for invasion. Months later, the Lytton Report emerged, painting a balanced yet damning picture.    On February 24, the commission concluded that the "Mukden Incident" was staged by Japanese troops. It condemned Japan's actions as a violation of Chinese sovereignty, rejecting their claims of self-defense. Moreover, the report did not recognize the puppet state of Manchukuo, established by Japan in Manchuria. Instead, it called for Manchuria's return to Chinese control under an arrangement respecting regional autonomy. Though praised for its fairness, the report lacked teeth. Later on the League urged Japan to withdraw, but Japan walked out of the League instead, solidifying its grip on Manchuria.    Manchukuo's territory would span the former provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang, excluding the Kwantung Leased Territory. It would also gradually incorporate eastern parts of Inner Mongolia, Chengde City and Rehe Province. The 1932 "Japan-Manchuria Protocol" established that the sovereignty of the Kwantung Leased Territory belonged to "Manchukuo." This entity acknowledged the Qing Dynasty's agreement to lease the Guandong Territory, which includes Lushun and Dalian, to Japan. As a result, the Guandong Territory remained under direct Japanese control and was not included in the "administrative division of Manchukuo." By 1934 Manchukuo was divided into 14 provinces, 2 special cities and 1 special district: Andong Province , " Fengtian Province ", Jinzhou Province , Jilin Province , Rehe Province , Jiandao Province , Heihe Province , Sanjiang Province , Longjiang Province , Binjiang Province, Xing'an East Province , Xing'an West Province , Xing'an South Province , Xing'an North Province , Xinjing Special City , Harbin Special City , and North Manchuria Special District. By 1939 this would increase to 19 provinces and 1 special city.   Politically, Puyi served as the nominal head of state for "Manchukuo." He took on the role of ruler on March 8, 1932, adopting the reign title "Datong." On March 1, 1934, Puyi conducted a "coronation ceremony" in Xinghua Village, located south of "Xinjing," and renamed "Manchukuo" to the "Great Manchurian Empire." In this capacity, Puyi was designated as the "emperor," with the reign title "Kangde." "Manchukuo's administrative structure was led by the 'State Council,' headed by the 'Premier.' This pseudo 'State Council' included the 'Ministry of Foreign Affairs,' 'Ministry of Civil Affairs,' 'Ministry of Finance,' 'Ministry of Justice,' 'Ministry of Industry,' 'Ministry of Transportation,' 'Ministry of Culture and Education,' and 'Ministry of Military Affairs.' The 'Ministry of Finance' was later renamed the 'Ministry of Economy,' while the 'Ministry of Military Affairs' retained its name. The 'Ministry of Industry' was split into the 'Ministry of Agriculture' and the 'Ministry of Labor,' and additional departments like the 'Ministry of Health and Welfare' were established. Each ministry was led by a 'minister,' but real power rested with the Japanese vice ministers. The head of the 'General Affairs Department of the State Council,' who was also Japanese, effectively served as the 'Premier.' This role was first held by Komai Tokuzo, followed by Hoshino Naoki and Takebe Rokuzo. Every Tuesday, the Japanese vice ministers convened to discuss and make decisions on 'national' policies and various specific matters in a meeting known as the 'Fire Tuesday Meeting.'"   The legislative assembly of "Manchukuo" was known as the "Legislative Yuan," with Zhao Xinbo serving as its first "President." However, true legislative authority rested with the Kwantung Army. Manchukuo operated without a formal constitution, instead relying on a series of special laws. The advisory group was referred to as the "Senate," led by a "Speaker," with Zang Shiyi being the inaugural holder of that position. The highest judicial authority in puppet Manchukuo was the "Supreme Court," with Lin Qi as the first "Supreme Justice" and Li Pan serving as the "Supreme Prosecutor General." The judicial agency was the "Imperial Household Agency," headed by Xi Qia.   Following the September 18th Incident, Zhang Xueliang maintained a policy of "non-resistance." Most of the former Northeastern Army was "ordered" to retreat south of Shanhaiguan without engaging in combat. Those who could not withdraw were split into two factions: one group, motivated by national integrity and a shared animosity toward the enemy, rose to fight against Japan and became a significant part of the renowned Northeast Volunteer Army. The other faction consisted of traitors who surrendered, acknowledged the enemy as their leader, and acted as the enforcers and thugs for the Japanese invaders. These collaborators and the forces they commanded formed the backbone of the puppet Manchukuo army. Simultaneously, they recruited defectors and traitors, as well as bandits and social miscreants, thereby bolstering the ranks of the puppet Manchukuo military. They were under the influence of the highest advisors from the puppet Manchukuo Military and Political Department, which was made up of Japanese military officials. Directly controlled by the Kwantung Army, they served as vassals and accomplices of Japanese imperialism.   "The State Council of Manchukuo" served as the governing body of the puppet state. It functioned as the highest political authority in the region. Structurally, it operated under the direct control of the head of state, Puyi. However, in practice, the State Council was heavily influenced by the Japanese Kwantung Army, with many key positions occupied by Japanese officials. The breakdown of power is as follows: "Head of State": "Emperor" ( before the transition to the imperial system , the ruler) "Emperor's direct agencies": Imperial Household Agency - Shangshufu - Senate - Military Attaché Office - Military Advisory Council - Sacrifice Office "Yuan": State Council - Courts - Legislative Yuan - Control Yuan "National Army": Royal Guards - River Defense Fleet - Flying Squadron - Xing'an Army - Jiandao Special Forces "Police": Maritime Police Force - Security Bureau Other "agencies": General Affairs Department (not official) External Group: Concord Society   To fulfill its goal of annexing Northeast China, Japan initiated a "national policy immigration" campaign under the guise of development, intending to relocate 1 million households and 5 million Japanese citizens from Japan to Northeast China over two decades. Additionally, around 2 million Koreans were moved to the region as political immigrants. In April 1936, the Japanese Kwantung Army convened an "immigration" meeting in Changchun, where they developed the "Manchuria Agricultural Immigration Million Households Migration Plan." By September 1944, there were 1,662,234 Japanese immigrants (including early settlers) residing in various areas of Northeast China. Following 1945, most Japanese immigrants were repatriated, notably during the large-scale repatriation in Huludao, although the issue of Japanese orphans also arose.   After the September 18th Incident, in response to the invasion by Japanese fascists, people from all nationalities and professions in China resisted fiercely. The Japanese fascists employed military forces, police, and special repressive agencies to brutally suppress the anti-Japanese movement, inflicting significant suffering on the Chinese populace. In addition to collaborating with the Kwantung Army for extensive military encirclement and suppression, the Kwantung Military Police Force oversaw other repressive agencies during peacetime and became the primary force behind the implementation of white terror.   As for its economy, Manchuria is rich in natural resources. By 1936 its coal reserves were about 3 billion tons, iron reserves roughly 4 billion and had other minerals including Gold, Magnesite, Bauxite, Oil shale, Diamonds. Its forestry and fishery industry was quit rich as well. During the Zhang Zuolin era, Manchuria's industrial base was already well-developed, and Japan required a robust military industry to support its aggressive war efforts. Steel production was primarily located in Anshan and Benxi, while the chemical industry was centered in Liaoyang. The coal industry was concentrated in Fushun, Benxi, and Fuxin. Oil shale and synthetic fuel production were mainly found in Fushun and Jilin. Magnesite mining took place in Haicheng and Dashiqiao, and hydropower generation was focused in Jilin and along the Yalu River. Fengtian (now Shenyang) served as the hub for machinery, arms, and aircraft industries, whereas light industries, including textiles and food production, were concentrated in cities like Dalian, Dandong, Harbin, and Qiqihar.   The industrial sector of the puppet state was largely controlled by the South Manchuria Railway Company. Following the establishment of the puppet state, investments from various Japanese conglomerates rapidly flowed into Northeast China. After 1937, the puppet state implemented an economic control policy for the industrial sector, adhering to the principle of "one industry, one company," which led to the creation of monopoly companies for each industry. Under this framework, the South Manchuria Railway transferred its industrial operations and reorganized them into a massive conglomerate called the "Manchuria Heavy Industry Development Corporation ," which monopolized all steel, coal, chemical, and electric power industries in the region. Additionally, over 40 specialized companies were established, including the "Manchuria Electric (Telephone and Telegraph) Company," "Manchuria Machinery Manufacturing Company," "Manchuria Mining Company," "Manchuria Airlines," "Manchuria Artificial Oil Company," "Manchuria Textile Company," "Manchuria Wool Textile Company," "Manchuria Chemical Industry Company," "Manchuria Forestry Company," "Manchuria Gold Mining Company," "Manchuria Livestock Company," "Manchuria Fisheries Company," "Manchuria Tobacco Company," "Manchuria Agricultural Commune," and "Manchuria Development Commune." These companies were jointly established by Japanese investors and the "Manchukuo" government, with profits shared according to their respective investments. In case of losses, the Manchukuo government guaranteed 10% of the profits for Japanese investments.   To transform Manchuria into a base for its aggressive expansion against China and the Pacific War, Japan imposed strict control and extensive exploitation of the region's economy and resources. The primary focus of this control and exploitation was on mineral resources such as coal, iron, and oil, as well as essential industries. Under the intense plundering and strict oversight of Japanese imperialism, Northeast China's economy rapidly became colonial, leading to severe hardships for its people. Due to Japan's stringent economic control policies and large-scale colonial exploitation, the local industry and mining sectors suffered, national industries declined, and the rural economy collapsed, resulting in a swift transformation of Northeast China into a colony. To maximize the extraction of colonial resources, the Japanese invaders minimized the consumption levels of the local population. Since 1935, they implemented comprehensive distribution controls on vital strategic materials and everyday necessities. This distribution control policy plunged the people of Northeast China into extreme poverty and suffering.   The 1936 resource survey report from the State Council of the puppet Manchukuo indicated that the region had an arable land area of 40 million hectares (equivalent to 4 billion mu), with 25 million hectares classified as cultivated land. Additionally, the forested area covered 170 million hectares. The annual production figures included 2.5 million tons of soybeans, 2 million tons of wheat, 700,000 tons of rice, 1 million tons of millet, 8 million tons of sorghum, 5 million tons of corn, 600,000 tons of other grains and beans (excluding soybeans), 300,000 tons of cotton, and 160,000 tons of tobacco. The livestock population consisted of 4 million horses, 3 million cattle, 30 million sheep, and 40 million pigs. The total annual grain output in the puppet Manchukuo was approximately 20 million tons. Of this, around 7.5 million tons were consumable grains for local farmers throughout the year, while 4 million tons were designated as seed grains. Furthermore, the region was responsible for supplying rations to Japanese and Korean immigrants. In compliance with the demands of the Kwantung Army, the puppet Manchukuo was obligated to deliver over 1 million tons of grain to Japan annually. The grain collection process commenced in mid-August and concluded at the end of November, imposing a significant burden on farmers. Japanese colonists were exempt from agricultural taxes and received monthly rations.   The puppet state of Manchukuo had a “military force” known as the “Manchukuo Army.” It was divided into three components: "rear security" and "law and order maintenance," all under the control of the Japanese Kwantung Army. Initially, its military capabilities were limited, with the Kwantung Army handling most combat operations. However, as the main forces of the Kwantung Army shifted south and manpower became scarce, the anti-Japanese armed groups in Northeast China were suppressed and weakened. Consequently, the puppet Manchukuo began to assume more military responsibilities on its own, with many of its soldiers being Korean Japanese recruited from the Korean Peninsula. The entire Northeast was segmented into eleven military control zones, each led by an individual known as a commander. The military authority of the puppet state of Manchukuo was under the control of the Japanese Kwantung Army. Any troop movements, training exercises, equipment modifications, or personnel changes required approval from the Kwantung Army Headquarters. The puppet Manchukuo Army had nine ranks: general, colonel, and lieutenant. Upon graduating from the military academy, individuals were promoted to second lieutenant. After two years, they advanced to first lieutenant, and then to captain after another three years. Following that, a captain would be promoted to major after three years, then to lieutenant colonel after another three years. After four years, a lieutenant colonel would become a colonel, who would then be promoted to major general after four years. After three additional years, a major general could rise to the rank of lieutenant general, and finally, after four years, a lieutenant general could achieve the rank of general. The highest military rank was general, which was a lifetime appointment. Above the rank of general was an honorary title modeled after the Japanese marshal. Individuals such as Zhang Jinghui, Zhang Haipeng, Yu Zhishan, and Ji Xing were conferred the title of general. Thus was born a puppet state that would contribute to the 15 year war in Asia.   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. Yes perhaps this episode was a bit on the boring side of things, but its important to take a critical look at what exactly Manchukuo was. The new puppet state would be used for various means during the 15 year war and would ultimately be the crown jewel in a long list of conquered territories by the Japanese Empire.

China fired off a sweeping package of robust countermeasures on Friday—including a 34 percent tariff hike and rare earth export controls—in response to the latest round of sweeping tariffs adopted by the administration of United States President Donald Trump.上周五，中国推出了一系列强有力的反制措施，包括提高34%的关税和稀土出口管制，以回应美国总统唐纳德·特朗普政府采取的最新一轮大规模关税。More forceful and precise counterstrikes are still in Beijing's pocket if Washington persists with its unilateral trade bullying, several sources confirmed to China Daily.据多位消息人士向《中国日报》证实，如果华盛顿方面继续单边贸易霸凌，北京方面仍有可能采取更强力、更精准的反击措施。As approved by the State Council, the country's Cabinet, China will impose an additional 34 percent tariff on all US-origin imports starting on April 10. Simultaneously, the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs announced immediate export restrictions on seven key medium to heavy rare earth elements, as China Daily first reported on Thursday.经国务院批准，中国将从4月10日起对所有原产于美国的进口产品征收34%的额外关税。据《中国日报》周四率先报道，商务部和海关总署同时宣布立即对七种关键的中重稀土元素实施出口限制。These elements—samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium—are crucial elements for manufacturing key products used in semiconductor, defense, aerospace and green energy.这些元素——钐、钆、铽、镝、镥、钪和钇——是制造半导体、国防、航空航天和绿色能源所用关键产品的关键元素。Citing their dual-use nature in both military and civilian industries, a spokesman for the Commerce Ministry said: "Imposing export controls on them is a common international practice. As a responsible major country, China's decision to regulate these items reflects its consistent position of firmly safeguarding world peace and regional stability."商务部发言人表示，这些元素涉及军民两用领域，“实施出口管制是国际通行做法。中国作为负责任大国，决定对这些产品实施管制，体现了坚定维护世界和平和地区稳定的一贯立场。”Other measures include filing a lawsuit with the World Trade Organization over the US' "reciprocal tariffs", launching an industry competitiveness investigation and an anti-dumping investigation regarding imported medical CT tubes from the US and India, adding 16 US entities to the export control list and 11 US companies to the unreliable entity list, and canceling import qualifications for certain US companies.其他措施还包括就美国“对等关税”向世界贸易组织提起诉讼、启动产业竞争力调查以及对原产于美国和印度的进口医用CT射线管发起反倾销调查、将16家美国实体列入出口管制名单、将11家美国公司列入不可靠实体名单、取消部分美资企业的进口资格等。Tu Xinquan, dean of the China Institute for WTO Studies at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, said that such rapid, intensive and multi-pronged countermeasures are unprecedented in the world's history, proving that China will not sit back amid unilateral bullying tariffs.对外经济贸易大学中国世界贸易组织研究院院长屠新泉表示，如此迅速、密集、多管齐下的反制措施在世界历史上前所未有，表明中国不会坐视单边霸凌关税的威胁。"This isn't just tit-for-tat. These countermeasures, including both tariff and nontariff measures, aim to directly hit the weak spots of the US to make it feel the real pain," said Tu.“这不仅仅是针锋相对，这些包括关税和非关税措施的反制措施，都是要直击美国的薄弱环节，让其真正感受到痛点。”屠新泉说。Bai Ming, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said that China, as the world's second-largest economy, has taken the lead in resisting US trade protectionism.中国商务部国际贸易经济合作研究院研究员白明表示，中国作为世界第二大经济体，在抵制美国贸易保护主义方面走在了前列。"These countermeasures are not only to protect China's own interests, but also to safeguard the stable operation of the global trading system," he emphasized.“这些反制措施不仅是为了维护中国自身的利益，也是为了维护全球贸易体系的稳定运行。”他强调。The State Administration for Market Regulation, China's top market regulator, also announced on Friday night that it has launched an investigation into DuPont China, a subsidiary of the US company DuPont, for suspected monopolisticpractices in violation of China's Anti-Monopoly Law.中国国家市场监督管理总局周五晚间宣布，已对美国杜邦公司旗下的杜邦中国有限公司展开调查，理由是其涉嫌违反中国《反垄断法》的垄断行为。All of the moves came after China, a major trading partner of the US, was hit with a 34 percent so-called reciprocal tariff by the Trump administration on Wednesday, in addition to a 20 percent tariff imposed earlier this year.这一系列举措是在中国这一美国主要贸易伙伴遭到特朗普政府周三加征所谓34%的“对等关税”之后采取的，此前美国已在今年早些时候对中国加征了20%的关税。Further counterstrikes could include tightening export controls on more critical raw materials vital for US high-tech manufacturing, new energy transformation and defense projects, and further escalating the blocking of key technologies used in extracting and processing strategic minerals, said two sources close to the matter, who asked for anonymity.两位要求匿名的知情人士表示，进一步的反击措施可能包括加强对美国高科技制造、新能源转型和国防项目至关重要的原材料的出口管制，并进一步加大对战略矿产开采和加工关键技术的封锁。China accounts for at least 85 percent of rare earth refining, 77 percent of cobalt refining, 82 percent of tungsten production, 80 percent of antimony processing capacity, and 90 percent of the world's synthetic graphite production. These are all critical materials for defense, new energy batteries, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing.中国占全球稀土精炼产能的至少85%，钴精炼产能的77%，钨产量的82%，锑加工产能的80%，以及人造石墨产量的90%。这些都是国防、新能源电池、半导体和先进制造业的关键材料。Beyond nontariff measures, China could still adopt additional tariffs on certain US products, particularly agricultural goods. Having already imposed tariffs on key US farm products, China is weighing further increases, another source added.除了非关税措施外，中国还可能对某些美国产品，特别是农产品征收额外关税。另一位消息人士补充说，中国已经对美国主要农产品征收关税，并正在考虑进一步提高关税。Chen Wenling, former chief economist at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, said, "China could follow the cases of countries like Canada and levy tariffs on US products in a high range of 250 percent to 390 percent according to different situations."中国国际经济交流中心前首席经济学家陈文玲表示：“中国可以效仿加拿大等国家的做法，根据不同情况对美国产品征收250%至390%的高额关税。”The latest tariff from the Trump administration is provoking a strong global reaction.特朗普政府的最新关税政策引发了全球强烈反应。International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva warned that the sweeping tariffs presented "a significant risk to the global outlook at a time of sluggish growth".国际货币基金组织总裁克里斯塔利娜·格奥尔基耶娃警告称，在经济增长乏力的背景下，这种大规模关税举措“给全球前景带来重大风险”。Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organization, expressed deep concern on Thursday over the decline in global trade and the potential for an escalating tariff war sparked by US tariff measures. Iweala said in a statement that the US tariff measures will have "substantial implications for global trade and economic growth prospects".世界贸易组织总干事恩戈齐·奥孔乔-伊维拉周四对全球贸易下滑以及美国关税措施引发关税战升级的可能性表示深切担忧。伊维拉在一份声明中表示，美国关税措施将“对全球贸易和经济增长前景产生重大影响”。Michael Hart, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, has said that AmCham China is not in favor of widespread tariffs, and it advocates constructive dialogue and policy predictability to reduce volatility in trade relations.中国美国商会会长迈克尔·哈特表示，中国美国商会不赞成大规模征收关税，主张建设性对话和政策可预测性，以减少贸易关系的波动。Quoting a report from the chamber that more than half of its member companies said they plan to increase investments in China this year, he said that ensuring that businesses can operate competitively and with greater certainty benefits both countries' economies and supports global economic stability.他援引商会的一份报告称，超过一半的会员公司表示计划今年增加对华投资，他说，确保企业能够更具竞争力和确定性地运营，有利于两国经济，并支持全球经济稳定。Oliver Zipse, board chairman of BMW, said: "Economic growth thrives through opening, not closing. The increase of protectionist behavior will not create winners, but will result in a situation where everyone is going to lose prosperity. At BMW, we strongly oppose tariffs or other trade barriers."宝马集团董事长奥利弗·齐普策表示：“经济增长靠的是开放，而不是封闭。保护主义行为的增加不会创造赢家，而会导致所有人都失去繁荣。宝马坚决反对关税或其他贸易壁垒。”unilateraladj.单边的multi-prongedadj.多管齐下的tit-for-tat针锋相对monopolistic practicen.垄断行为trade barrier贸易壁垒

The Eastern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army's joint training exercises around the Taiwan Strait serves as a stern warning to separatist forces attempting to disrupt peace in the Taiwan Strait and safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, a Chinese mainland spokeswoman said on Tuesday.大陆发言人周二表示，解放军东部战区在台海周边展开联合演习训练，是对企图破坏台海和平、维护国家主权和领土完整的分裂势力的严厉警告。The Eastern Theater Command began inter-service combat exercises around Taiwan Island on Tuesday.东部战区周二开始在台湾岛周边举行跨军种实战演习。According to Zhu Fenglian, the spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, the drills are a resolute response to the provocative actions of the Lai Ching-te administration seeking "Taiwan independence".国务院台办发言人朱凤莲表示，演习是对赖清德当局谋“独”挑衅行为的坚决回应。She condemned Lai's persistent advocacy of a separatist stance, calling the mainland as "external hostile forces" and promoting the so-called "17 strategies" to counter the mainland, obstructing cross-Strait exchanges, and escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait.她谴责赖清德执意鼓吹分裂立场，将大陆称为“外部敌对势力”，并推行所谓的“十七条战略”来对抗大陆，阻碍两岸交流，加剧台海紧张局势。"These behaviors solidified Lai's role as a disruptor of cross-Strait peace and a creator of Taiwan Strait crises, fully exposing his anti-peace, anti-dialogue, anti-democracy and anti-humanity nature," she said.“这些行为进一步坐实了赖清德作为两岸和平破坏者和台海危机制造者的角色，充分暴露了其反和平、反对话、反民主、反人类的本质。”朱凤莲表示。"In response, there will be no tolerance or leniency, but rather resolute countermeasures and strict punishment."“对此，我们绝不会姑息纵容，而是坚决反制、严厉惩处。”The spokeswoman emphasized that "Taiwan independence" means war and pursuing such a path would endanger the people of Taiwan.发言人强调，“台独”意味着战争，走这条道路只会危害台湾人民。The unwavering determination and unyielding capabilities to resolve the Taiwan question and achieve national reunification will not permit any individual or force to separate Taiwan island from China, leaving no room for any form of separatist activities, she said.她表示，中国政府解决台湾问题、实现国家统一的坚定意志和强大能力，不容任何人、任何势力把台湾岛从中国分裂出去，更不会给任何形式的分裂活动留下空间。It is crucial to note that the countermeasures are directed at separatist activities and not aimed at broader Taiwan compatriots, she added.她最后补充，需要注意的是，这些反制措施针对的是分裂活动，不针对广大台湾同胞。national sovereignty国家主权territorial integrity领土完整provocativeadj.挑衅的cross-Strait exchanges两岸交流countermeasuren.对策compatriotn.同胞

China's economic transition is gaining momentum as initiatives to boost consumption and drive innovation take center stage, which will inject greater certainty into the global economic landscape and provide broader space in which multinational companies can thrive, officials and executives said on Sunday.官员和高管于周日表示，随着促进消费和推动创新的举措成为焦点，中国经济转型势头强劲，这将为全球经济格局注入更大的确定性，并为跨国公司的发展提供更广阔的空间。China will combine robust policy support and the unleashing of market forces as it strives to achieve its economic growth target of around 5 percent this year, and policymakers are well prepared to introduce new incremental policies if necessary, Premier Li Qiang said in Beijing at the opening ceremony of the two-day China Development Forum 2025.李强总理在北京出席为期两天的中国发展高层论坛2025年开幕式时表示，中国将结合强有力的政策支持和市场力量的释放，努力实现今年5%左右的经济增长目标，政策制定者已做好在必要时推出新的增量政策的准备。The recent dynamism observed in China's consumer market, particularly in the film, winter sports and cultural tourism sectors, has pointed to the vast potential of the country's domestic economic circulation, Li said.李强指出，近期中国消费市场，尤其是电影、冬季运动和文化旅游领域的活力，展现了国内经济循环的巨大潜力。The theme of this year's forum is "Unleashing Development Momentum for Stable Growth of the Global Economy".今年论坛的主题是“释放发展动力，促进全球经济稳定增长”。Han Wenxiu, executive deputy director of the Office of the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs, said that China is set to enhance people's consumption capacity, to ensure they have the financial means and the willingness to consume. These initiatives go beyond merely promoting economic growth and productivity, he said.中央财经委员会办公室常务副主任韩文秀表示，中国将提高居民消费能力，确保他们具备消费的经济条件和消费意愿。他说，这些举措不仅仅是促进经济增长和生产力提升。The initiatives also seek to increase the income of urban and rural residents, optimize the income distribution structure and elevate the share of household income in overall national income, Han said.他还表示，这些举措还将促进城乡居民收入的增加，优化收入分配结构，提高居民收入在国民总收入中的比重。Liu Shijin, former deputy director of the Development Research Center of the State Council, noted that "China faces a critical transition from an investment- and export-driven growth model to one fueled by innovation and consumption".国务院发展研究中心原副主任刘世锦指出，“中国正面临从投资和出口驱动型增长模式向创新和消费驱动型增长模式的关键转型”。"While structural imbalances in consumption present major challenges, resolving them could unlock growth potential comparable to that once provided by the real estate sector. This transformation would establish a foundation for sustained medium-speed economic growth, ensuring stability for China's economy in the years ahead," Liu said.“尽管消费结构失衡带来了重大挑战，但解决这些问题有望释放出与曾经房地产行业相当的增长潜力。这一转型将为持续的中速经济增长奠定基础，确保未来几年中国经济的稳定，”刘世锦表示。Premier Li stressed at the forum that the continuous emergence of technological advancements by Chinese tech startups such as DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics has showcased the country's immense capability for innovation and creativity.李强总理在论坛上强调，中国科技初创企业如DeepSeek、宇树科技等不断涌现的技术进步，展示了中国强大的创新创造能力。Minister of Finance Lan Fo'an, said that this year, China will scale up its funding to the sci-tech sector to expedite breakthroughs in critical and core technologies, stressing that a variety of policy tools will be used, including tax incentives and investment funds, to drive the "AI Plus" initiative and foster the growth of emerging and future industries.财政部部长兰福安表示，今年中国将加大对科技领域的资金投入，加速关键核心技术的突破，并强调将运用税收优惠和投资基金等多种政策工具，推动“人工智能+”行动，促进新兴产业和未来产业发展。Policymakers are committed to implementing measures that promote the development of the private sector, providing tangible assistance to enterprises, so that they can innovate and thrive, Lan said.兰福安表示，政策制定者致力于实施促进民营经济发展的措施，为企业提供切实帮助，使其能够创新发展。Executives attending the forum said that amid the growing uncertainties in the global economy marked by rising protectionism, it is more important than ever for nations to open up their markets and for businesses to pool their resources, in order to jointly tackle challenges and achieve shared growth.与会的高管们表示，在保护主义抬头、全球经济不确定性增加的背景下，各国开放市场、企业集中资源、共同应对挑战、实现共同增长比以往任何时候都更为重要。"We expect China to remain an engine for global growth in 2025 and across this decade," said Georges Elhedery, group chief executive of HSBC Holdings, adding that he is confident that in the long run, China will remain a thriving, sustainable economy at the heart of global trade and investment and at the forefront of innovation.汇丰控股集团首席执行官乔治·埃尔赫德里表示：“我们预计中国将在2025年及未来十年继续成为全球经济增长的引擎。”他相信，从长远来看，中国仍将是一个蓬勃发展的可持续经济体，位居全球贸易和投资的核心，并走在创新的前沿。Cristiano Amon, president and CEO of Qualcomm, told China Daily that he was excited by the innovation from DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence startup.高通总裁兼首席执行官克里斯蒂亚诺·阿蒙在接受《中国日报》采访时表示，他对中国人工智能初创公司DeepSeek的创新感到兴奋。"Our Chinese partners are very excited at embracing AI, and Qualcomm will expand our cooperation with them in the future," Amon said, adding that he believes technology will play an important role in spurring economic growth.阿蒙表示：“我们的中国合作伙伴对拥抱人工智能非常兴奋，高通未来将扩大与他们的合作。”他还表示，技术将在推动经济增长中发挥重要作用。Li Lecheng, Party secretary of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said that China has become the world's second-largest contributor to the global open-source community and the fastest-growing country in this field.工业和信息化部党委书记李乐成表示，中国已成为全球开源社区第二大贡献国，并且是该领域发展最快的国家。An open-source community is a collective of users, developers and contributors centered around a project in which the source code is freely available for modification and redistribution.开源社区是一个由用户、开发者和贡献者组成的集体，围绕一个项目展开，该项目的源代码可以自由修改和再分发。"We will support foreign-funded enterprises to establish research and development centers in China, and to further promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the country," Li Lecheng said.“我们将支持外资企业在华设立研发中心，进一步推动中国创新创业。”李乐成说道。More efforts will be made to facilitate the translation of scientific and technological progress into practical applications, he said, adding that the country also encourages foreign enterprises to participate in such initiatives.他还表示，中国将加大力度促进科技进步向实际应用转化，并鼓励外资企业参与此类举措。Pascal Soriot, CEO of AstraZeneca, said the strong signals from this year's Government Work Report, which reaffirmed China's commitment to science, innovation and opening-up, are highly encouraging.阿斯利康首席执行官帕斯卡尔·索里奥表示，今年政府工作报告再次重申了中国对科学、创新和开放的承诺，传递出的信号令人鼓舞。"We have been investing in science and innovation for many years in China, and we plan to invest even more in the future," Soriot said.索里奥表示：“我们多年来一直在中国投资科学和创新，我们计划在未来投入更多资金。”momentumn.动力unleashingv.释放dynamismn.活力optimizev.优化scale up按比例增加tangibleadj.切实的，有形的protectionismn.保护主义group chief executive首席执行官

Employees in China may get a chance to take a breath from the grueling "996 work culture", where people work from 9 am to 9 pm, six days a week, after several Chinese companies issued internal reminders to prevent formalistic overtime working and workplace rat race.在多家企业发布内部通知，要求遏制形式主义加班和职场内卷后，中国职场人士或将迎来“996”工作文化的缓解。“996工作文化”指的是员工每天从早上9点工作到晚上9点，每周工作6天的工作模式。The central government has also shown greater determination to regulate the unwholesome "work culture".与此同时，中央政府也展现出更加坚定的决心，规范这种不良的“职场文化”。In an action plan released recently by the State Council, China's Cabinet, local authorities have been urged to better protect workers' right to rest and tighten supervision of employers' behavior of illegally lengthening employees' working hours.中国国务院近日发布的一项行动方案敦促地方当局更好地保护员工的休息权利，并加强对雇主非法延长员工工时行为的监管。Before the release of the action plan, several Chinese companies sought to relax their tiring working schedules.在该方案出台前，已有多家中国企业尝试放宽紧张的工作时间安排。Shenzhen-based drone manufacturer DJI became a trending topic on social media platform Sina Weibo recently after some of its employees posted their experiences of not being allowed to work overtime after 9 pm.深圳无人机制造商大疆创新（DJI）近期登上社交媒体微博的热搜，原因是该公司部分员工发布了自己晚上9点后不准加班的经历。The posts said that DJI's human resources managers patrolled around the building and asked the employees to leave by 9 pm.帖子称，大疆创新的人力资源经理在大楼周围巡逻，并要求员工晚上9点前离开。Midea, a home appliance manufacturer, issued an internal notice in late January, asking its staff members to streamline their working patterns. Midea confirmed the existence of the notice, according to Shanghai-based news outlet The Paper.家电制造商美的在1月底发布内部通知，要求员工简化工作模式。据上海媒体《澎湃新闻》报道，美的方面证实了该通知的存在。The group asked the employees not to have meetings or work overtime, reduce the number of work-related WeChat groups and prohibit any formalistic behavior.集团要求员工减少会议和加班时间，精简工作相关的微信沟通群组，并杜绝形式主义工作方式。As employees have seen increased working hours in recent years, even longer than the length regulated by the nation's Labor Law, their complaints about the unreasonable schedules intensified after the "996 work culture" was promoted by some large companies or industrial titans.近年来，随着“996”工作文化被部分大型企业和行业巨头推崇，员工工作时长普遍延长，甚至超出《劳动法》规定，使得员工对不合理工作时间的不满愈演愈烈。"My colleagues and I usually joke that we get a 'sense of shame' by leaving the office at 6 pm sharp. It has become a stereotype that you are not hardworking if you don't stay very late to work in the office," said Wang Xiaofeng, a telecommunications engineer in Beijing, who works from 9 am to 8 pm and on Saturday every other week.“我和同事们经常开玩笑说，晚上6点准点下班会让人有‘羞耻感'。大家普遍认为，如果不加班到很晚，就会被认为不够努力。”北京的一名电信工程师王晓峰表示，他的工作时间是上午9点到晚上8点，并且每隔一周还需要在周六上班。The 30-year-old said he was happy to see this news and hopes that his company can relax its working schedules, as the job has almost taken all of his time so far. However, he expressed his concerns that it may be hard to quantify the overtime work and overtime fees if an employee has to continue work after returning home.这位30岁的年轻人说，他很高兴看到这个消息，并希望公司能放宽工作时间安排，因为到目前为止，这项工作几乎占据了他所有的时间。然而，他也担忧如果员工回家后仍需继续工作，如何量化加班时长及加班费可能成为一大难题。Figures from the National Bureau of Statistics show that employees at domestic companies have had longer working hours in recent years—reaching 49 hours a week in 2024, up from 47.9 hours in 2022.国家统计局的数据显示，近年来国内企业员工的工作时间持续增长，2024年已达每周49小时，高于2022年的47.9小时。However, based on the Labor Law, employees should work no more than eight hours a day and a maximum of 44 hours a week. Employers can lengthen the working day by one hour at most after negotiating with trade unions and employees.然而根据《劳动法》规定，员工每天工作时间不得超过8小时，每周工作时间不得超过44小时。用人单位在与工会和员工协商后，最多可将每日工作时间延长1小时。Experts and industry insiders said the measures taken by companies to shorten working hours or optimize working patterns will help protect employees' rights and their physical and psychological health.专家和业内人士表示，企业缩短工时或优化工作模式的举措，有助于保护员工权益和身心健康。"As job seekers' views about careers, labor relations and working patterns have changed in the new era, employers may find that the employees are losing their passion for or loyalty to the job after being asked to work overtime," said Li Qiang, vice-president of recruitment portal Zhaopin.招聘平台智联招聘副总裁李强表示，随着新时代求职者对职业发展、劳动关系和工作模式的观念发生变化，企业如果长期要求员工加班，可能会导致员工对工作失去热情和忠诚度。Noting that work schedules like"996" have hurt people's working rights, Li Chang'an, a professor at the Academy of China Open Economy Studies at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, said that employees find it hard to achieve a work-life balance and may have health or marriage problems because of those unreasonable schedules.北京对外经济贸易大学的国家对外开放研究院教授李长安指出，“996”这样的工作模式损害了人们的劳动权益，使得员工难以实现工作与生活的平衡，甚至可能引发健康或婚姻问题。He said that steps taken by these companies to improve their working schedules will help promote high-quality employment, with their working hours being more in line with the national regulations.他认为企业改善工作安排，使员工的工作时间更符合国家规定，将有助于促进高质量就业。"The companies themselves can also improve their attractiveness to workers, as corporate social responsibility and sound protection of workers' right to rest have become an important part of their competitiveness in the market," Li said.“这样的话，企业也可以提升对求职者的吸引力，如今，企业社会责任以及对员工休息权的保障，已成为企业市场竞争力的重要组成部分。”李长安补充道。He said he hopes that more companies can adopt a reasonable and humanistic work culture to ease the workload, which can help create harmonious working relationships, expand consumption and increase the marriage rate.他表示，希望更多企业能够采取合理、人性化的工作文化，以减轻员工的工作负担，这样不仅能营造和谐的工作关系，还能促进消费，提高结婚率。

The meetings last week of China's National People's Congress, or NPC, and the Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, or CPPCC, ended with commitments to maintain economic growth at around 5 percent, keep unemployment at 5.5 percent and increase the fiscal deficit target to 4 percent, the highest in 30 years. However, the annual session of China's two-chambered rubber-stamp legislature, known as the "Two Meetings," did not include any detail, let alone surprises, for how the government might reach these ambitious targets. On Sunday, however, the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council, the main governing body of the government, jointly issued a 30-point Special Action Plan to boost consumption. Coming so soon after the Two Meetings, the announcement generated some enthusiasm that the focus on consumer spending demonstrates a renewed dedication to move away from Beijing's focus on export-oriented manufacturing, which has exacerbated tensions with trading partners from the U.S. to Brazil, while fueling excess capacity, price wars and unhealthy competition in China. As an action plan, the document itself is disappointing, because while it contains laudable goals - such as better enforcement of labor rights and increased payouts for the basic pension system - it does not specify how these can be achieved. For instance, who will enforce China's strict but often ignored labor laws now that President Xi Jinping has dismantled labor rights organizations and weakened the trade union? Who will pay for the increased pensions when local governments already struggle to pay the salaries of civil servants? More fundamentally, will the central government finally reform the central-local fiscal relationship so that the local governments tasked with implementation of the plan have the resources to do so? As a policy document, however, the plan is interesting and important, as it reveals how Xi's government envisions the role of consumption in a development model that is still solidly built on manufacturing and investment. As such, the plan is clearly in alignment with Xi's vision for China's economy. It's not that consumption has no role in boosting the economy, but that the role of consumption is subordinate to higher-level goals. Indeed, even the ordering of the plan's seven sections reveal how consumption relates to these goals, such as revitalization of northeastern China through winter tourism and support for key goods, such as automobiles and consumer electronics, which have already been hit hard by external tariffs. The plan to boost consumption resonates with many of Xi's admonitions over the years, including his slogan that the pathway to common prosperity is not through government handouts, but through hard work. In effect, the plan sees the role of the Chinese consumer as intrinsically linked to the more important role of the Chinese worker on the productive side of the economy. Indeed, it is an almost quaintly Leninist depiction of the relationship between China's manufacturing juggernaut and the workers who fuel China's achievements in automotives, robotics, semiconductors and electronics, as well as basic consumer items from Shein apparel to Temu gadgets. It resonates with many of Xi's admonitions over the years, including his famous critique of "welfarism" as encouraging laziness - or "lying flat" - and his slogan that the pathway to common prosperity is not through government handouts, but through hard work. As such, work is paramount to the plan, which both encourages more employment and proposes ways to make employment easier. The first section highlights the need to boost incomes through employment, including support for "reasonable" increases in the minimum wage. The second section sets out recommendations to make work easier, especially for women of childbearing age and students. This section highlights the government's anxieties over two social problems: the lo...

pWotD Episode 2875: 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre Welcome to Popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 374,299 views on Sunday, 16 March 2025 our article of the day is 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre.The Tiananmen Square protests, known within China as the June Fourth Incident, were student-led demonstrations held in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, lasting from 15 April to 4 June 1989. After weeks of unsuccessful attempts between the demonstrators and the Chinese government to find a peaceful resolution, the Chinese government deployed troops to occupy the square on the night of 3 June in what is referred to as the Tiananmen Square massacre. The events are sometimes called the '89 Democracy Movement, the Tiananmen Square Incident, or the Tiananmen uprising.The protests were precipitated by the death of pro-reform Chinese Communist Party (CCP) general secretary Hu Yaobang in April 1989 amid the backdrop of rapid economic development and social change in post-Mao China, reflecting anxieties among the people and political elite about the country's future. The reforms of the 1980s had led to a nascent market economy that benefited some people but seriously disadvantaged others, and the one-party political system also faced a challenge to its legitimacy. Common grievances at the time included inflation, corruption, limited preparedness of graduates for the new economy, and restrictions on political participation. Although they were highly disorganised and their goals varied, the students called for things like rollback of the removal of "iron rice bowl" jobs, greater accountability, constitutional due process, democracy, freedom of the press, and freedom of speech. Workers' protests were generally focused on inflation and the erosion of welfare. These groups united around anti-corruption demands, adjusting economic policies, and protecting social security. At the height of the protests, about one million people assembled in the square.As the protests developed, the authorities responded with both conciliatory and hardline tactics, exposing deep divisions within the party leadership. By May, a student-led hunger strike galvanised support around the country for the demonstrators, and the protests spread to some 400 cities. On 20 May, the State Council declared martial law, and as many as 300,000 troops were mobilised to Beijing.After several weeks of standoffs and violent confrontations between the army and demonstrators left many on both sides severely injured, a meeting held among the CCP's top leadership on 1 June concluded with a decision to clear the square. The troops advanced into central parts of Beijing on the city's major thoroughfares in the early morning hours of 4 June and engaged in bloody clashes with demonstrators attempting to block them, in which many people – demonstrators, bystanders, and soldiers – were killed. Estimates of the death toll vary from several hundred to several thousand, with thousands more wounded.The event had both short and long term consequences. Western countries imposed arms embargoes on China, and various Western media outlets labeled the crackdown a "massacre". In the aftermath of the protests, the Chinese government suppressed other protests around China, carried out mass arrests of protesters which catalysed Operation Yellowbird, strictly controlled coverage of the events in the domestic and foreign affiliated press, and demoted or purged officials it deemed sympathetic to the protests. The government also invested heavily into creating more effective police riot control units. More broadly, the suppression ended the political reforms begun in 1986 as well as the New Enlightenment movement, and halted the policies of liberalisation of the 1980s, which were only partly resumed after Deng Xiaoping's Southern Tour in 1992. Considered a watershed event, reaction to the protests set limits on political expression in China that have lasted up to the present day. The events remain one of the most sensitive and most widely censored topics in China.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:39 UTC on Monday, 17 March 2025.For the full current version of the article, see 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Jasmine.

Kia ora,Welcome to Tuesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news the US Federal Reserve is meeting to review its monetary policy settings and uncertainty levels are high and rising, both on the growth and inflation fronts.But first, as we noted yesterday, China's State Council has launched 'a special action plan' to boost domestic consumption, including increasing residents' income and establishing a childcare subsidy scheme. The plan came a week after the Premier's work report to the National People's Congress, which focused on boosting household spending to cushion the impact of weak external demand.This had a notable impact on many, mainly Asian, financial markets.Meanwhile, China released an important set of recent data overnight. Their new home prices in 70 cities dropped by -4.8% year-on-year in February, easing from a -5.0% decline in January. This marked the 20th consecutive month of decreases but represented the softest pace since last June. For second hand home prices, they are down -7.5% year-on-year.China's retail sales were up +4.0% in the January/February period, a better rise than for any month, other than for October.China's industrial production was said to be up a strong +5.9% in the same period. However that doesn't quite square with their electricity production data in the same period which was -1.3% lower.Singapore's exports recovered in February after the disappointing January data. There were up +7.6% after falling -2.1% in January. However, that bounce back was weaker than analysts had expected (+8.7%).Indian exports were unremarkable in February, coming in just under US$37 bln and still low for an economy of this size, certainly one that is 'booming'. In India, it is all about internal demand. For reference, India's exports were US$41.4 bln in February 2024, so a shrinkage of -11% on that basis. They may be looking for new markets to shore up this weak performance.Legendary investor Warren Buffett once said his strategy is to be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful. Right now, market fears are high, in fact 'extreme'. So what is he doing? He is raising his stakes in Japanese trading houses.US retail sales in February were a disappointment. They fell -0.2% from January when a rise was anticipated and are now -0.9% lower than year ago levels. On an inflation-adjusted basis it will be worse than that. January data was soft too, and revised lower. Seven of the report's 13 categories recorded declines, including car sales on a year-on-year basis. This data is consistent with earlier data indicating defensive consumer attitudes.A 'fear' retreat by American consumers will likely have more of a global impact on trade and consumption than tariffs by themselves.That same hesitancy also shows up in the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index which fell in March to its lowest level in seven months, and below what was expected. Current sales conditions fell sharply, sales expectations in the next six months held steady, while traffic of prospective buyers dropped sharply too. And not helping the builders is cost uncertainty.It is even tougher in the latest update of the Empire State factory survey by the New York Fed. This is often a volatile survey, but the March results record the largest pullback since May 2023. New order intake levels were particularly weak. Capital spending was very weak too. The New York Fed called the retreat "significant".But at least national business inventories in relation to sales activity are still within range, even if they did rise in February.In Canada, housing starts fell -4% in February to an annual rate of 229,030 units, down from a revised 239,322 units in January and below market expectations of 250,000.Less trade has seen the OECD trim its 2025 and 2026 forecasts for economic expansion. Annual GDP growth in the United States is projected to slow from its +2.8% 2024 pace, to be +2.2% in 2025 and +1.6% in 2026. China's growth rates are slowing too. But they do expect improvements in Australia. (See page 5.) They see inflation rising to above policy target levels. New Zealand gets no mention in this update.The UST 10yr yield is now at 4.30%, down -2 bps from yesterday at this time. The price of gold will start today at just on US$2994/oz and up another net +US$9 from yesterday.Oil prices are up +50 USc from yesterday at just on US$67.50/bbl in the US and the international Brent price is at just on US$71/bbl.The Kiwi dollar is now at 58.2 USc and up +70 bps from this time yesterday. That is its highest level since December 10, 2024. Against the Aussie we are up +30 bps at 91.2 AUc and a similar three-month high. Against the euro we are up +40 bps at 53.2 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today just under 67.3, and up +50 bps to a two month high.The bitcoin price starts today at US$83,439 and down just -0.2% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has again been modest at +/- 1.2%.You can find links to the articles mentioned today in our show notes.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again tomorrow.

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found Click On Picture To See Larger Picture CA raised the minimum wage and now 16k fast food jobs have been lost. Cramer predicts that a Fed rate cut will ward off recession, the opposite is going to happen. Schumer folded and Trump confirms we are headed in a whole new direction. Economy is about to take off. Everything the [DS] projected onto we the people is now boomeranging on them. They called MAGA domestic terrorist but now we can see who the real domestic terrorists are. Sometime you have to show the people. Why did Trump start with fraud? This will build the narrative that everything that these people have done has to do with fraud. This will lead directly to the 2020 elections and that Biden was not the President of the US.   (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); Economy CA down 16K fast food jobs amid $20 wage, debunking Newsom-cited study  Federal data now shows California fast food employment is down 16,000 jobs since the passage of the state's $20-per-hour fast food minimum wage last year. A fast food study from the Berkeley Research Group found California fast food prices increased 14.5% from September 2023 to October 2024, or double the national average. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' quarterly employment survey covers 95% of American jobs, and is considered the gold standard for jobs and wage data. Now its latest report shows California fast food jobs declined from 570,909 in September 2023 to 554,748 in September 2024. Source: gopusa.com   Fed rate cuts could ward off a serious recession, Jim Cramer says CNBC's Jim Cramer analyzed   market action, saying new economic data could pave the way for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates. “We're most likely not going to go into a serious recession, because the Fed can take action to prevent that,” he said. “And even if the Fed does nothing, the market can recover once all of this tariff stuff is behind us — and it will be behind us at some point.”Trump has a point with tariffs, but his rhetoric is too aggressive, says Jim Cramer Source: nbcnews.com China hits back at Canada with fresh agriculture tariffs  China has announced plans to impose tariffs on certain Canadian goods. This decision was made in retaliation to Canada's earlier imposition of tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles, steel, and aluminum products in October of the previous year. According to statements from China's Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council, effective March 20, 2025, China will apply a 100% tariff on Canadian rapeseed oil, oil cakes, and peas, as well as a 25% tariff on Canadian aquatic products and pork. This move is part of an escalating trade dispute, influenced in part by broader tensions involving U.S. trade policies under President Donald Trump, who has also imposed tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China. China's commerce ministry has described Canada's actions as violating World Trade Organization rules and constituting protectionism, prompting this retaliatory response  Trump Effect: Gas Prices PLUMMET Below $3 in 31 States — A Stark Contrast to Biden's $5/Gallon Disaster Source: AAA https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1900529607129944543?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1900529607129944543%7Ctwgr%5Eb15a05fb480f65d2195faf46cde22bf1b8b17ed6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2025%2F03%2Ftrump-effect-gas-prices-plummet-below-3-31%2F Source: thegatewaypundit.com 

China has largely scaled up its fiscal firepower toward consumption-boosting initiatives — a top priority on the country's policy agenda for the year ahead — in order to offset sluggish homebuying appetites and possible shocks to overseas demand, analysts said.分析人士称，中国已大幅加大财政力度推动刺激消费的举措，这是未来一年中国政策议程上的首要任务，目的是抵消购房需求低迷以及海外需求可能受到的冲击。Along with a consumer goods trade-in program, policymakers will also increase fiscal spending on public services to alleviate financial burdens on households and empower them with greater purchasing power, thus creating necessary conditions for consumption-led growth, they added.他们还表示，除了实施消费品以旧换新计划外，政策制定者还将增加公共服务方面的财政支出，以减轻家庭的经济负担，并增强他们的购买力，从而为消费引领的增长创造必要条件。China announced last week in its Government Work Report that it would double ultra-long term special treasury bonds earmarked for its consumer goods trade-in program to 300 billion yuan ($41.39 billion) this year, which was within market expectations.中国上周在政府工作报告中宣布，今年将用于消费品以旧换新计划的超长期特别国债规模翻倍至 3000 亿元人民币（413.9 亿美元），这在市场预期之内。The incentives, an expansion from last year's 150 billion yuan program launched in March 2024, will cover 15-20 percent of the purchase price for a wider range of select products, including mid-range smartphones, home appliances and new energy vehicles.这些激励措施是在 2024 年 3 月启动的 1500 亿元计划基础上的扩展，将涵盖更多选定产品购买价格的 15% 至 20%，包括中高端智能手机、家用电器和新能源汽车。In early January, the Ministry of Finance had already front-loaded 81 billion yuan in fiscal funding for this year's trade-in program.今年 1 月初，财政部已经提前拨付了 810 亿元财政资金用于今年的以旧换新计划。Chen Changsheng, deputy director of the Research Office of the State Council, the country's Cabinet, said, "China faces rising external uncertainty and subdued domestic demand, particularly in the tepid consumption sector."国务院研究室副主任陈昌盛表示：“中国面临着外部不确定性上升以及国内需求疲软的状况，尤其是在不温不火的消费领域。”The current macroeconomic environment calls for a more robust policy response to address the challenge of insufficient overall demand, with consumption being a key concern, Chen said.陈昌盛称，当前的宏观经济环境需要更有力的政策应对措施，以应对总需求不足的挑战，而消费是一个关键问题。"The expanded bond issuance and enhanced trade-in incentives will provide a much-needed boost to consumption and help drive a moderate rebound in inflation," said Wang Qing, chief macroeconomic analyst at Golden Credit Rating International.金诚国际信用评级首席宏观经济分析师王青表示：“扩大的债券发行规模和增强的以旧换新激励措施将为消费提供急需的提振，并有助于推动通胀适度回升。”These supportive policies could help propel the year-on-year growth of total retail sales of consumer goods from 3.5 percent in 2024 to around 5.5 percent this year, Wang said, adding, "We cannot rule out the possibility of further intensification of fiscal policies to boost consumption in the coming period."王青称，这些支持性政策有望推动社会消费品零售总额同比增速从 2024 年的 3.5% 提升至今年的 5.5% 左右。他还补充道：“我们不能排除在未来一段时间内进一步加大财政政策力度以刺激消费的可能性。”Minister of Finance Lan Fo'an said at a news conference on Thursday, "China has sufficient fiscal policy tools and ample flexibility to effectively respond to potential domestic and external uncertainties."财政部部长蓝佛安周四在新闻发布会上表示：“中国拥有充足的财政政策工具和较大的政策灵活性，能够有效应对潜在的国内外不确定性。”Data from the Ministry of Commerce showed on Thursday that, as of March 5, the government had received over 700,000 applications for vehicle replacements.商务部周四公布的数据显示，截至 3 月 5 日，政府已收到超过 70 万份汽车以旧换新申请。Meanwhile, over 9.4 million consumers had purchased over 12 million units of home appliances under the trade-in program, while 34 million consumers had applied for subsidies on over 42 million digital products, including smartphones, according to the ministry.与此同时，商务部的数据显示，已有超过 940 万消费者通过以旧换新计划购买了超过 1200 万台家用电器，3400 万消费者申请了包括智能手机在内的超过 4200 万件数码产品的补贴。"We believe that domestic consumption in China will gradually recover," said Kelly Zhang, general manager of Bimbo China, adding that the country's efforts to stimulate domestic consumption began to show positive results from the end of last year.宾堡中国总经理张莉表示：“我们相信中国的国内消费将逐步复苏。” 她还补充说，中国刺激国内消费的努力从去年年底开始已经显现出积极成效。This will give Grupo Bimbo, a Mexican multinational food company, confidence to deepen its investment in China, helping speed up geographic and category expansion in the market, Zhang said.张莉称，这将让墨西哥跨国食品公司宾堡集团有信心深化在中国的投资，有助于加快其在中国市场的地域和品类扩张。"With its 1.4 billion population, China's market presents unparalleled potential for bakery industry growth."“中国拥有 14 亿人口，其市场为烘焙行业的发展提供了无与伦比的潜力。”China's policymakers are not only focused on stimulating short-term consumption through the trade-in program, but also increasing fiscal spending in areas such as eldercare, healthcare, employment and education to provide a solid foundation for transitioning to a consumption-driven economic model, said Yang Zhiyong, president of the Chinese Academy of Fiscal Sciences.中国财政科学研究院院长杨志勇表示，中国的政策制定者不仅专注于通过以旧换新计划刺激短期消费，还在加大在养老、医疗、就业和教育等领域的财政支出，为向消费驱动型经济模式转型奠定坚实基础。"More funds and resources will be used to serve the people and meet their needs. This will help create more jobs, increase people's incomes and reduce their burdens, and provide more incentives to stimulate consumption," Yang said, citing the Government Work Report.杨志勇援引政府工作报告称：“更多的资金和资源将用于服务人民、满足人民需求。这将有助于创造更多就业机会、增加人民收入、减轻人民负担，并提供更多刺激消费的激励措施。”"China has been allocating over 70 percent of its fiscal expenditure to public service sectors directly impacting people's livelihoods over the past few years. This year, China has increased its fiscal deficit to GDP ratio to 4 percent, the highest on record, allowing for a significant expansion in government spending on public services. This will alleviate the financial strain on households, which in turn boosts their overall purchasing power over the long run," Yang said.杨志勇称：“在过去几年里，中国一直将超过 70% 的财政支出用于直接关系民生的公共服务领域。今年，中国将财政赤字占国内生产总值的比例提高到 4%，创历史新高，这使得政府在公共服务方面的支出能够大幅增加。这将减轻家庭的经济压力，从长远来看，进而提升他们的整体购买力。”consumption [kənˈsʌmpʃn] n. 消费trade-in [ˈtreɪd ɪn] n. 以旧换新fiscal [ˈfɪskl] adj. 财政的purchasing power [ˈpɜːtʃəsɪŋ ˈpaʊə(r)] 购买力 、分享

March 6, 2025 - Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, a Brooklyn Democrat, discusses the implementation of restrictions on the availability of gas appliances in most new homes starting in 2026.

Chinese policymakers will likely adopt a more pro-growth stance and strengthen "extraordinary countercyclical measures" to spur the economy amid pressing challenges from sluggish domestic demand and external uncertainties, economists said.经济学家表示，面对国内需求疲软、外部不确定性等紧迫挑战，中国政策制定者可能会采取更加倾向于经济增长的立场，并加强“超常规逆周期调节”以刺激经济。They anticipate a new round of stimulus packages focusing on driving domestic demand and boosting consumption to address domestic structural issues, offset the rising headwinds from a grimmer global environment and foster sustainable, high-quality growth in the long run.他们预计，新一轮刺激计划将侧重于拉动内需、促进消费，解决国内结构性问题，抵消全球环境恶化带来的日益加剧的逆风，促进长期的、可持续的高质量增长。The economists also said they believe that measures in the pipeline may include more public borrowing and spending, with a growing shift of policy emphasis to consumption, enhanced financial support for low-income households, and increased spending on the property sector through the buying back of land or by helping developers finish presold homes.经济学家还表示，他们认为即将出台的措施可能包括增加财政支出、政策重点逐渐转向消费、加强对低收入家庭的财政支持、通过回购土地或帮助开发商完成预售房屋来增加房地产行业支出。Their comments came as the market is closely watching how China will draw up growth targets and policies to revive the world's second-largest economy when China's top legislative and political advisory bodies meet for the annual two sessions in early March.这些评论发表之际，中国即将在3月初召开全国两会，而市场正密切关注中国会如何制定增长目标和政策，重振世界第二大经济体。Noting that the broader economy is still facing pressures from a harsher external environment and still-weak domestic demand, Sun Xuegong, director of the department of policy study and consultation at the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research, said that policymakers will likely introduce a package of stimulus measures aimed at boosting market confidence and stabilizing expectations. The academy is part of the National Development and Reform Commission, the country's top economic regulator.中国宏观经济研究院决策咨询部主任孙学工指出，当前经济仍面临外部环境恶化、内需持续疲软的压力，政策制定者可能会推出一系列刺激措施，提振市场信心、稳定市场预期。中国宏观经济研究院是中国最高经济管理部门国家发展和改革委员会的直属研究机构。As authorities pledged to implement extraordinary countercyclical policies this year, Sun highlighted the need to expand fiscal expenditure, with policy focus shifting to spurring consumption.孙学工强调，由于政府已承诺今年实施超常规逆周期政策，有必要扩大财政支出，将政策重点转向刺激消费。"We need a comprehensive policy mix to boost consumption," Sun said in an interview with China Daily. "The government has already announced raising the pension level and providing subsidies to the low-income group. And this year, the country will extend the program of trade-in deals for consumer goods and expand the scope to more fields of consumption."孙学工在接受《中国日报》采访时表示：“我们需要一套综合政策来提振消费。政府已经宣布提高养老金水平，为低收入群体提供补贴。今年，中国还将延长消费品以旧换新计划，并将范围扩大到更多消费领域。”With a series of existing policies taking effect gradually and more supportive measures in the pipeline, Sun said he expects to see a pickup in consumption.孙学工表示，随着一系列现有政策逐步生效，更多支持性措施即将出台，预计消费将有所回升。At a study session held last week by the State Council, China's Cabinet, Premier Li Qiang emphasized boosting consumption and improving people's livelihoods through stronger and more targeted measures, in a bid to strengthen the fundamental role of consumption in driving economic development.2月21日，国务院常务会议召开。会议上，国务院总理李强强调，要通过更有力、更有针对性的措施提振消费、改善民生，增强消费在推动经济发展中的基础性作用。Wang Tao, chief China economist at UBS Investment Bank, said her team expects the government to ramp up fiscal spending to support consumption and the household sector, including more than doubling the size of the trade-in program to over 300 billion yuan ($41.3 billion), creating a subsidy program for families with young children, and increasing the payout level of residents' basic pension and the government contribution to basic social insurance.瑞银证券中国首席经济学家汪涛表示，我们团队预计政府将加大对消费及居民部门的财政支出，包括将消费品以旧换新规模扩大一倍以上至3000亿元人民币（413亿美元）、设立生育和育儿补贴计划、提高城乡居民基础养老金支付水平及政府对基本社保的财政补助水平。"These much-anticipated measures could gradually help underpin household confidence and unleash consumption potential in the long run," Wang said.汪涛表示：“这些市场期待已久的措施有助于逐步提振居民信心、释放长期消费增长潜力。”On the monetary front, Wang said she anticipates that the two sessions will follow the "moderately loose" monetary policy tone set during the Central Economic Work Conference in December, with an explicit call for lowering the funding cost of corporate financing and household credit, cutting reserve requirement ratios and policy rates and enhancing counter cyclical adjustments.汪涛表示，在货币政策方面，她预计两会或将维持2024年12月中央经济工作会议所提出的“适度宽松”的货币政策基调，包括明确要求降低企业融资及居民信贷成本、下调存款准备金率及政策利率、加强逆周期调节。Tian Xuan, associate dean of Tsinghua University's PBC School of Finance, said this year's economic growth target will likely remain at "around 5 percent", the same as last year, reflecting the continuity and consistency of policies and aligning with the country's aspiration that its per capita GDP would reach the level of a moderately developed economy by 2035.清华大学五道口金融学院副院长田轩表示，今年的经济增长目标可能仍保持与去年持平的“5%左右”，体现政策的连续性和一致性，符合中国到2035年人均国内生产总值达到中等发达国家水平的愿望。The expectation of an unchanged growth target comes as China's major economic hubs, such as Beijing and Shanghai as well as Guangdong province, have announced GDP growth goals of around 5 percent for the year.北京、上海、广东等中国主要经济中心已宣布今年GDP增长目标为5%左右，因此预期今年经济增长目标不变。"It would be a goal that we need to strive for and reach with extra effort, which can effectively inspire all the people across the country to work hard together," said Tian, who expects this year's budget deficit-to-GDP ratio to increase to 4 percent or higher.田轩预计今年财政赤字率将提高至4%或以上，他表示：“这将是一个我们需要争取并付出额外努力才能实现的目标，可以有效激励全国人民共同努力。”Lu Ting, chief China economist at Nomura, said a higher fiscal deficit ratio would allow the central government to issue more bonds, ramp up transfers to local governments and alleviate fiscal pressures.野村证券中国区首席经济学家陆挺表示，增加财政赤字率可以让中央政府发行更多债券，增加给地方政府的转移支付，缓解财政压力。Lu said the fiscal stimulus package will likely focus on areas including funding for a trade-in program for equipment upgrades and consumer goods, spending on the property sector through the buying back of land or by helping developers finish presold homes, and financial support for low-income households as well as funding to encourage childbirth.陆挺表示，财政刺激计划可能重点关注以下几个领域：为设备升级和消费品以旧换新计划提供资金；通过回购土地或帮助开发商完成预售房屋来增加房地产行业的支出；为低收入家庭提供财政支持；为鼓励生育提供资金。"The Chinese economy may get off to a relatively good start.…We expect year-on-year real GDP growth to stay at 5 percent in the first quarter," he said.他表示：“中国经济可能迎来一个相对良好的开局……我们预计第一季度实际GDP同比增长率将保持在5%。”The breakthrough of China's homegrown artificial intelligence model DeepSeek has triggered a stock rally that may boost investment and consumption, while the expansion of the trade-in program is stimulating sales of digital goods, he added.他补充说，中国自主研发的人工智能模型DeepSeek的突破性成果引发股市上涨，这可能会促进投资和消费，而扩大以旧换新范围也在刺激数码产品的销售。explicitadj.清楚明白的；明确的

China encourages foreign businesses to expand investment in sectors including advanced manufacturing, modern services, high-tech industries and energy conservation, further advancing its economic openness and innovation-driven growth, government officials said on Thursday.2月20日，政府官员表示，中国鼓励外资企业在先进制造业、现代服务业、高新技术产业、节能环保等领域扩大投资，进一步推动经济开放和创新驱动发展。Speaking at a news conference in Beijing, they said that China will soon introduce the 2025 edition of its industry catalog encouraging foreign investment. The new catalog will further expand market access for foreign investors in key industrial sectors.在北京举行的新闻发布会上，政府官员表示中国将尽快发布2025年版《鼓励外商投资产业目录》。新版目录将进一步扩大外资在重点产业领域的市场准入。Their remarks came after the State Council, China's Cabinet, issued an action plan on Wednesday aimed at stabilizing foreign investment this year.2月19日，国务院公布《2025年稳外资行动方案》，做好今年年稳外资工作。随后相关部门作出上述回应。As part of the plan, China will lift restrictions on domestic loans for foreign-invested businesses, allowing them to use domestic financing for equity investments. It will also support pilot regions in effectively implementing opening-up policies related to areas such as telecommunications, biotechnology and wholly foreign-owned hospitals, offering comprehensive services to facilitate foreign-invested projects in these sectors.方案提出，中国将取消外商投资性公司使用境内贷款限制，允许外商投资性公司使用境内贷款开展股权投资。支持试点地区抓好增值电信、生物技术、外商独资医院领域开放试点政策宣贯落实，对相关领域外商洽谈项目开展“专班式”跟踪服务。Hua Zhong, head of the department of foreign capital and overseas investment at the National Development and Reform Commission, said the new catalog will reflect China's economic growth trends and industrial advancements.国家发展改革委利用外资和境外投资司负责人华中表示，新版目录将反映中国的经济增长趋势和产业进步。"We will collaborate with other government branches to align with high-standard international economic and trade rules in key areas, including intellectual property protection, industrial subsidies, labor rights and government procurement, ensuring compatibility in regulations, management and standards," Hua said.华中说：“我们将与其他政府部门合作，在产权保护、产业补贴、劳动权益、政府采购等重点领域，与高标准国际经贸规则接轨，确保在法规、管理、标准方面的兼容性。”Wang Xiaohong, a researcher at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges in Beijing, said the new catalog is expected to further attract capital into emerging industries, reinforcing China's position as a global hub for high-tech and green development.北京中国国际经济交流中心研究员王晓红表示，新版目录有望进一步吸引资本流入新兴产业，巩固中国作为全球高科技中心和绿色发展中心的地位。Yao Jun, director of the department of planning at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said the government will actively support entrepreneurs and investors from all countries in innovating and starting businesses in China, encouraging foreign companies to establish research and development centers and collaborate with domestic enterprises.工业和信息化部规划司司长姚珺表示，政府将积极支持各国企业家和投资人来华创新创业，鼓励外资企业在华设立研发中心，并与国内企业开展合作。China will promote foreign participation in digital development, green transition and smart manufacturing, as well as facilitate localization of advanced technologies and solutions, Yao added.姚珺补充说，中国将支持外资企业参与中国制造业的数字化、绿色化和智能化发展进程，加快先进技术和解决方案在中国的落地和应用。Foreign-invested businesses in China play a significant role in the economy, contributing one-seventh of tax revenue, about one-third of foreign trade and half of electromechanical and high-tech product exports, as well as creating nearly 7 percent of employment opportunities, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce.据商务部数据显示，在华外资企业在中国经济中发挥着重要作用，贡献了七分之一的税收、约三分之一的进出口、二分之一的机电产品和高新技术产品的出口，创造了近7%的就业机会。To date, foreign investment in China spans 20 industrial categories and 115 major sectors. In the manufacturing sector alone, foreign capital is present in 31 major categories and 548 subcategories.截至目前，外商在华投资已覆盖了20个行业门类、115个行业大类。仅在制造业领域，就有31个大类和548个小类都有外商投资。To further enhance national treatment for foreign-invested enterprises, Ling Ji, vice-minister of commerce and deputy China international trade representative, said the country is actively revising its Government Procurement Law and exploring specific standards for "domestic production" by foreign companies in this area.商务部副部长兼国际贸易谈判副代表凌激表示，为进一步提升外资企业的国民待遇，中国正积极推进政府采购法的修订，研究制定外资企业在政府采购领域“中国境内生产”的具体标准。Despite rising geopolitical tensions and the growing trend of unilateralism and protectionism, Ling emphasized that China's vast market, highly efficient industrial and supply chains, and continuously evolving innovation ecosystem provide a strong foundation and fertile ground for multinational companies to invest and expand in the country.凌激强调，尽管地缘政治紧张局势加剧，单边主义、保护主义明显上升，但中国超大规模市场、完备高效的产业链供应链、持续优化的创新环境，这些都为跨国公司在华投资和扩张提供了坚实的基础和良好的土壤。Noting that the United States' tariff hikes disrupt normal China-US economic and trade cooperation and fail to address its own challenges, Zhu Bing, director of the Commerce Ministry's department of foreign investment administration, said that such measures not only harm foreign-invested enterprises in China, including US companies, but also erode multinational corporations' investment confidence and decision-making abilities.商务部外国投资管理司司长朱冰指出，美国加征关税的做法不仅对中美正常经贸合作造成破坏，也无益于解决自身的问题，既不利于包括美资企业在内的在华外资企业发展，也会干扰跨国公司的投资信心和决策能力。"While some foreign, labor-intensive businesses are adjusting their global footprint and reallocating production capacity based on their strategic priorities and comparative advantages, many multinational corporations are evolving their investment strategies to stay competitive in China," Zhu said.朱冰表示：“虽然有一部分劳动密集型外资企业正在根据其战略重点和国内外比较优势，在全球范围内调整布局、重新分配产能，但许多跨国公司正在调整其投资策略，以保持在中国市场的竞争力。”Several foreign companies have expanded production lines for high-tech products, including high-end displays and new energy batteries, signaling a shift toward advanced manufacturing. Others have increased investment in their research and development centers in China, further upgrading their innovation capabilities.有的外资企业增加了高端显示、新能源电池等一些高技术产品的生产线，向先进制造业转变。还有的企业扩大了在华研发中心的投资，进一步提升其创新能力。For example, Panasonic Holdings Corp of Japan will start construction of a factory in Shanghai in July to produce semiconductor packaging materials, with an investment of 120 million yuan ($16.5 million).例如，日本松下控股公司宣布其生产半导体封装材料的新工厂将于7月在上海破土动工，投资额为1.2亿元人民币（1650万美元）。"China's well-developed supply chain, supportive policies, abundant R&D talent, continuously advancing innovation ecosystem and vast market potential make it an attractive destination for multinational companies," said Tetsuro Homma, executive vice-president of Panasonic.松下执行副总裁本间哲郎表示：“中国完备的供应链、支持性政策、丰富的研发人才、不断优化的创新环境和巨大的市场潜力，让它成为对跨国公司颇具吸引力的投资目的地。”Data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology shows that China saw actual use of foreign investment in the manufacturing sector exceed 220 billion yuan in 2024, after it removed all market access restrictions for foreign investors in the sector last year.据工信部数据显示，2024年中国全面取消制造业外资准入限制后，这一年制造业实际使用外资超过了2200亿元人民币。equityn.（公司的）股本；股票

China has conducted another major asset reshuffle to overhaul its financial sector. The Ministry of Finance has transferred all of its controlling stakes in a group of financial companies to Central Huijin Investment, a sovereign fund under the State Council. What prompted the reshuffle? Is it just an asset transfer between different pockets of the central government? To what extent will it help to overhaul the country's financial sector?Host Tu Yun joins Andy Mok, a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, Dr. Liu Baocheng, the Director of the Center for International Business Ethics, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing, and Dr. Li Lun, an Assistant Professor of Economics at Peking University, for a close look at the issue on this episode of Chat Lounge.

根据周一发布的官方公告，北京将提高中小学体育教育的时长和质量。Beijing will improve both the duration and quality of physical education in primary and secondary schools, according to an official announcement released on Monday.该公告由北京市教育委员会和北京市体育局联合发布，规定所有中小学生每天至少上一节体育课。高中生每周将有三到五节体育课，在没有体育课的日子里，每天至少进行45分钟的体育锻炼。The announcement, issued jointly by the Beijing Municipal Commission of Education and the Beijing Sports Bureau, mandates that all primary and middle school students take at least one physical education class per day. High school students will have three to five classes per week, with no fewer than 45 minutes of daily physical exercise on days without physical education.这些措施包括八项具体举措，旨在优先考虑学生的健康，并强化体育教育在培养全面发展人才中的价值。The measures include eight specific initiatives aimed at prioritizing students' health and reinforcing the value of physical education in developing well-rounded individuals.此前，北京一、二年级学生每周有四节体育课，三至九年级学生有三节，高中生有两节。Previously, first and second graders in Beijing had four PE classes per week, third to ninth graders had three and high school students had two.“增加体育课时将帮助学生发展运动技能，培养锻炼习惯，提高身体素质和心理健康。”本月成立的北京市学校体育教学指导委员会秘书长刘海元表示。"The increased time will help students develop sports skills, cultivate exercise habits, improve physical fitness and enhance mental well-being," said Liu Haiyuan, secretary-general of the Beijing School Physical Education Teaching Steering Committee, which was established this month.这些措施还概述了课程的变化。中小学必须在必修体育课中至少包含三大球类运动之一。高中应提供这些运动的模块化教学。冰雪运动特色学校应将相关活动纳入教学大纲。The measures also outline changes to the curriculum. Primary and middle schools must include at least one of three major ball sports in their mandatory PE classes. High schools should offer modular instruction in these sports. Schools specializing in ice and snow sports should integrate those activities into their syllabuses.为确保体育教育的有效性，公告强调避免理论课或“不出汗”的课程。学校应鼓励为学生分配足够的活动时间。To ensure effective physical education, the announcement emphasizes the importance of avoiding theoretical or "no-sweat" lessons. Schools are encouraged to allocate sufficient time for active participation.在这些举措下，学生预计在九年义务教育结束时掌握至少两项运动技能。学校还应引入班级级别的体育比赛，以促进参与各种体育活动。Under these initiatives, students are expected to master at least two sports skills by the end of their nine-year compulsory education. Schools should also introduce class-level sports competitions to promote engagement in various athletic activities.这些措施与中国更广泛的教育目标一致。These measures align with China's broader educational goals.今年1月，中共中央和国务院联合发布了2024年至2035年国家教育发展路线图，要求中小学生每天至少进行两小时的体育活动。In January, the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council jointly released a road map for the country's educational development from 2024 to 2035, which calls for primary and middle school students to engage in at least two hours of physical activity per day.作为回应，天津等城市和湖南、河北等省在本学期实施了学生每天至少两小时锻炼的规定。In response, cities such as Tianjin and provinces such as Hunan and Hebei have implemented a minimum of two hours of daily exercise for students this spring semester.自去年秋季以来，北京已将课间休息时间从10分钟调整为15分钟，江苏、湖南等省也将在新学期延长课间休息时间。Beijing has already adjusted class intervals from 10 to 15 minutes since last fall, and other regions, including Jiangsu and Hunan provinces, are extending class intervals in the upcoming semester as well.北京的措施还注重提高教学质量。将为体育教师推出培训计划，并提高他们的薪酬。Beijing's measures also focus on improving the quality of instruction. Training programs will be introduced for PE teachers, and their compensation will be enhanced.公告计划加强体育学校与普通学校之间的合作。体育学校的教练和退役运动员将为学生和体育教师提供专业培训，北京各区每年将举办10多场由冠军领衔的校园体育活动。The announcement plans to strengthen collaboration between sports schools and general schools. Coaches at sports schools and retired athletes will offer specialized training for students and PE teachers, and more than 10 champion-led campus sports events will be held annually across Beijing's districts.今年1月，教育部发布了加强体育教育队伍的新指导方针。学校现在需要保持小学每名教师负责少于五个班级，初中少于六个班级，高中少于八个班级的师生比例。In January, the Ministry of Education issued new guidelines to bolster the physical education workforce. Schools are now required to maintain a class-to-teacher ratio lower than five classes per teacher in primary schools, six in middle schools and eight in high schools.“这八项举措代表了对体育教育更精确的方法，扩大了所有学生的参与。”北京市教育委员会发言人王攀表示。"The eight initiatives represent a more precise approach to physical education, expanding participation to all students," said Wang Pan, spokesperson for the Beijing Municipal Commission of Education.physical education (PE) [ˈfɪzɪkəl ˌɛdʒʊˈkeɪʃən] (n.) 体育教育initiative [ɪˈnɪʃɪətɪv] (n.) 举措，倡议curriculum [kəˈrɪkjʊləm] (n.) 课程compulsory education [kəmˈpʌlsəri ˌɛdʒʊˈkeɪʃən] (n.) 义务教育collaboration [kəˌlæbəˈreɪʃən] (n.) 合作guidelines [ˈɡaɪdlaɪnz] (n.) 指导方针

President Xi Jinping has reiterated China's commitment to boosting the private sector through concrete efforts to implement supportive policies and measures.Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks on Monday in Beijing at a symposium on private enterprises. The gathering of high-profile participants came years after the previous such symposium was presided over by Xi in 2018.Among the attendees were Huawei's Ren Zhengfei, BYD's Wang Chuanfu, New Hope's Liu Yonghao, Will Semiconductor's Yu Renrong, Unitree Robotics' Wang Xingxing and Xiaomi's Lei Jun. The six business leaders put forward their opinions and advice on the development of the private sector.Speaking to a roomful of senior officials and private entrepreneurs, Xi said the government's basic principles and policies concerning the development of the private economy have been incorporated into the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and will consistently be upheld and fulfilled."They cannot and will not be changed," he said, noting that obstacles should be removed in order to facilitate private enterprises' equal access to factors of production and market opportunities in accordance with the law.Xi said that as the world's second-largest economy further reforms and opens up, the enormous market with a population of over 1.4 billion will bring new opportunities for the greater development of private enterprises."On the new journey in the new era, the prospects for the development of the private economy are broad and promising. It is a prime time for private enterprises and entrepreneurs to give full play to their capabilities," he said.As of the end of September last year, China had over 55 million registered private companies, accounting for 92.3 percent of all businesses. They contribute more than half of the country's tax revenue, over 60 percent of GDP and over 80 percent of urban employment.Regarding the difficulties and challenges currently facing the private sector's development, Xi said that these have generally emerged during the process of reform and development and industrial transformation."They are partial rather than general, temporary rather than long-term, and surmountable rather than unsolvable," Xi said, stressing the need to stay focused on growth, maintain confidence in development and face up to the challenges with optimism.Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council have rolled out a series of policies and measures to spur the growth of the private sector.China is also moving closer to its first basic legislation specifically focused on the development of the private sector, as the draft law was submitted to the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress for deliberation in December.During the symposium, Xi also called for continuous efforts to see that the competitive areas of infrastructure are open to market entities in a fair manner, to resolve the difficulties private enterprises face in accessing affordable financing, and to resolve overdue payments to private enterprises.The government will earnestly protect the legitimate rights and interests of private businesses and entrepreneurs in accordance with the law, Xi said.But he noted that China is a socialist country ruled by law, and no type of illegal activities by enterprises, despite their form of ownership, can avoid investigation and punishment.Xi also stressed the role of private enterprises in advancing China's broader goals in terms of technological innovation, promoting rural vitalization and improving people's well-being. He urged entrepreneurs to focus on high-quality development, invest in their main businesses, strengthen their capacities for innovation, and increase their core competitiveness.It is hoped that the vast number of private enterprises and entrepreneurs will take the lead in promoting common prosperity, thus making new and greater contributions to advancing Chinese modernization, he said.reiterate /riˈɪtəˌreɪt/(v.)—— 重申commitment /kəˈmɪtmənt/(n.)—— 承诺，坚定支持boost /buːst/(v.)—— 促进，推动implement /ˈɪmplɪˌmɛnt/(v.)—— 贯彻，实施supportive /səˈpɔːrtɪv/(adj.)—— 支持的，鼓励的

China rolled out a plan on Monday to stabilize foreign investment this year, signaling the country's determination to achieve high-level opening-up in the face of rising global protectionism, analysts said.分析人士表示，2月10日，中国推出《2025年稳外资行动方案》，以稳定今年的外商投资，表明中国在面对全球保护主义抬头时实现高水平开放的决心。The plan, adopted at the State Council executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Qiang, outlined more practical and effective measures to both retain existing and attract new foreign investment because of the vital role that foreign-invested businesses play in terms of job creation, export stability and industrial upgrading.2月10日，国务院总理李强主持召开国务院常务会议，审议通过《2025年稳外资行动方案》。该方案概述，外资企业在吸纳就业、稳定出口、促进产业升级等方面都具有重要作用，要拿出更多务实管用的举措，以稳定现有外资、吸引新的外资。China will fully implement its commitment to remove all market access restrictions for foreign investors in the manufacturing sector and expand the list of sectors encouraging foreign investment, according to the plan.根据该方案，中国将落实全面取消制造业领域外资准入限制要求，扩大鼓励外商投资产业范围。The country will encourage foreign enterprises to reinvest their capital within the Chinese market and participate more actively in equity investments. Meanwhile, steps will be taken toward optimizing the rules and regulations governing foreign mergers and acquisitions, as outlined in the plan.方案表明，中国将加大外资企业境内再投资支持力度，鼓励外资在华开展股权投资，同时采取措施优化外资并购规则。Foreign enterprises will be treated on an equal footing with their Chinese counterparts in government procurement, according to the plan, which also put an emphasis on widening the financing options available to foreign-invested enterprises and strengthening intellectual property protection for them.方案指出，要在政府采购等工作中做到内外资企业一视同仁，拓宽外资企业融资渠道，加大知识产权保护力度。China will further open up its services sector, with a particular focus on accelerating pilot programs in key areas such as telecommunications, healthcare and education, said Li Yongjie, deputy international trade representative of the Ministry of Commerce, at a news conference in mid-January.商务部国际贸易谈判副代表李詠箑在1月中旬的新闻发布会上表示，中国将稳步推进服务业扩大开放，特别是要扩大电信、医疗、教育等重点领域开放试点推广工作。The country is committed to aligning itself with high-standard international trade and economic rules while building a network of high-level opening-up platforms such as free trade zones as it aims to enhance its overall business environment, Li said.李詠箑表示，中国将主动对接国际高标准经贸规则，高水平建设自由贸易区等开放平台，改善整体营商环境。A total of 59,080 new foreign-invested firms were established across China last year, an increase of 9.9 percent year-on-year, data from the ministry showed.商务部数据显示，2024年中国新成立外资企业59080家，同比增长9.9%。These proactive opening-up policies stand in stark contrast with the intensifying investment restrictions tipped by certain economies, and have created a more welcoming and accessible environment for foreign enterprises—particularly small and medium-sized ones—looking to enter the Chinese market, said Zhou Mi, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.商务部国际贸易经济合作研究院高级研究员周密表示，这些积极主动的开放政策与某些经济体加剧投资限制的倾向形成鲜明对比，为希望进入中国市场的外国企业——尤其是中小企业——创造了更加友好便利的环境。While the global economy grapples with sluggish demand, the sheer size of China's consumer base, the nation's rising middle class and growing purchasing power have presented a crucial lifeline for foreign enterprises navigating broader economic uncertainties, Zhou added.周密补充说，在全球经济需求疲软、经济不确定性加剧之际，中国庞大的消费群体、崛起的中产阶级和日益增长的购买力，为外国企业寻找出路提供了至关重要的生命线。sluggishadj.行动缓慢的；迟缓的

China will impose additional tariffs ranging from 10 to 15 percent on US products, and launch an anti-monopoly probe into Google Inc, as well as other trade measures amid growing trade tensions with the United States.随着中美贸易关系日益紧张，中国将对美国产品加征10%至15%的额外关税，并对谷歌公司启动反垄断调查，同时还将采取其他贸易措施。An additional 15 percent tariff will be imposed on coal and liquefied natural gas imports from the US, as well as an additional 10 percent tariff on crude oil, agricultural machinery, large-displacement automobiles and pickup trucks, starting on Feb 10, the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council said on Tuesday.2月4日，国务院关税税则委员会表示，自2月10日起，中国将对从美国进口的煤炭、液化天然气加征15%的额外关税，对原油、农业机械、大排量汽车、皮卡加征10%的额外关税。The move followed the US announcement that it would impose an additional 10 percent tariff on goods imported from China.此举是在美国宣布将对从中国进口的商品加征10%的额外关税之后作出的。The Finance Ministry said the unilateral imposition of tariffs by the US seriously violates the rules of the World Trade Organization, fails to solve the US' own problems, and undermines normal economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.财政部表示，美方单边加征关税的做法严重违反世界贸易组织规则，不仅无益于解决自身问题，也对中美正常经贸合作造成破坏。"The additional tariffs announced by China will cast a shadow on a significant number of US companies. Once a US company withdraws from the Chinese market due to tariff pressures, the obstacles in terms of reestablishing a presence can be substantial," said Zhou Mi, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.商务部国际贸易经济合作研究院高级研究员周密指出：“中国宣布加征额外关税将给大量美国公司带来阴影。一旦某个美国公司因关税压力而退出中国市场，它想重新进入市场将会面临巨大阻碍。”Zhou added that the attractiveness of the Chinese market remains a powerful draw for those US companies, prompting calls for Beijing and Washington to engage in open and constructive discussions and find a path forward that addresses the concerns of the businesses of both sides while upholding their respective economic interests.周密还表示，中国市场对这些美国公司来说仍然具有强大吸引力，这促使北京和华盛顿进行开放性和建设性讨论，找到一条既能解决双方企业关切又能维护各自经济利益的前进道路。US President Donald Trump told The Wall Street Journal on Monday that he planned to speak with the Chinese leadership in the next 24 hours about tariffs, and Trump also said the 10 percent planned tariffs were just "an opening salvo".2月3日，美国总统唐纳德·特朗普在接受《华尔街日报》采访时表示，他计划在未来24小时内与中国领导人就关税问题进行讨论，并称计划加征的10%关税只是“初步行动”。As trade tensions with the US escalate, China has filed a lawsuit with the WTO's dispute settlement mechanism to defend its legitimate rights and interests. China firmly opposes the US approach and urges the US to immediately correct its wrong practices, the Ministry of Commerce said on Tuesday.随着中美贸易紧张局势的升级，中国为捍卫自身合法权益，已向世界贸易组织争端解决机制提起诉讼。2月4日，商务部表示，中方对美方做法坚决反对，敦促美方立即纠正错误做法。China has also announced a group of export control policies on key minerals. The Ministry of Commerce said that since Tuesday, it has added tungsten, tellurium, bismuth, molybdenum and indium-related items to the export control list.中国还宣布了一系列针对关键矿产的出口管制政策。商务部表示，自2月4日起，将钨、碲、铋、钼、铟相关物项纳入出口管制清单。The Commerce Ministry also put US clothing company PVH Corp and biotechnology company Illumina Inc on its unreliable entity list. China will take corresponding measures against the two companies in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.商务部还将美国服装公司PVH集团和生物技术公司因美纳公司列入不可靠实体清单，并表示将依据相关法律法规对这两家公司采取相应措施。"The two companies violate normal market trading principles, interrupt normal transactions with Chinese enterprises, take discriminatory measures against Chinese companies and seriously damage the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese firms," the ministry said in a statement.商务部在一份声明中表示：“这两家公司违反正常的市场交易原则，中断与中国企业的正常交易，对中国企业采取歧视性措施，严重损害中国企业合法权益。”The State Administration for Market Regulation, China's top market regulator, said on Tuesday that it has initiated an investigation into US tech giant Google Inc for suspected violations of China's Anti-Monopoly Law.2月4日，中国国家市场监督管理总局表示，已对美国科技巨头谷歌公司涉嫌违反《中华人民共和国反垄断法》展开立案调查。Luo Zhiheng, chief economist at Yuekai Securities, said China should resort to effective countermeasures against any tariff threats by the White House, while optimizing domestic policies and anchoring market expectations.粤开证券首席经济学家罗志恒表示，中国应针对白宫提出的任何关税威胁采取有效反制措施，同时优化国内政策、稳定市场预期。"Based on the experiences gained during the first Trump administration, China can utilize measures such as imposing additional tariffs and export controls to counter trade threats from the US," Luo said.罗志恒说：“参考特朗普第一任政府期间的经验，中国可以采取加征额外关税和出口管制等措施来应对美国的贸易威胁。”He added that China should continue to broaden the list of sanctioned goods and entities, and increase Beijing's negotiation leverage with Washington.他还表示，中国应继续扩大商品和实体清单制裁范围，并增加北京与华盛顿的谈判筹码。Given heightened global uncertainties, China should scale up the intensity of its fiscal and monetary policies, actively expand domestic demand to counter any potential downturns in external demand, and steadily push forward high-level opening-up, expand networks with trade partners and diversify its trade portfolios, Luo said.罗志恒认为，鉴于全球不确定性上升，中国应加大财政货币政策的力度，积极扩大内需以对冲外需可能的下滑，同时稳步推进高水平对外开放，扩大中国的贸易“朋友圈”，大力拓展对外贸易多元化。discriminatoryadj.歧视的，区别对待的

Ma Ying-jeou, former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang party, will lead a group of Taiwan youth to the Chinese provinces of Heilongjiang and Sichuan later this month to participate in an ice-themed major event and engage in other exchange activities, a spokesperson from the Chinese mainland announced on Wednesday.国务院台办发言人11日宣布，中国国民党前主席马英九将率台湾青年于12月下旬赴黑龙江、四川出席海峡两岸青年冰雪节活动并参访。This will be Ma's second visit to the mainland this year, following an 11-day trip starting from the end of March, during which he led a Taiwan youth delegation to Guangdong, Shaanxi and Beijing. The visit concluded with a meeting between Ma and Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.这将是马英九今年第二次访问大陆，此前他曾于3月底进行为期11天的访问，期间率领台湾青年学子访问了广东、陕西和北京。访问结束时，中共中央总书记习近平会见马英九一行。Last week, a delegation of mainland college students, including Olympic table tennis champion Ma Long and shooting champion Yang Qian, completed a nine-day visit to Taiwan.上周，包括奥运乒乓球冠军马龙和射击冠军杨倩在内的大陆高校师生访问团结束了对台湾为期9天的访问交流。Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, confirmed at a regular news briefing that Ma's upcoming visit will occur from Dec 18 to 26. She welcomed Ma's visit and assured that all activities would be well-arranged.国务院台办发言人朱凤莲在例行新闻发布会上证实，马英九将于12月18日至26日来访。她对马英九的到来表示欢迎，并保证将妥善安排各项活动。Zhu emphasized that China has a long history, rich culture, vast territory and magnificent landscapes, making it a shared homeland for compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. She added that the youth on both sides represent the future of cross-Strait relations.朱凤莲强调，中国历史悠久、文化灿烂、幅员辽阔、山川壮美，是两岸同胞的共同家园。两岸青年承载着两岸关系的未来和希望。"We hope that compatriots on both sides, especially young people, will frequently interact and visit each other, inherit and promote excellent traditional Chinese culture, enhance exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and contribute to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," Zhu said.“希望两岸同胞特别是青年朋友常来往、多走动，共同传承弘扬中华优秀传统文化，携手促进两岸各领域交流合作，致力中华民族伟大复兴。”朱凤莲说。Hsiao Hsu-tsen, executive director of the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, said in a news release that, amid global tensions, cross-Strait relations are more important. He emphasized that, as Ma has said, the more exchanges and profound understanding there are between young people across the Strait, the fewer conflicts there will be in the future.马英九文教基金会执行长萧旭岑在一份新闻稿中说，在全球紧张局势下，两岸关系更为重要。他强调，正如马英九所说，两岸年轻人之间的交流越多，理解越深刻，未来的冲突就会越少。During this visit, Ma and the Taiwan youths will participate in an ice-themed event in Heilongjiang, China's northeasternmost province, which will be attended by young people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait.访问期间，马英九和台湾青年将参加在中国最东北省份黑龙江举行的冰雪主题活动，两岸青年也都将参加。Zhu said the event, taking place from Dec 18 to 24, will include activities such as a short video exhibition, an exchange seminar with cross-Strait youths, and a tour of venues for the 9th Asian Winter Games.朱凤莲介绍，此次活动将于12月18日至24日举行，包括短视频展播、两岸青年交流座谈会、第九届亚洲冬季运动会场馆巡礼等多项活动。"Currently, it is expected that around 1,000 participants, mostly young people, will participate in the ice-themed activities," Zhu said.“目前，预计将有以台湾青年为主体的约1000名台胞参加冰雪节活动。”朱凤莲说。Just days ago, from Nov 27 to Dec 5, a delegation of 40 teachers and students from seven mainland universities, including Tsinghua University, visited Taiwan. The group engaged in exchanges with their Taiwan peers, visited universities, and toured historical and cultural sites, including the Taipei Confucius Temple.就在几天前，11月27日至12月5日，由清华大学等7所大陆高校40名师生组成的访问团赴台参访。访问团与台湾同行进行了交流，参观了大学，并游览了台北孔庙等历史古迹。Zhu noted that the visit was warmly welcomed and actively supported by various sectors in Taiwan. "The people of Taiwan have felt the youthful energy of mainland youths, represented by Olympic champions Ma Long and Yang Qian, and their sincerity and goodwill in understanding Taiwan," she said.朱凤莲指出，此次访问受到了台湾各界的热烈欢迎和积极支持。她说：“台湾民众看到了以奥运冠军马龙、杨倩为代表的大陆青年的青春风采，看到了他们了解台湾的诚意善意。”She cited several Taiwan children who expressed a desire to learn table tennis in the mainland after receiving signed paddles from Ma.她举例说，一些台湾小朋友得到马龙签名球拍后，表示希望有机会来大陆学习乒乓球。Meanwhile, the mainland delegation also experienced the warmth and friendliness of the Taiwan people and their genuine willingness to engage with the mainland, the spokeswoman said.与此同时，朱凤莲表示，大陆师生访问团也感受到台湾民众的热情友善以及和大陆交流的真情实意。Zhu said that the mainland group members received many handwritten letters, postcards and well-prepared small gifts from Taiwan people.朱凤莲指出，大陆访问团收到很多台湾民众手写的信件、明信片和用心准备的小礼物。"Many young people from Taiwan and mainland delegation members agreed to meet again next year, looking forward to more exchanges across the Strait," Zhu said. "Their actions and efforts have promoted cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, brought compatriots closer and demonstrated deep affection."“很多台湾青年和访问团成员相约来年再见，期待两岸有更多交流。” 朱凤莲说，“他们用自身行动和努力促进了两岸交流合作，拉近了两岸同胞距离，诠释了浓浓的同胞亲情。”The mainland will continue to support and promote cross-Strait youth exchanges, providing more platforms and opportunities for mutual learning and interaction so that young people on both sides can make greater contributions to the peaceful and integrated development of cross-Strait relations, according to the mainland official.朱凤莲表示，大陆将一如既往支持和推动两岸青年交流，持续为两岸青年互学互鉴、交流交心搭建更多平台、创造更多机会，让两岸青年为推动两岸关系和平发展、融合发展贡献更大力量。compatriotn. 同胞rejuvenationn. 复兴cross-Strait youth exchange海峡两岸青年交流

Dec. 3, 2024 - Building homes in New York could become much more expensive if an obscure building council follows through with plans to mandate fire suppression systems in one- and two-family residential construction projects. We hear opposition to this mandate from Mike Kelly, from the New York State Association of REALTORS, and Michael Barrett, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of New York State.

China aims to significantly reduce per capita food waste and bring grain loss rates below the global average by the end of 2027, according to a recently introduced action plan.根据近日印发的行动方案，中国致力于大幅减少人均粮食浪费，目标是到2027年年底，粮食损失率控制在国际平均水平以下。The plan to boost grain conservation and curb food waste was issued by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council, China's Cabinet.近日，中共中央办公厅、国务院办公厅印发了《粮食节约和反食品浪费行动方案》。The plan sets targets for reducing food waste and enhancing grain efficiency nationwide, from production and storage to processing and consumption.该方案设立了在全国范围内降低粮食和食品损耗浪费的目标，涉及粮食生产、储存、加工和消费等各环节。It emphasizes the application of advanced technologies and high-efficiency machinery to minimize grain loss during harvesting, and farmers will be supported through subsidies and training in precision harvesting techniques.该方案强调应用先进技术和高效机械，强化粮食机收减损，并通过补贴政策和专业农机手培训为农民提供支持。Promoting scientific grain storage methods and building high-standard granaries are key to reducing grain loss in storage, according to the plan. Green storage initiatives and smart grain storage technologies will enhance the preservation of stored grain, it said.该方案指出，推广科学储粮方法和建设高标准粮仓是减少粮食储存损失损耗的关键。绿色储粮技术和智慧粮库建设有助于优化粮食储存的效果。Investment in modern transportation infrastructure such as specialized railways and terminals will reduce grain losses during transit, the plan said, encouraging the adoption of innovative logistics solutions for efficient grain transportation.方案强调，深入推进铁路专用线、专用码头等现代化运输基础设施建设有利于减少运输过程中的粮食损耗，并鼓励采用创新物流模式来实现粮食高效运输。It promotes moderate grain processing standards, higher yield rates of grain and oil, and the use of byproducts such as bran and germ to maximize the use of grain.该方案提倡适度的粮食加工标准，提高粮油出品率，并加强米糠、麸皮、胚芽等粮油加工副产物资源化利用。It also aims to promote public awareness through educational campaigns and activities, including encouraging families to adopt healthier eating habits and expanding the nationwide Clean Plate campaign, which urges diners to order responsibly and minimize leftovers.同时，方案旨在通过开展教育活动提升全民节粮意识，包括鼓励家庭养成健康饮食习惯，以及深化全国范围内的“光盘行动”，敦促用餐者按需适量点餐并尽量减少剩菜剩饭。Key sectors targeted in the plan include the food service industry, the workplace and school canteens.该方案针对的主要部门包括餐饮服务业、工作场所和学校食堂。Restaurants are encouraged to promote smaller portion sizes and actively remind customers to avoid excessive ordering. Mechanisms such as savings rewards and food donations to charities are being incentivized, it said.方案指出，要引导餐饮服务经营者积极推广小份餐品，加强按需适量点餐提醒。同时还鼓励建立发放节约奖励、向有关福利机构捐赠食品等机制。Schools are encouraged to adopt practices such as meal weighing and customized menu options, while State-owned organizations and enterprises are urged to arrange food portions in canteens appropriately, according to the plan.该方案鼓励学校采用称重取餐和定制菜单等做法，同时敦促机关食堂和国有企业食堂合理安排饭菜份量。China plans to establish a statistical framework for monitoring food loss and waste across sectors, including production, transportation and retail, as well as household consumption. Regular surveys and evaluations will inform policy adjustments and strengthen enforcement, according to the plan.根据该方案，中国计划建立健全统计调查制度，用于监测生产、运输、零售以及家庭消费等各环节的粮食损失和食品浪费情况。此外，常态化调查和评估将为政策调整和加强执法提供依据。The country's efforts to promote food conservation and combat food waste still face various challenges and contradictions, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission said on Monday.11月25日，国家发展改革委有关负责人介绍，中国在推动节约粮食和反对浪费方面的努力仍面临各种挑战和矛盾。Data on food loss and waste remains weak, and statistical investigations and assessments are not fully established. In particular, the catering sector sees significant waste from business banquets and celebrations for weddings and funerals, the official said. The introduction of the action plan aims to foster strong cooperation and encourage the habits of practicing frugality and opposing waste, the official added.该负责人指出，中国粮食损失和食品浪费数据基础薄弱，统计调查评估制度还不完善，特别是餐饮消费环节中商务宴请、红白喜事等浪费严重。该行动方案的发布旨在促进强有力的合作，鼓励大众养成节约粮食和反对浪费的习惯。granaryn. 粮仓Clean Plate campaign光盘行动frugalityn. 节约；朴素meal weighing称重取餐

Starting from January 2025, public holidays will be extended by two days as per revised measures on holiday arrangements unveiled by the State Council, or China's Cabinet, on Tuesday.11月12日，中国国务院发布关于修改《全国年节及纪念日放假办法》的决定，自2025年1月起，全体公民放假的假日增加2天。The Spring Festival holiday will be extended from the previous three days to four days, including the eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year on Jan 28, while the May Day holiday will be increased from one day to two days, with May 2 newly added, according to the latest measures.根据最新安排，春节假期将从之前的3天延长至4天，包括1月28日农历除夕；而劳动节假期将从1天增至2天，新增5月2日放假。A new provision was added to the measures, stipulating that public holidays can be arranged to combine with adjacent weekends or paid annual leave to form longer holiday periods.《办法》中新增一项规定，即全体公民放假的假日可与相连周末或带薪年休假结合，实际形成较长假期。After the adjustment, the Spring Festival holiday next year will span eight days, starting from Lunar New Year's Eve, and the May Day holiday will be observed with a five-day holiday.调整后，明年春节自农历除夕起，放假调休8天；劳动节放假调休5天。The time off will include days off that people will get for working additional days before and after the holidays to compensate for the long breaks.新假日将包括人们在节假日前后额外工作的天数，以补偿长时间的休息。For example, for Spring Festival, Jan 26 and Feb 8 will be the make-up days. People will need to report to work on both of these days, which will allow them to enjoy a longer holiday period of eight days instead of just the four.例如，春节期间，1月26日和2月8日将是调休日。人们需要在这两天报到上班，这样他们就可以享受长达8天的假期，而不是只有4天。In addition to the New Year's Day holiday that falls on Jan 1, the Tomb-Sweeping Day and Duanwu Festival, or Dragon Boat Festival, will each have a three-day holiday. The Mid-Autumn Festival overlaps with the National Day holiday next year, so the period will be extended to eight days beginning on Oct 1.除1月1日的元旦假期外，清明节和端午节也将各放假3天。明年的中秋节与国庆节假期重合，因此双节合并自10月1日起放假8天。In response to public concerns about the additional working days to compensate for the long holiday breaks, the revised measures stipulated that the working days surrounding national holidays generally won't exceed six consecutive days, except in rare cases.为回应公众对为补偿长假而调休工作日的担忧，修改后的《办法》规定，除个别特殊情形外，法定节假日假期前后连续工作一般不超过6天。The new measures will come into effect on Jan 1, the State Council said.国务院表示，新规定自2025年1月1日起施行。Data from multiple travel platforms revealed a surge in ticket searches and bookings within half an hour of the announcement about the extended holidays.多个旅游平台的数据显示，在宣布假日增加的半小时内，机票搜索和预订量激增。The number of ticket searches for the 2025 Spring Festival holiday on online travel agency Qunar was 2.2 times higher than normal, with travelers from cities like Chengdu in Sichuan province, Zhengzhou in Henan province and Shanghai already booking flights for the evening before Lunar New Year's Eve.在去哪儿网上，2025年春节假期的机票搜索量是平时的2.2倍，来自四川成都、河南郑州和上海等城市的旅客已经预订了农历除夕前一晚的航班。Similarly, Tongcheng Travel, another agency, reported that searches for Spring Festival flights increased more than threefold compared with the previous day. Some travelers also began looking up international flights for the National Day holiday, it said.同样，同程旅行报告称，春节假期航班的搜索量比前一天增加了三倍多。该机构称，一些旅客也开始搜索国庆假期的国际航班。Wang Yalei, an analyst at Trip.com Research Institute, said the addition of two extra public holiday days in 2025 has been widely welcomed.携程研究院行业分析师王亚磊表示，2025年法定节假日增加两天受到广泛欢迎。Moreover, the adjustment eases the burden of "holiday shift adjustments", allowing travelers to enjoy longer, uninterrupted holidays. This flexibility supports staggered travel, reducing peak-time crowding, Wang said.王亚磊介绍，这一调整还减轻了节假日调班的负担，使旅客能够享受更长的连续假期。这种灵活性促进了错峰出行，减少了高峰时段的拥挤。Zhou Zitong, a 32-year-old who works in the banking industry in Beijing, said he supports the revised measures, but he is still worried that the additional work days on weekends surrounding public holidays would affect his work schedule.在北京银行业工作的32岁员工周子通表示，他支持修改后的规定，但仍担心法定节假日前后周末调休的工作日会影响他的工作安排。"According to the new holiday arrangement, we will still work for six consecutive days at least twice next year, which has probably led to negative reactions among the public," Zhou said.“根据新的放假安排，明年我们仍将至少两次连续工作6天，这可能会在公众中引起负面反应。”周子通说。stipulatev. (尤指在协议或建议中)规定, 约定paid annual leave带薪年休假staggered travel错峰出行compensatev. 补偿

Global leaders have gathered in Peru for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum. What are the top issues at this year's APEC meeting? What can APEC do to enhance economic cooperation to promote inclusive and sustainable growth? What's China's role in it (00:47)?Chinese lawmakers have approved a State Council bill on raising the ceiling of local government debt to replace their existing hidden debts. How will the debt swap operate? How will the additional debt relief impact the Chinese economy (17:10)?

The FDA recently approved a number of medications to treat Alzheimer's disease. But while these new drugs are far from a cure, Lana Sargent says they're certainly a step in the right direction. And: Fruit flies can be such a nuisance. But those tiny little buggers hovering around your old bananas might actually help treat Alzheimer's. Anna Salazar's found a link between gut health and dementia in fruit flies that may apply to humans as well. Later in the show: Close to 7 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease. And as the country continues to age, the search for a cure has never been so pressing. Timothy Jarome works with elderly lab rats to understand what happens to the brain as we grow older. He was named an Outstanding Faculty member by The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. Plus: When we're young, a slip or trip might result in a bruise or skinned knee. But as we grow old, falls can be dangerous - even life threatening. Michael Madigan helps elderly folks practice falling in harnesses so they can better navigate obstacles in the real world.

貿易 mào yì - trade 措施 cuò shī - measures 恢復 huī fù - restore 課徵 kè zhēng - levy 關稅 guān shuì - tariff 中國國務院 Zhōngguó Guówùyuàn - State Council of China 關稅稅則委員會 guān shuì shuì zé wěi yuán huì - Tariff and Tax Committee 發布 fā bù - issue/announce 公告 gōng gào - announcement 免徵 miǎn zhēng - exempt from levying 進口 jìn kǒu - import 出口 chū kǒu - export 反反覆覆 fǎn fǎn fù fù - repeatedly change (inconsistent) 養活 yǎng huó - to support (livelihood) 拓展 tuò zhǎn - expand 海外 hǎi wài - overseas 鳳梨 fèng lí - pineapple 鳳梨釋迦 fèng lí shì jiā - pineapple custard apple 木瓜 mù guā - papaya 楊桃 yáng táo - starfruit 芭樂 bā lè - guava 蓮霧 lián wù - wax apple 柚子 yòu zi - pomelo 椰子 yé zi - coconut 洋蔥 yáng cōng - onion 花椰菜 huā yé cài - cauliflower 絲瓜 sī guā - loofah 苦瓜 kǔ guā - bitter melon 胡蘿蔔 hú luó bo - carrot 青江菜 qīng jiāng cài - bok choy 小白菜 xiǎo bái cài - baby bok choy 輸出 shū chū - export (output) 高端市場 gāo duān shì chǎng - high-end market 積極 jī jí - proactive/positive 外銷 wài xiāo - export sales 降低 jiàng dī - reduce 損失 sǔn shī - loss 依賴 yī lài - depend on If you've been learning Chinese for a while but feel stuck or frustrated with your progress, I invite you to book a one-on-one trial lesson with me

China will implement a batch of policies, including those addressing financing and credit, to support small and micro-sized enterprises, platform firms and unicorns, so as to help them expand business and unleash vitality, it was announced on Monday at a conference by the State Council, the nation's Cabinet.10月14日，国新办举行新闻发布会，宣布中国将实施一系列融资信贷等政策，支持小微企业、平台企业和独角兽企业发展，帮助它们拓展市场、释放活力。Buoyed by such signals of support for the private sector, share prices rose in China on Monday. The CSI 300, an index of large companies traded in Shanghai and Shenzhen, closed 1.9 percent higher. The ChiNext Index, which tracks China's Nasdaq-style board of growing and emerging enterprises, gained 2.6 percent.受这些支持民营经济信号的提振，14日，中国股市上涨。沪深300指数收盘涨1.9%，追踪中国版纳斯达克成长型和新兴企业的创业板指涨2.6%。Luo Wen, head of the State Administration for Market Regulation, the country's top market regulator, said that the country will work to introduce innovative quality financing and credit enhancement policies to ease financing challenges for SMSEs.国家最高市场监管部门——国家市场监督管理总局局长罗文表示，中国将创新实施质量融资增信政策，帮助缓解小微企业融资困难问题。Under such policies, financial institutions will factor in a company's quality management and brand reputation when issuing loans. Together with equity, funds and bond-based financing tools, the country aims to generate a credit enhancement and financing quota of 300 billion yuan ($42 billion) each year, Luo said.罗文介绍，根据这些政策，金融机构在发放贷款时将考虑企业的质量管理和品牌信誉。股权、基金、债券等融资工具组合发力，国家每年可以实现质量融资增信授信额度3000亿元。Luo emphasized that the SAMR will roll out a guideline to guide platform operators to help merchants on the platform enhance brand awareness, increase market transactions and harness traffic.罗文强调，市场监管总局将出台指导意见，引导平台企业帮助其平台上的商户提升品牌知名度、增加市场交易量和利用流量。It will help businesses, especially new entrants, agricultural firms and some unique companies on the platform, to enhance their ability to utilize online traffic more efficiently and tap into larger audiences, he added.罗文补充，这将帮助企业商户提高流量利用效率、挖掘更多受众，尤其是对新入驻经营主体、农产品经营主体和特色经营主体。Beyond SMSE support, Wang Jiangping, vice-minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said the ministry will collaborate with the China Securities Regulatory Commission to launch the third batch of specialized boards for "little giant" companies in regional equity markets.工业和信息化部副部长王江平表示，除了扶持小微企业，工信部将联合证监会推出第三批区域性股权市场“专精特新”专板以支持“小巨人”企业。Little giant companies refer to small and medium-sized enterprises that typically specialize in niche sectors, command high market shares and boast strong innovative capacity. By the end of June this year, China had cultivated 12,000 such enterprises. 所谓“小巨人”企业，是指专注于细分领域、市场占有率高、创新能力强的中小型企业。截至今年6月底，中国已培育了1.2万家这样的企业。The ministry also plans to sign a strategic cooperation agreement with the Beijing Stock Exchange to further streamline financing channels for these firms, Wang said.王江平补充，工信部还计划与北交所签订战略合作协议，进一步畅通专精特新中小企业资本市场融资渠道。At the conference on Monday, Wang said that China is also placing a greater emphasis on developing unicorn companies — startups valued at over $1 billion — in emerging high-tech fields such as 6G and brain-computer interfaces.在14日的新闻发布会上，王江平表示，中国也将更加重视独角兽企业（即估值超过10亿美元的初创企业）在6G、脑机接口等新兴高科技领域的发展。He said a nationwide unified system will be established to coordinate the development of unicorn companies between the central government and provincial government levels.王江平补充，为推动支持我国独角兽企业发展，将建立全国统一、部省联动的独角兽企业培育体系。Unicorn companies will be supported in technological innovation, and will be encouraged and guided to address national strategic needs and master unique, proprietary technologies, Wang said, adding that more efforts will be made to increase financial backing for these unicorns, including support for public listings, mergers and acquisitions, to accelerate their growth.支持独角兽企业技术创新，鼓励和引导独角兽企业围绕国家战略需求开展技术攻关，掌握更多的“独门绝技”。加大对独角兽企业的金融支持，包括支持独角兽企业上市、并购、重组等。Despite China's growing unicorns, the country still lags behind the United States in terms of the overall number, according to the Hurun Research Institute. Last year, China had 340 unicorns while the US had 700.胡润研究院称，尽管中国的独角兽企业不断增加，但就总体数量而言，中国仍落后于美国。去年，中国有340家独角兽企业，而美国有700家。Wang Peng, a senior researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, said that encouraging SMSEs, platform firms and unicorn companies are part of broader efforts to spur the private sector, which is of great significance to counter the current global economic slowdown. 北京市社会科学院高级研究员王鹏表示，鼓励支持小微企业、平台企业和独角兽企业是刺激民营经济发展的进一步努力，这对于应对当前全球经济下行具有重要意义。A report on private sector development by the State Council showed that private companies accounted for 92.3 percent of the country's total number of business entities in 2023, a significant increase from 79.4 percent in 2012.国务院关于民营经济发展情况的报告显示，2023年，民营企业占全国企业总数的92.3%，较2012年的79.4%有大幅提高。"The Chinese economy will continue gathering momentum if the private sector, including smaller businesses, remains sound. More importantly, private enterprises stood undoubtedly at the forefront of technological innovations and the digital economy in recent years, especially in fields like new energy, information, communication, biopharmaceuticals and AI," the senior researcher said.“如果包括小型企业在内的民营经济发展稳健，中国经济将继续保持良好发展势头。更重要的是，近年来，民营企业无疑站在了技术创新和数字经济的前沿，尤其是在新能源、信息、通信、生物制药和人工智能等领域。”资深研究员王鹏说。harnessv. 利用proprietaryadj. 独有的；专利的mergern. (企业)合并；并购acquisitionn. 收购

The fire that led to 39 deaths and nine injuries at a complex building in Jialeyuan community in Xinyu, Jiangxi province, on Jan 24 was caused by illegal construction of a cold storage facility in its basement, according to an investigation report released on Saturday.根据9月21日公布的一份调查报告，江西省新余市佳乐苑小区的一栋综合楼于1月24日发生火灾，造成39人死亡、9人受伤，起火原因是该楼地下一层违规建设冷库。Polyurethane foam sealant was used during construction at the first floor underground, releasing flammable gases that accumulated to reach combustible conditions. While laying plastic film on extruded polystyrene boards, static electricity was generated, igniting the gases, the foam and other flammable materials. It created a large amount of toxic smoke, according to the report approved by an executive meeting of the State Council.国务院常务会议审议通过的调查报告显示，地下一层施工作业中使用聚氨酯泡沫填缝剂时，释放易燃气体局部积聚达到可燃条件；在挤塑板上铺设塑料薄膜时，产生静电放电点燃积聚的易燃气体，迅即引燃聚氨酯泡沫、挤塑板等易燃可燃材料，产生大量有毒烟气。The smoke quickly spread to the second floor as the fire separation in the shared evacuation staircase between the basement and the ground floor was missing. On the second floor, students and teachers were having classes organized by a training institute. Because of the security nets and advertising boards outside the classrooms, they failed to escape on time, resulting in an increase in casualties.因地下一层与一层共用的疏散楼梯防火分隔缺失，烟气快速蔓延至二层。在二楼，师生们正在上培训机构组织的课程。由于教室外安装了防盗网和广告牌，他们无法及时逃生，造成人员伤亡扩大。The accident, which happened in the afternoon of Jan 24 caused a direct economic loss of more than 43.52 million yuan ($6.17 million).事故发生在1月24日下午，造成直接经济损失4352万余元（约617万美元）。An investigation team was established by the Ministry of Emergency Management, the Ministry of Public Security, the National Fire and Rescue Administration, the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, and the Jiangxi Provincial People's Government afterwards.事后，应急管理部、公安部、国家消防救援局、全国总工会和江西省人民政府成立了事故调查组。The team found that the owner of the building illegally rented the basement floor, where construction of the cold storage facility was illegal. The building had significant deficiencies in fire prevention. The educational training institute and a hotel were operating in violation of regulations. The relevant local authorities failed to carry out supervision.调查组查明，涉事房主违法违规出租综合楼地下一层，冷库建设施工单位违规建设冷库。涉事建筑存在防火分隔重大缺陷，教育培训机构和宾馆违规经营，属地有关部门监管缺位。In an interview with Xinhua News Agency, the team suggested enhancing safety management of cold storages by regulating planning, site selection and on-site construction. It also asked for strengthened management of major places where multiple businesses operate.在接受新华社采访时，调查组建议通过规范规划、选址和现场施工建设来加强冷库安全管理。此外，调查组还要求强化多业态混合经营等重点场所安全管理。Efforts should be made to promote installation of "one-click alarm" devices in crowded areas and near evacuation routes, enabling a single press to trigger building-wide alarms and prompt responses from all occupants, it said.调查组建议，要大力推广在人员集中区域、疏散通道附近安装“一键报警”装置，实现一键按下，全楼报警、全员响应。It also addresses issues such as congested safety evacuation routes, poorly maintained fire safety facilities, inadequate safety exits, and potential hazards such as unauthorized security nets and advertisement boards.调查组还强调，要有效解决安全疏散通道不畅、消防设施未保持完好有效、安全出口不足、违规设置防盗网和广告牌等问题隐患。cold storage facility冷库，冷藏设施combustibleadj.可燃的evacuation route疏散通道potential hazard隐患，潜在的风险

①Israel and Hezbollah have both vowed to step up attacks. Will the renewed conflict escalate into all-out war? (00:44)②Joe Biden hosts his final Quad summit at his Delaware home. What legacy is he trying to cement with the Quad? (13:37)③China's State Council has called for more funding support for technology start-ups. (24:04)④Anura Kumara Dissanayake sworn in as Sri Lanka's new president. What changes will he bring to the country? (34:37)⑤Elon Musk has backed down in his fight with the Brazilian judiciary. What does it tell us about the power balance between big tech companies and national governments? (42:58)

Get the book, The Illustrated Guide to Visible Learning: An Introduction to What Works Best In Schools About The Author Dr. John Almarode is a bestselling author and an Associate Professor of Education at James Madison University, where he holds the Sarah Miller Luck Endowed Professorship. He received an Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia in 2021. Before his academic career, John started as a mathematics and science teacher in Augusta County, Virginia. He is the author, often with John Hattie, Doug Fisher, and Nancy Frey, of more than 29 books.   This episode of Principal Center Radio is sponsored by IXL, the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12. Discover the power of data-driven instruction in your school with IXL—it gives you everything you need to maximize learning, from a comprehensive curriculum to meaningful school-wide data. Visit IXL.com/center to lead your school towards data-driven excellence today.   

Babies come into the world ready to learn and all those coos and grunts that they make–and that their parents make at them–are stepping stones to fluency. Rory DePeolis and Shiree Harbick are studying baby babble to better understand how babies learn language. And: Too often when it comes to helping minority kids succeed in school, families are seen as part of the problem to solve. Instead, Melissa Wells recognizes the strengths that families bring. She shares her favorite kids books that help invite families into schools and celebrate their cultural strengths. Melissa was named an Outstanding Faculty member by The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. Plus: There's a lot of discussion of teachers who are worried about how ChatGPT and other AI tools will affect their classrooms. But some teachers, like Jinhee Kim, are embracing ChatGPT as a lesson-planner, a discussion coordinator, and even a sympathetic ear for stressed out students. Later in the show: In the early months of Covid, kids were sent home with packets for Zoom school. This was tough on all parents, but for parents with limited English language skills, it was particularly hard. Katherine Barko-Alva and her students started holding bilingual office hours for parents to call for help in Zoom-schooling. Today, the community that came from that meets monthly for Spanish-language parenting support. And: The relationships young children have with their teachers early in school make a big difference in later years. Kathleen Rudasill says that a child's individual temperament can really affect how that relationship forms.

GUEST HOST: Basil Valentine filling in for Patrick Henningsen.  GUEST 1 OVERVIEW: Dr. Frank Romano earned a PhD at University of Paris, Panthéon Sorbonne. He is a member of the California and Marseille Bars. He represents the Palestinian people before the ICC. He is a Peace & Freedom activist and has organized many demonstrations in Palestine, Israel and the United States against the Israeli occupation. He is author of: Love and Terror in the Middle East, 5th Ed. Finally, he was deported from Israel in 2019 for defending a Bedouin village, Khan al-Ahmar, from destruction by an Israeli bulldozer. By participating in the Freedom Flotilla project, he feels that he can be more directly involved in breaking the siege of Gaza by bringing medicine and food to starving Gazans and those in need of medicine. Finally, by doing that, he wants to help shine a light for the world to see this genocide as well as save some Gazans. GUEST 2 OVERVIEW: Heiko Khoo is a writer, broadcaster and orator at Speakers' Corner. He runs the weekly Karl Marx walking tour in London and has an opinion column on China.org.cn - the website of China's State Council.

Last time we spoke about the Zhejiang-Fengtian War, part of the Anti-Fengtian War. Sun Chuanfang had rising through the ranks and quickly seized himself a powerbase in southeast China. Zhang Zuolin and his Fengtian commanders meanwhile became quite arrogant and began bullying and seizing as much territory as they could. This led the Fengtian forces to begin encroaching in Sun Chuanfang newfound territory of Zhejiang. Assuming Sun Chuanfang like the rest would not resist them, they were certainly surprised when he did. Sun Chuanfang formed a coalition with the warlords that controlled Jiangasu, Fujian, Jiangxi, Anhui and his own Zhejiang to fight off the Fengtian menace. Sun Chuanfang went straight onto the offensive, surprising the Fengtian who were in a passive phase and ultimately defeating them, pushing them further north to Shandong. Sun Chuandfang's victory in the Zhejiang-Fengtian War marked the peak of his career, but peaks tend to fall.   #109 The Anti-Fengtian War Part 2: The Guominjun-Fengtian War 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 the previous episode we spoke about the Zhejiang-Fengtian War. It was part of a larger war known loosely as the anti-fengtian war or third Zhili-fengtian war. To be blunt, if you look up the anti-fengtian war, they barely take notice of the Zhejiang-Fengtian War. Most of the focus is directed north, particularly with the conflict between the Guominjun and Fengtian. Certainly the Guominjun took the spotlight during this war as Feng Yuxiang and Zhang Zuolin were clearly fighting for dominance over Beijing. However Zhang Zuolin was simply too powerful and began to bully his way across China. Through Duan Qirui and the Beiyang government, Zhang Zuolin secured vital positions for his subordinates. The 5th Fengtian army commander Kan Chaoxi was ordered to take two Fengtian Mixed Brigades and occupy Rehe province as its governor. Li Jinglin the commander of the Fengtian 2nd army and a Hubei native, became the military inspector of Hubei. Zhang Zongchang was given the title of commander in chief of suppressing banditry in Jiangsu, Shandong and Anhui which further led him to become the governor of Shandong. Yang Yuting was made governor over Jiangsu and Jiang Dengxuan over Anhui.. By 1925 the Fengtian military was 370,000 men strong across land, sea and air. By January of 1925, Fengtian forces began occupying Shanghai, threatening Sun Chuanfang who unleashed the Zhejiang-Fengtian War in retaliation As for Feng Yuxiang, he was unable to exert any real control in Beijing. He had received the title of inspector general over the northwest, effectively a military governorship. This saw him gain direct control over Rehe, Chahar and Suiyuan. In early 1925 he moved his headquarters to Kalgan. Through his subordinates and allies he also exerted control in Hunan, Shanxi and Gansu. Because of his recent acquisition of Soviet aid, his armies were growing in size, though declining in quality. He had gradually distanced himself from Zhang Zuolin. In January of 1925 Feng Yuxiang was being excluded by Duan Qirui and Zhang Zuolin. At this point Feng Yuxiang met Li Dazhao as Soviet military advisors were coming to help train his forces. In the late spring and summer Feng Yuxiang dispatch young officers to study in the Soviet Union. After a very strict examination period, presided over by Feng Yuxiang, 24 out of 300 students were enlisted into the Soviet Officer training corps. Another 24 were sent to Japan. When the May 13th incident broke out, Feng Yuxiang alongside some subordinates sent a telegram to Duan Qirui asking the Beiyang government to "take the external situation seriously and not to worry about it, and expressed his willingness to go to the front for the country". Feng Yuxiang then began supporting student demonstrations and on June 13th had his troops all wear black armbands to mourn the Shanghai martyrs. Feng Yuxiang pushed his men to donate to the Shanghai strike workers and personally donated 10,000 yuan. Feng Yuxiang watched costly the events unfold in the southeast. Upon discovering Sun Chuanfang was gaining the upper hand, Feng Yuxiang finally made his move. He began secretly extending his hand to just about anyone who would join with him to fight the Fengtian forces. Obviously Sun Chuanfang was immediately receptive. Feng Yuxiang then reached out within the Fengtian clique to see if any disgruntled commanders would defect. He flirted with Li Jinglin, the current governor over Hubei province. It seemed Li Jinglin was completely on board for the time being as another Fengtian commander welcomed the invitation. Guo Songling, holding the courtesy name Maochen, was born on December 25th of 1883 in Yuqiaozhai village of Dongling district in Liaoning province. In 1903 Guo Songling began studying under Mr. Dong Hanru in Changwangzhai. However he was soon forced to pull out of school because of the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War. In Autumn of 1905, General Zhao Erxun established the Fengtian Army Primary School at Dabeiguan in Fengtian. Guo Songling immediately joined up. The next year he met Fang Shengtao, a member of the Tongmenghui where he became exposed to revolutionary ideology. In 1907 Guo Songling graduated with honors and soon served as a sentry to the Shengjiang General's office. He was soon taken under the wing of commander Zhu Qinglan.  In 1909 Guo Songling was transferred to Chengdu, Sichuan alongside Zhu Qinglan. The next year Guo Songling joined the nationalist army of the Tongmenghui, joining the Tongmenghui as well. In 1911 the Sichuan Railway protection movement broke out and Guo Songling joined the uprising. By this point he was promoted to commander of the 2nd battalion of the 68th regiment, responsible for the defense of northern Chengdu. He persuaded the masses to lift the siege without bloodshed. The governor of Sichuan, Zhao Erfeng dismissed Guo Songlong, suspecting him to be colluding with bandits, but later restored him to his original post at the request of Zhu Qinglan. After the Wuchang uprising, various regions of Sichuan declared independence one after another. In Chengdu a new government formed with Zhu Qinglan as deputy governor. However sichuan generals soon instigated local troops to launch a mutiny, forcing Zhu Qinglan and many Hakka Generals to flee Sichuan. Guo Songling then decided to return to Fengtian province.  Back in Fengtian he joined another uprising movement led by Zhang Rong, but he was quickly arrested by the Qing government and beheaded. At this point one Han Shuxiu risked her life trying to stop the carriage carrying Zhang Rong to his execution. She was caught, but before they seized her, she told the police she was the fiance of Guo Songling, and this led them to let her go. She married Guo Songling shortly after. In 1912 Guo Songling entered the Beijing Officers institute and the next year he entered the army university. After graduating he served as a Beijing military academy instructor. In 1917 after Sun Yat-Sen established his military government in Guangzhou, Guo Songling joined up as the chief of staff to the Guangdong-Jiangxi-Hunan Border defense and became the battalion commander of the Guangdong provincial army. After Sun Yat-Sen saw some major defeats, Guo Songling departed Guangzhou, yet again returning to Fengtian where he took up a position as a tactical instructor for the military academy of Manchuria. It was here he met Zhang Xueliang. Zhang Xueliang soon recommended him to his dad who made him chief of staff and head of the 2nd regiment. By 1921 he was the head of the 8th Brigade.  During the first Zhili-Fengtian war of 1922, the eastern route force led by Zhang Xueliang and Guo Songling shattered Wu Peifu's plan to break through Shanhaiguan. During the second Zhili-Fengtian war of 1924, Zhang Xueliang and Guo Songling were serving as commander and deputy commander of the 3rd army. Alongside Jiang Dengxuan and Han Linchun commanding the 1st army, they soundly defeated the Zhili forces winning the war. Zhang Zuolin then appointed his son as commander of the BEijing-Yulin garrison with Guo Songling as his deputy commander. As Zhang Zuolin dispatched Fengtian commanders into China proper to occupy southern provinces. Guo Songling believed Zhang Zuolin and many of his commanders were becoming war mongers, and proposed a different strategy, emphasizing pulling back forces into China's interior to try and win over rural populations. Other commanders worked to politically exclude Guo Songling from Zhang Zuolin's ear, such as Yang Yuting, thus Guo Songling's proposal was rejected.  In 1925 Guo Songling took his wife to Japan to study military affairs. While in Japan Guo Songling learnt Zhang Zuolin was dispatched his troops south drawing Sun Chuanfang into a war. He also learned the extent of Zhang Zuolin's dealings with the Japanese and became disgusted with how he was seemingly selling out China. Now Guo Songling's wife Han Shuxiu was a graduate of Yenching University and a classmate of Feng Yuxiang's wife, Li Dequan. They had a good relationship and were close contacts. Han Shuxiu learned about Feng Yuxiang's dealings with the Soviets and told Guo Songling who became quite excited. Guo Songling had acquired quite a few grievances under Zhang Zuolin and wanted to overthrow him. Therefore he began to secretly negotiate with Feng Yuxiang. In November Guo Songling was recalled to China for the war effort. Instead of aiding the war effort, On November 22nd, Guo Songling raised an army in Luanzhou and sent a telegram stating he was rebelling against Zhang Zuolin. He called his force the “Northeast National Army”. Jiang Dengxuan rushed over to Luanzhou station to try and reason with Guo Songling, but was arrested upon entering the city. Guo Songling tried to persuade Jiang Dengxuan to join him to oppose Zhang Zuolin, but Jiang simply scolded him. Guo Songling then had him shot on November 26th. Guo Songling raised 70,000 troops who quickly captured Shanhaiguan. In the face of the onslaught, Zhang Zuolin only had 40,000 troops in the vicinity, as he had dispatched the vast majority of his forces into China proper to expand the Fengtian empire. Pretty ironic, the guy who told him to pull back his forces into the interior was now attacking his interior. Guo Songling's forces brushed aside the Fengtian armies, seizing Suizhong, Xingcheng and Jinzhou. The Fengtian forces were taken completely off guard and were quickly pushed towards the east bank of the Liaohe River. Guo Songling's main target was Mukden, which he soon erected a siege against. Guo Songling since November 22nd began repeatedly sending telegrams to Zhang Zuolin demanding he step down and allow his son Zhang Xueliang to take over. If Zhang Zuolin would simply do so, he promised to stop his rebellion. Zhang Zuolin panicked and began frantically placing a bounty over Guo Songling's head, up to 800,000 yuan. With no one to turn to, Zhang Zuolin ran with his tail between his legs to the Japanese asking if their Kwantung Army could stop Guo Songling. Zhang Zuolin knew very well the kind of man Guo Songling was. He knew the mans personality and vigor was a huge threat politically, allegedly Zhang Zuolin began the process of forming his resignation and peace talks. Zhang Zuolin was seen packing 29 cars with furniture and his valuables heading over to Dalian to flee, most likely for Japan. It is also said he had a ton of firewood and gasoline positioned around his mansion, so it could be burned down if Guo Songling got to it. Countless Fengtian civilian and military officials also began fleeing with their families, it was pure chaos. The Japanese were certainly not pleased with the situation. The Kwantung Army certainly did not want Guo Songling to gain power, it most certainly spelt doom over their dominance over Manchuria. Guo Songling was in league with Feng Yuxiang and to the Japanese this meant in one way or another, he was a communist sympathizer. The Japanese view of Guo Songling was “Guo's intention was to expel Zhang himself, clearly implement the Three Principles of the Kuomintang , involve the three northeastern provinces in war, attract Soviet forces into Manchuria, and induce a situation that Japan's national defense and Manchuria-Mongolia policy could not forgive." The president of the Manchuria railway company, Yasuhiro Banichiro believed “if Guo's rebellion was successful, the three northeastern provinces would be ravaged by the communist movement, and there might be a "free zone" without the Manchurian Railway and Kwantung Leased Territory." Consul General Yoshida Shigeru in Tianjin reported that if Guo Songling took over Manchuria, it was sure the Kuomintang would move in and the threat of communism with them. Thus the Japanese believed that Zhang Zuolin needed to stay in power. The Japanese began mediating a peace deal, highlighting how they wished both sides would recognize their empire's rights in Manchuria and Mongolia. They also added, if these demands were not respected they would go to war with either of them. Guo Songling slammed the table to this and shouted "How can this be! This is China's internal affairs! I don't understand what Japan's special rights are!" Then Zhang Zuolin made a secret agreement with the Japanese, caving into all their demands if the Kwantung army would send troops.  On december 8th, the Kwantung Army issued a warning to Guo Songling to stay 20 miles away from the south manchurian railway concession or they would get involved. The Kwantung army was taken measures to halt Guo Songling's advance and give Zhang Zuolin time to get his forces over. On the 9th the Japanese 10th divisional HQ moved from Liaoyang to Fengtian. The 63rd regiment,  1st artillery battalion and 1st Cavalry battalion of Gongzhuling alongside garrison units all converged upon Fengtian trying to intercept Guo Songling. On the 12th Guo Songling's vanguard arrived near Baiqibao. His right wing prepared an assault against Yingkou. On the 14th as they tried to enter Yingkou they were suddenly blocked by Japanese forces and issued another warning to back off. Guo Songling's men were thus banned from the urban area, forced to take the fighting along the Liaohe river. This was a huge obstacle between them at Fengtian, they would have to go 30 km's around the south manchuria railway to get to it. On the 15th the Japanese decided to withdraw part of the IJA 24th division from Korea and part of the 12th Division from Kurume to form a Manchuria expeditionary army that would be deployed in Fengtian to stop Guo Songling. On the 17th the main bulk of Guo Songling's army entered Baiqibao. On the 20th Guo Songling captured Xinmin and his vanguard was now arriving to the west bank of the Juliu river, due southwest of Mukden. Guo Songlings men could see the lights of Fengtian cities as they awaited the rest of the army to ford the river. The next day the main force arrived in Xinmen setting up a new HQ. The Fengtian defenses were led by Zhang Xueliang who deployed along the east bank of the Juliu river from Damintun to Gongzhutun. Wu Junsheng's 6th army, consisting mostly of cavalry were rushing south from Heilongjiang to take up a position on the Fengtian left wing while Zhang Zuoiangs 5th army was coming over from Jilin for the right wing. Zhang Xueliang personally led the 3rd army within the middle. Guo Songling set up his men along the west bank of the Juliu river, arranging them from north to south in the order of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th armies. On the 22nd Guo Songling gave the order for a general attack to take place the next day. The net day his army launched their attack against Zhang Xueliang's middle position, finding he was utilizing heavy Japanese weaponry. Zhang Zuoxiang attack with his right wing, quickly occupying Beigaotaizi, before hooking around to cut off Guo Songlings line of retreat. Then Wu Junsheng's left wing seized Liuhegou and assaulted Baiqibao where he burned Guo Songlings ammunition dumps, weaponry and provisions. Now Guo Songling's supply line was compromised and his rear was threatened. At this point Zhang Xueliang went out of his way to dispatch air forces to drop letters trying to get his friend to stop the rebellion. Without any response from Guo Songling, Zhang Xueliang took his force and began surrounding his army. That night Guo Songling held a meeting where his generals Zou Zuohua and Gao Jiyi advocated for a ceasefire and to go to the peace talks. Other generals such as Liu Wei and Fan Pujiang advocated to keep on fighting. In the end Guo Songling elected to keep the war going and decided to engage in a decisive battle on the 24th.  On the 24th, Guo Songling personally led the battle, launching three fierce attacks against the Fengtian forces. However Zuo Zuohua, his chief of staff defected, withdrawing an artillery brigade as he did so, greatly hampering the war effort. Guo Songling's army was defeated, he gave permission for his subordinates, even his personal guards to try and escape if they could during the night. Guo Songling and his wife Han Shuxiu were both captured by Wang Yongqing, the brigade commander of Wu Junshengs army. They were to be taken to Mukden for trial. On December 25th Wang Yongqing was escorting them when he received orders issued by Yang Yuting, Guo Songling's political rival. The orders were simply to shoot them on the spot. Now depending who you hear this story from, many claim it was actually Zhang Zuolin who sent the order. Historians believe Yang Yuting was worried Zhang Xueliang would rescue Guo Songling so he advised Zhang Zuolin it was best to simply kill him so the ordeal would not be repeated. At 10am Guo Songling and his wife were shot near Laodafang in Liaozhong county. Their bodies were transported to Mukden, which I should be calling Shenyang, I apologize the names change back and forth. Their bodies were left exposed in the Xiaoheyan stadium for three days. Thus ended the month long rebellion of Guo Songling. Now while all of that was breaking out in Manchuria, Feng Yuxiang had unleashed his war as well. In early december Feng Yuxiang led the Guominjun forces east launching a massive attack into Rehe province. Now if you recall, Feng Yuxiang had brokered a deal with Li Jinglin, and these parts of Rehe were his territory. Thus Li Jinglin saw this as a betrayal. He sent a telegram denouncing Feng Yuiang "He fooled his subordinates and used the heresy of communism to destroy the great defense and morality.I carry the sword for the country, not for party disputes or for profit, but only for this humanitarianism, in order to destroy the public enemy of the world and save our morality from the decline of five thousand years.It doesn't matter whether we are enemies or not, but only whether we are red or not.” Li Jinglin fought tenaciously against the Guominjun, however by December 23rd, Feng Yuxiang had seized Tianjin. Meanwhile alongside Sun Chuanfang, Wu Peifu had also joined the Zhili fight against the Fengtian forces, thus he was loosely allied to Feng Yuxiang. When Guo Songling's rebellion crumbled, it seemed clear to all, Feng Yuxiang was about to face the full brunt of Zhang Zuolin's Fengtian armies, who had withdrawn into the interior to meet his threat. While Feng Yuxiang dominated the Beijing area, it was only a matter of time before the Fengtian swarmed him. Wu Peifu had been quietly building up his powerbase in Hunan. While he appeared to be a good ally to the anti-Fengtian cause, he was anything but. The only person, Wu Peifu hated more than Zhang Zuolin, was of course Feng Yuxiang, the man who stabbed him in the back and ruined his Zhili dominated China dream. If Wu Peifu were to join Zhang Zuolin they would effectively surround and isolate Feng Yuxiangs pocket in the north. Wu Peifu knew if he wanted to rejoin the big boys club, he would have to kowtow to Zhang Zuolin and take up a subordinate position. If lets say Wu Peifu and Zhang Zuolin dominated Beijing again, they would be able to squeeze any funding away from Feng Yuxiang, shoving him back into the northwest, whence they could gradually beat him up. Thus Wu Peifu and Zhang Zuolin settled their differences and formed an alliance against the treacherous Feng Yuxiang. Its kind of funny but Feng Yuxiang had betrayed both men at some point so it was sort of the binding glue to their new found relationship. The Zhili and Fengtian cliques had united once again, this time calling themselves the Anti-Red coalition. Their objective was quite simple, they would surround and strangle Feng Yuxiang's army. On January 20th Feng Yuxiang had launched a battle against their new coalition at Shanhaiguan, Shandong and Henan simultaneously. Zhang Xueliang led his army to occupy Luanzhou before advancing towards Tianjin. Zhang Zongchang, whose army had withdrawn into Shandong after Sun Chuanfang had defeated them now attacked from the south. Zhang Zuolin dispatched a special envoy to officially form a alliance with Wu Peifu, asking him to attack Feng Yuxiang from his position and if possible see if Yan Xishan could be lured into the scuffle as well. Wu Peifu took his rather meager forces and marched north from Hubei into Hunan. His relatively weak army was assisted by the Red Spear Society. These were a rural self-defense movement that sprang up in Hebei, Henan and Shandong in the 1920s. They were local small land owners and tenant farmers trying to defend their lands or villages from roaming bandits, warlords, tax collectors and later on in history communists and Japanese. In many ways they were the spiritual successor to the Big Swords Society. This particular group of them had been abused by the Guominjun commander Yueh Weichun who presided over Hunan.  Back in the north, an incident broke out at the Taku forts. Feng Yuxiang having taken control of Tianjin and the Taku forts, seized some minor warships and began mining the seas. This was in violation of the Boxer Protocol and the IJN retaliated by bombarding his ships and even fired upon Feng Yuxiang's forces along the coast. Feng Yuxiang had his artillery fire back upon the IJN warships. In the face of the escalating situation, other foreign powers notified China they must stop what Feng Yuxiang was doing as it threatened to breach the Boxer Protocol. An ultimatum was given, prompting Duan Qirui to persuade Feng Yuxiangs forces to stop mining the waters. Then on March 18th, 1926, KMT and CCP members such as Xu Qian, Li Dazhao, Zhao Shiyan and others initiated a "National Congress against the Eight-Power Ultimatum" in front of Tiananmen, with Xu Qian served as the chairman of the presidium of the Congress. Mass demonstrations broke out in Tiananmen Square. They opposed the foreign ultimatum and called for an end to the unequal treaties, for foreign warships to depart their waters and for Feng Yuxiang to fight their imperial aggression. Li Dazhao took to the stage shouting "Don't be afraid, they dare not do anything to us!" Li Dazhao then led many to rush towards the state council. Duan Qirui panicked and ordered Beijing guards to fire upon them. A reporter at the scene stated stated that the marchers "the demonstrators attacked the State Council, poured oil, threw bombs, and attacked the military and police with pistols and sticks. The military and police were killed and injured in their legitimate defense." 47 demonstrators were killed, 150 more were wounded. Duan Qirui then ordered the arrest of the ring leaders, such as Li Dazho and Xu Qian who all fled. Back in the war for the north the Guominjun commander Lu Zhunglin now faced an offensive from Li Jinglin and Zhang Zongchang from Shandong and the main Fengtian forces coming from Manchuria. Li Jinglin began his advance in February of 1926, fighting Lu Zhunglin for several weeks. Feng Yuxiang realized they would lose the war at this rate and ordered the forces to pull out of Hubei and Henan into the Beijing area. Lu Zhunglin was forced to evacuate 100,000 man army by March 21st. Feng Yuxiang's took positions in the Beijing area where they would fight off the enemy for over a month, the enemy now including Wu Peifu who had advanced north from Hunan. Feng Yuxiang meanwhile arrested Duan Qirui and released Cao Kun on April 9th, trying to sow dissent between Wu Peifu and Zhang Zuolin. His idea was to declare he was once again willing to serve under Cao Kun, and sent word to Wu Peifu that they should join forces to destroy the Fengtian clique. Wu Peifu simply ignored this request. Lu Zhunglin leading the forces from the front knew he could not hope to hold back the onslaught any longer so on April 15th he evacuated the army to the Nankou Pass, roughly 30 miles northwest of Beijing. In the meantime the coalition led by armies under Zhang Zongchang, Zhang Xueliang, Li Jinglin and Wu Peifu occupied Beijing. They installed Yan Huiqing as a temporary figurehead as Duan Qirui was exiled to Tianjin under orders from Zhang Zuolin. The forces also sacked Beijing, so badly it would not recover until 1928. Now at the Nankou Pass, 90,000 Guominjun troops resisted the onslaught of over 450,000 of the enemy until August 16th. The Guominjun looking for another escape route dispatched a force led by Shi Yousan and Han Fuju into Shanxi. They were attacked near Datong by Yan Xishan's army. Despite being sympathetic to the Guominjun, as Yan Xishan was loosely associated with the KMT, his policy of neutrality had to be enforced, it was after all one of the ways he managed to survive this long. Feng Yuxiang's forces were quickly dislodged from Shanxi. Meanwhile Chahar fell to Zhang Xueliang's men as they advanced from Beijing and Suiyuan fell to Yan Xishan as his men advanced from Shanxi. The Guominjun put up a spartan-like resistance, but the Fengtian brought Japanese heavy artillery to the Nankou Pass where they blew away possibly 10,000 Guominjun. The Guominjun were forced to retreat into Gansu by August 15th.  Gansu at this time was being held by a bunch of lesser warlords whose domains were affected by religious divisions. Feng Yuxiang now took this time to go on a trip to the Soviet Union, announcing his resignation. Yet it was not actually a resignation, once in the USSR he began regaining control over his Guominjun army, winning back the favor of two of his best generals who had defected, Han Fuchu and Xu Yusan. Both these men had tossed their lot in with Yan Xishan temporarily. Feng Yuxiangs next goal was to recover his position in Shaanxi, where his forces had been under siege since April of 1926 by Liu Chenhua the previous warlord of Shaanxi. Liu Chenhua had been bolstered by Red Spear units from Hunan. Now Feng Yuxiang had basically united all the northern warlords in their hatred for him, so he pretty much had no one else to look to, except for of course, the Kuomintang.   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. Feng Yuxiang unleashed his Guominjun after securing many sneaky deals with those like Guo Songling, Sun Chuanfang, Li Jinglin and even Wu Peifu sort of. His plans all came to naught as he gradually lost the anti-fengtian war and now Wu Peifu and Zhang Zuolin were back in Beijing together, talk about Deja Vu.      

China's new round of financial reform is expected to focus on improving the financial system's ability to better support the country's modernization drive, with a priority on bolstering technological innovation and the broader real economy, said financial experts and executives.Also expected to be high on the agenda of the unfolding reform are intensifying financial regulation and strengthening the crackdown on violations to fend off financial risks, as well as deepening financial opening-up to improve resource allocation efficiency, they said.Their comments come at a juncture when the market eagerly waits to see how China will set the tone for the road map for future financial reform and opening-up at an upcoming vital reform meeting — the third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee, which is scheduled to be held in Beijing from Monday to Thursday.Early this year, President Xi Jinping urged efforts to accelerate the building of a modern financial system with Chinese characteristics at the opening of a study session at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance).Xi, who is also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, emphasized that the path of financial development with Chinese characteristics adheres to the fundamental purpose of serving the real economy and takes preventing and controlling risks as the eternal theme of financial work.Tian Xuan, associate dean of Tsinghua University's PBC School of Finance, said that one of the core objectives of China's financial reform should be building a modern financial system that efficiently serves the real economy, especially when it comes to financing innovative emerging sectors at lower costs, in order to support technological innovations and nurture new quality productive forces.He said the country's financial reform is expected to feature strengthened regulation to fend off any systemic risks, with the focus being on financial fraud crackdown in the capital market as well as on deficiencies in the supervision and governance of small and medium-sized financial institutions."Our financial markets are still developing and not yet mature. We need the government to play its role well to correct market failures," said Tian, who is also a deputy to the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature.Tian said he expects the upcoming plenary session to introduce reform measures aimed at further developing venture capital — investment funds that invest in startups for long-term growth and are among key accelerators of technological innovation.A meeting on April 30 of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, which was presided over by Xi, called for efforts to actively develop venture capital and strengthen "patient capital", or investment that generates healthy returns in the long run.The emphasis on venture capital has reflected China's broader efforts in capital market reform. China's financial system is now dominated by the banking industry, yet the capital market is seen as more capable of supporting innovation activity. This makes further capital market development an integral step for China, in order to ensure that the financial system becomes more capable of serving its modernization pursuit, experts said.In April, the State Council, China's Cabinet, released a guideline that rolled out nine measures to promote high-quality development of the capital market, drawing up a blueprint for the market and featuring an intensified crackdown on securities violations and strengthened investor protection.Wu Xiaoqiu, dean of Renmin University of China's National Academy of Financial Research, said the guideline has set the right tone for future capital market reform, urging "tough laws and harsh punishments" to stem violations and address the prominent issues of fraudulent listings and false disclosures.The compensation system for small investors affected by those malpractices and induced delistings should also be improved on both the civil and judicial fronts, Wu said.China's A-share market rallied on Thursday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index rising 1.06 percent on Thursday to close at 2,970.39 points, following a policy measure issued on Wednesday to restrict short-selling.At the Central Financial Work Conference in November, Xi called for giving full play to the pivotal role of the capital market, advancing the registration-based initial public offering system and steadily expanding institutional opening-up in the financial sector.Experts also underlined the need for China to widen opening-up to strengthen the financial system's ability for resource allocation, expecting the upcoming reform meeting to call for ensuring a transparent, predictable regulatory environment for foreign investors and reinforcing the role of Hong Kong as an international financial hub.Zhang Xiaoyan, a chair professor of finance at Tsinghua University's PBC School of Finance, said she expects the country to further drive financial opening-up to attract more foreign institutional investors, whose global perspective and investment expertise will help channel more resources to technological companies with real strength.Thierry Leger, CEO of Paris-based global reinsurer SCOR, said that China's step-by-step financial opening-up has helped shape a high level of confidence, and it is important for the country to continue to build a stable regulatory environment for foreign investors.Eugene Qian, China country head of UBS and chairman of UBS Securities, said the Swiss financial giant, having benefited from China's capital market reform and opening-up, will continue to leverage its international experience and local expertise to support China's further reform in the capital market.Reporter: Zhou Lanxu, Liu Zhihua, Ouyang Shijiaresource allocation efficiency资源配置效率the path of financial development with Chinese characteristics中国特色金融发展之路market failures市场失灵

GUEST HOST: Peter Mcilvenna filling in for James Freeman. GUEST 1 OVERVIEW: David Vance is one of the most controversial independent minded political commentators in the UK. He has the bans to prove this, having been removed from all UK media for his robust views. Podcaster, author and commentator, he hosts weekly live shows, daily podcasts and writes regular columns. His homesite is http://www.davidvance.net/ GUEST 2 OVERVIEW: Heiko Khoo is a writer, broadcaster and orator at Speakers' Corner. He runs the weekly Karl Marx walking tour in London and has an opinion column on China.org.cn - the website of China's State Council.

Today's episode of The People of Penn State is for all of you history buffs out there as we're joined by accomplished American Civil War author and professor, Jonathan W. White!Jonathan is professor of American Studies at Christopher Newport University and the author or editor of 17 books that cover a variety of topics about the Civil War, including "Emancipation, the Union Army, and the Reelection of Abraham Lincoln," the award-winning "A House Built By Slaves: African American visitors to the Lincoln White House," and an exciting new children's book, "My Day With Abe Lincoln." Among his many other awards is the 2019 State Council of Higher Education for Virginia's Outstanding Faculty Award, which is the highest award given to college faculty by the Commonwealth of Virginia.We talked with Jonathan about how his time at Penn State still impacts him today, choosing Civil War topics to write about, the inspiration of his new children's book, lessons from the Civil War with modern day relevance,  and much more. Connect with Jonathan on: TwitterLinkedIn----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Timestamps for our conversation with Jonathan:0:00 — Intro 1:45 — Jonathan's Penn State story 8:55 — The process for coming up with topics to write about 10:00 — Jonathan's book "Emancipation, the Union Army, and the Reelection of Abraham Lincoln" 14:00 — Studying and writing about African American visitors to the White House during Abraham Lincoln's presidency 19:05 — Writing "My Day With Abe Lincoln"24:35 — Lessons from the Civil War and Reconstruction with modern day relevance 26:09 — The influence of Penn State on Jonathan's teaching career 27:55 — Upcoming work with a fellow Penn Stater30:47 — Lightning Round Q&A33:37 — Outro Learn more about the Penn State Alumni Association: alumni.psu.edu. Follow the Penn State Alumni Association on:FacebookX (Twitter)InstagramLinkedIn

Dr. Jonathan W. White is professor of American Studies at Christopher Newport University. He is the author or editor of 17 books covering various topics, including civil liberties during the Civil War, the USS Monitor and the Battle of Hampton Roads, the presidential election of 1864, and what Abraham Lincoln and soldiers dreamt about. Among his awards are the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia's Outstanding Faculty Award (2019), CNU's Alumni Society Award for Teaching and Mentoring (2016), the Abraham Lincoln Institute Book Prize (2015), and the University of Maryland Alumni Excellence Award in Research (2024). His recent books include A House Built By Slaves: African American Visitors to the Lincoln White House (2022), which was co-winner of the Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize (with Jon Meacham); Shipwrecked: A True Civil War Story of Mutinies, Jailbreaks, Blockade-Running, and the Slave Trade (2023); Final Resting Places: Reflections on the Meaning of Civil War Graves (2023); and an exciting new children's book, My Day with Abe Lincoln (2024).A Quote From This Episode"I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors; and I shall adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true views." - Abraham LincolnResources Mentioned in This EpisodeYour New Playlist by Acuff, Acuff, & AcuffPhronesis Episode with Dr. Laura EmpsonAbout The International Leadership Association (ILA)The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Register for ILA's 26th Global Conference in Chicago, IL - November 7-10, 2024.About  Scott J. AllenWebsiteWeekly Newsletter: The Leader's EdgeMy Approach to HostingThe views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are views to consider, and I hope they help you clarify your perspective. Nothing can replace your reflection, research, and exploration of the topic.

Dog breeds get stereotypes. There's the well-heeled, intelligent border collie or the good-natured, but not-so-bright golden retriever. Jennifer Holland's new book, Dog Smart digs into what we actually know about dog intelligence. And: In recent years, honeybee-keeping has seen an impressive increase in the U.S. The rising numbers means more beekeepers are concerned with viruses that threaten hives. Wei-Fone Huang is studying honey bee pathogens and hopes to find novel solutions to fight them. Later in the show: If you grew up with pets, you probably had a local vet who saw every pet in town. Vets offices used to be pretty mom and pop. Lisa Scott says that these days, they're way more specialized and operate a lot closer to the way human medicine does, with vet techs–like nurses–doing a lot of the work. Plus: Pet ownership is up and it's getting harder and harder to find medical care for beloved animal friends. Megan Taliaferro explains why there's a shortage in veterinary care and how she's working to address it. Megan Taliaferro was named an Outstanding Faculty member by The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

GUEST 1 OVERVIEW: Jasmine is a TV presenter and money expert. She is regularly featured on BBC TV, Channel 5, Sky News, Channel 4 and ITV. GUEST 2 OVERVIEW: Jennifer Ewing is the Spokeswoman for Republicans Overseas UK. GUEST 3 OVERVIEW: Heiko Khoo is a writer, broadcaster and orator at Speakers' Corner. He runs the weekly Karl Marx walking tour in London and has an opinion column on China.org.cn - the website of China's State Council.

An episode of various bits and pieces: what (if anything) can we read into Alexei Dyumin's appointment to be secretary of the State Council, what (if anything) is the Western thinking about escalation and deterrence over Ukraine and what (if anything) is interesting about Denis Manturov, the new First Deputy PM?The previous podcast in which I talk about Dyumin and Tula is #48, here.The article I wrote with Ekaterina Schulmann comparing the State and Security Councils is here.The podcast's corporate partner and sponsor is Conducttr, which provides software for innovative and immersive crisis exercises in hybrid warfare, counter-terrorism, civil affairs and similar situations.You can also follow my blog, In Moscow's Shadows, and become one of the podcast's supporting Patrons and gain question-asking rights and access to exclusive extra materials right here. Support the Show.

32BJ SEIU Executive Vice President Jaime Contreras and SEIU Virginia 512 President LaNoral Thomas join to discuss repealing the 45-year ban on local collective bargaining, winning union rights for tens of thousands of workers, and negotiating historic contracts to raise pay and benefits in the important electoral swing state.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Last time we spoke about the Southern Warlords.  Yuan Shikai's abuse of power prompted declarations of independence from several southern regions, leading to the Second Revolution of 1913. Despite initial successes, Yuan Shikai's Beiyang Army ultimately crushed the uprisings. Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, after various setbacks and political maneuvers, founded the Chinese Revolutionary Party and later resurrected the Kuomintang. Chiang Kai-Shek emerged as a significant figure within the KMT, navigating through alliances and conflicts. Meanwhile the formation of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) paralleled these events, driven by figures like Chen Duxiu, Li Dazhao, and later, Mao Zedong. Concurrently, various regional warlord cliques, including the Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Sichuan, and Hunan cliques, vied for power, often aligning with or against larger political entities like the KMT or the CCP. We have met the warlords now its time to tell their story.   #97 The Manchu Restoration of the Pigtail General   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.   Now where to begin, you sort of have to speak about someone we already have spoken to death about, the father of the warlords, Yuan Shikai. He “helped” with quotation marks usher in the republic of china and had a very heavy hand creating the New Army. He was a man of the 19th century, he had served in the First-Sino Japanese War of 1894-1895, then during the Boxer Rebellion. If you remember, back during the Boxer Rebellion, when Empress Dowager Cixi began frantically calling for an alliance with the Boxers to fight off the foreigners, Yuan Shikai like most governors at the time, put his head down. As the foreigners marched from Tientsin to Beijing, Yuan Shikai spent his time strengthening his position as Viceroy of Shandong. During this time he also received the Viceroy of Zhili and Commissioner for North China Trade. He had very lucrative posts and he used the money to set up military colleges. He hired foreign instructors, procured modern armaments and managed to create a professionally trained military. When the Xinhai revolution broke out, Yuan Shikai was made commander-in-chief and he brought his Beiyang Army to quell the rebels at Wuchang. Yet Yuan Shikai was not a moron and could see where the tides were turning, so he began a plot to take control of the new emerging republic. During his tenure, better said dictatorship, he strengthened his personal rule and suppressed any who could threaten him. Now we have already covered most of his story, during the last year of his life, Yuan Shikai increasingly began relying on the support of his military commanders in the capital and in various provinces. Many of these commanders betrayed him, the first one was General Cai E, the emerging warlord of Yunnan. On January 1st of 1916, Cai E declared independence for Yunnan and indeed Sichuan province thus threatening Yuan Shikai's rule over central China. After this Guangxi and Guangdong declared independence. As Yuan Shikai's subordinates began to betray him one by one, the most significant man amongst them would turn out to be Duan Qirui. Duan Qirui was a very talented young officer in command of the artillery corps of Yuan Shikai's Beiyang army. He distinguished himself during the Boxer Rebellion, helping suppress the Boxers, then in 1911 he was sent against the Wuhan rebels. In 1912 as peace talks were being held between Nanjing and Beijing, Duan was an envoy for Beijing and here he personally declared he was in favor of Emperor Puyi abdicating. This earned him an appointment as Minister for the Army in the northern republican government headed by Yuan Shikai. He soon earned himself governorship over Hubei province. Yuan Shikai increasingly began to isolate himself while in power and he often turned to Duan to help rally support. In April of 1916 Duan was appointed premier over the Beijing government. This was the first real taste of power for Duan, and although he would be quite authoritarian, he was no lover of public office. He had buddhist inclinations, and enjoyed the quiet life. Thus he delegated much of his authority to his subordinates and usually stood by their decisions. One of his primary interests was training soldiers and he made sure to grab the position of Ministry of War alongside his premiership. He managed to convince Yuan Shikai to adopt a cabinet style of government, taking major issues behind closed doors amongst trusted elites. Here was born the fabric of warlord era politics. While Duan was premier had led a cabinet, it was of course at the whim of Yuan Shikai who directed its actions. While Duan could not exact real power in the cabinet, what he did do was perform lesser actions using a smaller cabal of loyal ruling elites, mostly subordinate officers to him. Duan also tried to get Yuan Shikai to give up his title as Grand Marshal and to place all military power in the hands of the War Ministry. That last part is an eye opener to be sure, but Duan never tried to overthrow his master. But while under Yuan Shikai he did transfer a detachment of troops loyal to him to guard against his enemies. Now when Yuan Shikai died he left a sealed box and inside it were three names, Xu Shichang, Li Yuanhong and Duan Qirui. None of the three men were eager to take the Presidency, Duan was the first to suggest Li take the job. Li was not keen about the idea, but it is said Duan coerced him into it. Duan spoke with all his senior military officers, they were not at all pleased with the idea of Li Yuanhong as president, but Duan explained to them, it was better to govern in the shadows. Li would be a very useful puppet, he was a southerner not liked by the other northerners, thus very easy to manipulate. Better yet, blame would be cast upon him, and not those like Duan. Yet Duan was very authoritarian and irritated by having to explain his actions to a state council and to president Li, who himself was not always content to give his rubber stamp of approval. Thus the easy puppet began to not be so easy. Worse, Li began taking an interest in military affairs and in relations with other warlords. Duan once in anger exclaimed 'I ask him to sign things and put his  seal on them, not to sit on my head!' Regardless, there was a fail safe system. The president of the republic was not permitted to put his seal on any measures not already passed by the State Council which Duan dominated. Now the entire sealed box thing was certainly not how a President gets elected. Just because Li had automatically become president did not mean he would not have to soon face an election to continue it. Now before his death Yuan Shikai had suspended the constitution. Prominent members of the Southern factions in Guangzhou, such as Liang Qichao demanded the 1912 constitution be held up accordingly, ie: that Li face an election. On June 15th of 1917, the commander of the first fleet, Admiral Li Tingxin, at that time based in Shanghai, alongside other admirals declared support for the old constitution being restored and threatened to ignore orders from Beijing if it was not reinstated. This snowballed into the formation of a National Protection Army in the Southwest. This was seriously bad news for Duan. While there were three fleets, the 1st Fleet was the dominant one. Despite protest from other northern warlords, Duan capitulated, the old constitution was restored.  This was not the only crisis Duan faced at the time, there were also calls for army reduction nationwide. After years of uprisings, rebellions and regional wars, some many different military groups were established and it no longer made any sense. As you can imagine, many of these so called armies, were in fact Warlords personal armies and any talk of reduction brought Duan directly in confrontation with other warlords. Of course Duan wanted to take the opportunity to weaken his enemies. Duan sought to create a national  army consisting of 40 divisions, roughly 10,000 men each and 20 independent brigade of 5000 men each, thus a force of 500,000 or so. Each province was also to supply their local garrisons with 200 battalions nation-wide, a battalion being roughly 5000 men making a total of 100,000 provisional troops. This of course was based on the old Qing system, have provincial armies that did not stray from their respective provinces and a mobile main force. This would not at all be representative of warlord China. Duans plan to weaken the south did not seem feasible politically, I mean, if you were a southern warlord would you go along with this? Duan quickly realized it would be impossible to disarm his enemies, thus he would have to defeat them on the battlefield. Yet in order to do so he required circumstances, such as provinces refusing to pay taxes to Beijing or claiming independence. Now in 1917, Duan was being pressured by the Entente powers to sever relations with Germany and better yet, declare war. As we saw in the previous episodes, a lot of events unfolded during WW1, Japan invaded Qingdao, then Japan unleashed the 21 demands, and in 1917 Germany resumed unrestricted U-boat warfare. The United States invited China to join her in formal protest over this. On March 10th, Duan addressed parliament urging to sever ties to Germany, but parliament was reluctant. For the Chinese military elite, the idea of declaring war on Germany was very attractive. It could possibly open up foreign subsidies, and perhaps a renegotiation of some unequal treaties with Entente powers. It would turn out this was a very popular stance amongst the civilian population as they overwhelmingly voted for a declaration of war later on. However discussions on the matter were quite chaotic. While Duan Qirui wished to declare war on Germany, Li Yuanhong did not.  After the March 10th declaration a large series of quarrels began. Duan Qirui in fury offered his resignation as Premier, while vice president Feng Guozhang tried desperately to mediate between him and Li Yuanhong. Most of the parliament team including Liang Qichiao worked to alienate Duan Qirui during the process. In a true Yuan Shikai fashion, Duan Qirui attempted to intimate the parliament into declaring war. Then suddenly in May, an English language newspaper in Beijing published details of a large loan Duan Qirui had secretly negotiated with the Japanese, the infamous Nishihara loans. To the public this looked like Yuan Shikai's Reorganization Loan all over again. Li Yuanhong thus got all of parliament on his side and chose to use his new power to dismiss Duan Qirui. This was honestly a huge gamble as Li Yuanhong had no military support of his own. He was betting on the Beiyang commanders to respect the constitutional president and parliament. Duan Qiruir's supporters as expected all declared independence of their respective provinces and followed Duan Qirui to Tientsin where he established a new HQ. Thus Duan Qirui and his loyal military governor left Beijing and set up shop in Tientsin, gathering forces to rebel against Li Yuanhong and retake the capital. Realizing he was screwed, Li Yaunhong looked for another strongman to defend the capital against Duan. Li had few he could turn to in the north, most of the Beiyang Generals were loyal to Duan. Then suddenly out of the blue, General Zhang Xun offered to mediate the conflict between Li and Duan. Zhang Xun was an eccentric general who had served as a military escort for Empress Dowager Cixi during the Boxer Rebellion and afterwards a Beiyang General in Yuan Shikai's army. He fought on the Qing side in 1911, after the Qing dynasty fell he remained loyal to Yuan Shikai. Despite being a general in the new Republic, he refused to cut his Manchu queue, thus he earned the nickname the “pigtailed general”. Why might he still carry this hairstyle you might ask, well he was a die hard Qing loyalist. He had served Yuan Shikai, more or less to get back at the revolutionaries that had taken down the Qing. Zhang Xun supported Yuan Shikai's emperor phase and earned himself a 1st Class Duke title for it. Now when Duan Qirui expressed his desire to sever ties to Germany, Zhang Xun opposed this. Zhang Xun had few allies as one would guess. There was the leader of the royalist party, Kang Youmei who attempted to restore a monarchy politically and there was the Japanese. From the Japanese point of view, they wanted someone like Emperor Puyi to be placed back on the Manchu throne, simply because they believed he would be easy to control. Japanese prime minister Masaki Terauchi appointed Japan's deputy chief of military staff, Tanaka Giichi and even got some Black Dragon members to go over to brush shoulders with those like Zhang Xun to prod them into restoring the monarchy. Thus Zhang Xun had some political help, and Japanese funding. One story has it that Zhang Xun went to Duan in Tientsin first, and offered to support him if Duan restored the Manchu monarchy. Duan allegedly pretended to agree to this. Zhang Xun then discussed matters with Li Yuanhong and pressured him to dissolve parliament on June 13th, stating if he did so he would help defend Beijing and Li agreed to this allowing him to bring his army over.  Thus at midnight on June 30th of 1917, Zhang Xun's army arrived outside Beijing, whereupon Zhang apparently came into the city alone to listen to a play. Zhang Xun then ordered his subordinate officers to invite the temporary garrison commander in chief of Beijing and Tientsin, Wang Shizhen, deputy commanders Jiang Chaozong, Chen Guangyuan and director of the Beijing police department Wu Bingxiang over. He announced to them in a meeting "I am leading the troops to Beijing this time. We are not here to mediate with someone, but to restore the emperor to the throne and restore the Qing Dynasty." He then told them all he planned to enter the palace to ask the emperor if he would retake the throne. He looked at the men and asked what they thought. Wang, Jiang, Chen and Wu were frightened by this sudden statement. Wang Shizhen asked: "Have the provinces and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs contacted each other?" Zhang Xun replied: "The diplomacy is indeed sure. Feng Guozhang and Lu Rongting both expressed their approval and sent messages to urge them. The provincial governors also unanimously supported it." Wang Shizhen and others sat silent and speechless. Zhang Xun added: "I am determined to do it. If you agree, then open the city gate and let my troops in. Otherwise, please go back to your arrangements and fight to the death!" Wang Shizhen and others looked at each other and did not dare to say anything else, to them all he seemed to be insane. Zhang Xun went to the gates and demanded they be opened as his 5000-man army entered Beijing. Then Zhang Xun donned a blue gauze robe with a yellow mandarin jack, a red crown and marched with Kang Youwei, Wang Shizhen, Jiang Chaozong, Chen Guangyuan and Wu Bingxiang amongst other civil and military officials to the palace in the early morning of July 1st. At 3am, 12 year old Puyi met with Zhang Xun and the others. Upon seeing Puyi, Zhang Xun kowtowed 3 times with everyone else following. Zhang then asked him to go ahead with a restoration stating "Five years ago, Empress Dowager Longyu couldn't bear to let the people suffer for the honor of her surname , so she issued an edict to establish a republic. Unexpectedly, the people would not live in peace... A republic is not in line with our national conditions. Only when the emperor is restored can all the people be saved..." Puyi followed Chen Baochen's instructions and said humbly: "I am too young and have no talent or virtue to take on such a big position." Zhang Xun immediately praised: "The emperor is wise and sage, and everyone in the world knows it. In the past, the Holy Ancestor Emperor (referring to Kangxi) also practiced Zuo in his early years." Puyi quickly followed Chen Baochen's instructions and said: "In this case, I will do whatever it takes!" So Zhang Xun, Kang Youwei and others knelt down on the ground and shouted long live the emperor, Wang Shizhen and others had no choice but to kneel down and cheer casually. At 4am Zhang Xun sent Liang Dingen, an old minister in the Qing Dynasty to go to the presidential palace with an edict conferring the title of 1st class Duke for Li Yuanhong alongside a memorial Kang Youwei wrote reading "Li Yuanhong petitioned to return the state affairs" Li Yuanhong was asked to sign it. Li Yuanhong was shocked by all of this. Li Yuanhong would recall thinking “I drove away the wolf Duan Qirui at the front door, but attracted the tiger Zhang Xun at the back door”. Li Yuanhong sternly refused stating "I hold the position of president. I am entrusted by the people and dare not do such a thing. If the restoration issue is proposed by Zhang Xun alone, I am afraid that China and foreign countries may not recognize it. How can I dare to agree to it privately?" Liang Dingfen threatened: "If you don't agree, you may regret it." Li Yuanhong refused again, prompting Liang Dingfen to leave in anger. The next day, Li Yuanhong called Vice President Feng Guozhang, who was in Nanjing, to take over as acting president as he fled to the Japanese Embassy District in Dongjiaomin Lane for refuge. People within the city scrambled at the news. The old Huanglong shop that had been out of business for 5 years at that point returned to business but could not meet the demands of the citizens scrambling for traditional paper dragon flags. All the old princes, nobles and such came out of the woodwork as they say looking to celebrate the restoration in front of the palace waiting to see the emperor. Apparently a ton of people scrambled to find queue wigs and mandarin jackets. For the vast majority of China, the restoration was met with absolute outrage. Dr Sun Yat-Sen at the very moment of hearing the news over in Shanghai, simply got up and declared a rebellion…because of course he did…its what he did for a living honestly. Dr Sun Yat-Sen grabbed his colleagues and they all agreed to rush over to Guangzhou to form a crusade against Zhang Xun. Everyone across china did similar actions, in all the major capitals in the south angry leaders got together to form plans. After Li Yuanhong fled for his life, he sent a telegram to Duan Qirui begging him to save Beijing. Duan Qirui who was already organizing a full blown invasion to seize the capital for himself probably smiled. Duan Qirui quickly got his Anhui army together and marched upon Beijing. Back in Beijing within 48 hours of the restoration, numerous edicts were proclaimed trying to bolster the Manchu restoration. As you can imagine this was all very shocking to the general public. Feng Guozhang in Nanjing publicly opposed the restoration as Duan Qirui swore a public oath to end the Qing dynasty again. On July 5th, Duan's forces stormed the Beijing-Tientsin railway just 40 km's from the capital. That same day, Zhang Xun ordered all those loyal to him to bolster Beijing defenses, however he was very outnumbered. Just about all the Beiyang troops opposed him, and that was kind of a duh moment. Honestly this entire event is typically told in a comedic narrative. Feng Guozhang officially took the office of presidency on July 6th while still in Nanjing and by July 11th, Duan Qirui's army surrounded Beijing. Within the city those like Wang Shizhen begged Zhang Xun to surrender, but he refused. On July 12th, Duan Qirui ordered an aerial bombardment upon the Forbidden City. A French WW1 era Caudron Type D aircraft piloted by Pan Shizhong and bombardier Du Yuyuan launched from Nanyuan Airbase and dropped three bombs over the Forbidden city, killing a single eunuch, but doing little damage whatsoever. There are sources that claim the pilot was actually the principal of the Nanyuan Aviation school, Qin Guoyong, regardless this was the first recorded instance of aerial bombardment deployed by the Republican era Chinese Air Force. Li Yuanhong publicly stated he refused to retake his position as president. The newly restored Manchu Court immediately prepared an edict of abdication for Emperor Puyi, but did not dare proclaim it lest Zhang Xun or his loyalist forces kill them. Officials of this imperial court managed to secretly negotiate with Duan Qirui's besieging forces, begging them not to assault the capital. The imperial court officials even began beginning foreign legations to help. Boy a lot had changed since 1900 haha. With Zhang Xun not budging, the courts negotiations fell apart, prompting Duan to announce a general assault would begin the next day. The assault saw Qing loyalists manning the wall of the Temple of Heaven firing at the invaders, but nearly as soon as guns began to fire, negotiations were resumed. It turned out Zhang Xun had fled to the Dutch embassy, so his men begged Duan for a ceasefire. Duan granted it immediately and peacefully entered Beijing, establishing control over the government and police forces. Zhang Xun hid himself in the Dutch legation and would never participate in politics ever again. Zhang first fled to the German concession in Tientsin, then in March of 1918 the Beiyang government pardoned him. With his freedom in hand, Zhang Xun lived a life of seclusion in an apartment in Tientsin. He tried to run a business until 1923 when he got sick and died at the age of 68. He was posthumously given the title “Zhongwu” and buried in his hometown of Chitian Village, Fengxin county.  Thus ended the 12 day old Manchu restoration and the Manchu Clique. When approached on the subject, Emperor Puyi stated he never wanted the throne in the first place, who knows the truth of said matter. Li Yuanhong had resigned as president, making Feng Guozhang the new president of the Beiyang government, still no election had been held, mind you. Duan Qirui took back his position as Premier, but refused to restore parliament nor the old constitution. Duan Qirui forced the Beiyang government to declare war on the Central Powers and began sending laborers to the Entente powers alongside a token force to Siberia. Now he was free to use the Nishihara loans uninhabited, building up what would become the dominant army in China, the Anhui army. Meanwhile Dr Sun Yat-Sen and countless others began rebellious activity in the south. Duan Qirui flocked many to his banner, creating his power base in Anhui province. His clique would be the first to organize themselves properly and he had a lot of funding behind him. Zhang Xun's failed Manchu restoration was honestly one of the greatest strokes of luck imaginable for Duan Qirui. Yet as he promoted and appointed family and close friends to prestigious positions, he overlooked many. These military officers and civil servants felt slighted by this and many turned to Feng Guozhang. Feng Guozhang had come back to Beijing to assume the presidency, but not before he had made sure to set up his proteges as military commanders in Jiangsu, Hubei and Guangxi. These three provinces formed the basis strength of his new Clique, the Zhili Clique. Thus two players placed their pieces on the board, there were many more to come. Duan Qirui and Feng Guozhang both were inspired to unify China in their own image. Wars would be fought against the Southerners, but wars would also be fought in the north. Duan Qirui felt confident he had achieved supremacy and could now act against his enemies, but what if his enemies all banded together to beat him?   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. The Qing loyalist, Zhang Xun attempted a Manchu Restoration, and well, he did restore it for roughly 12 days.  However Zhang Xun could have no idea what he really ushered in, for his actions had much more dire consequences. Duan Qirui was given a golden opportunity to seize more and more power, and he did, now his Anhui Clique was king of the hill, but we all know what happens in that game.   

Henrico's slow population growth; violent crime and auto thefts are up; professors from UR, Reynolds Community College are honored by the State Council of Higher Education and Dominion Energy; state legislation would create an outside review process for Virginia's special education dispute resolution system; the General Assembly's attempt to limit invasive species; our Weekend Top 5 and Restaurant Watch.Support the show

Living with a disability can be hard. But it doesn't have to lead to a life less lived. Elizabeth Barnes says her own diagnosis made her confront the reality of finding the unexpected joys in disability. And: Many parents of young deaf children don't have access to learn sign language. Carrie Humphrey and Colin Wells say this can put deaf kids at a disadvantage and delay their development. Carrie and Colin both work as full-time faculty in the American Sign Language and Interpreter Education program at Reynolds Community College. Carrie was named an Outstanding Faculty member by The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. Later in the show: In 2007, Susan Ghiaciuc was diagnosed with MS. After she told her university employer, she was promptly greeted with a mound of paperwork and probing questions. Now she's working to help improve the disclosure process for professors across Virginia. Plus: Traditional ways of teaching don't always work for every student. That's what prompted Laurie Cubbison to look for alternatives. She says Universal Design for Learning better serves students with a diverse array of learning needs.

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