Podcasts about zhejiang province

Brain-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) levels originate from the cardiac cells in response to cardiac strain. This may come from a pulmonary embolus, an acute severe infection (sepsis), or cardiomyopathy. But what is the relationship between these 2 cardiac biomarkers and preeclampsia? Can preeclampsia with severe features result in an abnormal rise in these 2 proteins exclusive to heart failure. Listen in to this real case scenario which our on call team cared for. 1. Serum Levels of N-Terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide in Gestational Hypertension, Mild Preeclampsia, and Severe Preeclampsia: A Study From a Center in Zhejiang Province, China. Zheng Z, Lin X, Cheng X. Medical Science Monitor: International Medical Journal of Experimental and Clinical Research. 2022;28:e934285. doi:10.12659/MSM.934285.2.Evaluation of B-Type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) Levels in Normal and Preeclamptic Women. Resnik JL, Hong C, Resnik R, et al. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2005;193(2):450-4. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2004.12.006.3.Increased B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Levels in Early-Onset Versus Late-Onset Preeclampsia. Szabó G, Molvarec A, Nagy B, Rigó J. Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. 2014;52(2):281-8. doi:10.1515/cclm-2013-0307.4. Association of N-Terminal Pro–Brain Natriuretic Peptide Concentration in Early Pregnancy With Development of Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy and Future Hypertension.5. Hauspurg A, Marsh DJ, McNeil RB, et al. JAMA logoJAMA Cardiology. 2022;7(3):268-276. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2021.5617.STRONG COFFEE PROMO: 20% Off Strong Coffee Companyhttps://strongcoffeecompany.com/discount/CHAPANOSPINOBG

While the Trump administration rolls back decades of climate regulation, the world's biggest polluter is taking the lead on clean energy. This episode was produced by Gabrielle Berbey and Devan Schwartz, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Wind turbines at a wind farm on East Lvhua Island in Zhejiang Province of China. Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

China's automotive companies have accelerated their global expansion in recent years, leaving the competition struggling to keep up. We explore what's driving Chinese brands' acceleration into international markets. And we look at how established carmakers are having to tighten their belts to compete with low-cost rivals.Some claim Chinese cars are a security risk because they could, in theory, be hacked - but could they really be used to spy on their owners? Presented and produced by Theo Leggett(Picture: BYD Yangwang U9 electric supercar on display during 2025 China Mobility Show at Hangzhou International Expo Center in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province of China, June 2025. Credit: Getty Images)

The origins of agriculture continue to be one of archaeology's great mysteries. Chinese archaeologist Jiang Leping may hold a crucial piece of the puzzle, thanks to his groundbreaking discoveries at an archaeological site in Zhejiang Province, east China. This prehistoric settlement, known as Shangshan, dates back 10,000 years and is recognized for being home to the earliest cultivated rice in the world.

We start with news about China’s economic woes (1:10), followed by our Pray for China segment, where I share stories (among other things) of fried frogs and prostitution (22:27). Finally, I share excerpts from the journals of the grieving missionary William Milne on the anniversary of his wife Rachel’s death (38:01). Welcome to China Compass on the Fight Laugh Feast Network! I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben. Follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I post detailed daily reminders to pray for China (www.PrayforChina.us). BTW, X is also the best way to get in touch with me. Either tag me with a question or comment, or follow and send a DM. Finally, PrayGiveGo.us has easy access to everything that I am involved in, including books, Substack, and this podcast. Missouri Wins $24B Lawsuit Against China https://www.crosspoliticnews.com/news/missouri-wins-lawsuit-against-china-with-24b-ruling China Questions Walmart Over Trump Tariff Response https://asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Trade-war/China-questions-Walmart-over-response-to-Trump-tariff-costs (Paywall) China Job Worries Deepen https://asia.nikkei.com/Economy/China-job-worries-deepen-as-Trump-hikes-tariffs-and-automation-spreads (Paywall) Pray for China (PrayforChina.us) Mar 22 (Sat) - Pray for Cixi (“Tsuh-shee”) in Ningbo City of Zhejiang Province, near where Hudson Taylor served and met his wife, Maria: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cixi,_Zhejiang Zhejiang (“Juh-jiang”) is paired with North Carolina for prayer: https://prayforchina.us/index.php/zhejiang/ https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/zhejiang Learn more about how Hudson Taylor fell in love with Maria here on this podcast: https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/tabs/audio/podcasts/30293/episodes/24 Mar 23 (Sun) - Pray for Heyuan City in northern Guangdong, which I visited for the first and only time in August of 2002, distributing tracts by night: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heyuan Guangdong is paired with Florida for prayer: https://prayforchina.us/index.php/guangdong/ My Guangdong podcast: https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/tabs/audio/podcasts/30293/episodes/15 More Guangdong info: https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/guangdong On This Day 205 Years Ago… One Year Bereaved: William Milne Reflects on Losing His Wife Rachel https://chinacall.substack.com/p/one-year-bereaved The Memoirs of William Milne: https://a.co/d/bALLtAf If you enjoy this podcast, follow or subscribe and leave a review on whichever platform you use. And don’t forget to check out everything we are involved in at PrayGiveGo.us. Luke 10, Verse 2!

We start with news about China’s economic woes (1:10), followed by our Pray for China segment, where I share stories (among other things) of fried frogs and prostitution (22:27). Finally, I share excerpts from the journals of the grieving missionary William Milne on the anniversary of his wife Rachel’s death (38:01). Welcome to China Compass on the Fight Laugh Feast Network! I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben. Follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I post detailed daily reminders to pray for China (www.PrayforChina.us). BTW, X is also the best way to get in touch with me. Either tag me with a question or comment, or follow and send a DM. Finally, PrayGiveGo.us has easy access to everything that I am involved in, including books, Substack, and this podcast. Missouri Wins $24B Lawsuit Against China https://www.crosspoliticnews.com/news/missouri-wins-lawsuit-against-china-with-24b-ruling China Questions Walmart Over Trump Tariff Response https://asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Trade-war/China-questions-Walmart-over-response-to-Trump-tariff-costs (Paywall) China Job Worries Deepen https://asia.nikkei.com/Economy/China-job-worries-deepen-as-Trump-hikes-tariffs-and-automation-spreads (Paywall) Pray for China (PrayforChina.us) Mar 22 (Sat) - Pray for Cixi (“Tsuh-shee”) in Ningbo City of Zhejiang Province, near where Hudson Taylor served and met his wife, Maria: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cixi,_Zhejiang Zhejiang (“Juh-jiang”) is paired with North Carolina for prayer: https://prayforchina.us/index.php/zhejiang/ https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/zhejiang Learn more about how Hudson Taylor fell in love with Maria here on this podcast: https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/tabs/audio/podcasts/30293/episodes/24 Mar 23 (Sun) - Pray for Heyuan City in northern Guangdong, which I visited for the first and only time in August of 2002, distributing tracts by night: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heyuan Guangdong is paired with Florida for prayer: https://prayforchina.us/index.php/guangdong/ My Guangdong podcast: https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/tabs/audio/podcasts/30293/episodes/15 More Guangdong info: https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/guangdong On This Day 205 Years Ago… One Year Bereaved: William Milne Reflects on Losing His Wife Rachel https://chinacall.substack.com/p/one-year-bereaved The Memoirs of William Milne: https://a.co/d/bALLtAf If you enjoy this podcast, follow or subscribe and leave a review on whichever platform you use. And don’t forget to check out everything we are involved in at PrayGiveGo.us. Luke 10, Verse 2!

Wang Meichun, a Gen Z entrepreneur from Taiwan, is currently running a camp site in Xiangshan County, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. Since 2000, three generations of her family have made their home and built careers in the Chinese mainland. With her parents' support, Wang seeks to create a space in the coastal village where visitors can relax and connect. She also hopes to build a camp site that serves as a bridge, fostering meaningful connections between people across the Strait.

This is the 148th episode of my podcast with Mr. Paul Whittle of https://the1888letter.com/, @1888letter.For this episode, we interview Bulgarian linguist, educator, writer and editor Dr. Ivan Muhov as we discuss the Bulgaria National Team of the 1986 World Cup. Dr. Muhov has a PhD in media and Mass Communication, and a Masters in English Language and Literature.He lives and works in China as a lecturer/teacher in English and Literature in the city of Ningbo, Zhejiang Province.  For any questions/comments, you may contact us:You may also contact me on this blog, on twitter @sp1873 and on facebook under Soccernostalgia.https://linktr.ee/sp1873 Mr. Paul Whittle, @1888letter on twitter and https://the1888letter.com/contact/https://linktr.ee/BeforeThePremierLeague You may also follow the podcast on spotify and now on Google podcasts, Apple podcasts and stitcher all under ‘Soccernostalgia Talk Podcast'Please leave a review, rate and subscribe if you like the podcast.Mr. Muhov's contact info:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ivan.muhov.7 Listen on Spotify / Apple Podcasts: https://open.spotify.com/episode/37EZ0nL8q2VHdnWq6YSQKF?si=65hV3ni3T3SVqsdSLteCyw&nd=1&dlsi=71609a5efaed4ea0https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/soccernostalgia-talk-podcast-episode-148-interview/id1601074369?i=1000678343573  Youtube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tdT7R1xd4M&t=6s Blog Link:https://soccernostalgia.blogspot.com/2024/11/soccernostalgia-talk-podcast-episode_26.htmlSupport the show

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Legends Unveiled: Mei's Transformative Journey in Bamboo Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2024-10-31-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在浙江省的一个秋天的早晨，浓雾笼罩着竹林。En: On an autumn morning in Zhejiang Province, a thick fog enveloped the bamboo forest.Zh: 这里的竹子密密麻麻，绿色的杆子随风摇摆。En: The bamboo here was dense, with green stalks swaying in the wind.Zh: 雾气缭绕，周围的声音仿佛被消音，只剩下淡淡的私语，仿佛传说在空气中飘荡。En: The fog lingered, as if it muffled the surrounding sounds, leaving only faint whispers that seemed to carry legends drifting in the air.Zh: 梅和俊，两个不同领域的专家，来到这里完成文化杂志的任务。En: Mei and Jun, experts in different fields, had come here to complete a task for a cultural magazine.Zh: 梅是摄影师，她热爱捕捉细节，却对竹林的传说心存畏惧。En: Mei was a photographer, passionate about capturing details, yet she harbored fears about the legends of the bamboo forest.Zh: 俊是作家，与自然有着深厚的联系，他对这些传说半信半疑。En: Jun, a writer with a deep connection to nature, was skeptical about these legends.Zh: “梅，小心点，”俊提醒道，“这雾真大，很容易迷路。”En: "Mei, be careful," Jun reminded, "the fog is really thick, it's easy to get lost."Zh: 梅点点头，但心中依然执着于她的目标：拍摄一张完美的照片，展现竹林神秘的美。En: Mei nodded, but remained steadfast in her goal: to capture a perfect photograph showcasing the mysterious beauty of the bamboo forest.Zh: 随着他们在林间的深入，雾越来越浓，竹林中的故事仿佛活了过来。En: As they ventured deeper into the forest, the fog grew thicker, and the stories within the bamboo seemed to come alive.Zh: 梅犹豫了，她能否继续前进？En: Mei hesitated—could she continue forward?Zh: 她停下脚步，心中有些不安。En: She stopped, feeling a bit uneasy.Zh: 然俊的目光坚定，告诉她要小心，先观察。En: Yet Jun's determined gaze told her to be cautious and observe first.Zh: 忽然间，一抹红色在雾中一闪而过。En: Suddenly, a flash of red brushed through the fog.Zh: 梅惊讶地屏住呼吸，那是一只传说中的赤红鸟。En: Mei held her breath in surprise; it was a legendary scarlet bird.Zh: 据说这种鸟儿是繁荣的象征，出现的地方总能带来好运。En: This bird was said to be a symbol of prosperity, bringing good fortune wherever it appeared.Zh: 梅知道，这是一个千载难逢的机会。En: Mei knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.Zh: 她迅速按下快门，但并未急于求成。En: She quickly pressed the shutter but was not in a rush to achieve success.Zh: 她开始明白，这地方的传说不仅仅是谜团，更是一种对自然的敬畏。En: She began to understand that the legends of this place were not just mysteries but also a reverence for nature.Zh: 拍摄后，她与俊一起静静地站在竹林中，呼吸着清凉的空气。En: After the photoshoot, she and Jun stood quietly in the bamboo forest, breathing in the cool air.Zh: 梅的心中产生了一种新的感悟，她用心去感受和观察，而不是只追求表面的故事。En: A newfound insight arose in Mei's heart—she learned to feel and observe with her heart, rather than just pursuing surface stories.Zh: 离开竹林时，梅没有急于赶路。En: As they left the bamboo forest, Mei did not hurry.Zh: 她的步伐比来时更稳重。En: Her steps were more assured than when she arrived.Zh: 此刻，她明白了耐心与谦逊的价值。En: At this moment, she understood the value of patience and humility.Zh: 而正是这种态度，让她不仅捕捉到了美的瞬间，也理解了自然的真正魅力。En: It was this attitude that allowed her to capture moments of beauty and also comprehend the true charm of nature.Zh: 在这个中秋节前的任务中，梅不仅完成了自己的目标，还学到了超越摄影的东西。En: During this Mid-Autumn Festival mission, Mei not only achieved her goal but also learned something beyond photography.Zh: 在那浓雾中的竹林，她找到了内心的安宁和对于故事的全新理解。En: In the foggy bamboo forest, she found inner peace and a new understanding of stories. Vocabulary Words:envelop: 笼罩linger: 缭绕whisper: 私语harbor: 心存steafast: 执着venture: 深入hesitate: 犹豫uneasy: 不安cautious: 小心flash: 一闪而过scarlet: 赤红prosperity: 繁荣fortune: 好运opportunity: 机会reverence: 敬畏breathe: 呼吸insight: 感悟assured: 稳重patience: 耐心humility: 谦逊pursue: 追求comprehend: 理解mission: 任务ignite: 激发diffuse: 消散mysterious: 神秘bamboo: 竹子photograph: 照片charm: 魅力peace: 安宁

Welcome to China Compass! I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben. You can follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I post daily reminders to pray for China (PrayforChina.us). You can also email me any questions or comments @ bfwesten at gmail dot com. And if you want to learn more about everything we are doing, visit PrayGiveGo.us I've been in Malaysia for a couple of days, primarily in Malacca, working on The Memoirs of William Milne (see PrayGiveGo.us on Oct 1 for the Kindle version). I almost got robbed by some middle-aged Chinese guys walking to my hotel yesterday, and it reminded me of my previous adventures in Malaysia… I want to point out that France has just proved the point about the Tibet/Xizang question last week… https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/xizang-replacing-tibet-in-french-museums-irked-tibetan-govt-in-exile-flags-distortion-of-history-101726766779169.html Pray for China (Zhejiang/North Carolina) Zhejiang is our province of the week, as well as today’s Pray for China post on X (@chinaadventures): Sep 21 - Pray for Huzhou (“Hu-joe”), aka Lake District, in northern Zhejiang (浙江) Province on China's eastern seaboard. Zhejiang (“Juh-jiang”) one of China’s most populated and important provinces that nobody has ever heard of. South of Shanghai on China’s eastern seaboard, it is aptly paired up with North Carolina for prayer in our intercession scheme, which you can find @ https://prayforchina.us/ Zhejiang’s Name & Geography Asia Harvest: https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/zhejiang Book: https://www.asiaharvest.org/bookstore/Zhejiang-The-Jerusalem-of-China-The-China-Chronicles-N%C2%BA3-p283325105 Zhejiang Missionaries & Martyrs Hudson Taylor: https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/zhejiang/hudson-taylor Maria (Dyer) Taylor: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Jane_Taylor Desiring God on Hudson & Maria: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/a-marriage-of-tragedy-and-triumph Hudson Taylor & Maria (book): https://www.christianfocus.com/products/383/hudson-taylor-maria China’s First Protestant Martyr: https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/zhejiang/1847-walter-lowrie Thompson Family Massacred in Zhejiang: https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/zhejiang/1900-david-agnes-thompson-and-children

Welcome to China Compass! I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben. You can follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I post daily reminders to pray for China (PrayforChina.us). You can also email me any questions or comments @ bfwesten at gmail dot com. And if you want to learn more about everything we are doing, visit PrayGiveGo.us I've been in Malaysia for a couple of days, primarily in Malacca, working on The Memoirs of William Milne (see PrayGiveGo.us on Oct 1 for the Kindle version). I almost got robbed by some middle-aged Chinese guys walking to my hotel yesterday, and it reminded me of my previous adventures in Malaysia… I want to point out that France has just proved the point about the Tibet/Xizang question last week… https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/xizang-replacing-tibet-in-french-museums-irked-tibetan-govt-in-exile-flags-distortion-of-history-101726766779169.html Pray for China (Zhejiang/North Carolina) Zhejiang is our province of the week, as well as today’s Pray for China post on X (@chinaadventures): Sep 21 - Pray for Huzhou (“Hu-joe”), aka Lake District, in northern Zhejiang (浙江) Province on China's eastern seaboard. Zhejiang (“Juh-jiang”) one of China’s most populated and important provinces that nobody has ever heard of. South of Shanghai on China’s eastern seaboard, it is aptly paired up with North Carolina for prayer in our intercession scheme, which you can find @ https://prayforchina.us/ Zhejiang’s Name & Geography Asia Harvest: https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/zhejiang Book: https://www.asiaharvest.org/bookstore/Zhejiang-The-Jerusalem-of-China-The-China-Chronicles-N%C2%BA3-p283325105 Zhejiang Missionaries & Martyrs Hudson Taylor: https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/zhejiang/hudson-taylor Maria (Dyer) Taylor: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Jane_Taylor Desiring God on Hudson & Maria: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/a-marriage-of-tragedy-and-triumph Hudson Taylor & Maria (book): https://www.christianfocus.com/products/383/hudson-taylor-maria China’s First Protestant Martyr: https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/zhejiang/1847-walter-lowrie Thompson Family Massacred in Zhejiang: https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/zhejiang/1900-david-agnes-thompson-and-children

he exports of China's sporting goods and equipment surged 16.7 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2024, outpacing the overall export growth during the same period by a whopping 9.8 percentage points, according to data recently released by the General Administration of Customs (GAC).海关总署近日发布的数据显示，今年上半年，中国体育用品及设备出口同比增长16.7%，高出同期出口整体增速9.8个百分点。Data from the World Trade Organization showed that global trade in sporting goods has nearly tripled in almost 30 years, and China has become the world's top exporter of sporting goods.世界贸易组织发布的数据显示，全球范围内的体育用品贸易在过去近30年里增长了近3倍，而在这30年间，中国已成为全球最大的体育用品出口国。In Jinping county of southwest China's Guizhou Province, a global production hub for badminton shuttlecocks, more than 100,000 shuttlecocks are sold worldwide a day.在全球重要的羽毛球生产基地——贵州省锦屏县，每天超过10万只羽毛球从这里“飞”向全球。"We've calculated that about one in every 10 shuttlecocks in the world comes from Jinping," said Hu Bing, production manager of Guizhou RSL Sports Culture Development Co., Ltd.贵州亚狮龙体育文化产业发展有限公司生产经理胡兵说：“我们统计过，全球大约每10只羽毛球，就有1只产自锦屏。”Last year, the company produced over 4 million dozen shuttlecocks, generating a staggering output value of 340 million yuan ($47.73 million) and exporting nearly $9 million worth of shuttlecocks to over 60 countries and regions, Hu noted.胡兵说，公司去年产值3.4亿元，生产羽毛球超400多万打，出口总额近900万美元，产品销往60多个国家和地区。The first half of 2024 saw the company achieve even more remarkable growth, with the output value of shuttlecocks reaching 185 million yuan and exports skyrocketing by around 40 percent compared to the same period last year.今年上半年，该公司营业额进一步增长，产值达1.85亿元，出口比去年同期增长了40%左右。In the first quarter of 2024, China's exports of footballs, basketballs, and volleyballs saw a year-on-year increase of 33.57 percent in volume and 17.99 percent in value, while that of table tennis, badminton, and tennis equipment increased 0.93 percent from the same period last year to $204 million, according to GAC data.根据海关总署数据，2024年第一季度，中国足球、篮球、排球出口量同比增长33.57%，出口额同比增长17.99%；乒乓球、羽毛球、网球及相关用品累计出口额2.04亿美元，同比增长0.93%。In the first three months of this year, the country's exports of roller skates and skateboards surged 30.85 percent and 50.21 percent year-on-year, respectively. The inclusion of skateboarding as an Olympic sport has further fueled demand, particularly in countries like Russia and Japan.今年一季度，中国旱冰鞋和滑板出口量同比分别大幅增长30.85%和50.21%。随着滑板成为奥运项目，带动俄罗斯、日本等国消费，滑板出口额增长显著。In addition, treadmill exports jumped by 44.94 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, while artificial turf exports grew by 15.64 percent from the same period last year.此外，一季度跑步机和人造草同比也分别增长44.94%和15.64%。To boost the pace of "going global," Chinese sporting goods companies need to rely on greener sporting goods with higher technological content, said Bao Mingxiao, director of the China Sports Policy Research Institute at Beijing Sport University.北京体育大学中国体育政策研究院院长鲍明晓表示，企业出海的步伐要更加坚实有力，靠的是更具科技含量、更加绿色环保的“硬实力”。Dingqi Sports Goods (Huai'an) Co., Ltd. in Huai'an city, east China's Jiangsu Province specializes in the production of ball bladders, including those used in the production of footballs, volleyballs, basketballs and rugby balls. 70 percent of its products are exported overseas. For the Paris Olympics, the company exported products made from 70 percent bio-based materials.江苏淮安的顶碁运动用品（淮安）有限公司专门生产运动用足球、排球、篮球、橄榄球等球类产品内胆，产品70%出口海外。巴黎奥运会就使用了这家企业研发的含有70%生物基的产品。"This type of football is equipped with a chip capable of making 500 identifications per second to assist in determining a handball or offside instances," said Zhou Hongda, general manager of the company, adding that it produces ball bladders made from recycled and bio-based materials.顶碁运动用品（淮安）有限公司总经理周宏达表示：“这款足球植入了芯片，1秒内能做500次识别动作，通过实时数据辅助判断是否手球、越位等。” 他介绍，该公司的足球内胆用回收材料、生物基材料制成。Since the start of this year, the company has exported 4.07 million balls for training and games, including those used in the UEFA European Championship, Copa America, and the Paris Olympics.今年以来，这家公司已出口欧洲杯、美洲杯、奥运会等赛事用球及训练用球407万个。Zhou believes that the key to the popularity of "Made-in-China" sporting goods overseas lies in continuous innovation, higher technological content, and adapting to new market demand.周宏达认为，“中国制造”体育用品赢得海外市场的关键就在于不断创新，增加产品的科技含量，适应市场新需求。Wen Jia, deputy general secretary of the China Sporting Goods Federation, said fierce competition in the domestic market makes enterprises and merchants provide customized and personalized products and services by meeting customer demand and leveraging technologies.中国体育用品业联合会副秘书长温嘉表示，国内市场竞争激烈，倒逼企业和商家从客户需求出发，利用科技手段提供定制化、个性化的产品和服务。The booming sports event economy has attracted buyers across the world to purchase all kinds of sporting goods in Yiwu, known as the "World's Supermarket" in east China's Zhejiang Province. In the city, the improved efficiency of customs supervision provides a strong boost for Chinese companies to go global.赛事经济的带动下，世界各地的采购商抓住商机，来到“世界超市”浙江义乌采购各式各样的体育产品。在这里，海关监管效率的提升也为中国企业走出去提供了强大助力。Chinese enterprises are not just exporting sporting goods, but also technology, services, and brands.中国企业不仅出口体育产品，同时也出口技术、服务和品牌。"Many foreign clients recognize our manufacturing capabilities and hope to introduce Chinese production technology to their own countries. Our future may not solely involve product exports, but also technology, service, and brand exports," said Yang Lei, general manager of the foreign trade department at Hebei Jadeqi Sports Goods Co Ltd.河北杰帝奇体育用品有限公司外贸部总经理杨磊表示：“国外很多客商对我们的制造业水平很认可，他们也希望把中国的生产技术引进过去。我们以后可能不单纯地进行产品出口，也要进行技术、服务、品牌的出口。”"Our overseas strategy aligns with the Belt and Road Initiative. We not only produce products but also offer services and comprehensive solutions, facilitating integration with other industries and making our operations more convenient. Recently, we've been considering building a production base in Serbia, having just visited there, and found the environment and market conditions favorable," Yang added.杨磊说：“我们的出海思路其实就是跟着‘一带一路'走。因为我们不仅做产品，也做服务、做一体化的解决方式，这样可以更好地和其他行业进行整合，对我们来说也更便利。最近，我们正在研究去塞尔维亚建生产基地，刚去那里考察过，环境和市场都不错，很适合做市场。”

Last time we spoke about the first United Front and formation of the Guominjun. The second Zhili-Fengtian War had just ended, as Feng Yuxiang betrayed Wu Peifu turning the tides. Feng Yuxiang's Beijing coup saw him become a major player and he soon reorganized his forces into the Guominjun, promoting Chinese nationalism, social reforms, military modernization, and ethical governance. Despite his efforts, Feng's treachery left a lasting negative reputation. The new regime, with Duan Qirui as chief executive, struggled with internal and external pressures. Feng's isolation led him to seek Soviet support, receiving significant military supplies. Meanwhile, the First United Front formed between the Kuomintang  and the Chinese Communist Party , facilitated by Soviet influence. Despite internal tensions, this alliance aimed to unify China. Sun Yat-Sen's cautious cooperation with the Soviets was driven by pragmatic needs, even as ideological differences persisted, setting the stage for future conflicts.   #107 the rise of chiang kai shek 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. Chiang Kai-Shek was born on Halloween, October 31st of 1887 in Xikou, a small town in Fenghua of Zhejiang Province. Chiang was born into a Wuyue family, a subgroup of Han Chinese who speak Wu. His father was Chiang Chaotsung and his mother Wang Tsai-yu. Both were members of a relatively well off family of salt merchants. From an early age, Chiang was interested in the military. Like many youths at the turn of the century in China, Chiang cut off his queue rebelling against the Qing Dynasty. Chiang began his military career at the Baoding Military academy in 1906. After this he traveled to Japan to the Tokyo Shinbu Gakko preparatory school for the IJA. There he gained revolutionary fever, seeking to overthrow the Manchu back home. In 1908 he befriended Chen Qimei who introduced him to the Tongmenghui. He graduated from the Tokyo Shinbu Gakko and served in the IJA for 3 years.  Upon hearing about the Wuchang Uprising, Chiang rushed back to China where he served the revolutionary forces in Shanghai under Chen Qimei. Chiang Kai-Shek then became a founding member of the Kuomintang. Chen Qimei was assassinated by agents of Yuan Shikai, leading Chiang to succeed him as leader of the KMT in Shanghai. In 1918 Chiang moved his base of operations to Guangzhou to joined up with Sun Yat-Sen. I have already told most of the story, Chiang Kai-Shek was there for all of the up's and downs. During the conflict between Sun Yat-Sen and Chen Jiongming, Chiang Kai-Shek stook with Sun, even when he went into exile. Chiang Kai-Shek protected Sun Yat-Sen, and because of this Sun Yat-Sen began to trust him greatly.  Sun Yat-Sen regained control over Guangzhou in 1923 with help of Yunnanese and CCP forces. Then as we discussed in the last episode, Sun Yat-Sen made the fateful decision to form the First United Front with the CCP to obtain Soviet support. Borodin established the Whampoa Military Academy and Chiang Kai-Shek was given the job of managing it. Soviet advisors swarmed into Guangzhou, alongside military equipment and regular pay for the soldiers.  Whampoa was created to produce officers quickly and its military education was a quite diluted form of the Japanese curricula used at the Baoding Military academies. Of course Chiang Kai-Shek himself was a graduate of these and went to Japanese to extend his military education. Thus he brought a sort of Bushido to Whampoa, he taught the boys about obeying orders without question, defending untenable positions to the last man and attacking regardless of losses. The young officers very much became his own. Chiang Kai-Shek also favored the idea of collective punishment for failures. Zhou Enlai, then already a prominent communist became the chief political commissar of Whampoa, backed strongly by Borodin. Now Sun Yat-Sen's authority was confined to Guangzhou and central parts of Guangdong province. He had been strongly contested with this by Chen Jiongming. This resulted in his northern expedition failing a few times. In the summer and autumn of 1924 he contended then with the Canton Merchants Association, who had formed an armed· militia and began staging  protests and strikes in August when Sun Yat-Sen tried to cut off their arms supplies. In October the Merchants Association attempted to seize Guangzhou in collusion with Chen Jiongming, and it was Chiang Kai-shek who personally led the Whampoa cadets to defeat and dissolve their militia. This was another moment for the rising star to show his worth. Then Dr Sun Yat-Sen was extended an invitation to Beijing from Feng Yuxiang, Duan Qirui and Zhang Zuolin, the new triumvirate. All sought the reunification of China, they wondered if this could be done peacefully. Sun Yat-Sen had declined numerous times to come to Beijing and rejoin the Beiyang government, in the past he refused mostly because of Wu Peifu and Li Yuanhong. This time he had less objections, and with Soviet backing he finally had a better poker hand. Borodin thought it was a good idea and now Chiang Kai-Shek had a firm hand over the NRA forces. For once Sun Yat-Sen was not looking over his back to see if Chen Jiongming was going to seize Guangzhou. With Chiang Kai-Shek watching over his military and his old friend Hu Hanmin as deputy over civilian affairs, accompanied by those like Wang Jingwei, the Generalissimo went to Beijing in 1925.  In 1924 Sun Yat-Sen had traveled to Tianjin where he delivered a speech, suggesting a national conference for the people of China. He called for an end to warlordism and the abolition of the unequal treaties. He also received word from General Ma Fuxiang of the Ma Clique, who notified him he was willing to join forces. Meanwhile Sun Yat-Sen had a real problem, his health. While at Tianjin he underwent an exploratory laparotomy, this is a surgical exploration of the abdominal organs. This was done at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital. He had been suffering for a long time from something relating to his liver. Dr. Adrian Taylor opened him up and stated "the surgery revealed extensive involvement of the liver by carcinoma". Taylor gave Sun Yat-Sen only ten days to live. Sun Yat-Sen was hospitalized and received radium treatment. On February 18th, against the advice of his doctors, he was transferred to the KMT HQ and received traditional chinese medicine. By March 12th, Sun Yat-Sen died at the age of 58. The cause of death was stated to be liver cancer.  Sun Yat-Sen left a rather famous will, written by Wang Jingwei. It is generally believed now that Wang Jingwei had written the will on his behalf.  “For forty years I have devoted myself to the national revolution, with the goal of seeking freedom and equality for China. With forty years of experience, I know that in order to achieve this goal, I must arouse the people and unite with the nations in the world that treat me equally to fight together. Now that the revolution has not yet succeeded, all my comrades must continue to work hard in accordance with my " National Construction Strategy ", " National Construction Outline ", " Three Democratic Principles " and " Declaration of the First National Congress " to implement them. Recently, I have advocated the convening of a national assembly and the abolition of unequal treaties, and we must promote their realization in the shortest possible time. This is what I have said!” All of China watched eagerly to see who would succeed Sun Yat-Sen. Wang Jingwei was at his deathbed and entrusted to write his will out, thus most believed he was the prime candidate. Yet there were many choice and now the Soviets looked to who would be the man they would be dealing with.  A major situation then broke out in May of 1925. The triumvirate was not very popular amongst the Chinese people. Southerners particularly were not keen about it. In the wake of Dr Sun Yat-Sen's death, the CCP thought they had a major opportunity. A new bill was being passed in Shanghai that would see the end of children under the age of 12 working in mills and factories. Now many working class families depended on such work. Alongside this another bill advocating for censorship of publications was about to be introduced and this really pissed off the intellectual types. Strikes emerged, some aimed at Japanese owned businesses, such as cotton mills. A group of Japanese managers were attacked leaving work, one was killed. In response Japanese foremen began carrying pistols on duty. By May 15th a Japanese foremen  shot dead by a protestor named Ku Cheng-Hung. The Shanghai population demanded a public funeral for Ku Cheng-Hung and began protesting. Many were arrested and a trial was set for May 30th. In response to this, students planned a demonstration. On the morning of the 30th, just as the trial was beginning, the Shanghai Municipal Police arrested some 15 student ringleaders at the Nanking Road in the international settlement. The student protestors were taken to Laozha police station, but by 2:45pm a huge crowd gathered outside it. Demonstrators were demanding their release and many entered the police station. The police state the demonstrators tried to forcibly release the arrested and the crowd could have been up to 2000 people strong. There were only 12 cops, some Sikh's, Chinese and white officers. Allegedly chants were made for “kill the foreigners” and violence erupted. The police commissioner at the scene K.J. McEuen shouted in Wu Chinese "Stop! If you do not stop I will shoot!" At 3:37pm shots were fired into the crowd, at least 4 demonstrators were killed, another 5 died later of wounds and 14 were hospitalized. The next day saw more students going around placing posters and demanding shops stop selling or buying foreign goods. Then their leaders came to the Chinese chamber of Commerce with a list of demands. They sought punishment of those who shot the demonstrators and an end to the extraterritoriality rights of foreign powers in Shanghai as well as a closure of the international settlement. The president of the chamber of commerce was away at the time, but his deputy agreed to the press for the demands to be carried out. Obviously this was not going to happen and the deputy would send a message to the municipal council stating he said what he said under duress.  On June 1st martial law was declared, the Shanghai Volunteer corps, a type of militia was called up alongside foreign military assistance. Over the next month, together they raided demonstrators houses and protected businesses. Countless strikes broke out, alongside demonstrations and violence. Shops were looted, those who refused boycotts were beaten up. Perhaps up to 200 people died during the mayhem. Had what became known as the May thirtieth incident broken out years prior it would have amounted to nothing. Yet because of the other events going on, it became a rallying cry for a sort of crusade. The incident galvanized other strikes, demonstrations and boycotts across China. The main target of the public outrage moved from the Japanese to the British. Hong Kong and Guangzhou were deeply affected. Prominent Chinese citizens in Guangdong called for an anti-British strike. The KMT leaders and Soviet advisors considered the optics of the situation, some arguing they should attack the Anglo-French settlement in Shameen. The demonstrators began handing out anti-British leaflets in Hong Kong, and then a rumor emerged that the colonial government was planning to poison the colony's water supplies. Guangdong began offering free train passage to Hong Kong, greatly escalating the situation. Over 50,000 Chinese fled Hong Kong as a result of the chaos. Food prices skyrocketed and the colony became a ghost town by July. By the end of July nearly 250,000 had left Guangdong. To try and prevent the colonies economic collapse, the British loaned 3 million pounds. The two highest officials, Governor Sir Reginald Stubbs and Colonial secretary Claud Severn were quickly replaced, blamed for much of the crisis. For months anti-british boycotts went on, Hong Kong's economy was paralyzed. Her trade fell by half, her shipping by 40% and land renting by 60%. Similar situations arose in Guangzhou and Mukden. Feng Yuxiang seeking to earn public favor, began anti-west campaigns, calling for a public apology from Britain. Zhang Zuolin hammered the Shanghai situation by funding the police to arrest protestors alongside communists.  Meanwhile the situation in Beijing was tense, all were looking to see who would grab Sun Yat-Sen's title. Hu Hanmin had succeeded Sun Yat-Sen nominally in Guangzhou, but he was immediately challenged by the existence of Chen Jiongming over at Huizhou and the Warlord Tang Chiyao in Yunnan, who had just assumed the title of deputy grand marshal. This was a title Tang Chiyao had continuously refused to accept while Sun Yat-Sen was alive. Chen Jiongming had strengthened his position in eastern Guangdong immediately after Sun Yat-Sens departure for Beijing. He colluded with Tang Chiyao, and the Guangxi warlords Xumin and Liu Chenhuan. They were planning yet again to attack Guangzhou. However the Cantonese and Hunanese continents of the NRA remained loyal. Chiang Kai-Shek had the firm loyalty of the Whampoa graduates, whose first two classes had just graduated. Combined the KMT forces proceeded to conquer eastern Guangdong. A siege was erected against Huizhou, forcing Chen Jiongming to flee. The success of all of this, bolstered Chiang Kai-Sheks reputation and solidified his leadership over the Whampoa graduates. Meanwhile the New Guangxi Clique warlords rallied around Li Zongren, Bai Chungxu and Huang Shaoxiang seized control over Guangxi. Together they opposed the attempted comeback of the Old Guangxi clique warlord Lu Jungting. The Guangxi leader dumped Shen and fought Tang Chiyao's attempt to install Liu Chenhuan as governor over Guangxi. By Mid-July Huang Shaoxing became governor over Guangxi as Li Zongren and Bai Chungxu brokered an alliance with the KMT. On July 1st of 1925, the KMT proclaimed a national government in Guangzhou. A 16 memer political committee, chaired by Wang Jingwei. Liao Chungkai became the minister of Finance, who also led the left wing of the party. Xu Chungchih became minister of war, Hu Hanmin minister of Communications who led the right wing of the party. Despite the effort to balance the party, to the westerners and conservative chinese the party seemed far too radical. Borodin was nicknamed the “Emperor of Guangzhou” by the press and Zhou Enlai's position as commissar of Whampoa was obscuring Chiang Kai-Shek's efforts to turn the academy into his own personal instrument. A military reorganization accompanied the proclamation of the new government. The Whampoa graduates dominated the 1st Army, while Tan Yenkai's 15,000 Hunanese became the 2nd army and Chu Beite's Yunnanese became the 3rd. The 4th was a Cantonese force led by Li Chishen, the 5th was a Fujianese force within Guangdong under Li Fulin. A 6th army of Hunanese forces under Cheng Chen was formed in 1926 and later on a 7th army would be formed, 30,000 men strong led by the new Guangxi clique.All of these new units demonstrated loyalty to the KMT ideology, though their training varied greatly and their autonomy from local warlords also varied.  Liao Chungkai became the principal spokesman for Sun Yat-Sen's policies, and for cooperation with the Soviets and CCP. On August 20th, 1925 Liao Chungkai was on his way to a Kuomintang Executive Committee meeting in Guangzhou when suddenly 5 gunmen wielding Mauser C96's gunned him down as he exited his limousine. Everyone suspected Hu Hanmin or possibly Xu Chungchih of ordering the hit.  In Liao Chungkai, Chiang Kai-Shek lost an old friend. Grief came upon him and it hastened him to make decisions. He felt that the moment for dealing with plots and counterplots had arrived. The Central Executive Committee of the Kuomintang met with the state and military councils and they decided emergency measures were in order. Wang Chingwei, Xu Chungchih, who was Chiang Kai-Sheks Command in Chief, and Chiang Kai-Shek were given unlimited powers. Four days after the assassination, Chiang Kai-Shek unleashed a detachment of his Whampoa cadets in a search party. They broke into the houses and offices of all government officials and seized documents. Roughly 100 men were arrested. Hu Hanmin was taken under guard to Whampoa and then was sent on a diplomatic mission to Russia. There was no diplomatic mission, it was exile.  Now Wang Jingwei, Xu Chungchih and Chiang Kai-SHek remained to lead the government. Xu had always been on good terms with Chiang Kai-Shek, but now they quarreled. Both men began arguing over the ongoingscuffle with Chen Jiongming. Xu insisted they should simply leave him alone, but it seemed old Chen was back at it again. Chiang Kai-Shek strongly disagreed and began accusing him of conspiring with Chen, or at minimum some of his officers were. By the end of September Xu simply departed for Shanghai, not wanting to take part it what was clearly becoming a power steal. With his prestige having suppressed the last Chen Jiongming attack in October, Chiang Kai-Shek began associating himself more and more with Sun Yat-Sen's legacy. He did so by repeatedly calling for a northern expedition. Meanwhile his contacts in Shanghai, mediated some negotiations with Sun Chuanfang. Sun Chuanfang by this point was consolidating his rule over 5 provinces: Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangxi and Anhui. In November of 1925 the right wing members of the KMT met in the presence of Sun Yat-Sen's coffin near Beijing, where they passed some resolutions calling for the end of the KMT-CCP alliance. After the assassination of Liao Chungkai, Wang Jingwei was pretty much unchallenged to became leader of the KMT's left wing. He declared the proposed resolutions null and void, calling for a counter meeting in Guangzhou in January of 1926. In the background of this, Chiang Kai-Shek continued to call for a Northern Expedition, the KMT left, CCP and Russian advisors advocated for social revolution and to support efforts by strikers in Guangzhou. Chiang Kai-Shek was now the Guangzhou garrison commander and the inspector General of the National Revolutionary Army, aka the NRA, so he personally began preparations for a northern expedition. Yet his authority was being threatened by the growing CCP presence within the KMT army and navy. In February of 1926 Chiang Kai-Shek approached Wang Jingwei on several occasions demanding he remove Russian advisers whom he accused of inciting mutiny amongst his subordinates.  In March a coalition of left wing and Russian advisors led to the communist, Li Zhilong to become the commander of the Guangzhou navy. Li Zhilong began cracking down on the navy's smuggling operations and replaced many ship captains with communists. On the 18th the fleet's flagship, gunboat Zhongshan departed without Chiang Kai-Sheks knowledge nor approval from Guangzhou or Whampoa. It would turn out, Li Zhilong was moving the ship to support uprisings in the area and this of course alarmed the KMT. The Zhongshan relocated from Guangzhou to the anchorage off Changzhou, but sailed back the next day. When prompted to what he was doing, Li Zhilong stated he moved the ship under orders from Chiang Kai-Shek. Chiang Kai-Shek upon hearing this became gravely alarmed, because he never gave such orders. Then Chiang Kai-Shek began receiving some bizarre phone calls. Chen Jieru, the second wife to Chiang Kai-Shek, reported Wang Jingwei's wife, Chen Bijun had called her over 5 times on the 18th, checking Chiang Kai-Shek's schedule. Likewise the Whampoa political director, Deng Yanda began calling, asking when would be the next time Chiang Kai-Shek would sail for Changzhou. Chiang Kai-Shek simply told Deng Yanda, not any time soon. Then Li Zhilong called Chiang Kai-Shek, reporting that Deng Yanda ordered him to depart. Later in his unofficial memoirs, Chiang Kai-Shek would assert, Wang Jingwei was the one calling everyone.  Chiang Kai-Shek responded to the situation by purchasing a ticket aboard a Japanese steamer and headed to Shantou. He believed something was afoot, perhaps a putsch or some kind of assassination attempt. Later on Chiang Kai-Shek stated it was all a ploy to kidnap him and exile him to Vladivostok. While his explanations were not very credible, his fear was genuine. It was an extremely volatile time in Guangzhou and plots by the left or the right were expected. Andrei Bubnov, head of the Soviet advisors mission to Guangzhou would later note in reports, the supposed incident was due to an aborted putsch, enacted by CCP members. On March 20th, Chiang Kai-Shek ordered the Zhongshan to come back to Guangzhou, and she did, mooring in front of the officer's club with her crew apparently at general quarters. At 4am on the 21st, Chiang Kai-Shek declared martial law and began arresting all known communists holding positions of authority. Li Zhilong was arrested from his bedroom, his warship was secured as Jiang Dingwen assumed his place at the Navy Bureau. Then Wu Tiecheng and Hui Dongsheng surrounded the residence of Wang Jingwei and the Soviet Advisors, placing them under house arrest. Deng Yanda was arrested, the Hong Kong Strike Committee saw a crackdown and Liu Zhi arrested many communists of the 2nd division and those at Whampoa in the 1st Corps, such as Zhou Enlai. Chiang Kai-Shek's loyal men disarmed the Communists paramilitary workers guard, two entire garrisons were dissolved. Borodin and Vasily Blyukher were also both arrested. All those arrested were removed from their positions and departed Guangzhou. Chiang Kai-Shek carefully explained to the public that his actions were taken specifically against uncooperative individuals and that he was not simply targeting communists. But yeah he was just targeting communists.  When Chiang Kai-Shek and Wang Jingwei were left the last two with unlimited power they began to go at each other. Wang Jingwei certainly did not approve of the mass arrest of communists. Apparently Wang Jingwei told Chiang Kai-Shek to leave Guangzhou at some point. Wang Jingwei apparently was trying to scare him off, by suggesting he leave, but Chiang Kai-Shek did not do so. Suddenly Wang Jingwei became quite sick, apparently he had a high fever. He was visited by Chen Gongbo, Tan Yankai, Li Jishen, Zhu Peide and T.V Soong the current minister of finance. Apparently Wang Jingwei was pretty pissed off complaining to them all that Chiang Kai-Shek had gone over the top. A Nationalist executive Committee was convened on the 22nd, and a compromise was established. Wang Jingwei would take a vacation to France.  In reality of course, Wang Jingwei had simply lost a quasi game of thrones. Wang Jingwei had more than likely tried some crooked attempts to kill or get rid of Chiang Kai-Shek, he failed and Chiang Kai-Shek responded firmly. Wang Jingwei had felt it prudent he simply retire in the end, he departed 5 days after the chaos had ensued. Once he had reached a safe location, he wrote to Chiang Kai-Shek that henceforth he was eschewing all political activity, basically “please don't kill me”. Thus Chiang Kai-Shek emerged the sole survivors of the original three successors to Dr Sun Yat-Sen. All of this became known as the Guangzhou Coup or Canton Coup, and what exactly happened is sort of still a mystery. It's a lot of he said, she said kind of stuff. The end of the coup effectively stopped the CCP and Soviets from trying to undermine the KMT for the time being. Despite the quasi war between the two sides, an awkward balance emerged. Chiang Kai-Shek needed Moscow's help for the Northern Expedition. The CCP and Soviets needed the KMT to help them grow. Chiang Kai-Shek took a delicate touch henceforth, making conciliatory moves. Chiang Kai-Shek met with Borodin and they had what was described by Chiang Kai-Shek as a calm and friendly conversation. Almost immediately after the incident Chiang Kai-Shek began criticizing the extremely anti-communist members of the party. He became a kind of chief of police between the communists and anti-communists, but it was all a charade. In a political sense, Chiang Kai-Shek emerged extremely right. He believed something had to be done to curb the communist influence in the KMT. Thus in a rather fiery speech he began demanding the communists stop attacking Sun Yat-Sen's three principles. No communist could admit to doing such a thing, it was rather blasphemous, though they were doing it. So it was a safe way to try and keep the communists in check. Chiang Kai-Shek followed it up by stating no communists should hold high office in the Kuomintang and the communists begrudgingly abided by it. Chiang Kai-Shek then during a Central Executive Committee meeting, suggested that all the communists should be expelled from the Kuomintang, but the Committee voted that one down. However there was an agreement that relations between the two groups needed to be revised and more importantly, the communists were to hand over a list of their members to the Kuomintang. To all of these things said, Borodin listened and never said a word in disagreement. It seemed Chiang Kai-Shek and Borodin had made a promise to each other to get alone at least until the Northern Expedition was successfully carried through. Chiang Kai-Shek had reached an agreement with Moscow. The Soviets would maintain their financial and arming of the KMT, if some advisors were kept on. They also agreed to get the CCP to hand over a list of all their memes in the KMT and that no communists would hold top cabinet positions. On April 3rd, Chiang Kai-Shek cabled an official public telegram stating the entire incident “was a limited and individual matter of a small number of members of our Party who had carried out an anti-revolutionary plot". Chiang Kai-Shek removed some right wingers from leadership such as Wu Tiechang, forbade right-wing demonstrations and no one was to ever publicly question the First United Front. It seemed this was done to appease the soviets. While Joseph Stalin backed the alliance, Trotsky opposed it. Chiang Kai-Shek was formally handed leadership of the party and army, ending civilian oversight over the NRA. Soon some emergency decrees would be levied to expand Chiang Kai-Shek's power. Chiang Kai-Shek had become the new generalissimo. 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 First United Front nearly collapsed as a result of a real game of thrones being played out after the death of Dr Sun Yat-Sen, the father of the nation. In the face of many rivals, it was the dark horse, Chiang Kai-Shek who came out on top. He would consolidate the strength of the south and soon march north to take Beijing. 

In this episode of our Makin' It in China series, we are joined by Neeraj Punhani, an Indian entrepreneur with over two decades of experience in the textile industry. Punhani has established his own company in Shaoxing, located in Zhejiang Province, east China. Join us as we explore his journey of working and living in China.

Round Table's Happy Place! / Hangzhou city is buzzing with excitement, as it hosts the 20th China International Cartoon & Animation Festival! With exciting activities and a focus on talent development, this city in east China's Zhejiang Province is a hub of creativity. How has the Chinese animation industry grown, and what's next on the horizon (14:08)? On the show: Heyang, Yushun & Josh Cotterill

Several years ago, a book caught my eye, called "Lu Xun's Legacy". Published by the Muban Educational Trust, a non-profit dedicated to the preservation of woodblock art in China and located in London, England, it opened my eyes to Chinese woodblock prints. Reading the book, I realized how little I knew about printmaking, woodblock or otherwise, from China. All I really knew was that Japanese woodblock has roots within Chinese printmaking and I was curious as to how that transpired. Today, I speak with Senior Research Fellow at the Muban Educational Trust, David Barker. David's interests lie in the history and techniques of Chinese printmaking, having written a book on the subject in 2005 called "Tradition and Techniques in Contemporary Chinese Printmaking". David speaks to me about the history of printmaking in China, its techniques, and process. David discusses his time in the country, how prints evolved from the pre-modern (Tang and Ming Dynasties, for instance) into more modern times. We discuss Lu Xun, and the history of purchasing and selling prints in China, and where printmaking in China is today. Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at theunfinishedprint@gmail.com  Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase. Artists works follow after the note if available. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known. Print publishers are given if known. Muban Educational Trust : website Lu Xun (1881-1936) : was a seminal figure in modern Chinese literature, renowned for his impactful short stories and essays that exposed the societal and political issues of his era. Born in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, his works, including "The True Story of Ah Q" and "Diary of a Madman," critically examined the struggles of ordinary people and the shortcomings of traditional Chinese society. A staunch advocate for cultural and political reform, Lu Xun's writings continue to inspire and resonate with readers, solidifying his legacy as one of the most influential writers in 20th-century Chinese literature. Goldsmiths College: A renowned public research university in London known for its arts, design, and humanities programs. etching: A printmaking technique where an image is created by using acid to etch lines or textures onto a metal plate. lithography: A printing process where images are transferred onto a surface using a flat plate or stone. St. Francis Xavier (1506-1552): was a Roman Catholic missionary who played a significant role in spreading Christianity in Asia, particularly in Japan and India, during the 16th century. Shimabara Rebellion: was a 17th-century uprising in Japan led by Christian peasants against oppressive feudal lords and the prohibition of Christianity. Cultural Revolution: A socio-political movement in China initiated by Mao Zedong in the 1960s aimed at purging "counter-revolutionary" elements and promoting Maoist ideology. Mao Zedong (1893-1976) -  was the founder of the People's Republic of China and a key figure in Chinese communist history. Open Door Policy: A U.S. policy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries advocating for free trade and equal economic access to China among foreign powers. Gang of Four: A political faction led by Mao Zedong's wife, Jiang Qing, during the Cultural Revolution, known for its radical and controversial policies. Anne Farrer PhD:  is the Senior Research Fellow at the MET with a BA in Chinese and a PhD in late Ming woodblock illustration from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. She has served in various roles at the Ashmolean Museum and the British Museum, focusing on Chinese painting, prints, and Central Asian collections. Currently, she is the Programme Director for the MA in East Asian Art at Sotheby's Institute of Art in London and also works with the Muban Educational Trust. Dr. Farrer's exhibitions and publications span topics such as Chinese art from the Silk Route, traditional and contemporary Chinese printmaking, and she has a particular research interest in woodblock printing from seventeenth and eighteenth-century China. Tang Dynasty: An influential dynasty in Chinese history known for its cultural and economic prosperity during the 7th to 10th centuries. Ching Dynasty: Also known as the Qing Dynasty, the last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912. Ming Dynasty: preceding the Qing Dynasty, known for its cultural renaissance and maritime exploration during the 14th to 17th centuries. gouache: is a water-based paint known for its opaque and vibrant colours. Made from pigment, water, and gum arabic as a binder, it offers artists versatility in creating both translucent washes and opaque layers. Gouache can be reactivated with water and comes in a range of colors, making it a popular choice for various painting techniques. Gauguin in the South Pacific: refers to the artistic period of Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) when he lived and worked in the South Pacific islands, producing vibrant and exotic paintings. kentō - is the registration system used by printmakers in order to line up the colour woodblocks with your key block, or outline block, carved first.   Ten Bamboo Studio: was a renowned Chinese printing studio established during the Qing Dynasty. Founded by Hu Zhengyan, it produced exquisite woodblock-printed books known for intricate designs and high-quality craftsmanship. These publications covered literature, poetry, painting, and calligraphy, showcasing meticulous detail and vibrant colors. Today, works from the Ten Bamboo Studio are treasured cultural artifacts admired globally for their beauty and historical significance. The Ding Workshops: was a renowned studio in China specializing in traditional woodblock printing. For generations, the Ding family mastered the art of printmaking, producing high-quality prints that often depicted landscapes, figures, and daily life scenes with intricate details and rich colors. Their prints were highly sought after and played a significant role in preserving and promoting Chinese artistic heritage.  Postmodernism in China: a cultural and artistic movement in China that emerged after the Cultural Revolution, characterized by a mix of traditional and contemporary influences. Christer von der Burg : founded the Han Shan Tang bookshop in 1978 in London, specializing in East Asian arts and culture books. Recognizing the underappreciation of Chinese prints compared to Japanese prints, he established the Muban Foundation in 1997 to promote Chinese printing knowledge. Over a decade, he amassed a collection of over 8,000 Chinese prints, now housed with the Muban Educational Trust. Retiring from the book business in 2000, Christer remains active, building one of the world's largest collections of antique Chinese prints, particularly from Suzhou. His passion has revitalized interest in Chinese woodblock printing, educating both artists and collectors on its significance, evident in today's rising print values at Chinese auctions. Cleveland Museum: The Cleveland Museum of Art, a major art museum located in Cleveland, Ohio, known for its diverse collection spanning various cultures and time periods. British Museum: A world-renowned museum in London, housing a vast collection of art and artifacts from around the world. The Ashmolean Museum: in Oxford, England, one of the oldest public museums in the world, known for its extensive collection of art and archaeology. The Dresden Museum of Art: is renowned for its diverse collection of artworks from various periods and styles. Founded in the 19th century, it features masterpieces by artists like Raphael and Rembrandt. The museum's elegant architecture and rotating exhibitions attract art enthusiasts worldwide, making it a cultural hub in Dresden. Crown Point Press: A prestigious printmaking studio and publisher based in San Francisco, known for collaborating with renowned artists. oban: A traditional Japanese print size, approximately 10 x 15 inches, often used for Japanese style woodblock prints. Huizhou :located in Guangdong Province, China, is a city steeped in rich history and cultural heritage. Once a significant center of trade and commerce during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Huizhou today blends its storied past with modern development. The city offers a mix of historical sites, natural parks, and cultural landmarks, making it a diverse and appealing destination. With its coastal location, Huizhou also attracts beachgoers and outdoor enthusiasts. Furthermore, its thriving economy, particularly in industries like electronics and petrochemicals, highlights its importance as a dynamic hub in southern China. Beijing: The capital city of China, known for its historic landmarks like the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, as well as its modern development. Tianjin: is situated in northeastern China, is a bustling metropolis renowned for its historical significance, vibrant culture, and modern development. As a major port city and economic hub, Tianjin blends traditional Chinese architecture and heritage sites with contemporary skyscrapers and bustling commercial districts. The city boasts a rich cultural scene, featuring theaters, museums, and galleries, as well as a diverse culinary landscape reflecting its cosmopolitan character. With its strategic location and rapid urbanization, Tianjin continues to thrive as a key player in China's economy and as a dynamic center for business, culture, and innovation. Yunnan Province -  is a diverse and culturally rich province in southwest China, known for its stunning landscapes, ethnic minorities, and traditional crafts. Matteo Ricci (1552-1610) was an Italian Jesuit priest and missionary who played a key role in early interactions between China and the West during the Ming Dynasty. Ricci learned Chinese, adopted local customs, and impressed Chinese intellectuals with his knowledge of Western science and technology. He collaborated with Chinese scholar Xu Guangqi to translate Western texts into Chinese, promoting cultural exchange. Despite challenges from both Chinese officials and European Jesuits, Ricci's efforts laid the foundation for future East-West interactions and understanding. Manchu : are an ethnic group primarily originating from the northeastern region of China, historically known as Manchuria. In the 17th century, under the leadership of the Aisin Gioro clan, the Manchu established the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China from 1644 to 1912. Initially a nomadic and tribal people, the Manchu gradually adopted Chinese culture, language, and governance systems as they integrated into the broader Chinese civilization. Despite their eventual assimilation, the Manchu maintained a distinct identity, characterized by their unique language, customs, and traditions. Today, the descendants of the Manchu continue to uphold their cultural heritage and identity, contributing to the rich tapestry of ethnic diversity within China.   © Popular Wheat Productions opening and closing musical credit - Car Hiss By My Window by The Doors from the album L.A. Woman released in 1971 by Elektra Records.  logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny  Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :) Слава Українi If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know. ***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***

Chinese travelers are setting new records amid this year's Spring Festival travel rush(01:02). Hopes for a ceasefire in Gaza remain alive as Egyptian sources hint at efforts for a new round of negotiations(12:01). Emerging technologies are driving a new round of agricultural innovation in rural Zhejiang Province(19:02).

Chapter 1 What's Country Driving Book by Peter Hessler"Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory" is a book written by Peter Hessler. Published in 2010, the book is a combination of memoir and travelogue as Hessler explores the various aspects of China's rapid development and transformation through his experiences of driving across the country. The book is divided into three parts. The first part focuses on Hessler's journey through the rural areas of Sichuan Province, where he learns about the challenges faced by the Chinese farmers and the impact of government policies on their lives. The second part takes the readers to the industrial city of Lishui in Zhejiang Province, where Hessler looks into the lives of factory workers and the consequences of China's manufacturing boom. Lastly, the third part examines the changes brought by the construction of the new highway system in China, along with the cultural and social implications."Country Driving" has been praised for its insightful portrayal of China's economic development and its effects on the lives of ordinary Chinese people. Hessler's writing captures the nuances of Chinese society and offers a unique perspective on the changes taking place in the country.Chapter 2 Is Country Driving Book A Good BookCountry Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory is a highly acclaimed book by Peter Hessler. It offers an insightful exploration of China's rapid development and transformation through the experiences of its people. Many readers and critics have praised the book for its engaging storytelling, in-depth research, and cultural analysis. Overall, if you are interested in understanding China's social and economic changes, and enjoy well-written non-fiction, Country Driving is likely to be a good book for you.Chapter 3 Country Driving Book by Peter Hessler Summary"Country Driving" is a book written by Peter Hessler, an American journalist and writer, published in 2010. The book primarily focuses on Hessler's experiences living and traveling in China, particularly the changes and challenges faced by Chinese society due to the rapid development of the country's road and transportation systems.The book is divided into three parts. The first part, titled "The Wall," centers around Hessler's experience in a rural village in northern China where he rented a house and learned to drive. He describes the local culture, customs, and the impact of the construction of the Great Wall on the community. He also provides insights into the challenges faced by rural Chinese as they adapt to the changes brought by economic and infrastructural development.The second part, titled "The Village," focuses on Hessler's time in Sancha, a village located close to Beijing. Here, he explores the effects of urbanization and migration on rural communities. Hessler visits local businesses and profiles the lives of individuals who have left their homes to seek work in the city. He provides a nuanced view of the increasing wealth disparity and cultural shifts occurring in China.The final part, titled "The Factory," takes place in Zhejiang Province, where Hessler investigates the factory industry and its impact on Chinese society. He works in a factory and interviews factory workers to shed light on their experiences, motivations, and struggles. He delves into the complexities of the manufacturing industry, including foreign investment, labor rights, and environmental concerns.Throughout the book, Hessler weaves in personal anecdotes and observations, portraying a vivid picture of the rural and industrial landscapes of China. He explores themes of economic growth, social change, and the clash between tradition and modernity in the lives of...

The year 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the discovery of Hemudu, a Neolithic Age archaeological site in Yuyao of Zhejiang Province on the southeast coast of China. This radio drama "Once Upon a Time at Hemudu" begins with a dusty journal and unravels the legendary story of two generations of archaeologists who unraveled the myth about the earliest origins of Chinese civilization. Some characters in this radio drama are voiced using artificial intelligence.

On November 8th, the governments of Namibia and China launched the China-Namibia paired hospital cooperation mechanism at Walvis Bay Hospital, in the port town of Walvis Bay, Namibia. Chen Zhengfang, Director of Cooperation, Health Commission of Zhejiang Province, Dr Augusto Gawab, Director of Walvis Bay Hospital share more insights on how the initiative aims to enhance healthcare services in Namibia. Later in the discussion, Anna Jonas, Erongo Region Health Director joins in to express her gratitude for this collaboration between China and Namibia and encourages both sides to continue their joint efforts.

World renowned spatial and 3D design artist, best known for their work as an installation artist, Zhiheng “Leo” Gong recently had his pieces featured in the upcoming exclusive, invite-only “The Other Art Fair” taking place at the Barker Hangar in Sana Monica, CA. Most recently, Leo had his work featured at the illustrious Yiwei Galley during the “Earth Is Just a Rock” exhibition that was shining a light on AAPI artist this past May 2023. “Earth is Just a Rock” considers the shifting dichotomy between the realms of science and mysticism, both significant to the included artists in a range of mediums. In the face of “monstrous creations” of human progress in evolution and technology, the artists search their hearts and minds for moments of vulnerability to find growth and move forward. Leo's dynamic and innovative work has been an accumulation of his artistic expression and his Chinese culture having been born in Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province of China. Unlike conventional two-dimensional art forms like paintings or drawings, Leo's spatial art seeks to interact with the viewer on a multi-dimensional level, often challenging perceptions and pushing the boundaries of creativity. Having received support from his family as he pursed his career in the arts, Leo has a very unique take on his work and feels compelled to show all sides of who he is pulling from his traditional upbringing as well as his experience in the United States during his time studying in school. Having a BFA from the University of Iowa in 3D Design, and an MFA in 4D Design from the Cranbook Academy of Art, Leo now spends his time not only teaching other students at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI, but is also working on his art textbook that will be used at the colligate level while somehow still finding time to work on his next spatial masterpiece. Want to watch: YouTube Meisterkhan Pod (Please Subscribe)  

Since the Green Rural Revival Program 20 years ago, the ecological environment in Zhejiang Province has fostered eco-tourism in the region, attracting many entrepreneurs to start their businesses. In this episode, naked Stables founder Grant Horsfield and Colorful Earth founder Koko Tang unravel eco-tourism and sustainability in China.

The China-Central and Eastern European Countries Expo has wrapped up in Zhejiang Province.

In this episode, Derek travels out to the West Lake area of Zhejiang Province's major city Hangzhou. Here, for the past 1000 years, longjing, or Dragonwell Green Tea, has been being grown, processed, and drank. Meet four masters out here, Tang Xiaojun (唐小军) who makes immaculate Lion's Peak Dragonwell, Tang Hejun (唐鹤君) who makes a very natural Baihefeng Dragonwell, Zhang Hailiang (张海良) who makes a Baihefeng Dragonwell in a wood-fired wok, and Xie Chunhua (谢春华) who has a large garden of the traditional Quntizhong Dragonwell varietal. We talk about the five main regions in the West Lake are, which are the Lion, the Dragon, The Cloud, the Tiger, and the Plum (狮，龙，云，虎，梅). And we compare the traditional Quntizhong (群体中) cultivar with the more modern Dragonwell #43. Check out the onerivertea.com website to sample the difference between core region, extra regional, handmade, machine made, Cultivar 43, and the Quntizhong cultivar dragonwell green teas!

Among the cultural relics prohibited from going abroad for exhibition, there are three pieces of blue-green landscape painting. One is the Spring Excursion by Sui Dynasty painter Zhan Ziqian, created in the late 6th century and believed to be the oldest-surviving landscape painting. The second is A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains by Northern Song Dynasty painter Wang Ximeng, created when the painter was only 18 years old and reputed as the “sole moon among stars” of all surviving blue-green landscape works.The third is what we are going to elaborate on today, Golden Palace amidst Myriad Pines by Southern Song Dynasty painter Zhao Bosu. Currently collected in the Palace Museum in Beijing, it depicts a glittering palace hidden in a dreamy pine forest in the Southern Song capital of Lin'an, which is the present-day Hangzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province.

Script: episode-18-the-story-of-rice-and-noodles Rice and noodles have a great role in the Chinese diet. We can easily compare rice and noodles to potato and pasta in western cuisine. Pieces of meat and vegetables are served alongside the rice and noodles.  There are many types of rice, such as sweet rice, long grain rice, short grain rice, jasmine rice, brown rice, black rice or red yeast rice. We can prepare rice in different ways, e.g. steaming rice, rice soup, fried rice, or pot rice. Rice cultivation in China started between 8,000 years ago at Kuahuqiao in Zhejiang Province.  China has little water resources in the north, and historically Chinese people plant wheat instead of rice which is planted in the southern part of China. Consequently, for people in the south of China rice is the most important part of the meal, whereas Chinese from the north eat dominantly noodles.  The importance of rice in China can be comprehended from the Chinese character Qi (Chin. 氣) which means essence, vital energy, spirit, and represents one of the most important symbols in China. Character 米 (Chin. mǐ) rice, represents rice grains separated by leaves and is the foundation for character Qi.  For the Chinese, rice (Chin. 米饭) symbolizes a link between Heaven (Gods) and Earth (Men). Rice is the staple food for the Chinese people and a source of life for centuries with great popularity... Info: www.tcmpodcast.me

“Heaven has paradise. Earth has Suzhou and Hangzhou.” This old Chinese saying is inspired by the natural beauty of Suzhou in Jiangsu Province and Hangzhou in neighboring Zhejiang Province, both located along China's southeastern coast. The painting we're going to discuss captures the scenery at a famous park in Suzhou. The famous Classical Gardens of Suzhou were added to UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage List in 1997. Throughout Chinese history, the gardens have been toured by senior officials, dignitaries, and many great men of letters. Today, we are going to introduce you to this painting that was so highly prized by China's longest-reigning emperor that it may have singlehandedly been somewhat responsible for every traditional Chinese garden you've ever seen. 

为你读英语美文 · 第477期 主播：永清，坐标：云南 ·蒙自《时间》On Time作者：席慕蓉，翻译：李运兴一锅米饭，放到第二天，水气就会干了一些，放到第三天，味道恐怕就有问题了。第四天，我们几乎可以发现，它已经变坏了。再放下去，眼看就要发霉了。A pot of cooked rice, if left out overnight, will become a bit dry because of loss of water. On the third day, it may not taste as good; and on the fourth day, as you'll discover, it becomes sour. If kept even longer, it will surely get mouldy.是什么原因，使那锅米饭变馊变坏？Why? What has made this happen?是时间。It is time.可是，在浙江绍兴，年轻的父母生下女儿，他们就会在地窖里，埋下一坛坛米做的酒。多年以后，女儿长大了，这些酒就成为了嫁女儿婚礼上的佳酿。它有一个美丽惹人遐思的名字，叫女儿红。However, there is another story about it. In Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, young parents brew a kind of wine with rice and store it underground in jars when they have a daughter. When the girl grows to the age of marriage, the wine is used to entertain guests at the wedding banquet. So it is given a fascinating name Nü Er Hong, literally “Daughter Red”.是什么使那些平凡的米，变成芬芳甘醇的酒？What turns the ordinary grains of rice into good wine?也是时间。The answer is also time.到底，时间是善良，还是邪恶的魔术师呢？不是，时间只是一种简单的乘法，使原来的数值倍增而已。开始变坏的米 ，每一天都在不断的变得更腐臭。而开始变醇的美酒，每一分钟，都在继续增加它的芬芳。Is time a benevolent magician, or a wicked witch? It is neither. It only serves as a multiplier, which makes the original number increase by several times. When cooked rice begins to go bad, it will become worse with each passing day; however, when it begins to turn into wine, it will become mellower minute by minute.在人世间，我们也曾看到过天真的少年一旦开始堕落，便不免越陷越深，终于变得满脸风尘，面目可憎。但是相反的，时间却把温和的笑痕，体谅的延伸，成熟的风采，智慧的神韵添加在那些追求善良的人身上。Our society has witnessed how naive and innocent young men become detestable [dɪˈtestəbl] villains: once they begin to degenerate morally, they sink deeper and deeper into the mire of sin and cannot get out. Yet for those in constant pursuit of kindness, time is a factor that makes them wiser and more mature, ever more ready to extend warmth and understanding to the people around them.同样是煮熟的米，坏饭与美酒的差别在哪里呢？就在那一点点酒曲。Cooked rice may grow mouldy, yet it may also turn into good wine. What is it that makes the difference? It is the tiny bit of yeast mixed in.同样是父母所生的，谁堕落如禽兽，而谁又能提升完美的人呢？是内心深处，紧紧环抱不放的，求真求善求美的渴望。We were all born to be human, yet some sink as low as beasts and some attain perfection of character. What again makes the difference? It is the desire for truth, kindness and beauty so dearly cherished in our hearts.时间怎样对待你我呢？这就要看我们自己是以什么样的态度来期许我们自己了。In which way do you want time to produce its effect on you? It all depends on what you expect of yourself.▎主播介绍永清: 北漂11年，现居云南后期制作：永清文章，音乐，图片非商业用途，版权归作者或版权方所有我们生活在世界各地，从事不同职业，和你分享我们喜欢的美文。我们的公众号是： “为你读英语美文”。

More than 10,000 fishing boats have returned to port in Zhejiang Province as typhoon Muifa approaches.

Last time we spoke, Sun Kewang, Li Dingguo and Emperor Yongli formed a sort of trinity that was chipping away at the Qing dynasty. Each man had his talents and combined they proved a formidable foe, but divided would they fall. Sun Kewang's jealousy led him to butt heads with Li Dingguo undermining all the success they had made. When Sun Kewang was defeated a part of the trinity was gone and the forces of Li Dingguo and Emperor Yongli could not hope to stand against the Qing invaders as they marched into Yunnan. Emperor Yongli took flight to Burma forcing Li Dingguo to spend years trying to rescue him from the Burmese while fighting off the looming Qing menace. In the end even Li Dingguo could not stop the inevitable as he and Emperor Yongli fell. Now the Qing can face their last looming menace, the King of Taiwan, Koxinga.    This episode is Koxinga & the revolt of the three feudatories   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 the 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. I have repeatedly said his name, in the west we know him as Koxinga, his actual name being Zheng Chenggong.  It would be his marine forces that would fight the Qing Dynasty until the bitter end. He was born with the name Zheng Sen in 1624, in Hirado Japan, to Zheng Zhilong a chinese merchant and a Japanese woman named Tagawa Matsu. When Zheng was 7 years old, his father had business interests in Quanzhou and the family moved to Fujian province. His father would end up becoming one of the richest men in China and an Admiral under the Ming Dynasty. Zheng Zhilong operated a pirate fleet of over 800 ships along the coast from Japan to Vietnam. The Ming appointed him “admiral of the coastal seas” and he basically was tasked with repeling other pirates and the Dutch East Indies Company. The fruits of his labor wound him up grabbing over 60% of Fujian province land. Zheng Sen would pass the imperial examination at the age of 14 in 1638 becoming one of 12 Linshansheng of Nan'an. Linshansheng basically means the best of the best as students go. In Nan'an, Zheng married the niece of a Ming official named Dong Yangxian who was a Jinshi, meaning he held the highest imperial exam degree, so basically Zheng was brushing shoulders with giants so to say. In 1644 he studied at the imperial Nanking University.   When the Qing captured Beijing, Zheng's father, Zheng Zhilong continued to serve the Ming moving to Nanjing, then after the capture of Nanjing in 1645 accepted an offer to serve  as commander in chief of the Ming forces working under the Prince of Tang in Fuzhou. It seems the war of resistance had gone to terribly for Zheng Zhilong because he became a turncoat in 1646, intentionally leaving the Zhejiang pass unguarded and allowed the Qing to capture Fuzhou. Zheng Zhilong defected to the Qing, but the Zheng army's control lay firmly in his brothers and sons hands. That son, Zheng Sen refused to defect to the Qing and would take most of the Zheng army with him, causing problems. As for his wife Tagawa Matsu, it is alleged the Qing went to Anhai where she was residing in a castle, which I found particularly interesting since this is during the Sakoku period and it was illegal for Japanese to leave the country. Anyways its alleged the Qing marched upon the castle where she was and raped and or killed her. Other stories state she committed suicide while resisting the Qing. Regardless of the implications of her death, the Qing knew they could not trust Zheng Zhilong and would have him put under house arrest for many years until they executed him in 1661. It is said in 1646, while Zheng Sen was busy fighting off the Qing he managed to return to Quanzhou where he discovered his mother had been murdered or committed suicide because of the Qing and thus rebellion was firmly placed in his heart. I cant really get into it but there is an entire mythos around lady Tagawa and multiple perceptions on her and her legacy.    When the Qing took Beijing and gave their head shaving proclamation, Zheng Sen  refused and it is said his will was “as strong and firm as a mountain”. As I had said the Zheng army did not all follow Zheng Zhilong and defect with the Qing, many would follow Zheng Sen. Soon Zheng Sen recruited more followers and organized allied armies in Nan'an Guangdong. When Emperor Hongguang took the mantle, Zheng Sen flocked over to him in Nanking. When Emperor Hongguang was defeated and executed, Emperor Longwu rose up with support from Zheng's father. Emperor Longwu established himself in Fuzhou and the natural defenses of Fujian allowed him to remain safe for some time. Emperor Longwu granted Zheng Sen the name Chenggong and the title of Koxinga “lord of the Imperial Surname”.    In 1646 Koxinga led the Ming armies to resist the Qing, much to his fathers displeasure who wished for a more defensive stance. When the Qing finally broke into Fujian, as I mentioned Zheng Zhilong literally opened the door to them, leaving Emperor Longwu isolated agaisnt the Qing. After the Emperor Longwu was defeated and executed, the Qing approached Zheng Zhilong and got him to defect and secretly appointed him governor of Fujian and Guangdong. Despite the betrayal of his father, Koxinga chose to fight on and led Zheng Zhilong's marine forces to attack Tong'an, Haicheng, Zhangfu and captured Quanzhou and Minan. Because the Qing never placed much emphasis on naval matters, Koxinga's naval forces basically could pick and choose at will where to do amphibious assaults providing him with many successful raids. Zheng Zhilong would send letters to his son asking him to defect to the Qing like he did, but they were to no avail and Koxinga pledged his allegiance to the only remaining claimant to the throne the Emperor of flight Yongli. Before Koxinga could get to Emperor Yongli he as you guessed it began the process of fleeing and this basically resulted in Koxinga never being able to link up with him. As a result Koxinga chose to concentrate on the southeast coast of China where he could safely move via his naval forces. Koxinga's army soon established its base of operations in Kinmen and Xiamen. Using his base of Kinmen and Xiamen, Koxinga established a marine trade network and the anti-Qing forces grew quickly. By 1652 Koxinga led a force of 100,000 to attack Haicheng, Changtai, Zhangzhou, Zhangfu amongst other places. He also greatly benefitted by working alongside the Daxi army. In 1653 Koxinga tried to coordinate with Li Dingguo's army in Guangxi and deployed his navy southwards towards Chaozhou. The following year Li and Koxinga agreed to meet in Guangdong and attack Xinhui together, but this plan never came to fruition. Koxinga's forces simply took too long to get there and Li Dingguo's army was defeated and he had to retreat to Guangxi. In 1655, Koxinga attacked the coastal area of Fujian defeating several Qing armies. Koxinga and Li then planned a northern campaign where they would coordinate rear and frontal attacks upon the Qing.    In may of 1656, the Qing sent Prince Jidu to attack Koxinga's territory. Jidu's forces attacked Kinmen island, Koxinga's main base for training his troops. However a storm at sea battered the Qing ships and as a result they lost the battle against the Kinmen island. This also weakened Qing naval forces in the Fujian coastal area, opening many places for attacks by Koxinga. Then in 1658 the Qing armies carried large offensives against Li Dingguo in the southwestern area, prompting Koxinga to strike at the coastal areas in Zhejiang to try and relieve Li Dingguo's forces. However Koxinga's navy was hit by a hurricane at sea and they were forced to withdraw. This did not stop Koxinga from sending a large army to Zhoushan however, where he sought a base of operations to stage a siege of Nanjing. Koxinga however was quite eager and publicly proclaimed his intent to siege Nanjing, giving the Qing ample time and reason to prepare stronger defenses there.   In 1659 Koxinga marched north alongside his colleague Zhang Huangyan capturing Guazhou and Zhenjing before they would besiege Nanjing. They sprang through the Yangtze River with their navy igniting resistance everywhere they went against the Qing. Koxinga's naval operations in the Yangtze River would hinder Qing supply routes and effectively were starving Beijing out, stressing the hell out of the Qing court. If it is to be believed, an account by a French missionary in Beijing reported they court considered packing up and going back to Manchuria because of what was essential a naval blockade of Beijing. Things got so bad in Beijing the French missionary states the populace of Beijing was waiting to see who would win the siege of Nanjing and were looking to join that said winner. The Qing were reportedly terrified of Koxinga's “iron troops” who were rumored to be invincible.    The siege of Nanjing shocked the Qing, but Koxinga became cocky and in his arrogance he took his enemy lightly. He publicly announced to the populace all they had to do was to join his cause and that he would occupy Nanjing in short time. Koxinga believed that by taking Nanjing he could firmly blockade the grand canal and starve out Beijing  forcing them to pack up and run back to Manchuria, if the sources I talked about before are to be believed, it looks like his plan was working. Lang Tingzuo the governor trapped in Nanjing began to negotiate with Koxinga and Zhang, but in truth he was biding time for the Qing forces to come to the rescue. Despite Koxinga's best efforts besieging Nanjing,  the city was never completely encircled and thus able to obtain supplies and reinforcements in the form of the Qing General Liang Huafeng. After 3 weeks of the siege, suddenly General Liang and his army burst out the gates of Nanjing in a cavalry charge as the Ming forces were busy partying and they were smashed. The entire Ming army fell into disarray and began to retreat back to their ships and Koxinga was forced to withdraw back to Xiamen.  Meanwhile his colleague Zhang had taken a ton of their forces to hit Anhui and was now left high and dry. Zhang's army was eventually and  completely collapsed, but the commander was able to escape to Tiantai where he tried to form another resistance in the mountain range. He would fail to produce anything and by 1664 was captured and executed by the Qing.   Koxinga had lost half his land army, his colleague and many other officers because of his arrogant attack on Nanjing. It seems Koxinga suffered tremendous psychological damage from the major defeat and the loss of so many members of his family. He was known to be quite mentally unstable and had a horrible temper and tendency to order executions at a whim. A Dutch doctor named Christian Beyer who treated him believed he may have been suffering from Syphilis, some other contemporaries believed his mentality was the result of his Japanese upbringing in the form of “samurai ideals on bravery” like laughing to showcase his anger and being prone to quick violence. According to Dr Li Yengyue, he stated Koxinga most likely suffered from depressive insanity.  At this time Li Dingguo's forces were being pushed further southwest and quite simply, the situation did not look good to say the least. This led Koxinga to gather all his officials in secret and tell them he now intended to occupy Taiwan and establish a base there from which they could all settle with their families in safety. He said that perhaps there they could unite all those who were loyal to the Ming and one day they would launch an attack on the Qing and fight the enemy without having to worry about the lives of their families. Thus when the Qing marched upon his stronghold of Xiamen in 1660, Koxinga instead of offering battle sailed off with over 400 war junks and 25,000 troops to Taiwan. Before the departure Koxinga had received a map of Taiwan from a Chinese merchant named He Bin who worked for the Dutch East India company.   It was also during this time when Koxinga had the family of one of his admirals named Shi Lang killed because the admiral allegedly was planning to defect to the Qing, though some sources say he simply had disobeyed an order, sheesh. Regardless after the murder of his family admiral Shi Lang promptly sailed off to defect to the Qing. The Qing were very happy to receive Shi Lang as he held extensive naval experience and had a network of contacts in major trading ports all over east asia. He would become absolutely instrumental to the Qing naval buildup and would emerge late into this story and he held a blood feud with the Zheng family henceforth.   Now the Chinese merchant who gave Koxinga the map, guided the Koxinga's naval force to land on Wei Island and Haliao Island, thereby avoiding the artillery placements within the channel of Taiwan.  Koxinga's forces managed to land at Pengdu Taiwan in 1661 and Koxinga soon led his forces to attack Dutch colonists proclaiming to them "Hitherto this island had always belonged to China, and the Dutch had doubtless been permitted to live there, seeing that the Chinese did not require it for themselves; but requiring it now, it was only fair that Dutch strangers, who came from far regions, should give way to the masters of the island.". They marched to Leurmeng where they fought small groups of Taiwanese aborigines and Dutch resistance. In the bay of Lakjemuyse 3 Dutch ships attacked and destroyed several of Koxinga's junks, but then one of his junks got a lucky shot off exploding a gunpowder supply aboard the Dutch flagship Hector sinking her. The 2 other Dutch warships, were not enough to fight off the large force of junks and had to flee.   Here is an abridged account given by Frederick Coyett, the colonial governor of Dutch held Taiwan about Koxinga's landing. The forces of Koxinga showed up armed with bows and arrows, others had shields and swords. Everyone was wearing coats of iron scales (by the way there is an artist rendition of the soldiers by a contemporary named Georg Franz Muller, worth checking out it looks awesome). The armor allowed for complete protection from a rifle bullet and allowed the wearer great mobility. Their archers were their best troops and their skill was so great it nearly eclipsed that of riflemen. They used shield men to form human walls and Koxinga had 2 companies of “black boys”, many of whom were former Dutch slaves that knew how to use rifles and muskets. They proved quite effective marksmen and caused a lot of harm to the Dutch in Taiwan.    As Koxinga's force charged in rows of 12 men and when they were near enough sent 3 volleys of fire uniformly. The storm of arrows that came forth upon the dutch seemed to darken the sky (a herodotus moment). The Dutch expected their return fire to send the enemy fleeing, but they did not, in fact the Chinese held firm against them and in short time the Dutch realized to their horror that Koxinga sent a squadron behind them and they attacked from the rear. While the Dutch proved courageous at the beginning of the battle, now they were stricken with fear and many Dutch riflemen tossed their rifles without even firing them and began to run. As they faltered and fled, the Chinese saw the disorder and pressed their attack more vigorously. The Chinese force charged and cut down the Dutch and the battle raged on until the Dutch captain Thomas Bedell and 180 of his men were slain.    After defeating the Dutch force when they landed, Koxinga laid siege to the main fortress, Fort Zeelandia using some of his 100 cannons on hand. They outnumbered the garrison there 20 to 1 and the bombardment demolished the roof of the Dutch governors residence. The Dutch return fired from bastion forts killing hundreds of Koxinga's men. Koxinga's cannons proved ineffective against the walls, the Dutch governor wrote that after viewing the alignment of the Chinese cannons, he noticed they were placed quite badly, were unprotected and easy to hit with their own cannons. In the end the Chinese cannons only did some light damage to a few houses. Koxinga was shocked and enraged by the lack of damage to the fortresses walls and decided to give up the bombardment and simply to being starving the Dutch out. On April 4th Koxinga sent his army to besiege the smaller fortress of Fort Provintia, catching its commander Jacob Valentyn and his 140 men, completely off guard. Valentyn had to surrender without putting up much of a fight.   By late May, news of the Siege of Fort Zeelandia reached Jakarta and the Dutch East India Company dispatched 12 ships with 700 soldiers to relieve the fort. The relief force ran into Koxinga's naval blockade and they engaged in battle. However Koxinga had hundreds of war junks and as the Dutch ships tried to fire upon them their aim ended up being too high. Basically of the height difference between the Chinese war junks and Dutch ships, this made aiming the cannons difficult as they cant pivot downwards, so you have to rely upon distance calculations and that in turn is not easy when the enemy knows to just close in on you and are firing upon you. Some of the smaller Dutch ships tried to lure some of the Chinese war junks into a narrow strait with a feigned withdrawal. But as they were doing so, the wind suddenly seized on them, and with only paddles available the Chinese caught up to them and massacred their crews with pikes. It is also alleged the Chinese caught many Dutch lobed grenades using nets and tossed them right back at them, that sounds like a nasty game of hot potato. The Dutch flagship Koukercken was hit by a Chinese cannon after running around and quickly sunk. Another Dutch ship hit ashore and the crew had to run for their lives for Fort Zeelandia. The remaining Dutch fleet eventually scattered and withdrew, all in all they took 130 casualties. By December Koxinga was given reports that the garrison of Fort Zeelandia was losing morale and thus he decided to launch another large offensive, but was repelled again by superior Dutch cannons.    By January 12th of 1662, Koxingas fleet began to help bombard the fort as his ground forces assaulted. With supplies running out and no sign of reinforcements, Governor Coyett hoisted the white flag and began to negotiate terms of surrender, finalizing them by february 1st. By February the 9th the Dutch left Taiwan and were allowed to take their personal belongings and provisions.    Now this siege was honestly a pretty horrible affair aside from the normal war actions. Prisoners on both sides were subjected to some rather gruesome torture. A Dutch physician allegedly carried out a vivisection on a Chinese prisoner and there were reports that the Chinese amputated noses, ears, limbs and genitals of Dutch prisoners. Apparently the Chinese would stuff their mouths with amputated genitals and send the corpses back to Fort Zeelandia, some really messed up stuff. One Dutch prisoner, a missionary named Antonius Hambroek was sent as an envoy to Fort Zeelandia to ask for their surrender, if he failed he was to be killed. Hambroek went to the Fort where 2 of his daughters were residing and urged everyone to surrender, but they did not and thus he came back to Koxinga's camp and was promptly beheaded. Another one of Hambroeks daughters had been captured prior to the siege and Koxinga made her a concubine. Other Dutch women and children that were captured prior to the siege were enslaved and sold to Chinese soldiers. 38 years of Dutch rule over Taiwan had ended and Koxinga would use Taiwan as a military base for Ming loyalists.   The Taiwanese aboriginals played both sides during the conflict. For example when Koxinga's men landed in Taiwan one tribal alliance known as the Kingdom of Middag invited Koxingas subordinate Chen Ze and his men to eat and rest with them only to kill them all in their sleep, allegedly 1500 soldiers. This was followed up by an ambush attack that would cost Koxinga the lives of 700 soldiers. More and more tribal attacks mounted and the brutality pushed Koxinga to offer the aboriginals amnesty and to help get rid of the Dutch. Many of the aboriginals were delighted by the chance to rid themselves of the Dutch and began to hunt Dutch colonists down, helped execute Dutch prisoners and burnt Dutch books used to educate them. Koxinga then rewarded the aboriginals with Ming clothes, made feasts for them, gave them countless gifts such as tobacco, farming tools and oxen and taught them new farming techniques.    Koxinga had a large problem after his major victory, Taiwan's population was estimated to be no greater than 100,000, yet he brought with him almost 30,000 soldiers and their families, so food was going to run out and very quick. Thus Koxinga set to institute a tuntian policy, that being that soldiers would serve a dual role, that of warrior and farmer. All the rich and fertile lands the Dutch held were immediately cut up and distrubed to his higher ranking officers. Much of the aboriginal held territory on the eastern half of Taiwan would also be distributed to Koxinga's men and I would imagine that was a bloody ordeal taking the land. Then Koxinga set his eyes on piracy performing raids against several locations near Taiwan such as the Philippines and even demanded the Spanish colonial government pay him tribute, threatening to attack Manila if they did not comply. The Spanish refused to pay any tribute and instead prepared the defenses of Manila. Koxinga's naval force raided several coastal towns in the Philippines but before he could perform any real sort of invasion, in June of 1662 Koxinga suddenly died of malaria. Koxinga's son Zheng Jing succeeded his father and became King of Tungning. Zheng wanted to continue his fathers planned invasion of the Philippines, but it turns out his fathers little war against the Dutch did not go unnoticed by the Qing.    Back on the mainland, after Koxinga left and sailed for Taiwan, the Qing began to reimplemented the Haijin “sea ban” in 1647. The Haijin had been used in the past mostly to target Japanese piracy. Basically it was an attempt to force all sea trade coming in to be under strict regulation handled by Ming officials. The limited sea trade was to be “tributary missions” between the Ming dynasty and their vassals, such as Korea. Any private foreign trade was punishable by death and as you can imagine all this led up to was an increase in piracy and the formation of many smugglers along the eastern coast of china. The entire idea was to starve out Taiwan by denying them trade with the eastern coast of China. But when the Haijin was reimplemented it led to entire communities along the eatern Chinese coast to be uprooted from their native place and they were being deprived of their means of livelihood. So many communities simply had to get up and settle somewhere else where they could. This sent many coastal areas into chaos. This ironically led countless amounts of refugees from the eastern chinese coast to flee to Taiwan. Then in 1663 the Qing formed an alliance with the Dutch East India Company against the Ming loyalists in Fujian and Taiwan. The Dutch for their part sought the alliance simply to recapture Taiwan.   In October of 1663 a combined fleet of Qing and Dutch attacked and captured Xiamen and Kinmen from the Ming loyalists. Then in 1664 the combined fleet attacked Zheng Jing's navy but ended up losing because it was simply to immense. One of the Qing admirals, a certain Shi Lang, remember that guy, yeah he like I said held a blood grudge against Zheng's family, well he  advised the Qing that the Dutch were only aiding them so they could recapture Taiwan. He said that they did not really require the Dutch naval aid and that he could lead the Qing navy to take Taiwan back on his own. Thus the alliance fell apart.   The Dutch who were probably very pissed off now then began raiding the Zhoushan Islands where they looted relics and killed Monks at a buddhist complex at Putuoshan in 1665, pretty mean thing to do. Zheng Jing's navy attacked them for this, capturing and executing 34 Dutch sailors. In 1672 Zheng Jing would attack the Dutch again, managing to ambush the Dutch ship Cuylenburg in 1672 off the coast of northeastern Taiwan. So a bit of a long lasting war between the Dutch and Ming loyalists remains in the background.    Now from the offset of his enthronement, Zheng Jing actually attempted to reconcile with the Qing, he sought to make Taiwan an autonomous state. Yet he refused their demands that he shave his head in the Manchu fashion nor would he pay tribute to the Qing dynasty. The Qing's response initially as I had mentioned was a policy of trying to starve Taiwan out using the Haijin. This sent the populace of the southeastern coast into chaos and Zheng Jing continued to raid as the Qing really could not stop his larger navy. The Haijin like I said earlier had a disastrous and ironic effect. Soon there was a giant influx of the populace fleeing for Taiwan. Seeing the opportunity, Zheng promoted the immigration heavily and began proclaiming tons of promises and major opportunities for anyone who wished to immigrate to his kingdom. The enticement of land ownership and cultivation in exchange for military service suited many of the immigrant peasants quite fine, I mean for most there was simply no choice. And it was not just peasants who came, a ton of Ming loyalists used the opportunity to flee the mainland from persecution as well. All of this led to quite an enormous boom for Taiwan. A ton of reforms came into effect to meet the needs of the growing populace, agricultural, education, trade, industry and so on. Zheng's main advisor, Chen Yonghua also helped introduce the deliberate cultivation of sugar cane and other cash crops which was further traded with Europeans who helped bring over machinery for mass sugar refining. The sugar economy allowed Taiwan to become economically self-sufficient and a booming relationship sprang with the British. Its funny how the British swoop in and steal all former Dutch things isnt it haha? The Qing tried to thwart all of this with the more intensive Haijin edict, but it only made the situation worse. It was not just Taiwan that was a thorn in their side, the head shaving order had caused a great influx of the populace to emigrate to other places than Taiwan, such as Jakarta and the Philippines. The Haijin and brief Qing-Dutch naval alliance had caused Zheng Jing to intensively exploit the lands of Taiwan and as you might guess this meant running into conflict with the aboriginals. The brutality grew gradually and Zheng's kingdom would put down many aboriginal rebellions against his land grabbing and taxes. A series of conflicts with the Saisiyat people in particular left them absolutely decimated and they lost most of their land to Zheng's kingdom. Zheng Jing's kingdom enjoyed a maritime trade network with the european colonies in the Pacific, Japan and SouthEast Asia.    Now for over 19 years, Zheng tried to negotiate a peace with the now Kangxi emperor, as Emperor Shunzhi died of smallpox in 1661. Despite the peace talks, Zheng never gave up the cause of restoring the Ming Dynasty and one last hooray would occur. Going back to the mainland, when the Qing finally broke the last leaders of the South Ming regime, Li Dingguo, Sun Kewang and Emperor Yongli, they had managed to do this using a lot of Han chinese. It was only logical that they would install more and more Han Chinese to govern the territories that they conquered. Yet by installing certain Han and defected former Ming loyalists in parts of the realm with varying levels of authority led to a few warlords emerging. One was Shang Kexi, a former Ming general who defected very early on in 1634 and one of the most powerful generals to do so. He was given the title “pingnan wang” “prince who pacifies the south” and helped conquer the southern province of Guangdong. When the task was finished he was made governor of Guangdong holding full civil and military authority. By 1673, Shang Kexi was very old and asked permission from Emperor Kangxi to retire and go back to his homeland of Liaodong. Permission was granted and his son Shang Zhixin would take up the mantle of Prince of Pingnan. However, Shang Zhixin and his father would soon be embroiled into a revolt by the actions of others as we will soon see.   Geng Zhongming was a Ming general who served under the Ming warlord Mao Wenlong “the sea king” if you listened to some earlier episodes. Well Geng Zhongming alongside Kong Youde ended up defecting to the Qing and aided in their conquest of the south. Geng Zhongming eventually died and his son Geng Jimao inherited his title of Jingnan Prince (which also means prince of pacifying the south just like pingnang wang) and aided in hunting down Li Dingguo and pacifying the southeast of China. Geng Jimao managed to get both his sons Geng Jingzhong and Zhaozhong to become court attendants under the Qing emperor Shunzhi and married Aisin Gioro women. His son Geng Jingzhong would inherit his fathers titles including the governorship of Fujian province and would become a warlord in Fujian which held a strong naval force.   Wu Sangui who we know quite well was the Ming General who literally opened the door for the Qing to help destroy the forces of Li Zicheng, but this also led to the Qing taking Beijing. Now Wu's career was a lengthy one, he helped defeat Li Zicheng who executed over 38 members of Wu's family, so a large grudge there. For his service against Li, Wu was given the “Qin wang” Prince of Blood title and helped fight the Daxi army in the south alongside Shang Kexi. Wu had the absolutely horrifying job of pacifying Sichuan against the hordes of differing bandit armies and South Ming loyalists. Then Wu became instrumental in the fight against Sun, Li and Yongli eventually defeating them and bringing the far reaches of Yunnan under the Qing yolk. Now the Qing were uncomfortable placing Manchu bannermen so far away in Yunnan or Guizhou and thus the job was given to Wu. He was given the title of Pingxi Wang “Prince who pacifies the West” and control over Yunnan and Guizhou. Wu was granted permission by Emperor Shunzhi to appoint and promote his own officials as well as being given the rare privilege to have first dibs on warhorses before other Qing armies. By that point because of the war against Li Dingguo, Wu already had a large army at his control, around 60,000 men. The Qing were very wary of Wu, but his rule of Yunnan had thus far caused no headaches. Wu inevitably became a semi-independent warlord because of the great distance. All the money he received from taxation within Yunnan and that funds he received from Beijing were spent to expand his military primarily, guess why?    So lets just summarize all of this. As a result of their great aid to the Qing defeating the South Ming regime, basically most of south China was handed over to 3 defected Ming generals.  Basically they were awarded large fiefdoms within the Qing dynasty. Wu Sangui was granted governorship of Yunnan and Guizhou. Shang Kexi got Guangdong and Geng Zhongming got Fujian. Each man had their own military force and control over the taxation and other civil administration of their respective fiefs. In the 1660's each man began to ask for Qing government subsidies to keep them loyal, averaging around 10 million taels of silver annually.  Wu spent several million taels of silver building up his military, up to an estimated third of the Qing governments revenue from taxes. Geng Zhongming was quite a tyrant in his fiefdom and extorted the populace quite harshly before dying upon which his fiefdom fell to his son Geng Jimao and then to his son Geng Jingzhong as I mentioned. Shang Kexi ran a similar tyranny to Geng Zhongming in Guangdong and the combined 3 fiefs emptied the Qing treasury quite quickly. Another large issue was each man simply assumed and expected his feudaltory would be handed down to his offspring, but that was to be decided by the Qing Emperor not them.When Emperor Kangxi took the throne the 3 fief provinces had become financial burdens on the Qing government and their growing autonomous control of each province were becoming a major threat to the Qing dynasty.    In 1673, Shang Kexi sent a memorial to Emperor Kangxi stating “I am already 70 years old and have become weak. I hope I can be allowed to go back to Liaodong, my home place, to spend my old age. In the past I was granted land and houses in Liaodong. I hope that your Majesty will grant the land and houses to me again. I will take some officers and soldiers and old people who have been under me, 4394 households all together, to go back with me. There are 24,375 men and women in all. I hope the department concerned will provide food for all these people on their way to Liaodong”.  Emperor Kangxi replied  “Since you sailed from the island to submit to our dynasty, you have worked very hard and established great contributions. You have garrisoned in Guangdong Province for many years. I know from your memorial that you are already 70 years old. You want to go back to Liaodong. You are very sincere in your memorial. From this I can see that you are respectful and submissive and have the overall interest at heart. I am very pleased about that. Now Guangdong Province has been pacified. I will order the Kings in charge of government affairs, court officials and the officials of the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Defense to discuss how to arrange the migration and settlement of the officers and men under you. I will let you know when they have made a decision.”. Oh but there will of course be a catch, for 2 weeks later Emperor Kangxi received another letter ““In the memorial presented by Shang KeXi to Your Majesty he says that he is already old and ill. He asked Your Majesty's permission to let his son Shang Zhi Xin to succeed his title of King of Pingnan. But now Shang KeXi is still alive. There is no precedent that the son can succeed his father's title when his father is still alive. So it is not necessary to consider whether or not to allow his son to succeed his title.”. Emperor Kangxi agreed to this with some stipulations about numbers of military personnel and such.   Then in July of 1673, Wu Sangui asked to be permitted to retire just like Shang Kexi and to be able to “settle down in some place”, the Emperor said he would speak to the court to arrange the migration. Then a week later, Geng Jingzhong asked the exact same thing and the Emperor said he would speak to the court. The court was divided on the issue, and against the majority in the court Emperor Kangxi decided to allow each man to have their wish. Wu Sangui was going to be given land in Guizhou, but he frantically sent word to Emperor Kangxi that he required a larger land because his officers families were many. It was a bit audacious and curious that Wu Sangui began with “settle down in some place” and turned it into “oh but I really need a much bigger place than that”, it was like he was asking for something he knew he could not have.  It turns out, Wu Sangui had assumed when he asked permission to retire that the Qing court would instead try everything they could to persuade him not to retire and to stay in Yunnan. That way they might give him even more autonomy and money thus enabling him to continue building his autonomous state even more. When the emperor said yes to his request it must have been a real shock and to make matters worse for Wu, the emperor immediately began the process of migrating him and his men so he freaked out.    So in 1673, Wu Sangui cut off his provinces connections to the Qing dynasty and began a rebellion under the banner of “Fǎn qīng fùmíng” “oppose the qing and restore the ming”. He was supported by his son Wu Shifan and other Ming loyalists in Yunnan, soon they all cut off their Manchu queues and he sent loyal commanders to garrison strategic passes into Yunnan.  The provincial governor of Yunnan Zhu Guo Zhi refused to join him and so Wu had him assassinated.  By 1678 Wu would declare a new dynasty, here we go again meme, giving himself the title King of Zhou and Great Marshal of the Expedition Army. And thus the Zhou dynasty was born. Wu Sangui ordered all of his followers to cut their Manchu queues and for all the banners to be white, and issued white military uniforms. The next order of business was sending word to Shang Kexi the Prince of Pingnan and Geng Jingzhong the Prince of Jingnan asking them to join the rebellion. Wu Sangui sent his loyal general Ma Bao to command a vanguard and march on Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou. All of Guizhou surrendered without a fight. Soon word got out of the rebellion and the colossal failure of Guizhou to defend itself. Emperor Kangxi immediately ordered the migration of Shang Kexi and Geng Jingzhong to be stopped and began to rally his army to meet the new threat. Generals from multiple provinces were assembled and estimates range quite a lot. Some say 500,000 some say up to a million troops, with the majority being Han Chinese of the Green Standard army were mustered. Emperor Kangxi promised any general who brought him Wu Sangui's head would receive all the titles which Wu had held and any general that brought the heads of Wu's generals would receive whatever titles those generals held, pretty big incentive. Emperor Kangxi also arrested and executed one of Wu Sangui's sons who unfortunately was still in Beijing at the time named Wu Yingxiong.    Wu Sangui's army set out of Guizhou and attacked Yuanzhou of Hunan province. Next Chenzhou, then his army split up taking Hengzhou, Lizhou, Yuezhou and Changsha. Most of the governors simply fled for their lives. Then Wu's army marched into Hubei province attacking Yichang, Xiangyang, Yunyang where he defeated multiple armies. Emperor Kangxi furiously ordered some of his generals to rush to Wuchang as it was strategically important and had to be defended. The southern Qing forces had not been prepared to face the well trained army of Wu Sangui and were falling like dominoes. To make matters worse many rallied to Wu Sangui's cause, such as Sun Yanling, a general in Guangxi. Soon Wu's army was in Sichuan causing havoc, everywhere Wu's army went there were either military defeats for the Qing, retreats or defections.    Then in March of 1674 Geng Jingzhong began a rebellion in Fujian declaring himself Grand General of All the Armies. Soon his forces took Yanping, Shaowu, Funing, Jianning and Tingzhou. Then Geng Jingzhong and Wu Sangui managed to form an agreement that they should combine forces and hit Jiangxi province together. At the same time Geng Jingzhong sent an envoy to our old friend Zheng Jing  the king of Taiwan to come join the party by attacking prefectures and counties across the coast. Soon Geng Jingzhongs forces took Jiangshan, Pingyang, Wenzhou, Yueqing, Tiantai, Xianju and Chengxian. He defeated countless armies, rallied many to his cause and earned many defectors amassing an army of 100,000. Then he set out to attack Shaoxing, Ningpo, Huangyan, Jinhua before marching into Jiangxi province. From there Geng and wu took Guangxin, Jianchang, Raozhou, Kaihua, Shouchang, Chun'an, Huizhou, Wuyuan and Qimen. Thus his forces had hit the provinces of Fujian, Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Anhui. The Southeast of China was in utter chaos.   Meanwhile Shang Kexi notified Emperor Kangxi of Geng Jingzhong's rebellion early. Shang Kexi was loosely related to Geng Jingzhong, his son Shang Zhixin's wife was Geng's younger sister. Now that Geng Jingzhong was rebelling, he knew people would suspect he was going to rebel, but he did not want to. I mean hell the guy is 70 years old, he just wanted to retire. So he asked Emperor Kangxi if he could prove his loyalty by protecting Guangdong Province from the rebels and give his life in doing so. The Emperor was moved by this and ordered more units and money be made available to Shang Kexi for the task. Now remember, Shang Kexi was also the guy who got the confirmation that his son Shang Zhixin would inherit all he had, titles and all.    When Wu Sangui began the rebellion, Emperor Kangxi was 20 years old and Wu assumed he was a “green horn” IE: a incompetant young man with no real experience and thus a push over. But very soon Wu Sangui would be facing the full might of the entire Qing Dynasty and he certainly began to regret his decision to rebel. When his army reached Lizhou he got word that the Emperor had executed his son Wu Yingxiong and his grandson. Allegedly he was eating a meal when a messenger told him this and he exclaimed “The young emperor is so capable! I am doomed to fail”. An odd quote to say the least given the circumstances, but thats how one of my sources put it….I'd rather think he'd shout in grief or something.    Emperor Kangxi dispatched many Generals to help Shang Kexi attack the rebels occupying Yuezhou as Wu Sangui set up defenses there and sent expeditionary forces to march into Jiangxi province. The expeditionary forces took Nankang, Duchang and then Wu Sangui sent more expeditionary forces out of Changsha to hit Pingxiang, Anfu, Shanggao and Xinchang. Emperor Kangxi responded by throwing titles out to countless officials ordering them to suppress all the rebel forces spreading like wildfire, honestly I can't list the mount of Princes that spring up. Countless Qing generals and governors fought and died to the rebel armies. By january of 1675 Emperor Kangxi ordered Grand General Yuele positioned in Yuanzhou to recapture Changsha. Yuele led his forces to take Nanchang, Shanggao, Xinchang, Donxiang, Wannian, Anren and Xincheng defeating countless rebels. When his force made it to Pingxiang they were repelled. At this point Wu Sangui ordered his men to build wooden fortresses to defend cities without natural defenses and to build log barriers to thwart cavalry, log obstacles in the rivers to thwart naval forces and traps everywhere. Then Wu Sangui told his troops he was going to cross the Yangtze River and break the dike near Jingzhou to immerse the city in water. While this was to occur he ordered some subordinates to attack Yunyang, Junzhou and Nanzhang.   In 1676 Wu Sangui's forces approached Guangdong and Shang Kexi was seriously ill leaving his son Shang Zhixin in charge of the defense. Many forces defected to Wu Sangui and allegedly in an effort to save his father, Shang Zhixin defected and became a grand general in Wu's army. Ironically and rather tragically it seems the surrender broke Shang Kexi's heart and he died. In December Shang Zhixin regretted his defection so much he sent a secret envoy to Emperor Kangxi begging to be allowed to defect back over to the Qing and Emperor Kangxi accepted him with open arms right back. Quite a few rebel generals began to defect back to the Qing and the Emperor kept a policy of extreme leniency hoping to win many over without bloodshed. These were after all his subjects and the emperor understood the need to avoid bloodshed whenever possible. Wu Sangui sent forces to attack Ji'an while Yuele made a second attempt attacking Pingxiang. Yuele's forces had destroyed 12 enemy fortresses and killed more than 10,000 rebels before the rebel commander of Pingxiang fled. After taking Pingxiang, Yuele marched on Liling and Liuyang before finally attacking his tasked objective Changsha. Meanwhile Emperor Kangxi also dispatched forces into Zhejiang Province to attack Geng Jingzhong. In 1676 they attacked Wenzhou fighting fiercely and taking multiple fortresses. Despite a fierce month long siege, Wenzhou withstood the Qing and thus they bypassed it to march into Fujian province taking Jiangshan first. Meanwhile Zheng Jing's force arrived at Xinghua Bay to attack Fuzhou, but Geng Jingzhong was at the end of his resources and ended up asking permission to defect to Emperor Kangxi. He asked Emperor Kangxi permission to show his newfound loyalty by attacking Zheng Jing's invading force at Fuzhou. Emperor Kangxi accepted the offer and said he could resume his title of King of Jingnan if he was successful. The forces of Geng Jingzhong, heavily supported by the Qing army sent initially to defeat him mind you, easily defeated Zheng Jing's force sending him packing back to Taiwan. A real game of thrones.    By 1677 Wu Sangui's army were facing stalemates all over the place and Yuele successfully captured Changsha. Then Ji'an fell as many of Wu's men simply retreated. By 1678 Yuele recovered Pinjiang and Xiangyin defeating countless rebels and accepting many surrenders. Then Wu Sangui sent one of his most formidable generals Ma Bao to attack Yongxing and he died in battle failing to take the city. Wu Sangui was 67 years old, 6 years had passed since he began the rebellion. The vast territory he had taken in its peak was declining rapidly. His army was greatly weakened, but despite all of this many of his officials pleaded to him that he should officially declare himself emperor. So he proclaimed his reign title as Zhaowu meaning “demonstrating great military power” of the Zhou Dynasty in march, I guess go big or go home right. He made Hengzhou of Hunan Province the new capital and like all the rest before him began issuing titles and so forth. Then in august he was stricken with dysentery and was so ill he apparently could barely speak. He ordered his son Wu Shifan to come to Hengzhou, and by September 11th he was dead. Wu Shifan decided to take the mantle and chose the title reign of Honghua. When Emperor Kangxi got news of Wu Sangui's death it was like a shark smelling blood in the water and he sent all his armies to crash upon Hunan, apparently the Emperor even considered leading the army he was that eager. Wu Shifan's forces fled for their lives when the Qing armies marched into Hubei, disarray was soon rampant. Soon Yuele's troops marched into Hunan and attacked Wugang which had a fairly stout defense of 20,000 troops. The battle was bloody, Wugangs commander was killed, his troops soon routed and the city fell. The rebel army's morale was low, the Qing took Yuezhou, Changde, Hangzhou. It got to a point where the Qing faced more issues with logistics than they did in the actual fighting of the enemy. By 1680 the provinces of Hunan, Guizhou, Guangxi and Sichuan fell back to the Qing and Wu Shifan fled to Kunming.    Once Wu Shifan was pressed into a corner in Yunnan province the Qing General Zhao Liangdong formed a 3 pronged attack strategy to hit Yunnan. The attack would be performed by Cai Yurong, Zhang Tai and Laita Giyesu. They each marched through Hunan, Guangxi and Sichuan respectfully taking territory as they did. Wu Shifan had no reinforcements and was greatly outnumbered. The Qing generals entered Yunnan and Kunming was besieged for months, but it still held firm. General Zhao Liang proposed they cut Wu Shifans supply route on Kunming lake and this provided quick results. The generals then led a fierce attack upon the city. But before they could capture Wu Shifan he had committed suicide. They decapitated his corpse and sent it back to Beijing. There lies just one more small story to end the tale.   All the way back in 1674 Geng Jingzhong as we know sent an envoy to Taiwan to ask the help of Zheng Jing. Zheng Jing sailed to Siming, the south part of Xiamen in southeast Fujian province. His army then captured Tong'an and marched north to attack Quanzhou which was defended by Geng Jingzhongs army. Geng Jingzhongs men fled the scene after a quick battle and Zheng captured Quanzhou. From there he took Chaozhou, defeating more of Geng Jingzhong's troops, making an enemy out of him. Then in 1675 Geng Jingzhong made peace with Zheng Jing, it seems it was all a misunderstanding and they began to collude. But in 1676 Geng Jingzhong surrendered to the Qing and personally asked to be tasked with defeating Zheng Jing, so perhaps there was something more personal going on between the 2. Well Zheng Jing began the new found war between them by besieging Quanzhou again. The siege lasted 2 months but he was unable to take it. Zheng Jing lifted the siege and instead attacked Fuzhou, but by now Qing forces were crashing into Fujian province. The forces fought for various cities such as Quanzhou, Tingzhou and Zhangzhou. In 1677 Zheng Jing laid siege again for a 3rd time to Quanzhou, but the Qing in the meantime had taken 10 counties back and were overwhelming Zheng Jings armies. He lifted the siege yet again and fled back to Siming, and by 1678 a Qing envoy showed up demanding his surrender. Emperor Kangxi followed this up by sending naval forces to Fujian to attack Kinmen island. Enroute a Qing naval force led by Wan Zhengse attacked Haitan island. During the ensuing battle 16 of Zheng Jing's ships were destroyed with more than 3000 soldiers drowned. Zheng Jing's admiral at the scene, Zhu Tiangui had to flee and Wan Zhengse pursued them. Soon Meizhou island, Nanri island, Pinghai county and Chongwu county were seized by the Qing naval forces. Then land forces and Wan Zhengse consolidated and attacked Zheng Jings forces in Xiamen. They smashed his army there, Zheng Jing tried to flee to Kinmen, but the Qing attacked it simultaneously forcing him to sail all the way back to Taiwan. In 1781 shortly after arriving in Tainan, Zheng Jing died of dissipation on march 17th.    Zheng Jing's eldest and illegitimate son Zheng Kezang was appointed as Supervisor of the state. Now Zheng Kezang was the next in line to take the throne, but this is where that “illegitimate” part comes up. Two political hungry officials hated Zheng Kezang, Feng Xifan the head of the bodyguards and Liu Guoxuan a high ranking military officer. Upon Zheng Jing's death they both began to slandere Zheng Kezang as not being a biological son of Zheng Jing in front of the Queen Dowager Dong. They then launched a coup with the help of Zheng Jing's brother Zheng Cong against Zheng Kezang, killing him and installing his 12 year old little brother Zheng Keshuang on the throne. Some real game of thrones shit. Meanwhile Emperor Kangxi and the Qing court heard about the coup and that a 12 year old emperor was just placed upon the throne and he realized the time was ripe to attack the politically divided and certainly weak island of Taiwan. Then a Qing court official recommended our old friend Shi Lang, the man who had a blood feud with Zheng's family, to command the entire Qing navy against Taiwan. Thus Shi Lang was made commander in chief of the naval force and ordered to take the Pengdu Islands and then Taiwan. Shi Lang rallied 20,000 crack troops and 300 warships for an invasion of Pengdu. Shi Lang also took the time to purchase a number of Dutch made cannons for his bigger ships. Liu Guoxuan of Taiwan knew the Qing would attack Pengdu first and sent a large force there to prepare it's defenses.   In june of 1683 Shi Lang's navy sailed out of Tongshan and captured a few small islands along the way to Pengdu. Now Shi Lang divided his force into smaller fleets before engaging the enemy. He sent one detachment to slip around the planned naval battle and land covertly near Liu Guoxuan's base on Pengdu. Liu Guoxuan was no fool however and placed numerous cannons and troops along the beaches to thwart such attacks. On June 16th the battle of Pengdu commenced and many of Liu Guoxuan's larger ships targeted the smaller fleets of Shi Lang encircled them. Seeing this unfold Shi Lang took his flagship personally in to break up the encirclements. As the battle raged, a stray arrow hit Shi Lang in the eye spraying blood everywhere, but Shi Lang fought on. Shi Lang managed to break an encirclement killing 3000 enemy soldiers and by June 18th captured Hujing island, just southwest of Pendu island proper and Tongpanyu island to its southwest. On June 22nd, Shi Lang organized multiple simultaneous attacks to throw the enemy off balance. He sent 50 warships to hit Jilongyu and Sijiaoshan situated on the west of Pengdu island. Another 50 warships to hit Niuxinwan Bay to attract the enemy's attention as he sailed off personally with 56 warships right through the center to hit Pengdu island proper. The enemy sent all their warships out to meet his separate forces and from 7am to 5pm they fought. The Qing managed to outflank and break the enemies formation, but they fought on tenaciously. In the end the Qing won a battle of attrition as they had significantly more ammunition than the rebel navy whom was forced to resort to boarding ships and melee fighting. Many rebel leaders chose not to surrender and went down fighting to the end in a blaze of gunfire and glory. Over 194 enemy warships were destroyed, more than 12,000 enemy soldiers were killed. Seeing he was going to lose the battle, Liu Guoxuan took his fastest ship and fled back to Taiwan. Shi Lang's detachment that slipped past the battle landed ashore and were met with an onslaught of cannons and arrows from the beaches. However the Qing warships began to tip the scale in firepower breaking open pockets for amphibious assaults and soon the Qing soldiers were breaking through towards Liu Guoxuans base. The Qing defeated the garrison at the base and raised the Qing banner triumphantly.    On july 15th, Zheng Keshuang sent envoys to Pengdu island to offer terms of surrender to Shi Lang. By August Shi Lang accepted their surrender in Taiwan and on August 18th, Zheng Keshuang and all his officers and officials shaved their heads in the Manchu style. They all then positioned themselves to face the direction of Beijing and bowed, Taiwan was now part of the Qing empire. Shi Lang was granted by Emperor Kangxi the title of General of Jinghai, Jinghai meaning “pacifying the sea”. Zheng Keshuang and his highest officials were escorted to Beijing and Zheng Keshuang was granted the title duke of Haicheng   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 war for unification was over, of course there would be countless rebellions during the reign of the Qing dynasty, but as for the threat of a Ming takeover that was not a thing of the past. A brand new world was emerging however, as the 19th century was soon rolling in and with it much much more devious trouble. For the century of humiliation was mere decades from commencing its ugly start.  9500

Visiting Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi says the country is looking to strengthen its cooperation with Zimbabwe in a number of areas (01:17). The Chinese president's philosophy on ecology continues to transform Zhejiang Province (4:13). Russia says it has taken the entire Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine (18:04).

​Twenty-eight year old Yang Jinlong is a professional car painter from eastern China's Zhejiang Province. In August 2015, the young man made a breakthrough for the country at the WorldSkills Competition in Brazil by winning China's first gold medal in car painting. How did he achieve this and what has he been doing since becoming a world-class car painter? Join us to find out.

China has launched a clinical trial for an Omicron-targeted vaccine in Zhejiang Province. A number of Chinese cities are issuing coupons to spur spending during the five-day Labor Day holiday. And one policy bank in China has extended 21 billion yuan of loans to support logistics infrastructure in the country.

The Chinese communist regime has locked down the world's largest wholesale market—Yiwu City in China's Zhejiang Province, since April 27 due to a COVID-19 outbreak. 

On this week's episode of Inside Outside Innovation, we sit down with Dr. Shameen Prashantham, Author of Gorillas Can Dance. We talk about the benefits, opportunities, and challenges, corporates and startups face when trying to partner, grow, and innovate together. Let's get started. Inside Outside Innovation is a podcast to help the new innovators navigate what's next. Each week, we'll give you a front row seat into what it takes to learn, grow, and thrive in today's world of accelerating change and uncertainty. Join us as we explore, engage, and experiment with the best and the brightest innovators, entrepreneurs, and pioneering businesses. It's time to get started.Interview Transcript with Dr. Shameen Prashantham, Author of Gorillas Can DanceBrian Ardinger: Welcome to another episode of Inside Outside Innovation. I'm your host, Brian Ardinger. And as always, we have another amazing guest. Today, we have Dr. Shameen Prashantham. He's the author of a new book called Gorillas Can Dance: Lessons from Microsoft and other Corporations on Partnering with Startups. Welcome to the show.Shameen Prashantham: Thanks so much, Brian. Great to be on your show. Brian Ardinger: I'm excited to have you on the show for a lot of different reasons. One is your book of course. But also, you've been doing a lot of research into the area of startup corporate collaboration as your role as a professor of international business and strategy and Associate Dean at the China Europe International Business School in Shanghai. So, I wanted to start off the conversation with what got you interested in researching this intersection between startups and corporates and innovation. Shameen Prashantham: You know, Brian, I decided to go down the path of academia when I was in my late twenties. And then I did a PhD in Scotland. About how startups went international. And this was a topic that was gaining traction at the time. But I did my research in an international business unit that had made its names by studying large companies. Particularly large us multinationals that had established a presence in Scotland. It appeared to me as I was completing my doctoral work, that we were making an artificial distinction between these two sets of companies. Certainly, they occupied very different worlds in a way and had very different realities, but I was beginning to see some weak signals of the prospect of collaboration. And so, by about 2005, which is when I graduated with my PhD. I began to ask why are we studying these different companies separately. And in Scotland, there was a recognition by policy makers even, that for example, IBM, which had been around for a few decades or Sun Microsystems, they too were trying to actually do more innovation in their far-flung subsidiaries.And one way to do that would be to connect with local innovative startup, that we're quite keen to gain some access to the commercial muscle of these large companies. And so that was when I began to observe this possibility, this potential. And I found it fascinating and just sort of stuck with it. Brian Ardinger: One of the core premises of your book and your research is how do large companies stay innovative? And you're saying that more and more companies are looking at startups as a way to inject innovation into their core. Talk more about what you've learned through your research. Shameen Prashantham: Initially when I started looking for examples. I think they were really happy accidents. You know, you had unusually entrepreneurial manager in a subsidiary of a multinational thinking, gosh, we've surely gotta be able to do more than we can in terms of innovation, but there's a chicken and egg problem.Headquarters isn't going to give us the mandate to do more innovation unless we have the capabilities. But we are not going to be able to build the capabilities unless we have a mandate. Some of these guys were saying, well, let's just fly under the radar a little bit and try and dabble with some innovation by our collaboration with local startups.And they were able to do that, fairly inexpensively. The local startups were interested to do this. And I published an article called Dancing with Gorillas in 2008. Mainly from the point of view of the startups. But from that point onwards, what I began to notice, interestingly was the big company is gradually started saying, well, actually, why don't we do this more systematically?And the company that I have studied the longest is Microsoft. So coincidentally, 2008 was the year they introduced BizSpark which was their first major programmatic initiative for startups. Partly driven by a concern that the open software movement was going to cause problems. Give startups and alternative in terms of software tools. So, they were giving away software tools for free. But I think that became an important start. This was managed out of Silicon Valley under the leadership of Dan'l Lewin who was a Silicon Valley insider brought into Microsoft to engage with startups. And then what I observed over time is companies like Microsoft, which were, I think pioneers in this area, had a combination of top-down initiatives run by people like Dan'l out of Silicon Valley and bottom-up initiatives championed, for example, by managers in Israel who felt they really ought to tap into the fantastic potential for entrepreneurship in their region. And then things developed. And then I came across SAP doing something for startups out of Silicon Valley and so on. But the other thing that became interesting more in the last sort of five to seven years is that companies in traditional industries, automotive, banking, fast moving consumer goods.Especially around 2015, I began to notice startup programs, being initiated by them too. Partly as a response to the digital disruption. And they too felt, you know, they recognize the need to be much more innovative, agile, and entrepreneurial while they were introducing intrapreneurship programs. There was no reason not to also tap into the entrepreneurial energy in startups on the outside. Brian Ardinger: Well, you definitely seem to have this change, this rise of startups, and the rise of startup ecosystems I think helped bring this to the forefront of companies as well, where you saw more and more companies getting up and going faster than ever before. And the ability to start things, create things, build things, I think put a spotlight on startups in a way that hasn't been in the past. You mentioned it started, you know, a lot with the technology companies looking at startups as a core opportunity and that. Now it's been moving on to other realms. Other industries and that. What are you seeing when it comes to what's working and what's not working when it comes to partnering with startups?Shameen Prashantham: Great question. And just to briefly comment on what you said. I think I absolutely, right. My comments earlier, maybe emphasize more the demand side of things. You know, the big companies recognizing the need to be more entrepreneurial. But on the supply side, definitely we've seen more startups coming to the floor.And I think cloud computing is one of the game changers, and I think that's how Microsoft became more and more interested as well. And you know, the fact that Satya Nadella ran the cloud business, when it wasn't a thing in Microsoft, and then later became CEO also made this much more central to what they were doing. But in terms of what works and what doesn't work, I think in companies like Microsoft, but the other ones as well, BMW, Unilever, Walmart. So whole bunch of industries. I think what I've noticed is this. There is a Paradox of Asymmetry. That these big companies that have encountered at one point or another. And the Paradox of Asymmetry is that the very differences that make it attractive to work together. For example, the startups of agility and the large companies of scale, those very differences actually make it difficult, or at least not straightforward for these very different types of entities to work together. For this to work companies have to overcome these asymmetries. And so, what works. It's basically the efforts to overcome the symmetries. And I've identified three. An Asymmetry of Goals. These different companies want different things. And importantly, at different timescales. There's an Asymmetry of Structure. Is very difficult to find role counterparts. And what I call an Asymmetry of Attention, which is the big companies, the notion of startups out there. They aren't sure which ones are worthy of their managerial attention. The startups have a different problem, which is how do I get the attention of the people who matter within the company? And so, the companies that have clarified the synergy, the so-called, win-win very clearly. The companies that have put in place partner interfaces, so that startups know who the first port of call is. And the companies that have very deliberately intentionally cultivated success stories. Exemplars fairly early on. Are the ones I think that have met with more success. Because the synergy helps to address the Asymmetry of Goals. The interface helps to address the Asymmetry of Structure and having these exemplars, showing what success can look like to both parties help to address the Asymmetry of Attention.Brian Ardinger: I think that's so important. When I work with startups oftentimes earlier on, I would say, don't even think about working with a corporation until you understand who you should be talking to. And because it can very easily take you off track. The timelines of how a startup executes versus a timeline of a multinational corporation are significantly different and can take a startup in the wrong direction if they're not prepared for that. You mentioned that the companies that you saw that were doing the best work, had identified someone in the corporation or a group within the corporation to help be that Sherpa for a startup to help navigate that. Is that being driven by the locality of the locations? Is it being driven by business units? Is it being driven by the top down saying here's how we want to interface? Or talk a little bit about how companies have actually structured that Sherpa role. Shameen Prashantham: I love that metaphor. I've seen both. For example, a BMW. It was sort of top-down because an initiative driven out of Munich in Germany. Where it was very interesting in terms of the people who are driving this. And there was a pair. So, there's this guy called Gregor Gimmy, who was really the public face of the initiative.A BMW Startup Garage was created in 2015. In fact, I just sent an email, I think, to info@BMWStartupGarage and said I'm doing a lot of work on this. I've notice that you've started this. Can we talk? And Gregor replied immediately. And I would see him on the videos. But only when I got to Munich and met him in person, did I realize there was this other guy in the background, Mathias Mayer. And they were such different personalities, but I think you needed both. Gregor had worked for IDEO in Silicon Valley. He was very gregarious. He was the guy that startups could identify with. Mathias on the other hand, Dr Mathias Mayer. As you know, many German managers have PhDs. He was the BMW insider. I think who was the Sherpa for the interface in the company. To navigate the internal politics and so on. And I think that's why it works in that case. So, that's an example of top down. But there's also been bottom up. I mentioned Israel in the case of Microsoft, but also here in China, Walmart came up with an interesting program called Omega Eight. To deal with Chinese startups to help improve the customer experience in the stores, for example.But one of the things they were very clear was we have to do things differently in China. Speed, for example, is of the essence. And so they would put in place practices, like we will work with startups who can do only one pilot for us at a given point in time. And need to do it in 60 days. And that was actually very reassuring for the startups who were always worried that these big multinationals would be soon moving.And I think the last visit that Doug McMillan, the Walmart CEO made to China pre pandemic, was in 2019. And they showcase some of the startups working with Walmart. And so really, I think both are possible. But I think the key is having people who can on the one hand show empathy and connect with the startups on the outside. But also have the ability to deal with the internal piece and the politics and the communication and getting buy-in from people.Brian Ardinger: Yeah, it's interesting that you're seeing different examples having success, but, but taking a slightly different take on it. For example, like, you know, the BMW Garage, my understanding with that program is when they came out, it was unlike your traditional corporate accelerator or corporate venture, where they would invest in a startup.They would look for companies and then would help them become partners and basically get through the red tape of becoming a preferred vendor, for example. And helping that particular part of it versus just capital thrown at the startup. And then you have other examples, like you said Microsoft, that are offering tools and services at a discount to start that communication and start that partnership with startups. What role are you seeing corporate venture playing in this? Shameen Prashantham: It's a great question. And the honest truth is the vast majority of my work has been on non-equity partnering. So, offering that doesn't involve equity. And the distinction between what Microsoft is doing and BMW is doing can be thought of as a distinction between cohorts and.And the way I explained this to my classes, a cohort is like an MBA class. You know, getting in is difficult, but once you get in, it's a time bound program where the curriculum, pretty much everybody who starts the program ends the program and peer interaction is a key part of this. And I think that's the way Microsoft went about their accelerators, for example. But BMW's is more like a funnel, which is like the job search process. After an MBA, many fewer complete the process than begin. You get screened out along the way, and you may not know who else is part of the process. And each has its advantages and disadvantages. I think with the cohort type program, you're more likely to have serendipity. So, you may have two startups that didn't know each other from before forming a three-way partnership in the course of the accelerator program. But I think with the funnel, you have more predictability and I think that's what BMW went for. And you're absolutely right. They pioneered this idea of being a venture client. And so one of the key things they were doing was connecting startups with business units or innovation teams within BMW, who actually would be interested to work with them, but also made sure that they got a supplier number. Which most startups would not be able to do.Corporate Venture Capital traditionally has tended to come into play at a slightly later stage. BMW had i ventures, even before BMW Startup Garage, but the impression I got was the BMW Startup Garage were talking to people, startups with say a series A round of funding. i Ventures was coming in at B or later. That being said, particularly over the past year. I've seen corporate venturing now growing around the world. And I'm seeing the non-equity partnering guys working with more and more mature startups and some of these corporate venture capital guys working with younger startups than before. And so perhaps going forward, we'll see a little bit of a blurring of distinctions, but just one last comment on this. I asked a guy at Silicon Valley Bank who knows a lot about corporate venture capital at one point, what do you think about the role of CBC? And should I be involving that much more in my work? And his answer to me was you can partner without investing, but you can't invest without partnering. And so that's the important thing to focus on. And so, I guess whether you're investing or not, the key is to have this collaborative mindset when engaging with startups.Brian Ardinger: When I talk to a lot of companies, they are interested in trying to figure out, like, how do we start this process? They know that they should be looking outside their own organization to start maybe partnering with startups and that. Or, or even just to keep their own workforce more in line with the entrepreneurial mindset and that. What are some of the early things that a company can be doing to start the process of becoming more adept at navigating the startup landscape? Shameen Prashantham: I think it's a little bit like what Simon Sinek says. You know, think big, start small, but start. One of the things to do, whether it's bottom up or top down is to, especially for people who are relatively new to this scheme, which has now been going on for a while, is to look for shortcuts.So back when Walmart decided to engage with startups in China, they took a little bit of a shortcut to get going. They made tracks to the Microsoft Accelerator and said, do you guys have startups in your portfolio who might be relevant to us? And of course, from Microsoft's point of view, this was great. Because they want their startups to use more Azure and things like that and do work for big other big companies.So, they identified eight startups from their alumni who did retail tech. And brought them together with Walmart for the weekend. They call it a Hackathon. But I mean, it's basically interaction so that the Walmart people got to know these startups and vice versa. And then from that pool, they identified three startups that would work on a pilot within 60 days.And so, within the span of a quarter, there was something pretty tangible that had been achieved to make a stop. And I think that's the sort of approach that helps to overcome the inertia to go beyond talk and start doing things. Because then you can assess what's working. What doesn't? Does this make sense going forward? And you don't even need the blessing from above to be able to do this in the case of Walmart, this was a subsidiary level initiative. So, either way, I think it makes sense to start small to start specifically. But then if there is genuine intent to do this on a systematic large scale, then it becomes important to get buy-in from the organization as well.Otherwise, these things just stay small and that's where getting buy-in from top managers, as well as other business unit managers, who can provide the meaningful opportunities and even building awareness more generally within the organization. Because you can get mentors into these programs from other departments just to help startups get a better feel for the company. And so I think it's a combination of making sure you make a stop, but then be if you're really serious about it, then building on it to replicate this and even do this in other parts of the company. Brian Ardinger: You're based in Shanghai. And my question is what have you seen coming from different markets? Are the tactics or the strategies different in a newer startup ecosystem that a company is in versus a more established startup ecosystem, like the Valley or other places around the world? What are you seeing from the ecosystem perspective? Shameen Prashantham: Both Thailand and India have actually been very interesting. Ecosystems with a lot of energy over the past decade. Yes, you're quite right. That these newer ecosystems have a slightly different vibe. I say this in a positive way. There's less maturity in the sense that you're more likely to find first time entrepreneurs here than say in Silicon Valley or Israel.But on the other hand, they're also trying new things that populations have leapfrogged the PCE route in many respects. And so sometimes, with payments. For example, you find both in India, some innovations that are interesting and which Western companies find very interesting to be able to address. However, because the ecosystem has the great appetite, but it's still evolving then to some extent there may be a little bit more handholding involved because the startups have less familiarity with working with the corporate. Also, and this is true of China, then most of the places. There might be some distinct local ecosystem players, like in the case of China, Baidu, Alibaba, TenCent.And so, making sure that that is factored in, which is generally not a problem, it's just about recognizing that you have to take that into account. The other thing of course, is that in emerging markets, the rule of non-market players can be very important too. And I mean, by that particularly government and policy makers. And the other thing to note is that distinction between the national policymakers as well, and top policy makers at the local level and the latter are also very important.And so, what that can mean is opportunities that you wouldn't necessarily think would be possible yet are off the beaten track. So, the equivalent of Silicon Valley in China used to be Zhongguancun in Beijing, the soft, well it probably, when you were in Asia, was referred to as the Silicon Valley of China. And now Shenzhen, also claims to this move with a hardware focus. But in a place like Ningbo which is in Zhejiang Province, the same province that has Hanjo the city where Alibaba is headquartered. Ningbo been known for entrepreneurship for a long time for centuries, but it's never been a tech entrepreneurship hub. Yet even there I've seen IBM partner with startups because local policymakers are so entrepreneurial. They leveraged their smart city program and brought these actors together. And that creates opportunities you don't necessarily see in other parts of the world. And so, by being aligned to the differences, but also the novelty in these markets, both in terms of the technologies they're working with, but also the different parts of the region that has talent, I think companies with the global mindset, can actually tap into a lot of these emerging ecosystems. And Africa, I think is another very interesting story as well. And we are going to see more and more interesting examples from there too. Brian Ardinger: You've been spending a lot of time in this space. What are some of the trends that you're looking to see in the coming years?Shameen Prashantham: So, I think digitalization was the big driver of corporate startup partnering in this past decade. I think in the 2020s, sustainability might have a similar effect. And, you know, just before the pandemic hit, the United Nations said the 2020s is the decade of action. We need to accelerate. our efforts to achieve the sustainable development goals and then boom, the pandemic hit, which has made it a more challenging yet more important and urgent in a way.And you know, in November, there was the climate change conference in Glasgow. Which is a reminder that whatever the geopolitical tensions and differences that exists on certain matters, like climate change, it'll be important to set aside differences and work together. And I think climate tech startups working with large companies is going to be very important. A steel company had reached out to me and said, you know, we're desperately trying to engage with startups. Point us to any that you know. So to me, this is going to be actually the key driver and which is why regions all over the world, you know, the Valley, mature ecosystem like that. Or emerging ecosystems in Africa. And everything in between. And I think that's going to come into play and be very important. For More InformationBrian Ardinger: The book Gorillas Can Dance is a fascinating book. Its got some great examples, great tactics. I encourage people to pick that up. If people want to find out more about yourself or about the book, what's the best way to do that?Shameen Prashantham: www.gorillascandance.com and I'm also on LinkedIn.Brian Ardinger: Fantastic, Dr. Prashantham, thank you very much for coming on Inside Outside Innovation. Looking forward to continuing the conversation in the years to come and appreciate all your time today. Shameen Prashantham: Thanks so much, Brian. I thoroughly enjoy it.Brian Ardinger: That's it for another episode of Inside Outside Innovation. If you want to learn more about our team, our content, our services, check out InsideOutside.io or follow us on Twitter @theIOpodcast or @Ardinger. Until next time, go out and innovate.FREE INNOVATION NEWSLETTER & TOOLSGet the latest episodes of the Inside Outside Innovation podcast, in addition to thought leadership in the form of blogs, innovation resources, videos, and invitations to exclusive events. SUBSCRIBE HEREYou can also search every Inside Outside Innovation Podcast by Topic and Company.  For more innovations resources, check out IO's Innovation Article Database, Innovation Tools Database, Innovation Book Database, and Innovation Video Database.  We use Amazon Affiliate links for books.

Mao Zedong's Great Leap Forward campaign organized millions of Chinese peasants into communes in a misguided attempt to rapidly collectivize agriculture with disastrous effects. Catastrophic famine lingered as the global cholera pandemic of the early 1960s spread rampantly through the infected waters of southeastern coastal China. Confronted with a political crisis and the seventh global cholera pandemic in recorded history, the communist government committed to social restructuring in order to affirm its legitimacy and prevent transmission of the disease. Focusing on the Wenzhou Prefecture in Zhejiang Province, the area most seriously stricken by cholera at the time, Xiaoping Fang demonstrates how China's pandemic was far more than a health incident; it became a significant social and political influence during a dramatic transition for the People's Republic. China's Cholera Pandemic: Restructuring Society Under Mao (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2021) reveals how disease control and prevention, executed through the government's large-scale, clandestine anticholera campaign, were integral components of its restructuring initiatives, aimed at restoring social order. The subsequent rise of an emergency disciplinary health state furthered these aims through quarantine and isolation, which profoundly impacted the social epidemiology of the region, dividing Chinese society and reinforcing hierarchies according to place, gender, and socioeconomic status. Rachel Pagones is chair of the doctoral program in acupuncture and Chinese medicine at Pacific College of Health and Science in San Diego and a licensed acupuncturist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

一锅米饭，放到第二天，水气就会干了一些，放到第三天，味道恐怕就有问题了。第四天，我们几乎可以发现，它已经变坏了。再放下去，眼看就要发霉了。A pot of cooked rice, if left out overnight, will become a bit dry because of loss of water. On the third day, it may not taste as good; and on the fourth day, as you'll discover, it becomes sour. If kept even longer, it will surely get moldy.是什么原因，使那锅米饭变馊变坏？Why? What has made this happen?是时间。It is time.可是，在浙江绍兴，年轻的父母生下女儿，他们就会在地窖里，埋下一坛坛米做的酒。However, there is another story about it. In Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, young parents brew a kind of wine with rice and store it underground in jars when they have a daughter.十七八年后，女儿长大了，这些酒就成为了嫁女儿婚礼上的佳酿。它有一个美丽惹人遐思的名字，叫女儿红。When the girl grows to the age of marriage, the wine is used to entertain guests at the wedding banquet. So it is given a fasting name Nü Er Hong, literally “Daughter Red”. 是什么使那些平凡的米，变成芬芳甘醇的酒？What turns the ordinary grains of rice into good wine?

全套雅思口语答案，t宝搜索“海威英语101”，凭券减100介绍：2019年9-12月雅思口语题库逐一讲解，答题思路拓展，6分7分答案全示范，得分点逐一解析。本集回答P1新题countrysidePart1. CountrysideHave you ever lived in the countryside? 你在农村住过吗？是的，但时间很短。小时候，我每年都在爷爷奶奶家过暑假。他们住在浙江省的农村。Yes, but only very shortly. When I was little, I used to spend the summer holiday at my grandparents' home every year. They live in a remote village in Zhejiang Province. Do you enjoy living in the countryside? 你喜欢住在乡下吗？6分版Yes, indeed. The countryside is so quiet that I don't hear the constant noise from traffic, and the air is so fresh. The best thing is that I can eat fresh food picked from the vegetable garden, like eggplant, cucumber and tomatoes. It feels like a different world.7分版当然咯。乡下超安静，我听不到车辆不断的噪音，也听不到街头小店的大喇叭，空气还很新鲜。农村最大的吸引力是....Absolutely. The countryside is super quiet. I mean, I don't hear the constant noise from traffic.... 提示：如果想要本期音频的完整文稿，请关注WX公众号“海威英语101” 在“资料下载”栏索取。

过马路做低头族要罚款了！ 世界上最遥远的距离，不是生与死，而是我就在你身边，你却在玩手机。”这句话，道出了大家面对“低头族”的无奈。Starting January 1, people in the city of Wenzhou in Zhejiang Province, could be fined for looking down at their phones while crossing an intersection. The “Regulations on the Promotion of Civilized Behaviors,” went into effect at the beginning of this year, and some have already been fined. On January 14, someone was fined 10 yuan for using her phone at a crosswalk.从1月1日起，浙江省温州市的居民在过十字路口时低头看手机将被罚款。《文明行为促进条例》于今年年初开始实施，其中一些已经被罚款。1月14日，有人因为在人行横道上使用手机被罚款10元。 Word of the day 每日一词Pedestrian 行人someone who is walking, especially along a street or other place used by cars 行人，步行者1.relating to pedestrians or used by pedestrians 行人的；行人使用的Eg.pedestrian flow人流量Eg.a pedestrian walkway人行通道 pedestrian street 步行街行人要走人行横道pedestrian crossingzebra crossing : a place marked with black and white lines where people who are walking can cross a road safely 斑马线 crosswalk人行道：1.pavement (英)2.sidewalk （美） 不遵守交通规则的人怎么说呢？ Jaywalker乱穿马路的人Jaywalk to cross or walk in a street recklessly or illegally 乱穿马路 所以要遵守交通规则abide by the traffic regulations否则会受到罚款fine 罚款Eg.A girl was fined 10 Yuan when crossing the road while playing her mobile phone.一个女孩玩手机过马路时被罚款10元。

Kaylena Weiderhold received a surprise gift on her birthday that she would never have expected - the news that her birth family had been located in China and they were waiting to talk with her on social media. After several conversations over the Internet, more surprises followed as she found out details about her family that were shocking, life changing as well as personally confirming for her, including how much forced abortion and the One Child Policy had had a personal impact on her life story. In this episode, Kaylena explains how she was able to connect with her birth parents, how she felt about it, what she learned from that connection and what she plans to do with what she has discovered about her family and herself. Ricki and Iris also chime in with their perspectives on Kaylena's story. At the end of this episode, Iris shares with us a translation of a message we received from a birth mom in China who has been looking for her missing child who she believes was adopted to an American family. Here are some basic details of that message: Zhou Liuxian has been looking for her missing daughter. Born around May 30, 1995. She was fostered at the home of Zhu Shugao in Tangbei Village, Huashu Township, and later adopted out of Quzhou Orpnanage in Zhejiang Province as Xu Qufeng by an American family. That adoptive mother had visited the foster family's home in China in 2007, but the Zhu family had passed away. The adoptive mother and child had left a photo and returned to America before the birth mother found out they had been there. If you believe this description applies to you and you would like to follow up, please contact us via our website afamilyinchina.com with a few details about yourself and your adoption and we will take steps to help you make a connection. We will never charge a fee for this service, nor will we share your contact information with anyone without your permission.

This is Special English. I'm Ryan Price in Beijing. Here is the news.The United States Senate has voted 82-13 to approve the Iowa Governor Terry Branstad to be the new U.S. Ambassador to China.In a statement after the confirmation, Branstad said he looks forward to working with leaders of both countries for the mutual benefit of the rest of the world.He said that never in his wildest dreams did he think that a boy from a small farm in Leland, Iowa, would one day have the opportunity to represent his country on the world stage, working closely with one of the world&`&s most influential countries and one of America&`&s largest trading partners.Seventy-year-old Branstad is the longest-serving governor in the United States. He has nurtured a close relationship with China and has visited China multiple times.He served as the governor of Iowa from 1983 to 1999, and again since 2011. He was nominated by U.S. President Donald Trump to be the next U.S. ambassador to China in December last year.During his confirmation hearing earlier this month, Branstad said that if confirmed, he would work to "positively influence" the U.S.-China relationship.He said that as Governor of Iowa, he saw first-hand the importance of a positive and healthy trade relationship between the two countries.This is Special English.With housing prices and sales stagnating in China&`&s major cities following tough property controls, smaller cities are starting to join in.Property sales were restricted in several second and third-tier cities, as speculators shift their attention to these areas. Around 30 cities have introduced sales restrictions to different extents.In Baoding city in north China&`&s Hebei Province, certain properties are subject to a 10-year lock-up before they can be resold.In Jiaxing city in east China&`&s Zhejiang Province, non-residents will not be able to resell houses within two years of buying them.With such restrictions, speculators who use to borrow money to invest may have to reconsider, as it now takes much longer for the houses to generate returns and pay back the loans.Analysts say smaller cities have become the main battleground as China strives to contain housing price as they rises through restrictions on purchases and increased minimum down payments.In Beijing, the down payment ratio for second homes has raised to 60 percent in mid-March, a measure considered "unprecedented".You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Ryan Price in Beijing. A new study has found that the rare but spectacular eruptions of super volcanoes can cause massive destruction and affect climate patterns on a global scale for decades.In addition, the super eruption sites may experience ongoing, albeit smaller eruptions for tens of thousands of years after.In the study published recently in the journal Nature Communications, Oregon State University researchers said they were able to link recent eruptions at Mt. Sinabung in northern Sumatra in Indonesia, to the last eruption on Earth of a super volcano 74,000 years ago at the Toba Caldera some 40 kilometers away.This is the first time that researchers have been able to pinpoint what happens following the eruption of a super volcano. To qualify as a super volcano, the eruption must reach at least magnitude 8, which means the measured deposits for that eruption are greater than 1,000 cubic kilometers.When Toba erupted, it emitted a volume of magma 28,000 times greater than that of the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington State in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. It was so massive, it is thought to have created a volcanic winter on Earth lasting years, and possibly triggering a bottleneck in human evolution.This is Special English.A study led by the University of Washington indicates that neighborhoods with greater poverty and disorganization may play a greater role in the problem of drinking in the availability of bars and stores that sell hard liquor.The findings were based on local neighborhood data and published online in the Journal of Urban Health. It suggests that while socioeconomics are more powerful environmental factors than even access to the substance itself, improving a neighborhood&`&s quality of life can yield a range of benefits.In examining the combination of multiple neighborhood factors on alcohol use, researchers turned to an ongoing study the university has followed for decades, by interviewing more than 500 of the adult participants.The researchers found that residents of neighborhoods primarily characterized by high poverty and disorganization tended to drink twice as much in a typical week as those in other types of neighborhoods. Binge-drinking, generally defined as more than four drinks at a time for women, five for men, occurred in these high-poverty, highly disorganized communities about four times as frequently as in other types of neighborhoods.These findings are consistent with previous research indicating that people in lower income neighborhoods may be at greater risk for alcohol-related problems.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Ryan Price in Beijing. Russian Security Council said Russia&`&s crucial information infrastructure suffered no severe damage caused by the global WannaCry melware attack thanks to an effective anti-cyberattack state system.Russia has been creating a system to detect, prevent and eliminate the consequences of computer attacks on the information resources of the Russian Federation. The program was previously approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin in a decree.The Security Council said Russia has managed to avoid serious damage due to the mentioned state system. The critical information infrastructure was ready to resist a massive spread of this virus.Russia&`&s critical information infrastructure includes the information systems in these sectors of defense, healthcare, energy, transport, communications, banking and finance.A massive number of organizations across the globe have been targeted by the WannaCry malware. Hackers used the Trojan encryptor to lock computers and demand a payment for the decryption. So far, the WabbaCry ransom ware attacked has spread to 150 countries, crippling hospitals, schools, governments and businesses.This is Special English.Nepal has hosted the "Chinese Bridge" language proficiency competition for college students in Kathmandu, the nation's capital.This is the fourth Nepali edition of the global contest.This year&`&s competition was organized by the Confucius Institute at Kathmandu University and the Chinese embassy in Nepal.According to the organizers, over 50 students had taken part in the initial round and 14 students were selected from three educational institutions in Nepal.Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Yu Hong attended the ceremony to present awards to the winners. She said she was happy to see the increasing interest of Nepali students in Chinese language and culture.In the preliminary round of the competition, 14 college students went through rounds of tests and demonstrated their language skills.Two Bachelor students representing Kathmandu University were declared winners, who will travel to China to represent Nepal at the finals to be held later this year.The Chinese proficiency competition is held annually in different countries for non-Chinese students to encourage them to learn about China.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Ryan Price in Beijing. You can access the program by logging on to crienglish.com. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. Now the news continues.The Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, has rolled out an app in which users can learn about the museum through building their own imperial residence.In this app, users choose a vacant site for their imperial palace and upgrade it by publishing and reading articles or completing tasks.The museum says the app makes news and information more accessible to the public. Users are no longer mere visitors, but also architects of the museum.The Forbidden City will release high-definition images of its cultural relics, making them available to more people worldwide.Established in 1925, the Palace Museum is located in the imperial palace of the consecutive dynasties from the 13th century to 1911. The complex&`&s architecture and imperial collections make it one of the most prestigious museums in the world. This is Special English.China will build more theme parks in the coming years.Tourism officials say that by 2020, China will encourage tourist areas to integrate with recreation facilities, theaters, and performing centers.Branded theme parks from overseas will be introduced into China, while domestic theme parks are also encouraged to expand overseas.A fantasy adventure indoor theme park opened to the public recently in Shanxi Province in north China. With laser technology and 3-D effects, the theme park aims to offer tourists immersive experiences.Entertainment companies are strongly encouraged to use hi-tech equipment.According to a development plan for the tourism industry, China will improve tourism infrastructure and public service facilities while pushing forward innovative development of theme parks. You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Ryan Price in Beijing. In the Chinese animation "The Tales of Effendi", a cute donkey from Kashgar in northwest China&`&s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region becomes famous as he carries his master around.In reality, donkeys don&`&t usually have such noteworthy lives. They mostly plod around carrying heavy loads and doing tedious chores. But in Kashgar&`&s Yopurga County, farmer Abdul Kerim has turned the braying beast of burden into a cash cow.Kerim says he had been doing various jobs to support his family since he was laid off ten years ago. Last year, he decided to go into the donkey business after hearing that donkey milk could be very profitable.Kerim and four of his neighbors poured almost all of their savings into setting up a cooperative last year. They bought 38 donkeys of a cross-breed between the region&`&s native donkeys and those from northwest China&`&s Shaanxi Province. They built stables and stockpiled bales of hay.After a year of hard work, the biggest donkey milk processing company in the region bought the cooperative&`&s first batch of milk for 28 yuan, roughly 4 U.S. dollars, per kilo.Donkey farms are now springing up in this previously impoverished area. Around 27,000 donkeys are being raised for their milk, which is expected to generate an annual revenue of 250 million yuan. This is Special English.20th Century Fox&`&s "Alien: Covenant" topped North American box office with an estimated 36 million U.S. dollars during its debut weekend, dethroning "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" with a narrow victory.Movie analysts say that featuring a terrific cast, this R-rated space adventure harkens back to the first "Alien" film that blew audience&`&s minds with its gritty dark intensity back in 1979.The sixth installment in the "Alien" franchise directed by Ridley Scott cost 97 million U.S. dollars to make and opened 29 percent behind the first prequel, "Prometheus", which debuted to over 51 million U.S. dollars in North America in August 2012.Disney and Marvel&`&s "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" moved to second place with an estimated 35 million U.S. dollars in North America after two weeks at the top of the charts. The Marvel&`&s superhero sequel has earned a whopping 733 million U.S. dollars globally.Warner Bros.&`& teen romance "Everything, Everything" opened in third place with an estimated 12 million U.S. dollars in its debut weekend. The PG-13 rated film is about a young woman with an illness that prevents her from leaving the protection of her sealed environment and who falls in love with the boy next door. The film is based on the bestselling book of the same name.（全文见周日微信。）

2017-02-27 Special EnglishThis is Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Here is the news.New kinds of vaccines for the H7N9 strain of bird flu virus have been approved for clinical trials by China&`&s top drug regulator.The Beijing Food and Drug Administration said it will continue to provide assistance and guidance for clinical trials of the vaccines so they can enter the market as soon as possible.The vaccines have been developed by a state-owned enterprise in Beijing. There are currently no vaccines for the H7N9 strain of bird flu available on the market in China or overseas. The flu is most active in winter and spring. Two human cases of H7N9 have been reported in Beijing this year, with both patients suspected of having been exposed to live poultry. Both are in critical condition.One woman died after being infected with the bird flu in southwest China&`&s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.The central government has intensified measures to control the spread of the flu, including shutting down live poultry markets.This is Special English.The World Health Organization says the shortsightedness rate among Chinese juveniles ranks first in the world, with 70 percent of high school and college students being shortsighted. The rate is almost 40 percent in primary school students, while it is only 10 percent for their peers in the United States.A World Health Organization research report says the number of shortsighted people in China has reached 600 million, approaching half of the country&`&s total population.Experts attribute the soaring shortsightedness rate in China to the unhealthy lifestyles and learning styles which parents impose on their children.On the one hand, to achieve high scores in exams, children spend too much time studying indoors and don&`&t enough time outside in the sunlight. On the other hand, a growing number of high-tech products, including smart phones and tablet PCs, make children focus their eyes and attention on fluorescent screens for long periods of time, resulting in excessive eye fatigue.Experts suggest that youngsters maintain a proper balance between study and rest so as to protect their eyesight, and parents should play a correspondingly active role in the process.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing.China will launch its most advanced communications satellite in April. The new satellite will be part of a huge network to expand the nation&`&s Wi-Fi access.The satellite and its large capacity network will enable passengers on planes and high-speed trains to access the internet.The satellite weighs around 5 metric tons. It will stay in a geostationary orbit around 36,000 kilometers above Earth for 15 years.This is the most powerful communications satellite China has ever developed. Its transmission capacity will double that of the current ones, allowing more television channels and clearer signals to be transmitted; and internet user costs will be reduced.China plans to establish a constellation of advanced communications satellites by 2025. After the plan is fulfilled, users will be able to access high-quality Wi-Fi services anywhere and anytime, including on bullet trains and planes.Scientists say China still needs to catch up with the top developers in the United States and Europe, when it comes to satellite technology and capacity.This is Special English.China&`&s deep-sea manned submarine "Jiaolong" has departed its home port in Qingdao in eastern China to start its longest mission to date, a 124-day expedition.The submarine is scheduled to explore northwest part of the Indian Ocean, the South China Sea and the Mariana Trench in the Western Pacific during this oceanic exploration mission. The trip is set to conclude on June 9.Organized by the National Deep Sea Center, the mission will be carried out by more than 150 researchers from around 20 scientific research institutions nationwide.The expedition will cover the widest range of investigation area with diversified tasks. The submarine will dive 31 times, including seven times below 6,000 meters. The submarine holds China&`&s manned diving record. It reached a depth of 7,062 meters in the Mariana Trench in 2012.According to the mission plan, it will perform a task in the northwest Indian Ocean polymetallic sulfides zone for the first time.The Qingdao-based National Deep Sea Center is a supportive station for deep sea facilities. It is one of the five such deep sea centers in the world. You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing.Beijing and its neighboring city Tianjin are planning a monthly pass for high-speed intercity trains linking the two cities. The two sides are also considering canceling expressway toll fees.The mayor of Tianjin says the move will facilitate the integrated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province. The outline was given in 2015 to improve transportation links in the area. It also includes moving some of Beijing&`&s low-end industries to neighboring areas.The high-speed intercity trains aim to build a modern transportation system. A unified smart prepaid traffic card has been used in 12 cities in the region, and more cities will be included by the end of the year.In addition, a network of high-speed trains covering the whole region has been approved; and another intercity railway linking Beijing and Tianjin&`&s Binhai New Area is expected to be completed by 2020.The Beijing-Tianjin Intercity Railway was the first of its kind in China. With a maximum speed of 350 kilometers per hour, a single trip between the two cities will be kept within 40 minutes. The trains will depart and arrive every 10 to 15 minutes.This is Special English.In 2015, every student at China&`&s almost 3,000 universities spent an average of 1,100 yuan, roughly 160 U.S. dollars, on online purchases. Each of them received 16 parcels on average last year, making university campuses key areas of competition for express delivery companies. The volume of deliveries and on-campus management of the companies&`& operations pose problems for college administrators. Two years ago, parcels delivered to university campuses accounted for 5 percent of the national total, which helped to create 70,000 jobs. A report says that without unified and centralized distribution terminals, the "last kilometer transport" to campuses remains chaotic in many universities.More than 65 percent of express companies in Guangdong Province conduct their on-campus business via a "stall model". Parcels are scattered on the ground in the care of a courier who waits to pass them on to the recipients. Different companies&`& stalls open at different times and in random locations. This means that many students do not receive their parcels on time. The report says that the situation is the same in Beijing, which has the largest overall campus delivery business in China.The report suggests that on campus courier stations should be designated as public welfare facilities and should be part of the campus infrastructure serving teachers and students. You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing. You can access the program by logging on to crienglish.com. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. Now the news continues.Pakistan is to start exporting seafood to China&`&s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, using a land route that China will also use to ship oil and natural gas from the Middle East.The journey is around 1,500 kilometers. Frozen seafood will depart Pakistan&`&s Gwadar Port on the shores of the Arabian Sea in container trucks and enter China via the Khunjerab Pass, a land port in southern Xinjiang&`&s Kashgar prefecture. Regular shipments are to start on April 1, after a successful trial last month. Normally, it takes more than 30 days to transport seafood by sea from Pakistan to ports in South China&`&s Guangdong province. Now it takes only around 10 days for the seafood to be transported and cleared by customs on the land route.The wholesale price of those seafood products will drop by 10 to 20 percent after the shipments become regular.China is Pakistan&`&s biggest seafood importer, with around 75 percent of the country&`&s shrimp products sold to China. China will provide 1 billion U.S. dollars in loans for three new road projects, to further enhance the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor along the land route.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Despite winds and deep winter chills, snow-covered areas in north China have seen quick growth in tourism during the Spring Festival holiday.The China National Tourism Administration reported a record 340 million domestic visits paid by mainland travelers during the seven-day holiday which started on January 27th. This marks an increase of 14 percent compared with last year. Total tourism revenue reached 420 billion yuan, roughly 62 billion U.S. dollars.The administration said ice-and-snow tourism is gaining in popularity as Beijing gears up to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. For example, the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region received 15 million travelers in the seven days, an increase of 20 percent, compared with last year. The total tourism revenue reached 1.6 billion yuan, up almost 22 percent. Xinjiang shares a common border with countries including Russia, Kazakhstan and Afghanistan.In northeast China, a national forest park in Heilongjiang province, known sometimes as the Snow Town, received more than 20,000 tourists in a single day on Jan 31.China has invested heavily in the development of winter sports and recreation. There are over 200 skating rinks and 500 ski resorts spreading across 25 provinces. Around 30 million people have participated in winter sports and related activities in these areas. China plans to build a total of 650 skating rinks and 800 ski resorts by 2022.This is Special English.After three days of searching, an injured finless porpoise has finally been found in central China&`&s Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in the country.Volunteers discovered the injured animal through a long-focus lens. It was seen to have a large fishhook in its back. But it was soon out of sight and disappeared before people could offer any help.The authorities and scientists conducted a search for the animal in an area of the lake which was 400-meter in diameter and 20 meters under the water.The finless porpoise is a mammal similar to the dolphin. It is an endangered species with a total population of around 1,000, fewer than the giant panda. Around 450 of them are found in Poyang Lake. You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing.East China&`&s Zhejiang Province used to be a "Jurassic Park", with a great number of dinosaurs some 100 million years ago. According to a six-year research project, 82 dinosaur fossil sites have been found in the area. The fossils came from a dozen species, eight of them new in China.The research covered an area of 11,000 square kilometers in the province. Various study techniques were adopted in the research, making it one of the most comprehensive in China.The study shows that there were many dinosaurs in the area during the Cretaceous Period around 100 million years ago. Zhejiang has the largest number of dinosaur fossils among other southeastern provinces.Scientists say the discoveries also support the idea that a comet or asteroid was the cause for the extinction of the dinosaurs.This is Special English.More than 100 plant seed grains dating back 2,000 years have been unearthed at an ancient tomb in northern China&`&s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.According to the regional institute of archaeology, the discovery was made during the excavation of a civilian tomb in western Inner Mongolia.（全文见周六微信。）

2017-01-23 Special EnglishThis is Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Here is the news.Beijing has started to install air purification systems in some of the city&`&s schools and nurseries.The city government has allocated money to help the schools cover the cost of the installation.Beijing suffered heavy air pollution this winter, and schools and other education institutions in the city were ordered to stop outdoor classes and activities.Many regions in China experienced heavy smog recently. The national observatory issued a red alert for fog and renewed an orange alert for smog in a number of northern, eastern and central regions.China has a four-tier color-coded warning system for severe weather, with red being the most serious, followed by orange, yellow and blue.This is Special English.China has called for more efforts to ensure food safety in the country, noting that there are still many problems despite an improving food safety situation.President Xi Jinping said more efforts should be made to ensure food safety for the public. During his latest instructions on China&`&s food safety work, President Xi called for the most rigorous standards and the most stringent regulations for improving food safety control.He stressed administration under the law, enhancement of work at grassroots level and the professionalism of food safety inspectors. He also demanded a comprehensive food safety system from farm to table.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing.China&`&s unmanned deep sea devices have completed deep sea tests, descending over 10,000 meters into the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Chinese scientists carried out the research at the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the ocean in the world.The deep sea diving involved a research vessel, a deep sea landing support ship, as well as manned and unmanned submarines capable of diving 10,000 meters underwater.In the experiment, the submarines reached the ocean floor, took pictures and collected sediment and biological samples. The experiment is called the Rainbow Fish project and is funded by the state and private capital.The scientists involved in the tests said the success marks another step forward in China&`&s deep-sea research.Globally, there are 26 trenches that are 6,500 meters or deeper. These trenches are home to a number of newly discovered fauna species, and with abundant energy and mineral resources.In August last year, an unmanned submarine dived to a depth of 10,000 meters at the Mariana Trench, setting a new record in China. China became the third country after the United States and Japan to build submarines capable of reaching depths of more than 10,000 meters.This is Special English.Bar-code technology widely used in supermarkets and industry is to be introduced into Britain&`&s National Health Service. Scanning will be used for the first time on breast implants and replacement hips and other surgical tools used during surgical procedures.The barcodes will also be used to trace patients and their treatments, manage medical supplies and monitor the effectiveness of equipment.The scanning project, at a cost of 12 million pounds, roughly 15 million U.S. dollars, will help medical staff to quickly and easily track each patient through their hospital journey.According to a spokesman for the Department for Health, by using barcodes, anything that might develop a fault years later, for example a screw used in a knee operation or breast implant, can be traced. The details, such as when it was used and the surgeon who carried out the procedure, can also be found quickly and easily.The technology will also help to eliminate avoidable harm in hospitals, including errors such as patients being administered the wrong drugs and surgery being performed on the wrong part of the body.Early results from 6 pilot "Scan4Safety" projects show that scanning has the potential to save lives and save more than 1 billion U.S. dollars for the National Health Service over 7 years.Secretary of State for Health in Britain Jeremy Hunt said "Scan4Safety" is a world first in health care. You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing.A new cargo train from Tibet has reached Zhejiang Province in eastern China, after traveling 4,500 kilometers over five days. The train started from Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet, and arrived in Ningbo, passing through several other provinces including Qinghai, Gansu, Shaanxi, Henan, and Anhui. This is the first cargo train between the two cities. It carried 2,000 tonnes of bottled mineral water which will be distributed to dealers in Zhejiang and Shanghai. Tibet is rich in water resources and is often called Asia&`&s water tank. Tibet produced 400,000 tonnes of natural drinking water in 2015, but high transportation costs made it difficult to reach other parts of China. The new rail route is designed to facilitate cargo transport from Tibet to central and eastern China. More such trains have been planned between Tibet and several other cities including Beijing.This is Special English.China&`&s lawmakers have adopted new legislation to improve the country&`&s cultural services.The law will go into effect on March 1. It aims to carry forward the traditions of Chinese culture and cultural confidence.According to the law, public cultural services must be people-orientated and "guided by socialist core values".County-level governments and above must improve community cultural service centers, build more of them and offer more products online.Private funds will be invited to finance public cultural facilities.Authorities in rural areas must provide more books, films, online information, as well as festivals and sports events to ensure equal service in urban and rural areas.Public services should serve special groups including minors, the elderly and the disabled. They must also ensure quality services for ethnic minorities and poorer areas.International cooperation and exchanges should be expanded.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing. You can access the program by logging on to newsplusradio.cn. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know by e-mailing us at mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. That&`&s mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. Now the news continues.The growth of China&`&s film market appears to have been slowed in 2016, signaling more rational and sustainable development.Box office revenues for 2016 totaled almost 44 billion yuan, roughly 6 billion U.S. Dollars. China&`&s film industry professionals say the figure means a modest increase over the total in 2015.It took China eight years to increase box office revenues from less than 1 billion yuan in 2002 to 10 billion yuan in 2010. The continuously rising annual box office revenues reached 44 billion yuan in 2015, an increase of almost 50 percent from 2014.Though ticket sales show signs of slowing, the market itself has been expanding. Latest figures show the number of cinema screens in China reached almost 41,000 by the end of last year, surpassing the United States to become first in the world.It took China around a year to increase its screens from 30,000 to 40,000. Experts say the number of screens grew by an impressive 26 per day last year.China became the world&`&s second-largest film market in 2012. Earlier foreign assessments predicted that China will surpass the United States as the world&`&s largest film market this year.This is Special English.The mysterious "master" that has scored 60 straight victories against elite Go players online is the latest version of computer program AlphaGo.AlphaGo&`&s development team has confirmed that "master" is AlphaGo&`&s AJa Huang. "Master" released its real identity before the game with China&`&s elite Go player Gu Li. And the artificial intelligence program beat Gu to gain its 60th crown.AlphaGo is a computer program developed by Google DeepMind in London to play the board game Go. It has become well-known after its victory over South Korea&`&s top Go player Lee Sedol in March last year.During the game against Lee, DeepMind&`&s lead programmer Aja Huang, put the stones on board instead of AlphaGo.DeepMind said the team has been hard at work improving AlphaGo. It has played some unofficial games online at fast time controls with their new prototype version to check if it is working as well as they hoped.DeepMind said they are excited by the results and also by what they and the Go community can learn from some of the innovative and successful moves played by the new version of AlphaGo.The father of AlphaGo, Demis Hassabis, said that after the unofficial faceoffs, the team will arrange some official matches this year.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing.China&`&s first geological park dedicated to plant fossils is set to open in Henan province in central China. The park covers an area of 30 square kilometers and it took builders more than three years to complete. Visitors to the park will be shown how plant fossils are formed and discovered, as well as what the planet earth used to look like more than 250 million years ago. The park has rich deposits of plant fossils, with more than 300 different species. Experts say that plant fossils in other parts of China are buried deep underground; but the fossils in this park are almost exposed on the surface, and are much easier for people to look at. The park will also feature exhibits of the Junci porcelain, an important type of Chinese pottery known for its complex blue glaze. The porcelain was developed locally around 1,000 years ago and owes much to the unique local clay.This is Special English.A recent study says there is no proof that sugar-free soft drinks can help weight loss and artificially-sweetened beverages, or ASBs, may trigger chronic diseases. The study has been done by a group of international university professors. It says the absence of consistent evidence to support the role of ASBs in preventing weight gain and the lack of studies on other long-term effects on health strengthen the position that ASBs should not be promoted as part of a healthy diet.The study added that taking account of ASB composition, consumption patterns and environmental impact, they are "a potential risk factor for highly prevalent chronic diseases".The study questioned industry-sponsored research on ASB effects on weight control because they were likely to report favorable results.The study also pointed out that previous tests on ASB influence on weight were inconclusive because they were conducted in some randomized controlled trials and led to "mixed findings, with some indicating a null effect, while others have found modest reductions in weight".However, the study also aroused controversy. Gavin Partington, head of the British Soft Drinks Association, told The British Guardian newspaper that research showed that low-calorie sweeteners in diet drinks helped consumers manage their weight as part of a calorie-controlled diet.Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England also told The Guardian that "maintaining a healthy weight takes more than just swapping one product for another. Calories consumed should match calories used, so looking at the whole diet is very important".That is the end of this edition of Special English. To freshen up your memory, I&`&m going to read one of the news items again at normal speed. Please listen carefully.That is the end of today&`&s program. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing, and I hope you will join us every day, to learn English and learn about the world.

This is Special English. I&`&m Ryan Price in Beijing. Here is the news.China has released a national plan on environmental improvements for the five years spanning 2016 and 2020, detailing tasks to cleanse polluted air, water and soil.The plan set the goals of a more environmentally friendly way of living, considerable reduction of major pollutants, effective control of environmental risks, and a sounder ecological system by 2020.To achieve those targets, the State Council has asked Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, as well as regions along the Yangtze River Economic Belt to draw up a bottom line, for ecological protection by the end of 2017. Meanwhile, other areas should come up with a red line before the end of 2018.Consumption of coal, which is a major source of pollution in China, will be strictly controlled.China&`&s environmental protection still lags behind its economic status, and decades of breakneck growth have left the country saddled with problems including smog and contaminated waterways and soil.Northern China has frequently been choked by winter smog, showing the war on pollution is an urgent and arduous task. This is Special English.A mysterious banging noise on the surface of a spacecraft that baffled a Chinese astronaut turned out not to be aliens, but the result of air pressure changes.Yang Liwei, China&`&s first astronaut, aroused public attention when he revealed in a television interview in late November that he heard an unexplained sound like "knocking an iron bucket with a wooden hammer" from outside his capsule during his maiden mission in 2003, leaving him very puzzled.When the famed astronaut attended an event at a school in the eastern city of Ningbo in Zhejiang Province recently, the question of the mysterious noise was raised by students.Yang replied that according to what he learned, the knocking sound was a result of decreasing air pressure that caused changes in the structure of the spacecraft as it left Earth for space.He said air leaking out of the objects in the capsule could also cause the noise.Yang said he thinks it was normal, and it is necessary to carefully identify the cause.Yang&`&s explanation echoed with space scientist Liu Hong, who wrote an article for a popular Chinese science website, saying that she believes the sound comes from tiny deformations in the space capsule&`&s inner wall to changes in pressure.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Ryan Price in Beijing. It is time to go skiing as authorities in Beijing aim to attract as many as 5 million residents to take up winter sports by 2020 as it prepares to host the upcoming winter Olympics.Beijing, along with the city of Zhangjiakou in Hebei Province, won the bid to co-host the 2022 Winter Olympics.The Beijing municipal government approved a five-year plan spanning 2016 and 2020 on public fitness, pledging "vigorous efforts" to introduce winter sports to the public. The sports include alpine skiing, speed skating, figure skating and curling.According to the plan, the government will use sports lottery revenue and other fiscal funds to build sporting venues, set up sports associations, and organize competitions and festivals.It will particularly attract student enthusiasts with winter camps, sports schools, recreation centers and clubs. The amount of investment and details of the project are not yet disclosed. This is Special English.China&`&s "24 solar terms" has been added to UNESCO&`&s world intangible cultural heritage list. The announcement was made in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, during the 11th session of UNESCO&`&s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritages. China&`&s "24 solar terms" is a knowledge system and social practice formed through observations of the sun&`&s annual motion, as well as cognition of the year&`&s changes in season and climate.The terms include Start of Spring, Awakening of Insects, Start of Summer, as well as Winter Solstice, Minor Cold and Major Cold.The collective terms are among the 37 requests for inscription on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.The Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage is in its 10 years of service. It has inscribed 336 items onto the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Ryan Price in Beijing. The island of Utopia, created 500 years ago, and the futuristic outer space, which seem far away from each other, came together at a conference in Beijing recently.The International Conference of Utopian and Science Fiction Studies has been held to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the publication of "Utopia".In 1516, English philosopher and writer Thomas More published his famous book "Utopia", depicting an almost perfect fictional society, and the term has been widely used and discussed since then.Among various anniversary activities around the world at this time of this year, the conference in Beijing commemorates the well-known novel in a special way by discussing it together with sci-fi works, with the participation of experts and scholars from China, the United States and Japan.While Utopia is always regarded as a political and philosophical concept, and science fiction normally focuses on technology, Kim Stanley Robinson, an American sci-fi author famous for his "Mars trilogy", said at the conference that the two are connected naturally.According to Robinson, Utopia was initially set on an isolated island, and such a background could not be used anymore after the world was completely explored, so the background had to be switched to the future.Guo Changbao, dean of the School of Chinese Language and Literature of Beijing Normal University, said the vast space inspired by Utopia would bring meaningful perspectives for Chinese science fiction and its studies.This is Special English.Taiwan investigators said they had solved the island&`&s biggest-ever drug-trafficking case and seized more than 200 kilograms of cocaine.The market value of the seized cocaine is estimated to exceed 2 billion new Taiwan dollars, roughly 62 million U.S. dollars. Investigators said they had also seized more than 50 kilograms of meth.Investigators received tip-offs that a Taipei company had, on multiple occasions, exported "large vehicle batteries" by sea or air to Australia at unreasonably high freight costs.On Dec. 1, they found around 51 kilograms of meth transported along with the company&`&s 11 exported vehicle batteries.Later they seized around 218 kilograms of cocaine transported with 30 similar batteries that the company imported from Brazil.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Ryan Price in Beijing. You can access the program by logging on to newsplusradio.cn. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know by e-mailing us at mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. That&`&s mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. Now the news continues.Michael Phelps wants to dive into the Silicon Valley&`&s investment opportunities as he tries to make the transition from Olympic swimming star and product pitchman to entrepreneur.Phelps says he would love to get involved, whether it&`&s in a couple little startups here and there, take a little risk, have some fun and see where it goes. For now, Phelps isn&`&t providing any details about what he is going to do, though he says he has been getting advice from venture capitalists and other experienced investors in Silicon Valley startups.Getting into tech investing would be a new direction for Phelps, whose business experience to date consists mostly of his own line of swimwear and endorsement deals with the likes of Under Armour, Visa and Wheaties.These and other big brands have paid him an estimated 75 million dollars during his career. That&`&s far more than the 1.6 million dollars that he received from the U.S. Olympic Committee and Speedo for winning a record 28 medals, including 23 golds, in five Olympics. He&`&s still promoting products; he is currently doing commercials for computer chipmaker Intel in a campaign that began in October.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Ryan Price in Beijing. A transgender student whose battle over the right to use a girls&`& bathroom has led to a landmark court ruling in Maine, and is being featured in a new HBO documentary."The Trans List" explores what it means to be a transgender in America.Nicole Maines is one of several individuals featured in the documentary.Maines says her entire family got behind her after she was bullied over a bathroom while in secondary school. The state supreme court ultimately ruled that her rights were violated.Maines now encourages young people to advocate for themselves. In her words, "slay your own dragon, you can do it". She is currently a student at the University of Maine.This is Special English.Buzz Aldrin said he was evacuated from the South Pole because he became short of breath and began showing signs of altitude sickness.The 86-year-old adventurer, who was the second man to walk on the moon, released details of his dramatic medical evacuation. He was continuing to recuperate in a hospital in Christchurch in New Zealand.Because of the thick ice, the South Pole sits at an elevation of 2,800 meters, or 9,300 feet.Aldrin, his son and his manager had been visiting the South Pole as tourists on a trip organized by the White Desert tour company. Aldrin said the trip began well, and that he&`&d been planning on spending time with scientists who were studying what it would be like to live on Mars because conditions in Antarctica are similar.After the group ventured further south, Aldrin started to feel a bit short of breath so the staff decided to check his vitals. After some examination, they noticed congestion in his lungs and that his oxygen levels were low, which indicated symptoms of altitude sickness.This is Special English.Infrared cameras have captured incredible scenes of wild Amur leopards and Siberian tigers this year after being installed at a national nature reserve in northeast China&`&s Heilongjiang Province.Amur leopards were spotted 17 times this year at a nature reserve, equaling the total number from 2012 to 2015.Siberian tigers were spotted five times, including twice when they were found roaming during the daytime.The nature reserve said more animal activities, especially in daytime, show the rare species have become more active thanks to human retreat.Siberian tigers were rarely found in the daytime for fear of human-related noise, including logging saws and vehicle engines at the reserve, which used to be a timber base.In 2011, the local forestry bureau banned logging and initiated a program to build a nature reserve for wild tigers. In 2014, the reserve was upgraded to the national level.Since the creation of the reserve, prey for carnivores, including boars and deer, have increased, which helped the big cat population rebound.At least four Siberian tigers and seven Amur leopards currently live at the reserve. The numbers change as the animals often roam back and forth across the China-Russia border.As one of the world&`&s most endangered species, the Amur leopard was put under top national protection in 1983. There are less than 70 left in the world. They are mostly found in Russia&`&s Far East, northeast China and the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. Around 500 Siberian tigers are believed to survive in the wild, in those same areas. This is the end of this edition of Special English. To freshen up your memory, I&`&m going to read one of the news items again at normal speed. Please listen carefully.This is the end of today&`&s program. I&`&m Ryan Price in Beijing, and I hope you can join us every day, to learn English and learn about the world.（全文见周日微信。）

This is Special English. I&`&m Ryan Price in Beijing. Here is the news.China&`&s second lunar probe, Chang&`&e-2, has been a huge success and is now the smallest man-made asteroid in the solar system.According to a leading scientist of China&`&s lunar exploration project, the lunar probe, launched in 2010, has fulfilled its mission and made worthwhile achievements.The scientist said the lunar probe has completed and published a full seven-meter-resolution map of the Moon&`&s surface for the first time.It used X-ray observation data to fully map the Moon&`&s surface and calculate aluminum distribution on the Moon.Currently, the Chang&`&e-2 is the smallest man-made asteroid in the solar system. It has completed over 200 million kilometers flight and will continue to fly, returning somewhere closer to the earth around 2029.This is Special English.Children from across the world have extended birthday wishes to taikonaut Jing Haipeng, who is currently orbiting the earth in space lab Tiangong-2."Happy birthday Uncle Jing, &`&Tashi delek&`&," said a Tibetan primary school girl using the Tibetan greeting for good luck and best wishes. She also said that it was her dream to become an astronaut.Jing, commander of the Shenzhou-11 mission, turned 50 on Monday.Xinhua News Agency has collected more than 10,000 birthday wishes for Jing from children all around the world. The messages, pictures and videos were sent from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan as well as from other countries including the United States and Sweden. Xinhua has sent some of the messages, pictures and videos to Jing.A pupil in Beijing said he felt lucky to be so close to an astronaut, and he was more than willing to send his birthday wishes to Uncle Jing.A student from a special education school in Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province sent her birthday message by sign language. Two days ago, she asked the astronauts in space whether they had seen aliens.Jing&`&s teammate in the mission, Chen Dong, replied that he hadn&`&t seen any aliens yet, but he did harbor a hope that he would see aliens and many other peculiar things.The two will continue to live in space for 30 days before returning to Earth.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Ryan Price in Beijing. The Ministry of Education plans to sign more agreements on the mutual recognition of academic degrees with other countries.The ministry said that by 2020, such mutual recognition agreements will hopefully cover most countries of the world, particularly developed countries.An international education conference was held in Beijing recently. The annual event aims to promote study in a foreign country, and this year, it&`&s Ireland in particular. The authority said such mutual recognition agreements represented other countries&`& recognition of the quality of China&`&s higher education.Since 1988, China has inked such deals with 46 countries.This is Special English.Chinese students studying abroad have become younger in age.According to a report released in a national education portal site, graduate students plunged to 40 percent of total Chinese students studying in the United States last year, compared with 80 percent 10 years ago.The report in Education Online said that meanwhile, the number of Chinese high school students studying in the United States maintained double-digit growth, accounting for 52 percent of Chinese students in the United States.The report said the number of Chinese students for overseas study has increased steadily. Last year, 520,000 students studied overseas, and the number is expected to keep growing this year.The United States is the main destination for Chinese students studying abroad, hitting 320,000 so far this year.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Ryan Price in Beijing. North China&`&s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has launched a program to attract medical graduates to work in rural areas to tackle an acute shortage of health care workers.The region is home to many people of Mongolian ethnicity as well as people from other ethnic minority groups who make their living through grazing and animal husbandry.Rural medical services are insufficient, although a program in effect since 2013 has provided an on-the-job training for 12,000 medical workers.A notice issued by the regional health department showed that only 9 percent of 20,000 health workers in service in rural areas are licensed medical practitioners.Under the newly implemented policies, vocational-school medical students willing to work in rural areas after graduation will receive tuition waivers for all three years of their schooling and be provided with subsidies for school accommodation.The regional government hopes the program will help channel 10,000 assistant medical practitioners into village clinics over the next five years.China is in desperate need of village doctors. But rural doctors are increasingly reluctant to stay at their job due to barriers including low pay, a lack of prestige and little room for advancement.This is Special English.China will offer more policy support to boost education services for its senior citizens.A newly released State Council plan said China should establish a comprehensive elderly education system by 2020, with diversified teaching approaches and content.Communities, nursing houses and other elderly care facilities are encouraged to offer a range of courses, and the government will provide full support, including financial subsidies and IT services.According to the plan&`&s target, more than 20 percent of the total elderly population will be able to regularly participate in various educational activities by 2020.As of the end of last year, people over 65 years old accounted for more than 10 percent of China&`&s total population. By 2020, the number of senior citizens will have reached 240 million, or 17 percent of the total population.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Ryan Price in Beijing. You can access the program by logging on to newsplusradio.cn. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know by e-mailing us at mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. That&`&s mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. Now the news continues.Beijing is planning to list ice and snow sports as a compulsory course for primary and middle school students.Municipal authorities made the announcement at the International Winter Sports Exposition held in Beijing.The authority is hoping that the students can do at least one type of winter sport in the future.Beijing will push the development of youth ice-snow sports, making sure young students have at least one hour to practice the sports every week.The city is also looking to put ski resorts in the suburbs and ice rinks in six downtown districts.Until 2022, 16 new standard indoor and 50 outdoor rinks will be built, and commercial rinks are not included in this figure.Beijing has vigorously been pushing winter sports into school curriculums since this year. For example, rinks and ski simulators are used in several schools, and professional athletes are invited to teach children to skate.The government will also fund the sports to lower costs for registration and competitions, as ice and snow sports such as hockey are often unaffordable for families with average income.Beijing, accompanied by Zhangjiakou in Hebei Province, will be the host city of the 2022 Winter Olympics, which will be China&`&s first winter Olympics.This is Special English.An orange fish swims along an underwater pipeline, searching for leaks. After finding the holes, it alerts workers on shore with a loud noise.That isn&`&t a trailer for the latest Disney cartoon, but a real-life demonstration at the 2016 World Robot Conference in Beijing.The mechanic is called SmartTuna. It is a robot developed to help fix leaking underwater pipelines.Sometimes it&`&s dangerous for humans to go down into the water, so people developed this robot. The demonstrators said the robot is precise, small and smart.More than 2,000 competitors from a dozen countries were in Beijing to show off and share ideas during the five-day conference.With an aging workforce and rising labor costs, China is determined to drive robot development. The output value of China&`&s homegrown robots last year stood at 1.6 billion yuan, roughly 240 million U.S. dollars, a year-on-year increase of 55 percent.At the conference, Vice Premier Liu Yandong urged enhanced research and development of the industry. She said related policies should be improved, human resources should be developed and global communication should be enhanced.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Ryan Price in Beijing. （全文见周日微信。）

This is Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Here is the news.President Xi Jinping has urged local authorities to leave no stone unturned in the solid implementation of precision poverty relief measures to lift the poor out of poverty. He made the remarks in a congratulatory statement sent to a commendation meeting held in Beijing, which honored organizations and individuals for their outstanding poverty alleviation work. The president has called for combined efforts of local officials in poverty-stricken areas and all sectors of society to battle poverty and support the reform and innovation of poverty relief. More than 600 million Chinese people were lifted out of poverty in the past three decades, around 70 percent of the world total. China became the first developing country to meet the millennium development target. For the coming years, the government has named poverty reduction one of its top priorities. It vowed to help the remaining poor people shake off poverty and enjoy essential social services by 2020. There are still 70 million poor people, who live below the poverty line of 2,300 yuan in annual income.This is Special English.China will further enhance the capacity of its agricultural sector to cope with climate change by improving the quality of farmland and reducing food loss and waste.Climate-related disasters account for the loss of 50 billion kilograms of grain in China every year, and climate change may further trigger uncertainties in the country&`&s natural environment.The government will continue its efforts to implement measures to cope with the impact of climate change on the agricultural sector. The measures will include conservation tillage to increase organic content in soil and better integrate water management.Officials and experts made the remarks at an event marking World Food Day which fell on October 16th.Coping with climate change is one of the major issues that China is facing as it seeks to ensure food security. China&`&s total population is expected to reach 1.5 billion by 2030. The country will have to produce an extra 100 billion kilograms of grain to meet the demand of such an increase. However, climate change could result in a 5 to 10 percent decrease in the country&`&s total grain production in the near future.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing.A potentially cancer-causing chemical known as NDMA has been found in the drinking water of 44 Chinese cities. Samples from the eastern and southern parts of the country have been found to have relatively high concentrations.Measured in nano-grams per liter, NDMA is a byproduct of the disinfection process used for chlorinating drinking water. It is considered an "emerging contaminant", together with other related chemicals known as nitrosamines.Samples were taken from more than 100 sites in 23 provinces. The average NDMA concentrations for finished water and tap water are almost four times the figures in the United States.The two figures in the Yangtze River Delta areas are high, posing a digestive cancer risk for residents there.Lead researcher Chen Chao, an associate professor at Tsinghua University said the NDMA concentration in drinking water is a pressing issue that demands more research and systematic modifications.According to the World Health Organization, NDMA and other nitrosamines cause cancer in laboratory animals. Currently, the substance is not regulated as a drinking water quality standard in China. No maximum level has been set.Chen said it may be included soon as a standard for water safety.This is Special English.China has carried out almost 3,000 organ donations in the first nine months of this year, up 50 percent year on year. The National Health and Family Planning Commission said that at present, the annual average number of organ donations in China is first in Asia and third around the world. Its annual number of organ transplants is second only to the United States.The government started to pilot changes to the organ donation system in 2010. The unauthorized trading of organs was made illegal through an amendment to the Criminal Law. Moreover, a new system for organ management and distribution was launched in 2013 to better regulate donations.A member of China&`&s National Organ Donation and Transplantation Committee said the increase in voluntary donations shows that the public is more confident in the distribution of donated organs.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing.An aging World War II-era C-47 aircraft has landed at Kunming in Yunnan province, after a commemorative "Hump Route" flight, widely known as the most dangerous air route in China during World War II. The plane is heading for Guilin in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. It will be donated by the Flying Tigers Historical Organization to the Flying Tigers Heritage Park in Guilin for permanent display. The Hump Route was one of the most important air ways connecting China with allied forces in South Asia. During the war, around 850,000 metric tons of supplies reached China from India via the route. Around 1,500 U.S. planes crashed along the way, falling victim to the formidable mountains of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and their fickle, often nasty, weather conditions. Pilots said the huge ridges looked like humps, thus the nickname. The American Volunteer Group, also known as the Flying Tigers, took on the dangerous mission, and American C-47 aircrafts delivered the first, small load of supplies in July 1942. The plane currently has five crew members, including two from the United States and three from Australia. Their average age is more than 70 years.This is Special English.A restaurant owned by Swedish furniture giant Ikea is now off-limits to those who don&`&t buy food, after it became a popular rendezvous for the elderly to socialize in Shanghai.Ikea told its Xuhui restaurant two weeks ago to prohibit people from occupying seats if they don&`&t pay. Since then, the crowds have shrunk noticeably during the lunch hour, as much as half.For years, elderly people flooded to the restaurant every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon to meet friends or on blind dates, at zero cost. The crowd sometimes exceeded the 700-seat capacity. Free coffee is available, with an Ikea membership card which can be easily obtained with an ID card.Ikea told China Daily that the restriction took effect on Oct 5. Ikea said in its written response that there had been misbehavior and the local police have becom involved. A cup of coffee is priced at 5 yuan at the Ikea-owned restaurant for nonmembers, half the cost of many fast food chains. But experts say it wasn&`&t about the money. A survey conducted by Renmin University of China found that half of the elderly aged above 60 live alone, and a quarter of them said they feel lonely.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing. You can access the program by logging on to newsplusradio.cn. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know by e-mailing us at mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. That&`&s mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. Now the news continues.Jia Jia, the longest-living giant panda in captivity, was put to sleep on Sunday at Ocean Park in Hong Kong, where she was widely known for its fondness for playing with a lavender scented cloth and her gentle disposition.The female panda turned 38 in August, equal to 114 human years, and held two Guinness World Records, for being the oldest giant panda in captivity and the oldest living panda in captivity. Jia Jia was found as a cub in 1980 in the wilds of a nature reserve in Sichuan province.In the past two weeks, Jia Jia&`&s condition greatly deteriorated. She lost its appetite and her weight fell from 71 to 67 kilograms. On Sunday, she could no longer walk.Veterinarians from Hong Kong&`&s Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department decided to spare her further suffering and she was put to sleep on Sunday evening.A senior official of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda said it was the right thing to do because her condition was beyond hope.Ocean Park is holding a memorial event for Jia Jia inside the park and online. A video honoring her memory was uploaded to Ocean Park&`&s social media page. A memorial board was set up in front of the Panda House in the park.Before she was sent to Hong Kong, Jia Jia lived for 18 years at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Sichuan. There she gave birth five times, having six cubs, four of which are still living.Three pandas remain at Ocean Park. Ying Ying and Le Le, both aged 11, are in good health; while 30-year-old An An is the world&`&s second-oldest male giant panda in captivity.This is Special English.A man has drowned while participating in Hong Kong&`&s annual cross-harbor swimming race; and a female swimmer is said to be in critical condition in a hospital&`&s intensive-care unit. The man, surnamed Ho, was pulled unconscious from the water by a rescue boat 300 meters from the finish line. The 46-year-old was described by his parents as a man who loved to swim. He had completed the cross-harbor swim every year since it was reinstated in 2011. Ho was also a regular marathon runner. The tragedy was the first recorded death in the formal swimming race since it was resumed in 2011, having been suspended for decades owing to pollution in the harbor.A 60-year-old woman had been pulled from the water moments earlier, before Ho was taken to the hospital.You&`&re listening to Special English. I&`&m Mark Griffiths in Beijing.A female rock climber has spent two months painting a portrait of the young man she was attracted to on the face of a cliff in Zhejiang Province. But her expression of affection will soon be removed at the request of the local tourism authority. The picture of a young man&`&s smiling face is 6 meters tall. It was painted on a rock atop a 500-meter-high mountain in a national park. The painting was created in a recess of the rock, and it was not discovered until another climber posted photos of it online. The 34-year-old female bank clerk claimed that she drew the picture.The woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, said the young man in the portrait is an experienced rock climber. He was known locally for being the first to attempt to climb the mountain without safety equipment in 2012. He got stuck midway up the cliff and had to be rescued. The woman tried several means to win his heart, but her efforts ended in vain. So she decided to paint his image at his high point to impress him.She also used imported mineral paints to draw the picture. In order to ensure accuracy, she had to climb to another mountain from time to time to view the picture from a distance. She said she did not expect her secret to be discovered so soon. The national park said the picture will be removed because it violets relevant laws. This is Special English.（全文见周六微信。）

This is Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Here is the news. Renowned Chinese developer of hybrid rice, Yuan Longping, has expressed his confidence that a hybrid rice yield target projected for 2018 will be met this year. Yuan said several demonstration plots had showed potential to produce 16 tonnes of rice per hectare. Yuan made the remarks at a symposium marking the 20th anniversary of China's hybrid rice development. Known as China's "father of hybrid rice", Yuan started theoretical research 50 years ago and kept setting new records in the average yields of hybrid rice plots. China's Ministry of Agriculture officially launched its hybrid rice breeding program in 1996. Four years later, the first-phase target of 10 tonnes per hectare was achieved by Yuan's research team. The fourth-phase target of 15 tonnes per ha was hit in 2014. Currently, farmland under hybrid rice in China has risen to 13 million hectares while that overseas totals more than 5 million hectares. Around 65 percent of the Chinese population depends on rice as a staple food. This is Special English. Tiangong-2, China's first space lab in a real sense, was successfully launched into space on Sept 15. A brain-computer interaction test system installed in the lab will conduct a series of experiments in space. The research team of the system said brain-computer interaction will eventually be the highest form of human-machine communication. China will conduct the first ever space brain-machine interaction experiments, ahead even of developed countries. The brain-computer interaction test system in Tiangong-2 boasts 64 national patents. The research team has long been devoted to the research of brain-computer interactions. It previously developed two idiodynamic artificial neuron robotic systems that can help with the rehabilitation of stroke patients. The brain-computer interaction technology will also help Tiangong-2 astronauts to more easily accomplish their assigned tasks. For example, brain-computer interaction can transfer the astronauts' thoughts into operations, while at the same time monitoring their neurological function. You're listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. China will challenge the UK's position as second in the world for international study by 2020. That's according to the latest report led by Student.com, the accommodation provider for international students. The report said a record breaking 397,000 international students went to China in 2015 and China has been the third most popular destination for overseas students ahead of Canada, Germany and France. The report added that although there has been a slowdown in numbers since 2014, the number of foreign students in China has been growing on average 10 percent year-on-year since 2006. The report forecasts that at current growth rates, China will overtake the UK to be the second most popular destination for international students, following the United States which is at number one. The Independent newspaper from the UK also quoted experts confirming that the number of international students studying in China has risen so rapidly; and China will overtake the UK as the second most popular academic destination in the world. The newspaper noted that the trend is thought to be partly due to a drive by the Chinese government, as well as increasingly higher education standards and scholarship programs for degree-seeking students. Professor David Goodman leads the China Studies program at the University of Liverpool. He said international students benefit from the exposure to China and its culture, not least because of its growing economy and jobs market. This is Special English. As the country passed the revised edition of China's Wild Animal Protection Law which bans random releasing of captive animals into the wild, a similar incident has drawn people's attention lately causing controversy. The Beijing News reports that a Tibetan woman in southwest China's Sichuan Province released 6,000 goats onto a prairie after she saved them from slaughter houses. It cost her 5 million yuan, roughly 760,000 U.S. dollars, of donated money. The incident immediately drew great attention after it was exposed on Sina Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter. There have been a number of reports recently in China in which captive animals were released randomly into the wild by animal activists or by those following a Buddhist ritual known as "fangsheng" or "releasing life". The religious ritual demonstrates spiritual compassion and piety by releasing captive animals back into nature. However, experts say an ecosystem has a very delicate balance which could be jeopardized easily by changing the number of certain species or introducing a new species to the area. China's revised Wild Animal Protection Law is to take effect starting from the year 2017, with added special items to regulate the release of captive animals into the wild. This is Special English. After enjoying the fresh service of a new bike-lending initiative Mobike, many users have begun to complain about its flaws. A Beijing-based newspaper, the Beijing Daily, reports that the major problem is that Mobike's distinctive orange-rimmed bicycles are too heavy and can be challenging for female users. Others include inaccurate GPS positioning, long unlocking time, and unadjustable bike seats. Mobike started in Shanghai in April and expanded to Beijing on Sept. 1st. To take a ride, a user scans the QR code on the bike, unlocks the smart lock and starts a timer. The standard cost is one yuan, roughly 10 U.S. cents, per 30 minutes, along with a 300 yuan security deposit. Users can pay with popular mobile payment methods including Alipay and WeChat. To encourage proper use and parking, Mobike includes a credit system that will increase the fee to 100 yuan per 30 minutes for users with low scores. Mobike uses a station-free concept for easier use, in comparison with Beijing's public bike rental service, which has a more complicated registration process and requires bikes to be returned to stations. Experts say Mobike is a good supplement to the public bike rental service. Mobike now has only 3,000 bikes in the city, but the company said it is increasing the number by hundreds every day. It has more than 10,000 bikes in Shanghai, allowing most riders to find a bike anywhere within a radius of 300 meters. You're listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. You can access the program by logging on to newsplusradio.cn. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know by e-mailing us at mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. That's mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. Now the news continues. Beijing consumers forked out billions during the Moon Festival holiday, which ran from September 15 to 17. Retail sales of 60 major commercial companies in the foodstuffs, dining and tourism sectors exceeded 2 billion yuan, roughly 300 million U.S. dollars. The figure represents an increase of more than 6 percent year on year. According to the Beijing municipal commission of commerce, mooncakes, the seasonal delicacy for the festival, were in less lavish packaging and came in more creative flavors this year. Daoxiangcun, a Beijing bakery chain, sold more than 27 million mooncakes by Saturday, the last day of the holiday. The company said mooncakes that are made from 3D printing machines sell particularly well. Popular restaurants in Beijing were heavily booked during the three-day holiday. The turnover of several catering enterprises posted 10 percent growth from last year. The Moon Festival, also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, falls on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. The festival has been celebrated for more than 3,000 years to mark the autumn harvest. It is also an occasion for family gatherings, featuring lanterns, solving riddles and eating mooncakes. This is Special English. More than 70 percent of Chinese people believe children and adolescents should have annual physical checkups at professional hospitals, rather than at school health centers. That's according to a Chinese Medical Doctor Association survey. The survey also shows that almost 70 percent of people believe the checkups organized for students should include psychological consultation. The survey was based on feedback from 42,000 people in different professions from across China, including white collar workers, medical professionals, government employees, students and migrant rural laborers. Almost 32,000 of those surveyed said children and adolescents should have checkups at professional hospitals, compared to more than 8,000 saying they should have checkups at school. The rest said they didn't care. According to health and education regulations, students in China must have physical checkups before they are admitted to a school at a higher level; and all students should have a regular checkup every year when at school. Schools should organize students to have checkups. A doctor at Beijing Children's Hospital said that in recent years, the number of children suffering diseases including hypertension and obesity increased, and in many cases they were diagnosed at professional hospitals rather than at school health centers. Experts say the regulations were made decades ago and should be updated to suit the new situation. You're listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. A high-speed railway linking Zhengzhou in central China's Henan Province with Xuzhou in eastern Jiangsu Province has opened. The 360-km line connects high-speed railways in the west with two major north-south lines, helping cut travel times between the west and the east. The travel time between Xi'an and Shanghai has been cut to six hours from almost 11 hours. The line has nine stations, and trains run at a speed of up to 300 km per hour in the initial period. Construction of the line started in 2012, and test operations started in April this year. With the operation of the new line, China's high-speed railway network has exceeded 20,000 km in total length, the world's longest. This is Special English. Hangzhou, the capital city of Zhejiang Province, is witnessing a boom in interest after the Group of 20 Summit ended on Sept 5 as visitors throng to popular spots. The park where the G20 evening gala was held has become one of the most popular attractions in the city. A musical show by a team led by film director Zhang Yimou is staged with the majestic West Lake as its background. It's based on Zhang's "Impression of the West Lake", an astonishing performance that takes place right on the surface of the water, combining music, dance, and light effects all against a natural backdrop. After the G20 ended, the park was packed with locals and tourists who were eager to see the conference location and the show in person. Liu Ying is a tourist from Guizhou Province. She said she has seen the videos of the show many times; but only when she came to feel the vibe in real time was she truly impressed. Many new souvenir sets has become available on the market after the evening gala, echoing its theme of a memorable Hangzhou. The package includes a silk clutch of a size which can hold an iPad, a fan and a fan case, as well as silk handkerchiefs. This is Special English. （全文见周六微信。）

This is Special English. I'm Ryan Price in Beijing. Here is the news. Chinese officials and scientists have said that as a country with the world's largest number of scientific researchers, China is benefiting and will continue to benefit from scientific exchanges and cooperation with other G20 members, particularly in exchanges of talent and young research staff. A senior official of the China Science and Technology Exchange Center said the G20 is the largest and most important group in technological innovation worldwide. Cooperation and innovation under the G20 framework will not only benefit the members, but also is of great importance to the sustainable development of the world. According to the China Science and Technology Talent Development Report, which was released by the ministry last year, China's human resources in this area exceeded 71 million people as of 2013, ranking it No 1 in the world. Meanwhile, the latest statistics from the World Bank Group and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization showed that the research and development investment of 19 G20 members, excluding the European Union, accounts for 87 percent of the world total. The academic papers that these members publish account for 76 percent of the world total and applications for patents from these members account for 97 percent. This is Special English. Silk products are synonymous with Hangzhou, the capital city of east China's Zhejiang Province. Hangzhou first exported silk 2,000 years ago. Today, the exquisite craftsmanship of silk continues to be the source of justifiable pride. It should come as no surprise that guests at the B20 and G20 summits will find silk forming an integral part of their experience there. To symbolize the city's attachment to the fine material, a gift package for the B20 Summit guests contains a pure silk scarf. More than 800 participants at the B20 Summit received such scarves. Each of the silk scarves is printed and dyed around 20 times, and it takes six weeks for the process of platemaking, printing and dyeing to be completed. China played a major role in developing sericulture, or silk farming, and one of its origins is located in northern Zhejiang province. Archaeological digs there have unearthed silk thread, ribbons and silk from more than 4,000 years ago. After laboratory testing, they were confirmed to have come from domesticated silkworms. Globally, the Japanese use the most silk products, and French brands like Hermes use silk for signature products. Italy is a well-known center for silk goods, and Brazil is a large silk manufacturer. You're listening to Special English. I'm Ryan Price in Beijing. China's quantum communication satellite, which was launched in August, is in good shape; and scientific experiments can begin this month. A chief scientist of the project said all equipment carried by the satellite and all ground equipment are working well. Satellite-to-earth links have been established between the satellite and five ground stations across China, laying the technical foundation for distributing quantum keys. Scientists are confident that the project will fulfill its tasks. China successfully launched the world's first quantum satellite on Aug. 16. The satellite will explore "hack-proof" quantum communications by transmitting "unhackable" keys from space, and provide insight into the strangest phenomenon in quantum physics, quantum entanglement. This is Special English. The voyage taken by the research ship "Tan Suo Yi Hao" to the Marianas Trench from late June until Aug 12 made a series of breakthroughs in deep-sea scientific exploration, both domestically and internationally. According to scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the breakthroughs include a successful nitrogen cycle experiment conducted by the "on-site experiment" deep-sea elevator. The elevator is a research device that is lowered with an anchor and was developed by the Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering of the academy. A scientist in the academy who headed the expedition said it made history among similar devices internationally. According to the scientist, the Tianya deep-sea lander, another device taken on the voyage, also made history. It collected deep-sea water samples of more than 100 liters for the first time, much more than its counterparts from other countries did. During the voyage, China's unmanned submarine, the Haidou, dived for the first time to a depth of more than 10,000 meters, reaching 10,767 meters. You're listening to Special English. I'm Ryan Price in Beijing. China will establish several national ecological experimental zones to explore reforms ranging from natural resource balance sheets to ecological performance evaluation of officials. An official guideline has been released by the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, aiming at carrying out reforms on "ecological civilization system". According to targets set in the guideline, major progress shall be achieved by 2017; and fully-fledged ecological civilization systems shall be established by 2020, with best practices replicable across the country. Main experiments will include establishing a natural resource property right system, compiling natural resource balance sheet, optimizing land and space planning, and incorporating ecological performance into officials' evaluation. The provinces of Fujian, Jiangxi and Guizhou have been selected as the first batch of experimental zones, because they have "relatively optimal ecological foundation, and relatively strong environmental and resource capacity". This is Special English. Chinese universities will have the autonomy in transferring the intellectual property from scientific research and shall keep all the earnings. A government document released by the Ministries of education and science and technology, said no less than half of the net earnings from transfers shall be rewarded to researchers. The circular said major contributing researchers and faculty members should take no less than 50 percent of the total rewards. China has created a series of policies to encourage scientists to translate their research into commercial products. The State Council in March issued a regulation that provides detailed measures for academics and inventors on how to commercially exploit their work, as the country pushes for innovation-driven development. Authorities are also encouraging research institutions and technical personnel to transfer or licensing their achievements or to invest with them as trade-ins. According to the policies, performance in translating scientific outcomes to products will be considered in the overall evaluation of research and higher learning institutions. You're listening to Special English. I'm Ryan Price in Beijing. You can access the program by logging on to newsplusradio.cn. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know by e-mailing us at mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. That's mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. Now the news continues. Tsinghua University and Peking University have for the first time broken through the top 100 global ranking of universities. According to the 2016 Academic Ranking of World Universities released recently, Tsinghua occupies the 58th spot and Peking University is at 71. A total of 41 Chinese mainland universities are among the top 500, nine more than in 2015. Starting from 2003, Academic Ranking of World Universities has been presenting the world top 500 universities annually based on transparent methodology and third-party data. More than 1,200 universities are included every year. Harvard University retains its crown for the 14th year, followed by Stanford, University of California Berkeley, University of Cambridge and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Tokyo University in Japan is ranked 20 this year, the sole Asian university to be among top 20 in worldwide. This is Special English. Quarantine dogs were first employed in the Nanjing airport in 2002, after their implementation in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai. After training for four months, quarantine dog Daxiong started work in 2009. Daxiong was good at sniffing out plant products, and its biggest discovery was 17 boxes of forbidden fruit totaling 180 kilograms. At nine years old, Daxiong is the equivalent in dog years to a 60-year-old man, but he is nevertheless as excitable as ever when it comes to food. Daxiong is so sensitive to forbidden goods, especially meat products and fruit, that his trainer rewards his good behavior with snacks. Quarantine dogs usually work three to four hours a day, taking a rest every half an hour. This keeps them alert and accurate. From 2014, the department began to seek an adopter for Daxiong in preparation for his retirement. His trainer Yan Han explaines that the adopting family had to love dogs and have some experience raising them. Additionally, Yan hoped that the whole family would get on well with the dog. By this metric, a local resident surnamed Zhi became Daxiong's adopter. To prove that Daxiong is living a happy and healthy life with his new family, Zhi provides periodic photos and videos to the dog's former handlers. This is Special English. A new technical manual in Shandong province encourages the use of humane methods to slaughter chickens. Supporters say the methods also promote better meat quality. The manual was prepared by a research team at Qingdao Agricultural University and has been approved by the Shandong provincial government's quality watchdog. It sets standards to reduce the animals' suffering. A professor of food science at the university says that complying with the humane slaughter manual is not only about showing human compassion for the animal but also could improve the quality of the meat. The standards "ensure that suffering at slaughter can be avoided so the animals experience minimal negative feelings. Shandong Province raises 20 percent of China's broiler chickens, and chicken accounts for 40 percent of the province's meat production. You're listening to Special English. I'm Ryan Price in Beijing. An Australian who raised enough money to take a stray dog that followed him during an extreme marathon in China back to his home in the UK was almost heartbroken. Gobi, who accompanied Dion Leonard during the event in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, had disappeared and for quite some time, there was no sign of her. Leonard had raised enough to take the animal back to Edinburgh in Scotland. He said it was such a shock and hard to believe when he was told Gobi had gone missing. Leonard said he was very heartbroken and saddened about it. He returned to Urumqi, the regional capital of Xinjiang, to look for the small brown animal. Forty-one-year-old Leonard said he and Gobi formed such a strong bond during the 250-km race, and it broke his heart thinking that they might not be spending more time together. These remarks came after a couple of days of searching for Gobi with volunteers. During this time, there have been sightings of dogs that look like Gobi, but all these signs have ended in disappointment. The dog had been due to arrive in Beijing to start a four-month process of medical checks before being flown to the UK in time for Christmas. Gobi ran alongside Leonard in June during the Gobi March, a 7-day race across mountainous and desert terrain in Hami prefecture, when temperatures of up to 52 degrees Celsius were recorded. They even cuddled together during the night. At one point, Leonard had to cross a river during the race. Instead of thinking about beating others, he stopped and carried Gobi across. After the race, Leonard decided to take her home to Scotland. （全文见周日微信。）

This is Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Here is the news. Chinese officials and scientists have said that as a country with the world's largest number of scientific researchers, China is benefiting and will continue to benefit from scientific exchanges and cooperation with other G20 members, particularly in exchanges of talent and young research staff. A senior official of the China Science and Technology Exchange Center said the G20 is the largest and most important group in technological innovation worldwide. Cooperation and innovation under the G20 framework will not only benefit the members, but will also be of great importance to the sustainable development of the world. According to the China Science and Technology Talent Development Report, which was released by the ministry last year, China's human resources in this area exceeded 71 million people as of 2013, ranking it No 1 in the world. Meanwhile, the latest statistics from the World Bank Group and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization showed that the research and development investment of 19 G20 members, excluding the European Union, accounts for 87 percent of the world total. The academic papers that these members publish account for 76 percent of the world total and applications for patents from these members account for 97 percent. This is Special English. Silk products are synonymous with Hangzhou, the capital city of east China's Zhejiang Province. Hangzhou first exported silk 2,000 years ago. Today, the exquisite craftsmanship of silk continues to be the source of justifiable pride. It should come as no surprise that guests at the B20 and G20 summits will find silk forming an integral part of their experience there. To symbolize the city's attachment to the fine material, a gift package for the B20 Summit guests contains a pure silk scarf. More than 800 participants at the B20 Summit received such scarves. Each of the silk scarves is printed and dyed around 20 times, and it takes six weeks for the process of platemaking, printing and dyeing to be completed. China played a major role in developing sericulture, or silk farming, and one of its origins is located in northern Zhejiang province. Archaeological digs there have unearthed silk thread, ribbons and silk from more than 4,000 years ago. After laboratory testing, they were confirmed to have come from domesticated silkworms. Globally, the Japanese use the most silk products, and French brands like Hermes use silk for signature products. Italy is a well-known center for silk goods, and Brazil is a large silk manufacturer. You're listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. China's quantum communication satellite, which was launched in August, is in good shape; and scientific experiments can begin this month. A chief scientist of the project said all equipment carried by the satellite and all ground equipment is working well. Satellite-to-earth links have been established between the satellite and five ground stations across China, laying the technical foundation for distributing quantum keys. Scientists are confident that the project will fulfill its tasks. China successfully launched the world's first quantum satellite on Aug. 16. The satellite will explore "hack-proof" quantum communications by transmitting "unhackable" keys from space, and provide insight into the strangest phenomenon in quantum physics, quantum entanglement. This is Special English. The voyage taken by the research ship "Tan Suo Yi Hao" to the Marianas Trench from late June until Aug 12 made a series of breakthroughs in deep-sea scientific exploration, both domestically and internationally. According to scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the breakthroughs include a successful nitrogen cycle experiment conducted by the "on-site experiment" deep-sea elevator. The elevator is a research device that is lowered with an anchor and was developed by the Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering of the academy. A scientist in the academy who headed the expedition said it made history among similar devices internationally. According to the scientist, the Tianya deep-sea lander, another device taken on the voyage, also made history. It collected deep-sea water samples of more than 100 liters for the first time, much more than its counterparts from other countries have done. During the voyage, China's unmanned submarine, the Haidou, dived for the first time to a depth of more than 10,000 meters, reaching 10,767 meters. You're listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. China will establish several national ecological experimental zones to explore reforms ranging from natural resource balance sheets to the ecological performance evaluation of officials. An official guideline has been released by the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, aimed at carrying out reforms on the "ecological civilization system". According to targets set in the guideline, major progress shall be achieved by 2017; and fully-fledged ecological civilization systems shall be established by 2020, with best practices replicable across the country. The main experiments will include establishing a natural resource property right system, compiling a natural resource balance sheet, optimizing land and space planning, and incorporating ecological performance into officials' evaluation. The provinces of Fujian, Jiangxi and Guizhou have been selected as the first batch of experimental zones, because they have "relatively optimal ecological foundations, and relatively strong environmental and resource capacity". This is Special English. Chinese universities will have the autonomy in transferring the intellectual property from scientific research and shall keep all the earnings. A government document released by the Ministries of education and science and technology, said no less than half of the net earnings from transfers shall be rewarded to researchers. The circular said major contributing researchers and faculty members should take no less than 50 percent of the total rewards. China has created a series of policies to encourage scientists to translate their research into commercial products. In March, the State Council issued a regulation that provides detailed measures for academics and inventors on how to commercially exploit their work, as the country pushes for innovation-driven development. The authorities are also encouraging research institutions and technical personnel to transfer or licensing their achievements or to invest with them as trade-ins. According to the policies, performance in translating scientific outcomes to products will be considered in the overall evaluation of research and higher learning institutions. You're listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. You can access the program by logging on to newsplusradio.cn. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know by e-mailing us at mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. That's mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. Now the news continues. Tsinghua University and Peking University have for the first time broken through the top 100 global ranking of universities. According to the 2016 Academic Ranking of World Universities released recently, Tsinghua occupies the 58th spot and Peking University is at 71. A total of 41 Chinese mainland universities are among the top 500, nine more than in 2015. Starting from 2003, Academic Ranking of World Universities has been presenting the world top 500 universities annually based on transparent methodology and third-party data. More than 1,200 universities are included every year. Harvard University retains its crown for the 14th year, followed by Stanford, the University of California Berkeley, University of Cambridge and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Tokyo University in Japan is ranked 20 this year, the sole Asian university to be among the top 20 worldwide. This is Special English. Quarantine dogs were first employed at Nanjing airport in 2002, after their implementation in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai. After training for four months, quarantine dog Daxiong started work in 2009. Daxiong was good at sniffing out plant products, and its biggest discovery was 17 boxes of forbidden fruit totaling 180 kilograms. At nine years old, Daxiong is the equivalent in dog years to a 60-year-old man, but he is nevertheless as excitable as ever when it comes to food. Daxiong is so sensitive to forbidden goods, especially meat products and fruit, that his trainer rewards his good behavior with snacks. Quarantine dogs usually work three to four hours a day, taking a rest every half hour. This keeps them alert and accurate. From 2014, the department began to seek an adopter for Daxiong in preparation for his retirement. His trainer Yan Han explaines that the adopting family had to love dogs and have some experience of looking after them. Additionally, Yan hoped that the whole family would get on well with the dog. By this metric, a local resident surnamed Zhi became Daxiong's adopter. To prove that Daxiong is living a happy and healthy life with his new family, Zhi provides periodic photos and videos to the dog's former handlers. This is Special English. （全文见周六微信。）

This is Special English. I'm Ryan Price in Beijing. Here is the news. Government news conferences must be held within 24 hours of serious major events and incidents to deal with public concerns. That's according to a statement released by the State Council, China's Cabinet. The statement further specified the responsibility of national and local government agencies in responding to public opinion on government affairs. The development of the internet in recent years has been changing how people communicate. Social media have the ability to incite and expand public sentiment quickly and often. But, the release said some government officials do not respond to public sentiment quickly and effectively. It said government agencies must react promptly, if they are to be effective, so news conferences should be held within 24 hours of major emergencies. Regarding public reaction to smaller government affairs, agencies should respond within 48 hours and keep updating with authoritative information on the latest developments. When there is notable public opinion on major State Council policies and decisions, the central government agencies directly involved should be the first to respond. Similarly, local government agencies should be the first to address the public's reaction in matters directly related to them. This is Special English. Nongovernmental organizations have called on the Chinese government to impose a total ban on the ivory trade in the country within the next two years, and with no expiration date or financial compensation for those who would lose business. A wildlife trade specialist at the World Wildlife Fund in China said the majority of Chinese consumers would stop buying ivory products if the legal trade channel was shut down. The specialist said it would also leave no room for speculators to operate if the ban on the ivory trade in China were permanent. The World Wildlife Fund and TRAFFIC, a nongovernmental organization that monitors the global wildlife trade, are compiling a feasibility report on banning the ivory trade in China, hoping that it will become a technical reference document for the Chinese government. The head of the China program at TRAFFIC, Zhou Fei, said the African elephant population had dropped from 3 to 5 million, to only 500,000 in recent years. Zhou said if they don't do anything, African elephants will be functionally extinct within two decades. At present, the trade and manufacture of registered ivory products is legal in China. You're listening to Special English. I'm Ryan Price in Beijing. Chinese biologist Han Chunyu has provided his experimental data to Nature magazine as requested to help peer researchers replicate his work, but the controversy has not gone away. According to the journal's website, Han has been working to replicate his own work. The incident now is evolving into a battle between the widely recognized gene editing tool CRISPR and a potentially better substitute, NgAgo, presented by Han, a geneticist at Hebei University of Science and Technology. Three months ago, Han announced that NgAgo can be used to edit human genes, and an article was published in Nature Biotechnology. However, some researchers in Australia and other countries said they had been unable to replicate Han's work. In response, the journal initiated an investigation and asked Han to submit his experimental protocols and original data. Further investigations are underway. A Chinese biology researcher in Beijing, who wants to remain anonymous, told China Daily that Han's updating of his protocol is a good start, and other scientists should allow for more time and be patient. Han is known for focusing on his research and maintaining a low-key lifestyle. The article about him on Nature's website said he didn't like to travel, and a trip to visit a collaborator in Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province five months ago was the first time the 42-year-old had ever boarded a plane. This is Special English. The first national alliance of hospitals providing air ambulance services has taken off, covering vast regions in eight provinces with swift evacuations for people from remote rural areas to clogged city streets. Air ambulances have become a key supplement in medical emergencies to save lives despite congestion or remote location, leading to the growth of such services in China. A helicopter took off from Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province, and picked up a 58-year-old patient in neighboring Huzhou city who needed an emergency operation. It brought the patient to a landing pad at the hospital in Hangzhou. The round trip was brief. Within two hours, including flight time, the patient, who had suffered a heart attack, was out of surgery. The patient, surnamed Ding, said the helicopter was so quick and convenient that it made him feel like this hospital was located in front of his home. Without the helicopter, it would likely take an ambulance more than two hours just for the return trip, instead of the 30 minutes by air. Eyeing the huge potential of air emergency services, 14 provincial level hospitals initiated the China Air Emergency Hospital Alliance, which is the largest domestic alliance in the air ambulance service industry. This is Special English. With bulbous red noses, colorful curly wigs and exaggerated makeup, a group of 40 medical workers in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, have offered patients something to smile about. By dispensing hope and humor, the medical clowns lift the mood and inject vitality into the wards. A medical clown training center, jointly launched by China and Israel, has been established at Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital. Forty doctors and nurses in Chengdu will learn from the world's leading professional medical clowns this year. Amir Lati, consul general with the Consulate General of Israel in Chengdu, said Israel is a world leader in medical clowning. In Israel, the profession is a serious business. Israel set up the world's first clown care course at the University of Haifa in 2006. When people are entertained, laughing especially, the brain releases more endorphins, which can help relieve pain and produces more leukocytes, which help improve the immune system. Lati said medical clowns have been proven to help the healing process. The trainee Chinese medical clowns will be taught medical care, psychology, physiotherapy as well as magic performance, puppet shows and acting by the Israeli practitioners. You're listening to Special English. I'm Ryan Price in Beijing. You can access the program by logging on to newsplusradio.cn. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know by e-mailing us at mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. That's mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. Now the news continues. Officials in Huichang, a county in southern Jiangxi Province are being encouraged to read more books by both Chinese and foreign writers to improve their governing abilities. The activity was initiated by the county head Cai Xiaowei. The original reading list contained just 12 books, but this year's list contains 23 and covers a wider range of topics. In addition to traditional best-sellers, including Stephen Covey's The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, the reading list also features a critique of Industry 4.0, or the fourth industrial revolution. The book is a strategic initiative related to a manufacturing technology by the German government, and a graphic book to educate people about legal issues. A number of books about improving governance at the grassroots level, and others related to environmental protection and sustainable development have also been recommended. The head of the county's finance bureau, Peng Changchun, is one of a large number of officials that have joined the literary trend. One of the books Peng has read is a collection of essays by D. Gale Johnson, an economist from the United States. The essays feature issues related to China's agricultural sector, the rural area and farmers. Peng said the book objectively displays some real situations in China's rural areas. Peng is seeking inspiration about how financial resources can be used more efficiently to lift rural areas out of poverty, and how rural residents can become more involved in the governance of their home areas. This is Special English. A middle school student in Jiaozhou, Shandong province, whose application was tampered with by a fellow classmate, has got his application restored and has been admitted to Shaanxi Normal University in Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi Province. The Shandong Provincial Academy of Education, Recruitment and Examination said it has negotiated with the university and decided to accept Chang's application. The university also agreed to enroll the student. According to The Paper, a Chinese media platform based in Shanghai, local police have confirmed that 19-year-old Chang Sheng, failed to enroll into the university in the first place only because his application was tampered with by a classmate surnamed Guo. Local police said Guo has been detained for investigation after Chang's family reported the case to the police in July. Earlier, Chinese media had reported Chang's story, triggering hot discussion online. Chang is from an impoverished farming family. He applied to study physical education at Shaanxi Normal University, and would have been exempt from tuition if enrolled. Chang said he was not enrolled which was a surprise because his college entrance exam scores met the standard, and the university didn't receive enough applications. Chang checked his records and found that his application had not been submitted to the correct university. You're listening to Special English. I'm Ryan Price in Beijing. A 32-year-old Shanghai woman who fell off a cruise ship that was returning to China from Japan was miraculously saved after floating in the sea for more than 38 hours. She even fell asleep for a while. The woman, whose name was not disclosed, was traveling with her parents aboard the ship when her companions noticed she was missing. She had gone for a walk on the deck at around 8:30 pm but didn't return. Her parents and more than 100 volunteers searched the boat but failed to find her. The parents gave up hope. A police officer on the ship told the father that there was no chance of survival if his daughter had fallen from the deck, which is 20 meters above water. The woman said she fell off the cruise ship while leaning over a 1.4-meter-high rail. She managed to swim and remained drifted in the water until someone saved her. She suffered only minor injuries on her arms. This is Special English. （全文见周日微信。）