Podcasts about Zhu

Last time we spoke about the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. On July 7, 1937, tensions escalated between Japan and China as the Japanese military conducted a training exercise near the Marco Polo Bridge. During the exercise, gunfire erupted, sowing confusion and leading to the unexplained disappearance of one soldier. This incident prompted Japan to demand permission to search the nearby city of Wanping, which was denied by Chinese forces, escalating tensions further. By the next day, Japanese troops attacked, resulting in fierce fighting at the bridge. Under heavy assault, Chinese defenders fought valiantly but faced overwhelming force. As the conflict intensified, both sides struggled with heavy casualties, leading to the full-scale Sino-Japanese War. The Japanese military's aggressive maneuvers and the determined Chinese resistance marked the beginning of a brutal conflict, forever altering the landscape of East Asia. The profound toll on both nations foreshadowed the horrors of war that were to come, as China prepared to defend its sovereignty against a relentless enemy.   #155 Operation Chahar 1937 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. By the end of July of 1937 the Japanese had overwhelmed the Beiping-Tianjin region. It's pretty understandable as to how this came so fast. As we have discussed thoroughly in this series, the Japanese had gradually seized control over Northern China going back to Operation Nekka in 1933. Little by little they had carved it out. Typically when you pull out a map of a war between two nations, one nation pierces into the other and gradually seizes control of key locations until it archives victory. However with the case of the outset of the Second Sino-Japanese War its more like the Japanese are starting at multiple key locations where they have concessions, treaties or where there are autonomous regions. Thus its honestly a huge headache to follow. When the Marco Polo Bridge Incident broke out, Chiang Kai-Shek had been in Kuling, a mountain top resort where he spent his summer vacations. He received the news with composure, but his message to the nation conveyed a sense of optimism and anticipation. The embarrassment of the Sian mutiny was a thing of the past. Although he wasn't overly confident, he believed that this was the pivotal moment China had been preparing for, more so than at any time in recent years. For nearly three weeks, efforts were made to resolve the situation through diplomatic means. For the first time, Chiang was in a position to make demands. He understood they would likely be rejected, but that wasn't the main point. He asked Japan to acknowledge its responsibility for the recent turmoil, to issue an apology, and to provide compensation. After making that request, he addressed his nation with a formal commitment: China would not accept any settlement that compromised its sovereign rights or territorial integrity. No changes would be permitted regarding the status of the Hubei-Chahar Council, and local officials would not be reassigned at the request of any foreign government. Any restrictions on the Twenty-ninth Army's positions would be unacceptable. He declared that the era of Japanese expansion in North China had come to a definitive end. The Japanese army achieved significant victories on the battlefield in China, leading to the inevitable expansion of the conflict. The first major campaign following the Nanyuan victory unfolded along the mountainous border marked by the inner Great Wall, separating northern Hubei from Chahar. On the Jinpu Railway, just south of Tianjin, lies a small station known as Jinghai. Adjacent to this station is the Jian River, which had swollen to a width of 20 meters due to intermittent heavy rains in northern China after the Japanese army's occupation of Tianjin. The embankments on either side of the river were overgrown with dense reeds and grass, and a wooden arch bridge spanned the river. After landing at Dagukou in Tianjin, the 10th Division, commanded by Lieutenant General Rensuke Isogai, advanced south along the Jinpu Railway. However, as the vanguard, the 10th Regiment of the 33rd Brigade made its way through the muddy terrain towards the Jian River's wooden bridge, they were suddenly taken aback. A group of Chinese soldiers appeared, their faces vividly painted red and armed with long-handled broadswords, a sight reminiscent of the legendary Chinese figure Guan Yu, as depicted in many traditional portraits. These soldiers belonged to the 26th Independent Brigade of the 38th Division of the 29th Army, who were in retreat from Tianjin. Following the city's fall, they had retreated southward to Jinghai Station, where they prepared to make a stand. Brigade Commander Li Zhiyuan recognized their inferior numbers and weaponry compared to the Japanese forces. Drawing from painful lessons learned during the positional battles in Tianjin, he decided to divide his troops strategically: one battalion would defend the station, another would protect the county town, and a third would engage in guerrilla tactics along the Jinpu Road. If faced with a small number of Japanese soldiers, they would fight fiercely; if overwhelmed, they would attempt to encircle the attackers to prevent a direct assault on their main position. Despite the Japanese army's attempts to advance, including efforts to send an armored train into Jinghai Station, the Chinese soldiers cleverly laid straw on the tracks and buried mines, thwarting the train's progress. Once Japanese troops disembarked to mount an offensive, they were ambushed by the battalion executing guerrilla tactics, resulting in a chaotic retreat that left behind several dozen casualties. Over the course of weeks, the divisional headquarters ordered a battalion of Japanese troops to move south along the Jinpu Road, requiring them to cross the Jian River at the wooden bridge. The 26th Independent Brigade was assigned to halt this advance, and they managed to hold their ground for over 20 days. Recognizing the gravity of their situation, Brigade Commander Li Zhiyuan gathered his group and battalion commanders to emphasize the necessity of pushing back the Japanese forces. He passionately rallied them, declaring, “We must defend this river to the death. Each regiment will select a death squad. Each member will carry a long-handled broadsword and four grenades, paint their faces red and rush across the bridge to engage in melee combat!” When Li asked for volunteers to lead the death squad, the regiment commander, Zhu, eagerly stepped forward, quickly gathering a group that followed him, uniting passionately in their cause. The death squad charged across the bridge, catching the Japanese off guard with their war paint and weapons. The sudden attack left the Japanese soldiers dazed, leading to a chaotic retreat as they struggled through the muddy terrain. In the tumult, more than 200 long-handled swords struck down a significant number of Japanese troops. Those advancing from behind panicked at the sight of their retreating comrades. An officer, dismounted during the chaos, was left behind, and the Chinese soldiers, filled with zeal, pressed forward, ignoring the orders from Brigade Commander Li Zhiyuan to fall back for their own safety. Despite moments of heroism, many fell that day by the Jian River, as the officers and soldiers burned their boats and set fire to the wooden bridge, rendering retreat impossible. As the Japanese military consolidated its power in the Pingjin region, many leaders underestimated the tenacity of Chinese resistance. Plans were made to defeat the Chinese army and air force swiftly, aiming to resolve the issue in North China decisively, with no diplomatic negotiations or external interventions allowed during military operations. Now, in late July to early August, Chiang Kai-shek issued orders to improve defenses at Nankou. He mobilized Tang Enbo's 13th Army in Suidong for battle readiness, tasked Liu Ruming to sabotage railways, and directed Fu Zuoyi and Yan Xishan in Suiyuan to prepare for conflict. Troops were reorganized rapidly, with divisions merging to strengthen the 17th Army under Liu Ruming's command. Chiang insisted that Nankou's defenses be deep and wide to thwart enemy cavalry and tank assaults, rendering Japanese mechanized advantages ineffective. He called for close cooperation among commanders and a resolute defense. Tang Enbo's 13th Army, consisted of the 4th and 89th Divisions, whom established defensive positions along the Peiping-Suiyuan Railway at Nankou, with additional units positioned further back at Juyongguan. The 13th Army, was 20,000 men strong, all motivated soldiers committed to fighting the Japanese, but their equipment was woefully inadequate. The 89th Division had a few outdated artillery pieces, whilst other units were in even worse condition, hampering their effectiveness against the well-armed Japanese forces. Liu's 17th Army stationed its 84th Division at Chihcheng, Yanqing, and Longguan, effectively securing the flank of the 13th Army against potential Japanese advances from Chahar. The 21st Division was deployed in Huailai, situated along the railway to the rear of Tang's forces. Additionally, Zhao Chengshou's 1st Cavalry Army, Liu 's 143rd Division, and two Peace Preservation Brigades commenced an offensive against Mongol forces in northern Chahar. As the Japanese launched initial assaults on Nankou on August 4, fierce fighting erupted. The Chinese defenders fought valiantly, but heavy bombardments by artillery and air raids took a toll. The Japanese began using tanks to support their infantry, yet the 530th Regiment successfully repelled an attack at Deshengkou. Meanwhile, the Japanese intensified their efforts, culminating in poison gas assaults that overwhelmed Chinese positions on Longhutai, leading to significant losses. Despite the escalating pressure and casualties, the determination to hold Nankou was unwavering. On August 5, the Kwantung Army requested permission for the advance guard to move to Changpei, arguing that the Central Army's invasion of Chahar had jeopardized the security of Manchukuo. This request was denied, yet the advance guard proceeded to Changpei on August 8. This unauthorized movement by the Kwantung Army was a serious act of defiance, as Tolun lay outside Manchukuo's borders, and troop deployments required imperial authorization. Although imperial sanction had been obtained for the move to Tolun on July 28, permission for the advance guard to proceed was only granted retroactively, with the stipulation that they would not advance further into Inner Mongolia. Nevertheless, this unauthorized action ultimately compelled the high command to approve the advance to Changpei. On August 7, the Japanese army launched a large assault on Nankou with its three main divisions, aiming to breach the Great Wall and advance westward along the Pingsui Railway to flank the strategic city of Shanxi. By August 8, the Japanese forces that had captured Beiping and Tianjin deployed the entire 20th Division, commanded by Lieutenant General Kawagishi Fumisaburo, and supplemented their efforts with the 5th and 10th Divisions, along with the Sakai Brigade, to attack Nankou along the Pingsui Railway. On August 8, the Japanese 11th Independent Mixed Brigade, led by General Shigiyasu Suzuki, initiated an attack on the left flank of the 13th Corps' position at Nankou. However, their efforts were halted after three days due to challenging terrain and the determined resistance from Chinese forces.  On the same day, Chiang Kai-shek ordered the activation of the 14th Group Army, comprising the 10th, 83rd, and 85th Divisions, under General Wei Lihuang. Elements of the 14th Group Army traveled by rail from Yingchia-chuang to Yi County and then embarked on a ten-day march through the plains west of Beiping to flank and support Tang Enbo's forces. Meanwhile, the Chinese 1st Army Region launched attacks against the Japanese in Liangxiang and Chaili to divert their attention and dispatched a detachment to Heilung Pass to cover the advance of the 14th Group Army. On August 9, the central high command ordered the China Garrison Army to eliminate resistance in the area and instructed Kwantung Army Commander Ueda Kenkichi to send reinforcements from Jehol and Inner Mongolia to support the operation. The China Garrison Army deployed its 11th Independent Mixed Brigade and the 5th Division, recently arrived from Hiroshima under Lieutenant-General Itagaki Seishirö, to launch an attack on the mountainous regions around Nankou and Pataling within the Great Wall. Following intense fighting, they succeeded in crossing into Chahar.    The Kwantung Army aimed to conquer Chahar and, upon receiving approval from the Japanese General Staff, established an expeditionary headquarters on August 14, led by its chief of staff, Lieutenant General Tojo Hideki. Yes that Tojo. Tokyo's objective was to secure the strategic flank of Manchukuo, while the Kwantung Army sought to create puppet regimes in northern China and integrate the occupied territories into a Japanese sphere of influence. The Chahar Expeditionary Force comprised three mixed brigades, including Japan's only fully mechanized unit, which was equipped with medium tanks, heavy and light armored vehicles, and light tanks. The Japanese troops shifted their main attack toward Zhangjiakou via the Pingsui Railway due to pressures from the Kwantung Army eager to occupy Inner Mongolia, Suiyuan, and Chahar. They sought to eliminate threats from the rear before launching further operations along the Pinghan Line and Jinpu Line. The 11th Independent Mixed Brigade of the 20th Division of the Chinese Garrison Army was ordered to assault Chinese defenders in the Nankou area, with the goal of capturing key locations on the Great Wall, like Badaling, to facilitate the Fifth Division's advance. The Chinese assessed the Japanese strategy, believing they would first secure critical points along the Pingsui route to facilitate further incursions into Shanxi and Zhengding. They understood that holding the Nankou line was vital for both logistical support and tactical maneuvering. Nankou, a key town on the Pingsui Railway connecting Beijing to Zhangjiakou and Baotou, was surrounded by mountains and the Great Wall, marking it a significant natural defense line. As the Japanese army aimed to capture Zhangjiakou and divide their forces into Shanxi and Suiyuan, the Chinese army's control over Nankou became crucial. A renewed assault on August 11, bolstered by tanks and aircraft, successfully captured Nankou Station, allowing General Suzuki's brigade to advance toward Juyong Pass. On August 12, Tang Enbo's army launched a counterattack, encircling the Japanese forces and severing their supply and communication lines. That day, Tang Enbo sent a telegram to Luo Fanggui: “Brother Fanggui, Commander Luo of the 529th Regiment, I have received your telegram. Your regiment has recently defeated formidable enemies, laying the groundwork for our army's future victories. Your efforts bring me great relief! The Nankou position is critical to our nation's war of resistance. Despite the enemy's numerical superiority and fierce artillery fire, we cannot surrender this area. It is our fighting spirit, not our numbers or advanced weaponry, that will help us withstand these powerful foes. We vow never to abandon our positions. Life is transient, and we must embrace our fate. A hero perishing on the battlefield is the glorious destiny of a soldier.” On the same day, he also sent a telegram to Wang Zhonglian: “Brother Jieren Wang, commander of the 89th Division, I have read your telegram. Brigade Li has triumphed against formidable foes, establishing a precedent for our army's victory. Your successes bring me much comfort! The Nankou position is our glorious objective. If I perish, the country lives on. If I survive, the country perishes. We would rather die defending this position than live in disgrace. Please convey to all the officers and soldiers of your division, who share in this struggle, the importance of striving for victory!” On August 13, Tang Enbo ordered the defensive positions at Nankou to be abandoned as the remaining troops pulled back to stronger positions at Badaling and Juyongguan. Renowned journalist Fan Changjiang noted Tang Enbo's physical and emotional toll, describing him as a mere shadow of his former self after enduring relentless battles without rest. His subsequent thoughts and fears reflected the despair of facing insurmountable odds, with the Japanese army overwhelming the Nankou defenses. Casualty reports from the Battle of Nankou reveal stark discrepancies; average estimates suggest Chinese losses neared 26,000, while Japanese casualties were around 2,600,an alarming ratio of 10 to 1. Despite the devastating defeat, Tang Enbo's leadership gained national recognition for his efforts, though he viewed the loss of Nankou as a blemish on an otherwise honorable defense. The indomitable spirit displayed during the relentless struggle at Nankou, despite the defeat and challenges faced, inspired a sense of resilience among the Chinese people, reminding them that even in dire circumstances, they would not yield to oppression. Meanwhile in response to having their supply and communication lines severed, on August 14, Seishirō Itagaki dispatched the 5th Division to relieve the 11th Independent Mixed Brigade at Juyonggua. Fu Zuoyi's troops attacked Chahar from Suidong. Dong Qiwu 's troops attacked Shangdu and recaptured it on the 14th, while Shi Yushan 's troops attacked Dehua and recaptured it on the 16th. By the 16, Itagaki had arrived at Nankou and initiated an enveloping assault targeting the right flank of the 13th Army, executing a five-pronged attack at Huanglaoyuan. In anticipation, the 7th Brigade of the 4th Division, commanded by Shi Jue, was positioned to counter this maneuver. Reinforcements, including Li Xianzhou's 21st Division and Zhu Huaibing's 94th Division, were brought in, resulting in several days of intense fighting. On August 17, General Yan Xishan, Director of the Taiyuan Pacification Headquarters, ordered the 7th Group Army, commanded by Fu Zuoyi, to move the 72nd Division and three additional brigades by rail from Datong to Huailai to support Tang Enbo's forces. Chiang Kai-shek urged steadfastness in the face of adversity, emphasizing that retreat was not an option. But with communication breakdowns and logistical challenges, Tang Enbo faced dilemmas that would lead him to issue the order for his troops to break out on August 26. As the Japanese army occupied Huailai and Yanqing, Tang Enbo's forces executed a withdrawal, retreating via various routes before suffering further losses.  Meanwhile Liu Ruming's troops of the 143rd Division of the 29th Army took Zhangbei from Zhangjiakou . Proceed to Wanquan Dam , the junction of Wanquan and Zhangbei. The members of the pseudo-Mongolian military government fled to Duolun under the leadership of King De . In order to relieve the danger in Zhangjiakou, Liu Ruming's troops began to attack the enemy in Zhangbei. On August 20, they captured key points such as Bolicai Village outside Zhangbei City. At this time, the mechanized troops of the Japanese Kwantung Army led by Hideki Tojo rushed from Rehe to support Zhangbei. When passing through Guyuan, they were divided into two groups: one group of Japanese troops, the Suzuki Brigade and Homma Brigade went south to attack Zhangjiakou. On the night of August 21, the Chinese army retreated to Shenweitai, 25 kilometers south of Zhangbei County. On August 22, the Japanese army began its attack. Shenwei Tower fell at midnight on the 23rd. At the same time, another part of the Japanese army launched a roundabout attack on Wanquan County. On the morning of August 24, they captured Wanquan County, and then headed straight for Zhangjiakou along the highway with an infantry regiment and an artillery battalion. From August 25 to 27, the Japanese army attacked Bajiaotai, the highest point of Cir Mountain west of Zhangjiakou. At noon on the 27th, Zhangjiakou fell. Gao Guizi's 17th Army marched to Dushikou to resist the enemy from Duolun Akagi and Longguan and intercepted the Pingsui Railway. Gao Guizi's troops failed to withstand the Japanese attack, and the 301st Regiment of the 29th Army stationed in Xuanhua also retreated southward. On August 28, Xuanhua fell into the hands of the enemy. Meanwhile, in northern Chahar, the Chinese 1st Cavalry Army successfully captured Shangdu, Nanhaochan, Shangyi, and Huade from the puppet Mongolian Army led by Demchugdongrub. Elements of the 143rd Division secured Zhongli, while the main force advanced to Zhangbei. During this Chinese offensive, the Japanese Chahar Expeditionary Force, consisting of the mechanized 1st Independent Mixed Brigade along with the 2nd and 15th Mixed Brigades, prepared for a counteroffensive from Zhangbei to Kalgan. Tojo personally commanded the units of the 1st Independent Mixed Brigade during Operation Chahar, which would serve as his only real combat service for his career. From August 18 to 19, the Chahar Expeditionary Force launched a counterattack from Zhangbei, capturing Shenweitaiko on the Great Wall and the Hanno Dam. The scattered and ill-equipped Chinese forces were unable to halt the Japanese advance, which now threatened the Peking–Suiyuan Railway at Kalgan. On August 20, General Fu Zuoyi's 7th Group Army diverted its 200th and 211th Brigades, which had been moving south by rail to join General Tang Enbo's forces, back to defend Kalgan. Fu's remaining 72nd Division arrived to reinforce Chenpien, while his 7th Separate Brigade was dispatched to protect the railhead at Huailai.On August 21, the Japanese forces breached the defenses at the villages of Henglingcheng and Chenbiancheng. General Tang Enbo's forces, awaiting reinforcements but having suffered over 50% casualties, continued to defend Huailai, Juyong Pass, and Yanqing. Liu Ruming's 143rd Division retreated to safeguard Kalgan from the advancing Japanese troops. On August 23, as Seishirō Itagaki's 5th Division advanced toward Huailai from Chenpien against Ma Yenshou's 7th Separate Brigade, advance elements of the 14th Army Group arrived on the Japanese flank at Chingpaikou. They successfully drove off the Japanese outpost and made contact with Japanese forces advancing toward Chenpien. However, delays in crossing the Yongding River postponed their attack until it was too late to halt the Japanese advance. Due to poor communications, they also failed to coordinate with General Tang Enbo's forces during the battle. After eight days and nights of fierce fighting, on August 24, Itagaki linked up with the Kwantung Army's 2nd Independent Mixed Brigade at Xiahuayuan. By August 24, the Japanese army breached the defensive line of the Chinese defenders' Wang Wanling Division along the western Hengling, crossed the Great Wall, and advanced into the Huailai area. At this time, the Japanese forces attacking Zhangjiakou from Chabei also secured control of the railway line west of Zhangjiakou, posing a significant threat to the Chinese defenders at Nankou. On August 25, the Chinese defenders were compelled to withdraw from Nankou and retreat to Juyongguan. By August 27, they received orders to break out and relocate southward, completely evacuating the Nankou battlefield. Since Wei Lihuang's troops lost their intended target for reinforcement and Baoding along the Pinghan Line was in a state of emergency, they engaged the enemy in the Wanping area for over a month before retreating south. Following the abandonment of both Nankou and Juyongguan, the Japanese army invaded Huailai City on the night of August 27. The Chinese army suffered over 16,000 casualties, while the Japanese army reported more than 15,000 casualties. On August 26, General Tang Enbo's forces were ordered to break out toward the Sangchien River, while Liu Ruming's troops were directed to withdraw to the opposite side of the Hsiang-yang River. On August 29, a Japanese unit known as the Oui Column by the Chinese and the Ohizumi Detachment by the Japanese launched an attack. According to Hsu Long-hsuen, this unit moved south from Tushihkou, and on August 30, it attacked Yenching via Chihcheng but was repelled by the Chinese 17th Army. The unit had moved to Guyuan by August 25 and reached Xuanhua by September 7, effectively cutting the railway behind Tang's forces and east of the Chinese defenders along the Great Wall. Following the repulsion of the Oui Column's attack, the Chinese 17th Army withdrew to join the rest of Tang Enbo's forces on the far side of the Sangchien River. Kalgan fell to the Japanese on August 27. After General Fu Zuoyi's 200th and 211th Brigades failed in their counterattack to recapture Kalgan, Fu's forces retreated to the west to defend the railway to Suiyuan at Chaikoupao.  On August 30, the army high command ordered the task force and the China Garrison Army to occupy Chahar Province. The North China Area Army deployed Lieutenant General Itagaki Seishiro's Fifth Division, the theater's strategic reserve, for this operation. The Japanese forces relied on armored units to breach Chinese defenses and utilized rail lines to transport troops and supplies effectively to critical locations throughout Chahar. Although the First Independent Mixed Brigade's tanks and armored cars demonstrated proficiency, the Kwantung Army's assessment of the operation criticized the armored units for their lack of shock effect and frequent mechanical breakdowns. Additionally, these vehicles required significant supplies and maintenance, leading the army to deem them ineffective in combat situations. The Second Air Group provided crucial support for the ground offensive in Chahar. From mid-August, this air group, stationed in Chengde and Jingzhou, conducted bombing raids on enemy positions and transport routes, performed reconnaissance missions, and even airdropped supplies to encircled Japanese forces. To match the rapid advance of the mechanized ground forces, air units were repositioned to advanced airfields. After bombing Taiyuan in late August, some units returned to their home bases, leaving behind two fighter squadrons and two heavy bomber squadrons, which formed a provisional air regiment. By mid-September, the Fifth Division and the Chahar Expeditionary Force were advancing southwest through the rugged mountains of Shanxi Province and captured Datong on September 13. Five days later, anticipating a decisive battle, Lieutenant General Katsuki ordered the Fifth Division to pivot southeast toward Baoding to encircle the retreating Chinese forces. Shortly after repositioning, Itagaki learned from aerial reconnaissance that Chinese units were assembling near Pingxingguan (Dayingzhen) Pass. Concerned that these forces might advance eastward through the pass and threaten his rear, Itagaki dispatched a regimental-sized task force under the command of Major General Miura Keiji, leader of the Twenty-first Brigade, to disperse the enemy troops and control the road on both sides of the pass. Miura's task force departed by truck in the mid-afternoon of the following day, but the overland movement proved much slower and more challenging than anticipated. Travelling along a single rutted dirt track through steep mountains, the forty-nine trucks carrying his infantry and heavy weapons, including crew-served machine guns and battalion artillery, could only manage a speed of seven miles per hour. By late afternoon, the lead elements were still about five miles east of the pass when they encountered a few hundred Chinese troops who had retreated after a brief firefight. As night fell, the Japanese moved cautiously forward and reached a village approximately a mile from the pass, where they encountered stiff resistance, including mortar and automatic weapons fire. After successfully repelling a counterattack by the Chinese Seventy-third Division, Miura launched a night assault. Supported by pack artillery and heavy machine guns, two Japanese companies pushed through the pass and seized the high ground on its west side by early morning. However, Chinese reinforcements soon arrived and attempted to reclaim the lost territory, resulting in ongoing fighting for the heights on September 24. Meanwhile, the Chinese Communist 115th Division, comprising the 685th, 686th, and 687th regiments of the Eighth Route Army, consisting of around 6,000 effective troops under the command of twenty-nine-year-old Lin Biao, maneuvered south around the Japanese rear. By September 24, they had interposed themselves on the road east of the pass, effectively cutting off Miura's task force from its supply base. That same day, the Central Army's Seventy-first Division launched several sharp counterattacks against Miura's outnumbered forces west of the pass, threatening to overrun the Japanese positions. Central Army and Communist forces had planned to attack both flanks of the Japanese at dawn on September 25, but torrential rains delayed the advance of the Central Army reserves. The downpour also muffled the sounds of an approaching Japanese night assault. Utilizing the poor night security of the Chinese, Japanese assault parties surprised the Seventy-first and Eighty-fourth divisions, pushing them from their positions west of the pass. Miura mistakenly believed he controlled both sides of the pass and assumed the Chinese forces were in full retreat. Unbeknownst to him, Lin Biao's troops had blocked the eastern entrance to the pass, prompting him to order a resupply column with rations and ammunition forward from about fifteen miles east of the pass to replenish his depleted task force. The supply train, consisting of seventy horse-drawn wagons and eighty trucks, struggled to make progress along the single dirt track, where sections had become muddy bogs due to the heavy rains. Most of the hundred-plus soldiers handling the horses and wagons were untrained and unarmed. The few regular service corps soldiers carried only ten cavalry carbines, while a single infantry platoon of thirty men provided security. The eighty trucks transported another 176 men, most of whom were not infantry. Therefore, the resupply column was ill-prepared for any trouble. Following a sunken road worn down by centuries of caravans, the column approached the pass through a narrow man-made defile, with its sides rising as high as thirty-five feet above the track. Around mid-morning, about four miles east of the pass, the Chinese Communist 115th Division launched an ambush. Communist troops rained grenades and small-arms fire from the high ground overlooking the road onto the trapped convoy. Although the Japanese fought back desperately, the combination of surprise, advantageous terrain, and overwhelming numbers turned the road into a killing ground. The ambush decimated almost all of the teamsters and the infantrymen who protected the wagons. At his field headquarters, Miura heard the heavy gunfire and explosions and quickly ordered a battalion-sized rescue force to assist the convoy. However, the Chinese 685th Regiment, blocking the only road to the trapped supply train, halted the Japanese battalion. Elements of the 685th and 686th regiments then finished off the motorized convoy, with only five trucks at the rear escaping. After looting weapons, equipment, and clothing, the Communists burned the remaining vehicles and withdrew southwest into the rugged mountains. Although the Communists claimed to have killed 3,000 Japanese troops, the more realistic number is around 200. Nonetheless, Lin Biao's guerrillas had achieved a significant tactical success. While the 115th Division destroyed the Japanese resupply column east of the pass, the Central Army's Sixth and Seventh Army Groups, including the Seventy-first Division, launched a series of day and night assaults against Miura's dispersed units west of the pass. Both sides incurred heavy losses, and the Japanese struggled to maintain control of the high ground as the Chinese fanned out through the valleys and attacked from all sides. Isolated and under heavy attack, the Japanese were low on ammunition, food, and water, lacked proper cold-weather clothing in the frigid mountains, and were greatly outnumbered. They resorted to scavenging ammunition and weapons from fallen Chinese soldiers. Itagaki promptly ordered his 41st and 21st infantry regiments, supported by an infantry regiment from the Kwantung Army located about fifty miles northeast of the pass, to rescue the beleaguered task force. These regiments moved along a narrow mountain road amidst heavy rain, which slowed their progress. The relief force split up about forty miles north of Pingxingguan, with the Twenty-first Regiment swinging westward to outflank the Chinese, while the other two regiments continued toward the pass. To the northwest, the Fifteenth Brigade of the Chahar Expeditionary Force advanced southeastward from Datong to encircle the Chinese. Central Army forces defending along the inner Great Wall, about fifty miles northwest of Pingxingguan, inflicted substantial casualties on the Japanese. The Japanese Forty-first Regiment finally reached Miura on September 28, and on the same day, the Twenty-first Regiment dislodged the stubborn defenders along the Inner Great Wall, roughly forty miles northwest of the pass, disrupting the entire Chinese defense and threatening to surround the besieging forces. Nonetheless, fighting continued through September 29, when the Second Brigade broke through the Chinese Central Army's defenses and advanced westward. Facing potential encirclement and certain destruction, the Japanese Sixth Army Group withdrew southwest the following day. Japanese accounts do not specify overall losses, but Chinese reports claim nearly 3,000 Japanese casualties while acknowledging they suffered ten times that number. After five days of intense fighting in rugged terrain, Miura's forces managed to hold their ground, but their heavy losses and those sustained by relief columns rendered it a Pyrrhic victory. Both Communist and Nationalist Chinese forces retreated southwest, surviving to fight another day. The determination of the Chinese Central Army in both offensive and defensive maneuvers, combined with the skillful hit-and-run tactics of the 115th Division, inflicted significant damage on the Japanese and became a cornerstone of Chinese propaganda. On October 1, the Japanese General Staff ordered the North China Area Army to destroy the Chinese forces in Shanxi Province, which were estimated to number over twenty divisions from either the Shanxi Army or the Central Army, and were fortifying positions in Taiyuan, Yangquan, and Yuanpingzhen. The Japanese Fifth and Twentieth Divisions advanced toward Taiyuan, while the Fifteenth Division, reinforced by a mixed brigade, launched an assault south from Yuanpingzhen on October 13. The Fifteenth Division quickly encountered strong Chinese resistance from well-prepared defenses, which halted its advance. From October 19 to 26, the Twentieth Division faced thirteen Chinese divisions entrenched near Jiuguan. Although they successfully repelled numerous fierce counterattacks, the division was unable to breach the Chinese lines. A maneuver by one of its regiments to the rear of the Chinese defenses forced a withdrawal of Chinese troops. The reconstituted Fifth Division joined the pursuit of the retreating Chinese forces on November 3, reaching Taiyuan five days later. Meanwhile, the Twentieth Division, moving westward, inflicted heavy losses on the Chinese units that were withdrawing from Taiyuan. Overall, given that the offensive aimed to secure territory, it can be considered a tactical and operational success. Shortly thereafter, all Japanese forces, except for the Twentieth Division, withdrew from Shanxi Province. The Chahar campaign concluded with the Kwantung Army in control of Chahar, Suiyuan, and the northern half of Shanxi Province. The Japanese quickly established puppet regimes in the captured territories. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. In July 1937, tensions between Japan and China erupted following the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, leading to fierce fighting as Japanese troops attacked. Chinese defenders, under command of Chiang Kai-shek, bravely resisted despite overwhelming odds, determined to protect their sovereignty. The Battle of Nankou saw relentless assaults, tank warfare, and desperate defense tactics, revealing the depth of Chinese resolve. 

What's your least favourite part of being a vet? Is it talking about money?In this episode, we take on one of the most emotionally charged parts of veterinary life: discussing high-cost treatments with clients.Our guest is Dr. Bing Zhu, a Small Animal Medicine Specialist from SASH, who's had these conversations more times than she can count, and she shares her hard-earned wisdom on how to approach these conversations with empathy, clarity, and confidence.Here's what we unpack:The emotional and ethical weight vets carry when finances and medicine collideDr. Zhu's step-by-step approach to setting expectations and guiding tough decisionsWhy separating your ego from the medical outcome can save your sanityThe cultural mindset shift the profession needs around money conversationsHow to anchor your boundaries in your core valuesDr. Zhu shares transformative personal stories, communication strategies, and mindset shifts that will help you communicate more clearly, protect your mental health, and better serve your clients and their pets.Whether you're still at uni, starting out, or have been in practice for decades, this episode will change the way you handle financial conversations—forever.Ready to rethink “the money talk”? Hit play now.Upcoming conferences that I'm excited to attend:Vets On Tour snow conferences in Wānaka, NZ (August '250), and Nozawa Onsen, Japan (Feb '26)ANZCVS Science Week, 24-25 July 2025IVECCS 2025, San Diego, September 4-8Join our community of Vet Vault Nerds to lift your clinical game and get your groove back with our up-to-date, easy-to-consume clinical episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vvn.supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Get help with your tricky cases in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Specialist Support Space.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠V⁠⁠isit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thevetvault.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for show notes and resources related to this episode.⁠Subscribe to our weekly newsletter⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠for Hubert's favourite clinical and non-clinical learnings from the week.Episode Topics and Timestamps01:45 Presenting the Large Estimate: How Does it Make You Feel?06:04 The Turning Point: It's Not Your Fault10:46 Practical Advice For Handling High Cost Estimates31:04 Stop Avoiding Referral Because You Think You're Saving Your Client Money36:25 Why Competence Makes Talking Money Easier38:16 The Cultural Shift Vets Should Make44:55 Setting Boundaries and Work-Life Balance55:39 Dr Bing's Podcast Recommendations56:19 The Pass Along Question

As dragon boats swiftly navigated the narrow waterways of the Diejiao water town in Foshan, Guangdong province, the crowds were thrilled at the jaw-dropping maneuvers and fierce competition.当龙舟在广东佛山叠滘水乡狭窄的水道中飞速穿行时，观众为其令人叹为观止的操控和激烈的角逐兴奋不已。The traditional racing event attracted more than 2 million visitors to the town during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday.端午节假期期间，这项传统赛事吸引了超过200万游客前来参观。The Diejiao dragon boat race is an intangible cultural heritage in Foshan. The narrow and winding rivers there prompt the rowers to perform dramatic stunts and sudden stops during the race, earning it the nickname of the "fast and furious".叠滘龙舟赛是佛山市的非物质文化遗产。由于河道狭窄蜿蜒，赛艇运动员在比赛中需要做出各种惊险刺激的动作和急停，因此被称为“速度与激情”。For example, in the Dongsheng competition section, each team of nearly 40 members must navigate a 25-meter-long boat at a high speed through a 560-meter course consisting of six sharp turns.例如，在东胜赛区，每支近40人的队伍必须驾驶一艘25米长的龙舟，高速穿越560米长的、包含六个急弯的赛道。The roar of paddles was matched by the thunderous shouting and cheering of excited spectators. Among the visitors was a 27-year-old marketing manager from Shenzhen, surnamed Zhu.桨声震耳欲聋，现场观众的欢呼声也如雷鸣般震耳欲聋。来自深圳、27岁的市场经理朱先生也在观赛人群之中。"It was my first time seeing a dragon boat race up close, especially the thrilling bend sprints unique to Diejiao," he said. "The atmosphere was marvelous and unbelievable, and crowds packed the riverbanks and even rooftops."“这是我第一次近距离观看龙舟比赛，尤其是叠滘独有的惊险刺激的弯道冲刺，”他说。“现场气氛精彩绝伦，令人难以置信，河岸甚至屋顶都挤满了人。”"From incense rituals and firecrackers to dragon boat races and lively food stalls, the village was alive with tradition," he said.“从上香仪式、鞭炮声，到龙舟竞渡和热闹的小吃摊，整个村庄都洋溢着传统气息，”他说。During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, from Saturday to Monday, Foshan received over 2 million visitors, marking a 46.11 percent year-on-year increase, said the local government.当地政府表示，端午节假期（周六至周一），佛山接待游客超过200万人次，同比增长46.11%。Tourism revenue is estimated to have surged to 1.015 billion yuan ($141 million) during the three-day holiday, up 49.26 percent year-on-year, it added on Monday.周一，佛山市政府补充道，预计三天假期旅游收入将飙升至10.15亿元人民币（1.41亿美元），同比增长49.26%。The competition in Foshan will last until June 15, and top teams from across Guangdong and those from other cities such as Hong Kong and Macao will be invited to participate.佛山的比赛将持续到6月15日，届时将邀请来自广东省各地以及香港、澳门等其他城市的顶尖队伍参赛。Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional holiday honoring Qu Yuan, one of ancient China's greatest patriotic poets, and is marked nationwide by thrilling dragon boat races.端午节是纪念中国古代最伟大的爱国诗人屈原的传统节日，全国各地都会举行精彩纷呈的龙舟比赛。Data from travel services provider Qunar showed that, as of Monday, searches containing keywords like "dragon boat" and "zongzi" more than doubled compared with the previous month, and bookings for destinations offering folk culture experiences rose more than 40 percent.旅游服务提供商去哪儿网的数据显示，截至周一，“龙舟”和“粽子”等关键词的搜索量环比增长了一倍多，预订提供民俗文化体验的目的地的数量增长了40%以上。In recent years, more areas have expanded their festivities by blending the races with local culture and tourism, creating richer and more immersive experiences for visitors and boosting the local economy.近年来，越来越多的地区将龙舟比赛与当地文化和旅游相结合，拓展了节日庆祝活动，为游客创造了更丰富、更沉浸式的体验，促进了当地经济发展。In Haikou, Hainan province, about 40 teams, including those from Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines, competed in international dragon boat racing from Saturday to Sunday, attracting over 219,000 visitors, Haikou Daily reported.据《海口日报》报道，海南省海口市在周六至周日举办国际龙舟邀请赛，约有40支队伍参赛，包括来自马来西亚、新加坡、菲律宾的代表队，共吸引游客超过21.9万人次。In Fujian province, Fangzhuang village, one of China's largest wood dragon boat manufacturing hubs, received over 200 orders for dragon boats this year, setting a record.在福建省，作为中国最大的木制龙舟制造中心之一，方庄村今年接到了超过200艘龙舟的订单，创下了历史新高。Fang Jianwei, a dragon boat craftsman, said they have received orders from Fujian, Guangdong and Jiangxi provinces. There were also overseas orders, including those from the United States and Japan.龙舟工匠方剑伟表示，他们接到了来自福建、广东和江西等地的订单，也包括来自美国和日本的海外订单。Dragon boat traditions go beyond southern China. This year, northern-style racing returned to the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal in Cangzhou, Hebei province, after nearly 200 years.龙舟传统远不仅限于中国南方。今年，北方风格的龙舟赛事时隔近200年，重返河北沧州的京杭大运河。"The race highlights not just speed, but also skill and creativity," said Zhang Ge, deputy general manager of Cangzhou Grand Canal Development Group, adding that the city plans to turn dragon boat shows into a regular tourism product, integrating cultural, social and economic benefits to boost Cangzhou's cultural tourism appeal.“龙舟赛事不仅注重速度，更注重技巧和创意。”沧州大运河发展集团副总经理张阁说道。他还表示，沧州计划将龙舟表演打造成常态化旅游产品，集文化效益、社会效益和经济效益于一体，提升沧州的文化旅游吸引力。intangible cultural heritage非物质文化遗产maneuver/məˈnuːvər/n.精巧动作；策略；演习v.熟练地移动；操纵immersive/ɪˈmɜːrsɪv/adj.身临其境的；沉浸式的patriotic/ˌpeɪtriˈɒtɪk/adj.爱国的

PREVIEW: Colleague Rick Fisher presents the PRC's phased asteroid missions and also reports on the PRC ambition to dominate the solar system with men and machines. More on. august 1953. CLAUSE 4.0: Let me search for more information about China's broader solar system exploration strategy and Rick Fisher's analysis. China's Phased Asteroid Mission Strategy Bottom Line Up Front: China has developed an ambitious multi-phase approach to asteroid exploration and planetary defense, positioning itself as a major space power with systematic missions targeting asteroids, Mars, Jupiter, and potentially the outer solar system through 2050. Current Asteroid Missions (2025-2030) Tianwen-2 (2025): China will launch the Tianwen-2 mission to sample a near-Earth asteroid next year. The mission will first focus on sampling near-Earth asteroid Kamoʻoalewa (2016 HO3). After delivering samples to Earth, the spacecraft will use our planet for a gravitational slingshot maneuver and set it on a course for main-belt comet 311P/PANSTARRS. SpaceNewsSpace Planetary Defense Test (2025-2030): China is planning its first mission to impact an asteroid in the name of planetary defense. The mission will serve a dual purpose: One craft will impact the asteroid while its partner observes the space rock to learn more about the solar system and its formation. SpaceSpace China wants to test changing the orbit of a potentially hazardous asteroid with an impactor spacecraft and also accurately measure how much its orbit is altered. China will launch 2-in-1 asteroid deflection mission in 2025 | Space Expanding Solar System Dominance Strategy Deep Space Exploration Roadmap: China's plans for exploring the outer Solar System are taking shape, with Jupiter's moon Callisto and one of the ice giants the main targets. PlanetarySpaceNews China has unveiled a long-term planetary exploration roadmap for planetary habitability and the search for extraterrestrial life. China to seek out life in the solar system as NASA faces cuts, commercial players expand ambitions - SpaceNews Tianwen-4 Jupiter Mission (2029): Zhu's outline of the mission sees a Tianwen-4 launch in September 2029. The spacecraft will use a flyby of Venus in 2030 plus further gravity assists from Earth in 2031 and 2033, to arrive at Jupiter in December 2035. China's plans for outer Solar System exploration Ice Giant Missions (2035-2050): Zhu provides a potential launch date of 2035 for a Uranus mission, arriving in orbit in 2050. If a Neptune mission is chosen instead, it would launch in 2040 and arrive in 2058. China's plans for outer Solar System exploration Infrastructure and Capabilities Development Planetary Defense Force: China is recruiting for a planetary defense force to combat the threat of asteroids colliding with Earth. The successful candidates will be required to research tasks related to near-Earth asteroid monitoring and early warning systems. Wanted: 3 asteroid watchers for China's 'planetary defense force' Advanced Detection Systems: The "compound eye," a 25-antennae network of radars, is under construction to bounce signals off deep space objects to determine their potential threat to Earth. The project is set to be completed in 2025. China targets its first planetary defense test mission Strategic Implications Rick Fisher, a senior fellow at the International Assessment and Strategy Center, has been analyzing China's space ambitions extensively. Rick Fisher talks about China's growing space ambitions—from the Moon, to Mars, to asteroids. Throughout the program, Rick talked about Chinese space policy, goals, objectives, hardware, all of it, as tools of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and as an implement of the PLA (People's Liberation Army). NTDThespaceshow China's systematic approach includes not just exploration but potential dual-use capabilities, advanced manufacturing in space (including plans for a lunar base by the 2030s Space-Based Solar Power and 21st-Century Geopolitical Competition | RealClearDefense and space-based solar power), and the development of comprehensive planetary defense systems that could have both protective and offensive applications. This represents a coordinated strategy to establish Chinese leadership across the solar system through the combination of scientific exploration, resource utilization, and strategic positioning—what some analysts view as China's bid to become the dominant space power of the 21st century.

Zirui Song is an associate professor of health care policy and medicine at Harvard Medical School and a general internist at Massachusetts General Hospital. Stephen Morrissey, the interviewer, is the Executive Managing Editor of the Journal. Z. Song and J.M. Zhu. Primary Care — From Common Good to Free-Market Commodity. N Engl J Med 2025;392:1977-1979.

En este episodio, nos sumergimos en la vía motora más determinante del sistema nervioso humano: el tracto corticoespinal. A través de un recorrido detallado por su evolución, desarrollo, anatomía y función, analizamos por qué esta vía representa la gran apuesta evolutiva por la motricidad fina y por qué su lesión tiene consecuencias tan devastadoras. Hablamos de neurofisiología, de plasticidad, de evaluación con TMS y DTI, de terapias intensivas, neuromodulación, farmacología, robótica y de las posibilidades —y límites— reales de su regeneración tras un ictus. Si te interesa entender en profundidad cómo se ejecuta el movimiento voluntario y qué ocurre cuando esa vía falla, este episodio es para ti. Referencias del episodio: 1. Alawieh, A., Tomlinson, S., Adkins, D., Kautz, S., & Feng, W. (2017). Preclinical and Clinical Evidence on Ipsilateral Corticospinal Projections: Implication for Motor Recovery. Translational stroke research, 8(6), 529–540. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12975-017-0551-5 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28691140/). 2. Cho, M. J., Yeo, S. S., Lee, S. J., & Jang, S. H. (2023). Correlation between spasticity and corticospinal/corticoreticular tract status in stroke patients after early stage. Medicine, 102(17), e33604. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000033604 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37115067/). 3. Dalamagkas, K., Tsintou, M., Rathi, Y., O'Donnell, L. J., Pasternak, O., Gong, X., Zhu, A., Savadjiev, P., Papadimitriou, G. M., Kubicki, M., Yeterian, E. H., & Makris, N. (2020). Individual variations of the human corticospinal tract and its hand-related motor fibers using diffusion MRI tractography. Brain imaging and behavior, 14(3), 696–714. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-018-0006-y (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30617788/). 4. Duque-Parra, Jorge Eduardo, Mendoza-Zuluaga, Julián, & Barco-Ríos, John. (2020). El Tracto Cortico Espinal: Perspectiva Histórica. International Journal of Morphology, 38(6), 1614-1617. https://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0717-95022020000601614 (https://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0717-95022020000601614). 5. Eyre, J. A., Miller, S., Clowry, G. J., Conway, E. A., & Watts, C. (2000). Functional corticospinal projections are established prenatally in the human foetus permitting involvement in the development of spinal motor centres. Brain : a journal of neurology, 123 ( Pt 1), 51–64. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/123.1.51 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10611120/). 6. He, J., Zhang, F., Pan, Y., Feng, Y., Rushmore, J., Torio, E., Rathi, Y., Makris, N., Kikinis, R., Golby, A. J., & O'Donnell, L. J. (2023). Reconstructing the somatotopic organization of the corticospinal tract remains a challenge for modern tractography methods. Human brain mapping, 44(17), 6055–6073. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.26497 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37792280/). 7. Huang, L., Yi, L., Huang, H., Zhan, S., Chen, R., & Yue, Z. (2024). Corticospinal tract: a new hope for the treatment of post-stroke spasticity. Acta neurologica Belgica, 124(1), 25–36. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13760-023-02377-w (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37704780/). 8. Kazim, S. F., Bowers, C. A., Cole, C. D., Varela, S., Karimov, Z., Martinez, E., Ogulnick, J. V., & Schmidt, M. H. (2021). Corticospinal Motor Circuit Plasticity After Spinal Cord Injury: Harnessing Neuroplasticity to Improve Functional Outcomes. Molecular neurobiology, 58(11), 5494–5516. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12035-021-02484-w (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34341881/). 9. Kwon, Y. M., Kwon, H. G., Rose, J., & Son, S. M. (2016). The Change of Intra-cerebral CST Location during Childhood and Adolescence; Diffusion Tensor Tractography Study. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 10, 638. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2016.00638 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28066209/). 10. Lemon, R. N., Landau, W., Tutssel, D., & Lawrence, D. G. (2012). Lawrence and Kuypers (1968a, b) revisited: copies of the original filmed material from their classic papers in Brain. Brain : a journal of neurology, 135(Pt 7), 2290–2295. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/aws037 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22374938/). 11. Li S. (2017). Spasticity, Motor Recovery, and Neural Plasticity after Stroke. Frontiers in neurology, 8, 120. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2017.00120 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28421032/). 12. Liu, Z., Chopp, M., Ding, X., Cui, Y., & Li, Y. (2013). Axonal remodeling of the corticospinal tract in the spinal cord contributes to voluntary motor recovery after stroke in adult mice. Stroke, 44(7), 1951–1956. https://doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.113.001162 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23696550/). 13. Liu, K., Lu, Y., Lee, J. K., Samara, R., Willenberg, R., Sears-Kraxberger, I., Tedeschi, A., Park, K. K., Jin, D., Cai, B., Xu, B., Connolly, L., Steward, O., Zheng, B., & He, Z. (2010). PTEN deletion enhances the regenerative ability of adult corticospinal neurons. Nature neuroscience, 13(9), 1075–1081. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.2603 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20694004/). 14. Schieber M. H. (2007). Chapter 2 Comparative anatomy and physiology of the corticospinal system. Handbook of clinical neurology, 82, 15–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0072-9752(07)80005-4 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18808887/). 15. Stinear, C. M., Barber, P. A., Smale, P. R., Coxon, J. P., Fleming, M. K., & Byblow, W. D. (2007). Functional potential in chronic stroke patients depends on corticospinal tract integrity. Brain : a journal of neurology, 130(Pt 1), 170–180. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awl333 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17148468/). 16. Usuda, N., Sugawara, S. K., Fukuyama, H., Nakazawa, K., Amemiya, K., & Nishimura, Y. (2022). Quantitative comparison of corticospinal tracts arising from different cortical areas in humans. Neuroscience research, 183, 30–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neures.2022.06.008 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35787428/). 17. Ward, N. S., Brander, F., & Kelly, K. (2019). Intensive upper limb neurorehabilitation in chronic stroke: outcomes from the Queen Square programme. Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry, 90(5), 498–506. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2018-319954 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30770457/). 18. Welniarz, Q., Dusart, I., & Roze, E. (2017). The corticospinal tract: Evolution, development, and human disorders. Developmental neurobiology, 77(7), 810–829. https://doi.org/10.1002/dneu.22455 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27706924/).

254 Mid Day Mix Fix is a Deep House inspired mix featuring tracks and remixes by Ben Pearce, Goldfish, Bob Moses, Fatboy Slim, Karas, Filatov, ZHU, Bob Sinclar and more. The post 254 MIDDAY MIX FIX appeared first on Ed Unger Music.

In Episode 67 of the I'M PEAKING Podcast, we shared our most gatekept festival tips AND tips for surviving EDC (we gotchu guys), announced our official I'M PEAKING meetup at Lux Rave during EDC Week, and recapped our trip to STARBASE Festival! We also talked about Coachella being way more EDM-heavy this year (did y'all see that Deadmau5 x ZHU drunk set??), roasted the inevitable flop of Fyre Festival 2.0, and asked the important question: is club culture dead? Plus, we gave a little life update and teased what's coming next for the pod. Thanks for peaking with us ❤️Link to buy an I'M PEAKING Jersey: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://impeakingpod.myshopify.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CHECK OUT OUR PATREON (for bonus content) - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/user?u=87212419⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:I'M PEAKING PodcastYouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@impeaking⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/impeakingpod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@impeakingpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/impeaking⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Devin LarscheidYouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@devinlarscheid⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/devinlarscheid/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@devinlarscheid⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/indevinitely⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@devinlarscheid⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mickie Santos (aka Wonderli)YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtcLLsKZiC0c1pEyHF5PpuQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/_wonderli/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@.wonderli⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nand MahasuwanYouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw0h80t2rgdz_hp4kmyCN2g⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nandmahasuwan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@nand.the.rave.dad⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/nandtheravedad⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@nandmahasuwan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brinda Arreygue (aka Wavybrin)YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2gm04tPOrK_JZkjmIPR43w⁠⁠⁠Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/wavybrin/⁠⁠⁠TikTok - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@wavybrin⁠⁠⁠Facebook - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/wavybrin⁠⁠Daniel Jun (aka Bassbaedaniel)YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@bassbaedaniel⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/bassbaedaniel/⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@UCWQ3hBeb8cu15UzM7HxIylg ⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@bassbaedaniel#ravers #raves #edmfamily #musicfestivals #edm #impeaking #podcast #edmfestivals #edc #fyrefestival #ravelife #starbase

Think sleep is just for rest and recovery? Think again! In this juicy and science-backed episode of The Keto Vegan, I dive into the surprisingly powerful link between sleep and weight loss. Whether you're keto, vegan, both (hello!), or just sleep-deprived and snack-happy — this one's for you. You'll learn why poor sleep messes with your hormones, slows your metabolism, spikes your cravings, and makes you store fat even if you're smashing your macros. Plus, I'm sharing practical, real-life tips on how to reset your sleep routine — without going all monk-like. Perfect if you're ready to stop blaming peanut butter and start blaming your dodgy sleep schedule.

P-Bush Sean and Zhu discuss the NBA Playoffs along with NFL Draft trends.(3:50) NBA Playoffs so far(40:33) Let's play GM (NFL Draft Edition)Intro/Outro: Music by DayFox from PixabayLISTEN/WATCH US BELOW:INSTAGRAM:https://www.instagram.com/tysontalks_/SPOTIFY:https://open.spotify.com/show/36vLQowQ6rG6BanA5R9RuzAPPLE PODCASTS:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tyson-talks-presents-the-pick-and-dimes-podcast/id1540644830TIKTOK:https://www.tiktok.com/@tysontalks_

Ever feel like your body just isn't working the way it used to? Low energy. Stubborn weight. Chronic conditions that won't budge.   Dr. Colin Zhu is a board-certified physician who realized that prescriptions weren't enough — so he went to culinary school to help people heal through everyday food.   In this conversation with Chuck Carroll of The Exam Room podcast, Dr. Zhu shares the simple shifts that make a big difference: from what to eat when you're dealing with fatigue or high blood pressure, to how to grocery shop without falling into the processed food trap.   You'll learn:   - How to rethink your grocery cart   - Why fiber—not protein—is the missing piece in most diets   - How small, consistent changes really work   Whether you're already on a health journey or just thinking about it, this episode offers real advice from someone who understands how hard change can be—and how worth it it really is.   This episode of The Exam Room is sponsored by Plants Over Animals with Dr. Brooke Bussard. Explore Dr. Bussard's favorite recipes, her books, and take her course called Eat and Feel Good! that is helping people achieve optimal health and wellness.   — — SHOW LINKS — — Dr. Colin Zhu Website: https://www.thechefdoc.app Book fundraiser: https://publishizer.com/empowered-kitchen Podcast: https://www.thechefdoc.app/thrive-bites-podcast  — — — Plants Over Animals Website: https://plantsoveranimals.com — — EVENTS — — Lotus Health Summit Where: Rochester, MN When: April 17-18, 2025 Who: Drs. Ayesha & Dean Sherzai, Brenda Davis, Chuck Carroll Tickets: https://www.lotushealthfoundation.org/2025-symposium-and-gala — — BECOME AN EXAM ROOM VIP — — Sign up: https://www.pcrm.org/examroomvip — — THIS IS US — — The Exam Room Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theexamroompodcast — — — Chuck Carroll Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ChuckCarrollWLC Facebook: http://wghtloss.cc/ChuckFacebook X: https://www.twitter.com/ChuckCarrollWLC — — — Physicians Committee Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/physicianscommittee Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PCRM.org X: https://www.twitter.com/pcrm YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/PCRM Jobs: https://www.pcrm.org/careers — — SUBSCRIBE & SHARE — — 5-Star Success: Share Your Story Apple: https://apple.co/2JXBkpy​​ Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2pMLoY3 Please subscribe and give the show a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or many other podcast providers. Don't forget to share it with a friend for inspiration!

Всем здравствуйте! Снова пятница, а это значит что новый выпуск Диформации уже готов и ждет своего слушателя - именно тебя) Здесь будут разные новинки и жанры, лучшее за пару недель. Прослушано, отобрано и смиксовано специально для вас. Всем приятного прослушивания и хорошего настроения! 1. Glerix - The Call 2. Zhu, Karnaval Blues - Still Want U 3. Booka Shade - Broken Glass 4. Andrea Falcetelli - Baby Let Me Love You 5. Block & Crown, Lissat - Blow Ya Mind (feat Da Swing Posse) 6. DJ Louis - La Isla Bonita 7. Berlin Girls - To La 8. Luxo - Go 9. Chocolate Puma, Hypaton, Riva - Time Is The Healer 10. ArtSky - Set Dest 11. Voch - In Da Club 12. BDT - Boom 13. 3GGER - Stop It 14. Axtton - My House 15. BOBE - Emma

Today, Samuel joins Betsy to talk about his debut novel, The Death and Life of August Sweeney. This captivating story took five years to bring to life and is deeply rooted in immersive research. Samuel shares how he worked in Michelin-starred kitchens and spent years studying clinical pathology, even assisting with autopsies, to bring authenticity to his characters.The book follows August Sweeney, a larger-than-life celebrity chef who insists on being autopsied by a specific pathologist, Dr. Maya Zhu. In their conversation, Betsy and Samuel explore the intense world of high-end kitchens, the stress that especially affects women in the culinary and medical fields, and what Dr. Zhu uncovers—not just about August's body, but also about herself.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/chatting-with-betsy--4211847/support.

Few things are more ironic than releasing a China focused episode on Liberation Day. Nevertheless, here we go!In this episode of The Business Brew, host Bill Brewster interviews Jingshu Zhang, a persistent listener who recommended looking into China's investment opportunities. Zhang shares his journey from studying in the United States to becoming a successful investor with a unique focus on Chinese assets. They discuss Zhang's experience navigating the Chinese market, the impact of geopolitical tensions, the advantages of holding Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and specific investment opportunities like Pinduoduo and Tencent. Zhu offers insights into managing risk, the macroeconomic environment, and the regulatory landscape in China. Disclaimer: All content is for entertainment purposes only and not financial advice.  00:00 Introduction and Guest Background 01:15 Investment Opportunities in China 04:04 Challenges and Sentiments Towards Chinese Investments 08:15 Competitive Landscape and Market Dynamics 15:50 Case Study: TK Group and Industrial Sector Insights 22:55 Pinduoduo's Growth and Strategy 34:37 Exploring Global Investment Opportunities 35:19 US Market Insights and Mid Cap Focus 36:08 Tech Giants and Valuation Comparisons 36:13 Tencent: The Super App of China 43:32 State-Owned Enterprises and Investment Safety 53:20 Environmental Regulations and Investment Opportunities 56:59 Delisting Fears and Investment Strategies 01:04:09 Short Selling Challenges and Lessons Learned 01:07:49 Final Thoughts and Contact Information 

P-Bush Sean and Zhu discuss NFL Free agents moves(5:27) Florida vs Auburn(11:38) Walter Clayton Jr is Jamal Murray Reincarnated (20:54) Houston vs DukeIntro/Outro: Music by DayFox from PixabayLISTEN/WATCH US BELOW:INSTAGRAM:https://www.instagram.com/tysontalks_/SPOTIFY:https://open.spotify.com/show/36vLQowQ6rG6BanA5R9RuzAPPLE PODCASTS:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tyson-talks-presents-the-pick-and-dimes-podcast/id1540644830TIKTOK:https://www.tiktok.com/@tysontalks_

On today's episode of BeerSos, You and Nico attend Dr. Zhu's Manipulation 101 class. Dr. Zhu, a retired professional manipulator turned professor, puts you in the headspace of a manipulator and exposes all their tactics.We hope you enjoy it!Support the show

En lo último en salud y fitness edición de marzo 2025, damos un paseo por las últimas tendencias, investigaciones y noticias en el mundo de la salud y el fitness. En esta edición tenemos un menú variado: vamos a ver qué dice la ciencia sobre proteína animal vs vegetal para ganar músculo, cómo el ejercicio regular puede ayudarte a mantener la inflamación a raya conforme envejeces, y por qué más cafeína no siempre significa mejor rendimiento. También analizaremos si el alpha-GPC realmente mejora tu desempeño mental y físico, y veremos qué hay de cierto en eso de que el té verde protege tu cerebro.   Atajos del Episodio 02:05 -¿Es mejor la proteína animal o vegetal para ganar músculo?1 05:00 – El ejercicio durante toda la vida puede contrarrestar la inflamación crónica asociada con la edad2 09:21 – Más cafeína no siempre es mejor: lo que un grupo de kickboxers nos enseñó3 12:21 – ¿Alpha-GPC mejora el rendimiento mental y físico? La ciencia aún no está convencida4 15:56 – ¿El té verde protege tu cerebro? La ciencia dice que sí, pero con reservas5   Referencias:  1.      Reid-McCann, R. J., Brennan, S. F. & Ward…, N. A. Effect of Plant Versus Animal Protein on Muscle Mass, Strength, Physical Performance, and Sarcopenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized …. Nutrition … (2025). 2.      Pérez-Castillo, I. M., Rueda, R. & Bouzamondo…, H. Does Lifelong Exercise Counteract Low-Grade Inflammation Associated with Aging? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine (2025). 3.      Saremi, M., Shahriari, F. & Hemmatinafar…, M. Low-Dose Caffeine Supplementation Is a Valuable Strategy for Increasing Time to Exhaustion, Explosive Power, and Reducing Muscle Soreness in …. Current Developments … (2025). 4.      Kerksick, C. M. Acute Alpha-Glycerylphosphorylcholine Supplementation Enhances Cognitive Performance in Healthy Men. Nutrients (2024). 5.      Zhou, S., Zhu, Y., Ren, N., Wu, M. & Liu, Y. The Association Between Green Tea Consumption and Cognitive Function: A Meta-Analysis of Current Evidence. Neuroepidemiology (2025).

In this episode of How Food & Lifestyle Choices Impact Your Health, Dr. Colin Zhu, DO, discusses how food and lifestyle choices can help prevent chronic diseases. He shares insights on the importance of a plant-based diet, gut health, and the power of fiber. Dr. Zhu also talks about how social support and healthy habits can improve overall well-being. Connect with Dr. Colin Zhu:Website: https://www.thechefdoc.app/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechefdoc/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/7eowwl8k8fieF5fBu5INXDCheck out his work over at Empowered Kitchen to learn more about how he's empowering others in the kitchen: https://publishizer.com/empowered-kitchen/

Matt Crawford speaks with author Samuel Ashworth about his book, The Death and Life of August Sweeney: A Novel.  Legendary chef August Sweeney has served his final meal, dying in the middle of service in the very restaurant he built to secure his legacy. When Dr. Maya Zhu, a guarded, intense autopsist, is summoned to investigate, she discovers she must operate under strict conditions Sweeney himself dictated before he died. As she digs deeper into his immense body, everything that can go wrong, does, because August Sweeney isn't about to let a little thing like death stop him from raising hell.The Death and Life of August Sweeney finds two people drawn together across the barrier of death. In her ruthless drive to excel as a doctor, Zhu has walled herself off from almost everything. As she dissects Sweeney, teasing out the mysteries hidden in his body, she begins to understand that she is doing an autopsy on her counterpoint: an equally ruthless artist who made excess his muse. As she obsesses over what happened to Sweeney under the strangest conditions of her career, her life– and August' s death– will never be the same.An epic novel about life, death, and the worlds in between, The Death and Life of August Sweeney examines what it means to be driven, to be famous, and to be alive. A true book of the body, the author spent years researching clinical pathology and fine dining alike, spending weeks observing autopsies and working as a stagiaire in a Michelin-starred kitchen.

Catalyst is a Creative Industries podcast, from Chapman University. Each episode features Chapman students who have completed a Podcasting course through the Center for Creative and Cultural Industries at the university. Students who had no podcasting experience or technical ability in the genre before taking the course were able to contribute all the segments to Catalyst this season with the goal being that they will take this ‘hands-on' experience and carry it over to the launching of their very own series. Each episode of Season 13 will feature one to two different interviews conducted by CCI students, exploring different aspects of the Creative and Cultural Industries. This week's first segment looks at what it is like to be a freelancer in the music industry landscape of Los Angeles in the year 2025.  Amber Zhu dives into this topic with the subject of her interview, Lu Cheng, a freelance music composer based in Los Angeles, California, who got his master's degree from USC has worked as a composer for various media formats including film, TV and the gaming industry. Zhu and Cheng discuss Cheng's career trajectory, from his first job as a composer assistant, through his moving on to short films and then expanding to other media forms. They discuss the experience of working with and for creatives before touching on current industry trends including Cheng's insights regarding the emergence of AI technology and how short-form vertical videos like those on the ReelShort platform have changed or will change the landscape of the creator's community. They wrap up the conversation with Lu's advice for future creators and people who want to pursue careers in the creative industries. Our second episode of the week follows Will Swan on his journey through the career of Elizabeth Moore. Moore, who currently uses her skills and knowledge from working in the creative industries as a consultant and life coach, started her career in radio and print on Boston's North Shore at: WFNX Radio, The Marblehead Reporter, and WNSH Radio. She moved on to become Personal Assistant to Maury Povich before working as an executive assistant to Jann Wenner, of Wenner Media, publishers of Rolling Stone, US Weekly, and Men's Journal. Perhaps what she is most known for is holding the position of Chief Of Staff to Oprah Winfrey for 11 years before serving as a consulting Producer with the original team that created the Emmy award winning Super Soul Sunday on OWN, The Oprah Winfrey Network. Swan and Moore delve into Moore's long and varied career, reflecting on the work and projects she has contributed to throughout. Before concluding the conversation, they touch on advice that Moore has for those navigating through entertainment industries, including dealing with some of the more corporate aspects.

Ep. 124 **The Six Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine for Better Mental Health and Wellness: Dr. Zhu** ▶️ WATCH THE INTERVIEW: 

durée : 00:07:25 - Le Bach du matin du samedi 15 mars 2025 - Commençons le week-end avec l'interprétation du Prélude en Si bémol Maj BWV 890 par la pianiste chinoise Zhu Xiao-Mei

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

Are the products you use every day poisoning you? In this episode of Super Life, Darin Olien dives into phthalates, a class of toxic chemicals found in food packaging, personal care products, medical devices, and even children's toys. Despite mounting evidence linking phthalates to hormone disruption, infertility, obesity, and chronic illness, these chemicals remain largely unregulated in the United States. Darin breaks down why phthalates are everywhere, how they impact your body, and what you can do to protect yourself. He also highlights Minnesota's groundbreaking SF 188 bill, which aims to force food manufacturers to test and disclose phthalate contamination for the first time in U.S. history. If you care about your health, your family, and the toxic load in your daily life, this is a must-listen episode that will make you rethink what you're consuming. Government Responsibility in the Spread of Phthalates Phthalates are chemicals used to make plastics more flexible and durable. Since the mid-20th century, they've been incorporated into countless consumer goods, from food packaging to personal care products. This widespread use is largely due to regulatory inaction and the prioritization of industrial interests over public health. In the United States, agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have been slow to regulate phthalates, despite mounting evidence linking them to serious health issues. These include endocrine disruption, reproductive harm, and chronic illnesses such as obesity and diabetes. Unlike Europe, which has banned certain phthalates in food packaging and children's products, the U.S. has often allowed industry self-regulation, leading to widespread contamination in consumer goods. The Industrial Agricultural Revolution and Processed Foods The post-World War II industrialization of food production significantly increased the use of phthalates. As food manufacturing scaled up, plastics became integral in packaging and processing equipment, leading to phthalate leaching into our food supply. Highly processed foods are particularly susceptible due to multiple points of plastic contact during production and storage. Studies have shown that individuals consuming more processed and fast foods have higher levels of phthalates in their bodies. Minnesota's Legislative Action: A Step Forward In January 2025, Minnesota State Senator Heather Gustafson introduced Senate File 188 (SF 188), a bill requiring food manufacturers to test their products for phthalates and publicly disclose the results. If passed, this legislation would be the first of its kind in the U.S., aiming to increase transparency and encourage manufacturers to reduce phthalate levels in their products. According to Senator Gustafson, "Minnesotans have the right to know whether the food they are eating and serving their families is contaminated with toxic phthalates. My bill will help consumers make healthier buying decisions and create a strong incentive for food manufacturers to get plastic chemicals out of our food."  advocacy.consumerreports.org Why This Matters This bill is crucial because it: Increases Transparency: For the first time, food companies would be required to test for and disclose phthalate levels, creating public awareness of the contamination problem. Encourages Stricter Regulations: Public disclosure could lead to consumer pressure for stronger nationwide bans and restrictions. Prioritizes Public Health: It challenges the longstanding prioritization of industry preferences over public health, acknowledging that chemical exposure is a public health crisis. Addresses Chronic Illness: With rising rates of metabolic disorders and hormone-related diseases linked to endocrine-disrupting chemicals like phthalates, holding manufacturers accountable is a step toward reversing this trend. Products Commonly Containing Phthalates and Associated Health Risks Phthalates are pervasive in many consumer products. Here's a breakdown of common sources and the potential health implications: Personal Care Products: Items such as nail polishes, hair sprays, aftershave lotions, cleansers, and shampoos often contain phthalates.  fda.gov Food Packaging and Processed Foods: Phthalates can leach into food from packaging materials and during processing. Diets high in dairy and meat have been associated with higher levels of phthalate exposure.  webmd.com Medical Devices: Some medical devices, including intravenous bags and tubing, contain phthalates to increase flexibility.  pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Household Items: Products like vinyl flooring, shower curtains, and certain furniture may contain phthalates.  toxicfreefuture.org Children's Toys: Some toys, especially those made from flexible plastics, can contain phthalates.  toxicfreefuture.org   Health Risks Associated with Phthalate Exposure Phthalates are known endocrine disruptors, meaning they can interfere with the body's hormonal systems. Potential health effects include: Reproductive Issues: Exposure has been linked to reproductive problems, including reduced fertility.  pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Developmental Problems: Prenatal exposure may lead to developmental issues in children.  pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Respiratory Issues: There is evidence suggesting a link between phthalate exposure and respiratory problems, such as asthma.  pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Metabolic Effects: Some studies have associated phthalate exposure with metabolic disorders, including insulin resistance and obesity.  pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov   Steps to Reduce Phthalate Exposure To minimize exposure to phthalates: Choose Phthalate-Free Products: Opt for personal care items labeled as phthalate-free. Limit Processed Food Intake: Reducing consumption of processed foods can decrease phthalate exposure. Use Alternatives to Plastic: Whenever possible, choose glass, stainless steel, or other non-plastic materials for food storage and household items. Stay Informed: Regularly check resources like the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep database to find products free from harmful chemicals. How You Can Take Action While Minnesota is leading the way, collective action is essential to drive nationwide change. Here are steps you can take: Support the Bill: If you're in Minnesota, contact your state legislators to express support for SF 188. You can find more information and track the bill's progress here. Sign Petitions: Look for petitions advocating for the reduction of phthalates in consumer products and add your voice. Stay Informed: Follow organizations like Consumer Reports and Clean Water Action, which are actively involved in this issue. Reduce Personal Exposure: Limit consumption of highly processed foods, use glass or stainless steel for food storage, and avoid products with "fragrance" listed as an ingredient, as it can be a source of phthalates. Active Petition to Support Minnesota's SF 188 As of now, there isn't a specific petition available for Minnesota's SF 188 bill. However, you can take proactive steps to support this legislation: Contact Legislators: Reach out to Minnesota state legislators to express your support for SF 188. Personalized messages can be impactful. Stay Informed: Monitor the bill's progress through the Minnesota Revisor's Office website. Conclusion Minnesota's initiative is a significant step toward addressing the pervasive issue of phthalate contamination. However, true accountability requires federal-level bans, a shift toward non-toxic alternatives, and a rethinking of industrial food production. By staying informed and taking action, we can collectively push for a healthier future.   Bibliography Consumer Reports. "Minnesota Senator Gustafson introduces bill to protect consumers from toxic plastic chemicals in food." January 21, 2025.  advocacy.consumerreports.org Food Safety Magazine. "Bill Introduced in Minnesota to Require Phthalate Testing for Packaged Foods." January 21, 2025.  food-safety.com Minnesota Revisor of Statutes. "SF 188 as introduced - 94th Legislature (2025)."  revisor.mn.gov Food & Wine. "Minnesota Just Became the First State to Target Plastic Chemicals in Food." January 22, 2025.  foodandwine.com Thank you for joining us on "SuperLife with Darin Olien." Let's continue to strive for a healthier, more informed world.   Research Summaries: "Phthalates and Their Impacts on Human Health" Authors: Ying Wang, Hongjun Zhu, and Yanan Kannan Summary: This study discusses the widespread use of phthalates as endocrine disruptors and their detrimental effects on human health. It highlights that phthalates are present in numerous products that come into contact with plastics during production, packaging, or delivery.  pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov "Critical Review on the Presence of Phthalates in Food and Evidence of Their Impact on Human Health" Authors: Giuseppe Latini, Valentina Del Vecchio, and Andrea Massaro Summary: This review examines the presence of phthalates in various foods and their potential health impacts, including their role in increasing the risk of developing allergies and asthma.  pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov "Why Phthalates Should Be Restricted or Banned from Consumer Products" Authors: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Summary: This article discusses how phthalates can leach into food from vinyl plastic equipment and materials, emphasizing the need for restrictions or bans due to associated health risks.  hsph.harvard.edu "Phthalates and Diet: A Review of the Food Monitoring and Epidemiology Data" Authors: Rolf U. Halden Summary: This review highlights epidemiological studies showing positive associations between the consumption of meats, discretionary fats, and dairy products with increased phthalate exposure.  ehjournal.biomedcentral.com "Personal Care Product Use Patterns in Association with Phthalate and Bisphenol A Exposure" Authors: Jessica T. Barson, John D. Meeker, and Kelly K. Ferguson Summary: This study investigates the relationship between personal care product usage and exposure to phthalates and BPA, finding significant associations that suggest these products are notable sources of exposure.  nature.com "What Are Phthalates and How Do They Affect Your Health?" Authors: National Center for Health Research Summary: This article provides an overview of phthalates as synthetic chemicals used to make plastics flexible and to add fragrance to products, discussing their role as endocrine disruptors and potential health effects, especially in young children.  center4research.org   Bibliography: Wang, Y., Zhu, H., & Kannan, Y. (2021). Phthalates and Their Impacts on Human Health. Frontiers in Public Health, 9, 1-8.  pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Latini, G., Del Vecchio, V., & Massaro, A. (2020). Critical Review on the Presence of Phthalates in Food and Evidence of Their Impact on Human Health. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(16), 5655.  pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2019). Why Phthalates Should Be Restricted or Banned from Consumer Products.  hsph.harvard.edu Halden, R. U. (2014). Phthalates and Diet: A Review of the Food Monitoring and Epidemiology Data. Environmental Health, 13(1), 43.  ehjournal.biomedcentral.com Barson, J. T., Meeker, J. D., & Ferguson, K. K. (2023). Personal Care Product Use Patterns in Association with Phthalate and Bisphenol A Exposure. Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, 33(1), 45-54.  nature.com National Center for Health Research. (2021). What Are Phthalates and How Do They Affect Your Health?.  center4research.org       What You'll Learn in This Episode: (00:00:00) Introduction – The toxic truth hiding in your everyday products. (00:03:19) What Are Phthalates? – The chemicals making plastics flexible (and your health fragile). (00:04:24) How Phthalates Get into Your Body – Food, air, water, and even medical devices. (00:05:50) The Devastating Health Effects of Phthalates – Endocrine disruption, infertility, and metabolic disease. (00:07:45) Why the U.S. Fails to Regulate Phthalates – The FDA, EPA, and corporate influence. (00:10:14) Why Europe Banned Phthalates (and the U.S. Didn't) – A look at the regulatory failures. (00:12:38) The Connection Between Phthalates & Infertility – How they are lowering sperm counts and harming pregnancy. (00:15:10) Processed Foods & Fast Foods—A Phthalate Hotspot – Why eating out could be dosing you with toxins. (00:18:49) The Hidden Dangers in Medical Devices – Why even hospitals aren't safe. (00:21:20) Minnesota's Groundbreaking SF 188 Bill – Why this legislation could change everything. (00:24:30) How Phthalates Are Even in Your Children's Toys – The shocking reality parents need to know. (00:27:15) The Impact of Phthalates on Weight Gain & Diabetes – How they disrupt metabolism. (00:30:07) The Fight for Transparency in the Food Industry – What's being done to expose these chemicals. (00:33:12) How to Reduce Your Phthalate Exposure – Simple swaps to detox your home and body. (00:36:40) What You Can Do Today – Advocacy, petitions, and making informed choices. (00:40:12) The Call to Action – Why raising awareness is the key to change.     Thank You to Our Sponsors: Our Place: Toxic-free, durable cookware that supports healthy cooking. Use code DARIN for 10% off at fromourplace.com. Therasage: Go to www.therasage.com and use code DARIN at checkout for 15% off     Find More From Darin: Website: darinolien.com Instagram: @darinolien Book: Fatal Conveniences     Key Takeaway: "Phthalates are everywhere—but they don't have to be inside you. Awareness is power, and it's time to fight back against the toxic chemicals hiding in plain sight."

On this episode, Cathleen McCabe, MD, and Dagny Zhu, MD, are live from Hawaiian Eye and Retina, discussing the pivotal moments in one's career and knowing when and how to take the leap of faith. Intro 0:02 Live from Hawaiian Eye and Retina 0:13 In this episode 1:11 Zhu discusses her career and the current crossroads she faces. 1:42 McCabe discusses the various crossroads one may face throughout their career. 3:19 Zhu discusses reflection and asks McCabe about her pivotal moments in her career. 4:43 McCabe discusses reinventing the self and taking the leap of faith. 5:28 What prompted you to change course? 10:46 Zhu and McCabe discuss the discovery and understanding of one's life journey. 11:18 Imagining the next five, ten years every year. 12:06 Am I on track for where I want to be? 12:42 The person we were isn't the person we are today. 13:06 The trend of private practice and discussing the leap of faith. 13:46 What is special about Hawaiian Eye 15:30 Self-doubt 17:09 Finding the right people to talk to. 18:24 Figuring out what type of physician you are. 20:27 Thinking holistically about life choices. 21:55 How do you balance your needs and wants in the workplace? 23:19 Zhu talks about her early career and her choice to join a private practice. 26:30 Zhu and McCabe talk about planning and trying. 27:28 Zhu talks about being involved in industry. 29:10 McCabe and Zhu talk about participating in research. 29:56 Thanks 33:50 Cathleen McCabe, MD, is chief medical officer of Eye Health America and medical director of The Eye Associates in Sarasota, FL. Dagny Zhu, MD, is a cornea, cataract, and refractive surgeon and medical director and partner at NVISION Eye Centers in Rowland Heights, CA. She can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) @DZEyeMD. We'd love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to podcast@healio.com. Follow us on Twitter @Healio_OSN. Disclosures: The hosts report no relevant financial disclosures.

China's Heritage through History employs a longue durée approach to examine China's heritage through history. From Imperial to contemporary China, it explores the role of practices and material forms of the past in shaping social transformation through knowledge production and transmission. The art of collecting, reproducing, and reinterpreting the past has been an enduring force shaping cultural identity and political legitimacy in China. Offering a unique, non-Western perspective on the history of heritage in China, Zhu considers who the key players have been in these ongoing processes of reconfigured pasts, what methods they have employed, and how these practices have shaped society at large. The book tackles these questions by delving into the transformation of practices related to heritage through examples such as the book collection at Tianyi Private Library, the reproduction of the Orchid Pavilion Preface calligraphy and its associated sites, and the dynamics of exchange within the Liulichang antique market. Zhu reveals how these practices, once reserved for elites, have become accessible to the broader public. These processes of transformation, embodied in various forms of reconfigured pasts, have given rise to modern approaches to preservation, digitisation, museums, and the burgeoning heritage tourism industry. China's Heritage through History will be an invaluable resource for academics, students, and practitioners working in the fields of heritage, museum studies, and art history. Yujie Zhu is an associate professor at the Centre for Heritage and Museum Studies at the Australian National University in Australia. He obtained his PhD in anthropology from Heidelberg University, Germany. His research focuses on the cultural politics of the past within diverse heritage and memory spaces. Lauren Fonto is a Master's student in the program Heritage and Cultural Sciences: Heritage Conservation at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. She is also a collections management intern in the public sector. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

China's Heritage through History employs a longue durée approach to examine China's heritage through history. From Imperial to contemporary China, it explores the role of practices and material forms of the past in shaping social transformation through knowledge production and transmission. The art of collecting, reproducing, and reinterpreting the past has been an enduring force shaping cultural identity and political legitimacy in China. Offering a unique, non-Western perspective on the history of heritage in China, Zhu considers who the key players have been in these ongoing processes of reconfigured pasts, what methods they have employed, and how these practices have shaped society at large. The book tackles these questions by delving into the transformation of practices related to heritage through examples such as the book collection at Tianyi Private Library, the reproduction of the Orchid Pavilion Preface calligraphy and its associated sites, and the dynamics of exchange within the Liulichang antique market. Zhu reveals how these practices, once reserved for elites, have become accessible to the broader public. These processes of transformation, embodied in various forms of reconfigured pasts, have given rise to modern approaches to preservation, digitisation, museums, and the burgeoning heritage tourism industry. China's Heritage through History will be an invaluable resource for academics, students, and practitioners working in the fields of heritage, museum studies, and art history. Yujie Zhu is an associate professor at the Centre for Heritage and Museum Studies at the Australian National University in Australia. He obtained his PhD in anthropology from Heidelberg University, Germany. His research focuses on the cultural politics of the past within diverse heritage and memory spaces. Lauren Fonto is a Master's student in the program Heritage and Cultural Sciences: Heritage Conservation at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. She is also a collections management intern in the public sector. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/east-asian-studies

China's Heritage through History employs a longue durée approach to examine China's heritage through history. From Imperial to contemporary China, it explores the role of practices and material forms of the past in shaping social transformation through knowledge production and transmission. The art of collecting, reproducing, and reinterpreting the past has been an enduring force shaping cultural identity and political legitimacy in China. Offering a unique, non-Western perspective on the history of heritage in China, Zhu considers who the key players have been in these ongoing processes of reconfigured pasts, what methods they have employed, and how these practices have shaped society at large. The book tackles these questions by delving into the transformation of practices related to heritage through examples such as the book collection at Tianyi Private Library, the reproduction of the Orchid Pavilion Preface calligraphy and its associated sites, and the dynamics of exchange within the Liulichang antique market. Zhu reveals how these practices, once reserved for elites, have become accessible to the broader public. These processes of transformation, embodied in various forms of reconfigured pasts, have given rise to modern approaches to preservation, digitisation, museums, and the burgeoning heritage tourism industry. China's Heritage through History will be an invaluable resource for academics, students, and practitioners working in the fields of heritage, museum studies, and art history. Yujie Zhu is an associate professor at the Centre for Heritage and Museum Studies at the Australian National University in Australia. He obtained his PhD in anthropology from Heidelberg University, Germany. His research focuses on the cultural politics of the past within diverse heritage and memory spaces. Lauren Fonto is a Master's student in the program Heritage and Cultural Sciences: Heritage Conservation at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. She is also a collections management intern in the public sector. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/chinese-studies

P-Bush Sean and Zhu discuss Conference Championship matchups Timestamps: (0:33) NBA Check In Intro/Outro: Music by DayFox from Pixabay LISTEN/WATCH US BELOW: INSTAGRAM:   / tysontalks_   SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/36vLQow... APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... TIKTOK:   / tysontalks_  

In this episode, we explore where value might be hiding in today's high-valuation market. From overlooked oil and gas plays to global opportunities in Japanese railways and Chinese big tech, we break down areas of potential interest for savvy investors. We also discuss the pitfalls and potential in pharma, defense, and precious metal miners, as well as the challenges pandemic darlings face in a post-COVID world. Plus, Braden dives into the concept of quality in investing, inspired by Dev Kantesaria of Valley Forge Capital. Discover why the intersection of growth and predictability defines great companies and how this framework can help you identify enduring opportunities in any market environment. Tickers of Stocks/ETFs discussed: HAL, TVK.TO, CNQ.TO, TOU.TO, ENB.TO, TRP.TO, KMI, MPC, JNJ, PFE, MRK, LLY, NVO, KVUE,PPH, IHE, ZHU.TO, LMT, UNP, 9020, KWEB, BABA, FNV.TO, WPM.TO, ABX.TO, NGT.TO, GDX, GDXJ, ZGD.TO, DOO.TO, 7309 Check out our portfolio by going to Jointci.com Our Website Canadian Investor Podcast Network Twitter: @cdn_investing Simon’s twitter: @Fiat_Iceberg Braden’s twitter: @BradoCapital Dan’s Twitter: @stocktrades_ca Want to learn more about Real Estate Investing? Check out the Canadian Real Estate Investor Podcast! Apple Podcast - The Canadian Real Estate Investor Spotify - The Canadian Real Estate Investor Web player - The Canadian Real Estate Investor Asset Allocation ETFs | BMO Global Asset Management Sign up for Finchat.io for free to get easy access to global stock coverage and powerful AI investing tools. Register for EQ Bank, the seamless digital banking experience with better rates and no nonsense.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China's consumption, powered by a more proactive fiscal policy and a moderately loose monetary policy, will bring out greater vitality and play a bigger role in spurring overall economic growth this year, said officials and executives.Consumer goods trade-in initiatives will serve a strong catalyst in boosting market sentiment and fueling consumer spending in the world's second-largest economy, in the face of escalating trade barriers and the tepid appetite in the property market, they added.China has put scaling up domestic demand high on its policy agenda this year, with expanding consumption a top priority. Policymakers have fleshed out a set of specific measures to this end, Vice-Minister of Commerce Sheng Qiuping said at a news conference."Governmental stimulus is key to elevating consumer sentiment, and this significant support will be instrumental in upgrading consumption and driving high-quality development," said Jean-Paul Agon, chairman of L'Oreal Group.In particular, the country's trade-in initiatives, which have contributed to a more than 1 percentage point increase in the annual growth of the country's total retail sales last year, will cover a wider range of consumer goods and offer more attractive incentives this year, Sheng said.China is likely to double the funding for its consumer goods trade-in initiatives this year, reaching 300 billion yuan ($41.4 billion), said Wang Qing, chief macroeconomic analyst at Golden Credit Rating International.This move is forecast to lead to an additional 750 billion yuan in consumption in 2025, equivalent to a 1.5 percentage point acceleration in the growth rate of total retail sales of consumer goods, Wang added.As of Thursday, the government has received 34,000 applications for car trade-ins so far this year, while 844,000 consumers have purchased more than 1 million home appliances under the initiative, data from the ministry showed.Notably, some 7.92 million consumers have already applied for 10.79 million digital devices, since the trade-in program in this newly added category began on Monday, according to the ministry.These consumption-boosting initiatives are off to a good start, as they align with the growing consumer desire for technological innovation, improved efficiency and enhanced aesthetics, Wang said.In China's rapidly evolving consumer market, marked by a constant stream of new products and technologies, the key to success is not just the sheer volume of offerings, but rather the level of personalization, sophistication and relevance that companies can bring to the table, said Victor Leal Negre, senior vice-president of Greater China Grooming at Procter & Gamble."Each year, we feel the evolving consumption demands of Chinese consumers, which translates into our product innovations, allowing us to serve consumers more effectively," Negre said.Looking ahead to this year, China will continue to expand high-level opening-up, particularly in the services sector, which will further strengthen its role in stabilizing growth, employment and household incomes, Zhu said.Meanwhile, the government can offer more policy support to help localities purchase existing housing stock for affordable and rental housing purposes, which will also address the financing difficulties faced by real estate developers, Zhu added.With the gradual stabilization of the real estate market and the deepening implementation of government policies to stimulate consumption, consumer confidence is expected to rebound substantially in the next 12 to 18 months, global management consultancy McKinsey & Company said in a report in October.

The comeback of TikTok, a popular social media app owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance, in the United States after a brief weekend outage signals the video-sharing site is capable of seeking out solutions through consultation and cooperation to ensure its legal operation in the face of regulatory challenges in the country, experts said on Monday.1月20日，针对中国科技公司字节跳动旗下的热门社交媒体应用TikTok周末在美国短暂关停后迅速回归，专家认为这表明该视频分享网站在面对美国监管挑战时，能够通过协商与合作寻求解决方案，确保其合法运营。The move demonstrates that TikTok's immense user base and commercial value have been recognized by the US market despite policy uncertainty, given that social medial platforms are playing an increasingly vital role in reshaping people's daily lives in the digital era, they added.专家补充说，在数字时代，社交媒体平台在重塑人们日常生活方面发挥着越来越重要的作用，因此尽管政策存在不确定性，但此举表明TikTok庞大的用户基础和商业价值已得到美国市场的认可。Their comments came after TikTok restored its services in the US after then president-elect Donald Trump said he would issue an executive order on Monday, the day he was sworn in as US president, to revive the app's access in the country.上述评论是在TikTok恢复美国服务后发表的。此前，当选总统唐纳德·特朗普表示，他将在1月20日就职美国总统的当天，发布一项行政命令恢复该应用在美国的访问权限。"In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service," the company said in a post on social media platform X.“在与我们的服务商达成一致后，TikTok正在恢复服务的过程中，”该公司在社交媒体平台X上发帖说。"We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive."“我们感谢特朗普总统为我们的服务商提供了必要的明确信息和保证，即他们可以向1.7亿多美国用户提供TikTok服务，并助力700多万家小企业蓬勃发展，而不会受到任何处罚。”Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Sunday morning that he would "issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law's prohibitions take effect".1月19日早上，特朗普在自己的Truth Social平台上写道，他将“在周一发布行政命令，以延长TikTok禁令生效前的时限”。The order would also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before the order was issued.该行政令还将确认，在命令发布之前，任何协助TikTok避免关停的公司都无需承担任何责任。Trump proposed a scenario in which the US would own half the popular social media app.特朗普还提出了解决问题的设想，即让美国拥有该热门社交媒体应用50%的所有权。"I would like the United States to have a 50 percent ownership position in a joint venture," Trump wrote.“我希望美国在合资企业中拥有50%的所有权，”特朗普写道。In response to TikTok's resumption of services in the US, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a news conference on Monday that China has always believed companies' operations and acquisitions should be based on market principles and be decided by the enterprises themselves.1月20日，针对TikTok恢复在美运营一事，中国外交部发言人毛宁在新闻发布会上表示，对于企业的运营和收购这一类的行为，中国始终认为应当根据市场的原则，由企业自主决定。If Chinese enterprises are involved in such actions, they should comply with Chinese laws and regulations, Mao said.毛宁说，如果涉及中国企业，应当符合中国的法律法规。The US should listen carefully to rational voices and provide an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for market entities from various countries operating in the US, she added.她补充说，美国应认真倾听理性的声音，为各国市场主体在美国的经营提供开放、公平、公正和非歧视的营商环境。Zhu Keli, founding director of the China Institute of New Economy, said against the backdrop of a complicated international situation, the restoration of TikTok's services in the US could be regarded as a positive signal, as it not only meets the demands of US users, but is also conducive to bolstering openness and cooperation in the global digital economy landscape.中国新经济研究院创始院长朱克力表示，在当前复杂的国际形势下，TikTok恢复美国服务可以被视为一个积极信号，这不仅满足了美国用户的需求，也有利于推动全球数字经济格局的开放与合作。"TikTok should continue to strengthen communication and cooperation with the US government and relevant regulatory authorities to ensure that its businesses comply with US laws and regulations. Moreover, it needs to continuously improve technological and management capabilities to respond to market changes and challenges from rivals," Zhu said.“TikTok应继续加强与美国政府和相关监管机构的沟通与合作，确保其业务符合美国法律法规。此外，它需要不断提高技术能力和管理能力，以应对市场变化和来自竞争对手的挑战，”朱克力说。He said Trump's 50 percent ownership proposal may help address the US government's security concerns over TikTok.他表示，特朗普提出的拥有50%所有权的方案可能有助于解决美国政府对TikTok的安全担忧。"However, the negotiation concerning equity allocation will be complex and sensitive, and requires full trust and cooperation from both sides," Zhu said. "The operation and management of the joint venture will also face some challenges such as cultural differences and decision-making efficiency."“然而，关于股权分配的谈判将复杂而敏感，需要双方充分的信任和合作，”朱克力说，“合资企业的运营和管理也将面临文化差异、决策效率等挑战。”Jiang Han, a senior analyst at market consultancy Pangoal, said TikTok's rapid restoration showcases US users' dependence on and demand for TikTok, adding that the platform should reinforce compliance capacity to satisfy regulatory requirements and improve user experience to maintain its competitiveness and achieve long-term development in the US market.盘古智库市场咨询公司高级研究员江瀚表示，TikTok的迅速恢复表明了美国用户对TikTok的依赖和需求。他补充说，该平台应加强合规能力以满足监管要求，并改善用户体验以保持其竞争力，实现在美国市场的长期发展。Jiang said the feasibility of Trump's proposal should be further evaluated and discussed, as more in-depth negotiations and consultations about the equity distribution in a joint venture are needed between the two parties.江瀚说，特朗普的提议是否可行还需进一步评估和讨论，因为双方需要就合资企业的股权分配进行更深入的谈判和协商。TikTok stopped working for its 170 million US users on Saturday night after the US Supreme Court upheld on Friday a law requiring ByteDance to sell the app to a US company or face a nationwide ban that began on Sunday.1月17日，美国最高法院维持了Tiktok禁令，要求字节跳动将该应用出售给一家美国公司，否则从1月19日开始将面临全美禁用。1月18日晚上，TikTok停止为1.7亿美国用户提供服务。Trump said he would "most likely" give TikTok a 90-day reprieve from the ban upon taking office on Monday.特朗普表示，他“很可能”在1月20日就职后给予TikTok 90天的禁令宽限期。scenarion.可能发生的事态;设想

After a brief weekend outage, TikTok was up and running again on Sunday in the United States after President-elect Donald Trump said he would issue an executive order Monday to keep the popular video platform active.1月19日，在周末短暂中断服务后，TikTok在美国恢复上线并正常运行。当天早些时候，美国当选总统唐纳德·特朗普表示，将于1月20日发布一项行政令，以使TikTok这一热门视频平台继续运营。It was the latest in a flurry of news about the short-form video site, which is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance and has gained some prominent supporters in the US.这是关于北京字节跳动公司旗下的短视频网站TikTok的最新消息，该网站在美国收获了一些知名支持者。TikTok went dark around 10:30 pm ET Saturday but was back online just before 12:30 pm on Sunday. "Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now," users were told in a pop-up message Saturday.TikTok于美国东部时间1月18日晚上10时30分左右停止服务，但于1月19日上午12时30分前恢复上线。1月18日，TikTok用户收到一条弹窗消息：“对不起，TikTok当前不可用。”The next day, a new pop-up said: "Welcome back! Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump's efforts, TikTok is back in the US! You can continue to create, share, and discover all the things you love on TikTok."第二天，新的弹窗信息显示：“欢迎回来！感谢您的耐心和支持。由于特朗普总统的努力，TikTok重返美国！您可以在TikTok上继续创作、分享和发现您所喜爱的一切。”Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Sunday morning: "I'm asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark! I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law's prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security.1月19日上午，特朗普在自己的Truth Social平台上发文：“我要求各公司不要让TikTok停止服务！我将于1月20日发布一项行政令，延长TikTok禁令法定生效前的时限，以便我们能够达成协议，保护我们的国家安全。”"The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order. Americans deserve to see our exciting Inauguration on Monday, as well as other events and conversations," Trump wrote.特朗普写道：“该行政令还将确认，在我的命令下达前，任何协助TikTok避免关停的公司都无需承担任何责任。美国人理应在1月20日看到我们激动人心的就职典礼，以及其他活动和对话。”"I would like the United States to have a 50 percent ownership position in a joint venture.…Without US approval, there is no Tik Tok. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars - maybe trillions. Therefore, my initial thought is a joint venture between the current owners and/or new owners."“我希望美国在合资企业中拥有50%的所有权。……没有美国的批准，就不会有TikTok。有了我们的批准，它的价值可达数千亿美元——也许是数万亿美元。因此，我最初的想法是，由现有所有者和/或新所有者共同成立一家合资企业。”In a post on X.com on Sunday by @TikTokPolicy, the platform said: "In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive.1月19日，TikTok的@TikTokPolicy账号在X.com上发帖称：“在与我们的服务商达成一致后，TikTok正在恢复服务。我们感谢特朗普总统为我们的服务商提供了必要的明确信息和保证，即他们可以向1.7亿多美国用户提供TikTok服务，并助力700多万家小商户蓬勃发展，而不会面临任何处罚。”"It's a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States," the statement said.声明表示，“这是对第一修正案的有力支持，也是对任意审查的坚决反对。我们将与特朗普总统合作，寻求一个长期解决方案，让TikTok留在美国”。The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act—passed by Congress by a wide margin in the spring and upheld by the Supreme Court on Friday—required ByteDance to cut ties with the platform's US operations by Jan 19, due to alleged national security concerns. The statute, however, gives the sitting president authority to grant a 90-day extension if a viable sale were underway.《保护美国人免受外国对手控制应用程序侵害法》于今年春季在国会以压倒性多数票通过，并于3月8日获得最高法院的支持。该法案要求字节跳动在1月19日前切断其在美业务，理由是所谓的国家安全担忧。然而，该法案也规定，如果Tiktok正在进行可行的出售，现任总统有权给予90天的延期。Google and Apple had removed the app from their digital stores to comply with the law by Sunday or potentially face hefty fines.谷歌和苹果已从各自的数字应用商店中下架该应用程序，以遵守1月19日生效的法律，否则可能面临巨额罚款。US Senator Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, took a strong stand for TikTok in a post on X.com on Saturday.1月18日，美国肯塔基州共和党参议员兰德·保罗在X.com上发帖表示坚定支持TikTok。"Why am I joining @tiktok_us just as the government ban begins? Because I don't like being told what to do," he wrote. "I don't like being told what I can think or say. The courts may think @tiktok_us is excluded from the first amendment. I don't. I join @tiktok_us today as a form of civil disobedience. To the 170 million Americans using @tiktok_us: Don't give in and don't give up. Resist."“为什么我要在政府禁令开始生效时加入Tiktok？因为我不喜欢别人告诉我该做什么，”他写道。“我不喜欢别人告诉我要怎么想或怎么说。法院可能认为Tiktok不受第一修正案保护。但我不这么认为。我今天加入Tiktok，是用公民不服从的形式进行非暴力抗议。致1.7亿使用Tiktok的美国人：不要屈服，不要放弃。反抗。”The ban, though, still has support among US lawmakers.然而，该禁令仍得到美国立法者的支持。Senator Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, warned companies on Sunday not to provide TikTok with the technical support it needs.1月19日，阿肯色州共和党参议员汤姆·科顿警告各公司，不要向TikTok提供所需的技术支持。"Any company that hosts, distributes, services, or otherwise facilitates communist-controlled TikTok could face hundreds of billions of dollars of ruinous liability under the law, not just from (the Justice Department), but also under securities law, shareholder lawsuits, and state AGs," Cotton wrote on X. "Think about it."科顿在X上写道：“任何托管、分发、服务或以其他方式协助共产党控制的TikTok的公司，根据法律都可能面临数百亿美元的毁灭性罚款，这不仅仅来自（司法部），还可能来自证券法、股东诉讼和各州总检察长。想想吧。”Dave Portnoy, founder of the Barstool Sports website, in a video posted to his 3.4 million followers on X on Thursday, said federal officials were "detached from reality".1月16日，Barstool Sports网站创始人戴夫·波特诺伊在X平台上发布了一段视频，向他的340万关注者表示，联邦官员“脱离现实”。"There's just no way you can ruin that many jobs, livelihoods, careers, advertising because you're afraid of Chinese disinformation," Portnoy said. "I'm more worried about American government disinformation at this point than the Chinese."“你不能因为害怕中国的虚假信息，就毁掉那么多人的工作、生计、事业和广告收入，”波特诺伊说，“我现在更担心美国政府的虚假信息，而不是中国的。”TikTok CEO Shou Chew is expected to attend Trump's inauguration with a prime seating location.TikTok首席执行官周受资将出席特朗普的就职典礼，并坐在贵宾席上。Zhu Keli, founding director of the China Institute of New Economy, said the decision to uphold the ban casts a shadow on TikTok's future in the US, but Trump's "most likely" 90-day extension could provide a valuable buffer period for the company.中国新经济研究院创始院长朱克力表示，维持禁令的决定给TikTok在美国的未来蒙上了阴影，但特朗普“很可能”批准90天延期，这或许为该公司提供一个宝贵的缓冲期。"Trump's stand indicates that TikTok still has a chance to seek a better solution to ensure its legal operation in the US through negotiation, cooperation or other innovative methods. It is also a recognition of TikTok's immense user base and commercial value," Zhu said.“特朗普的立场表明，TikTok仍有机会通过谈判、合作或其他新方法寻求更好的解决方案，以确保其在美国的合法运营。这也体现了对TikTok庞大用户基础和商业价值的认可，”朱克力说。Zhu noted that the TikTok case highlights the compliance challenges that Chinese tech companies are facing, especially in terms of data security, when expanding their presence in overseas markets amid geopolitical uncertainties.朱克力指出，TikTok事件凸显了在地缘政治不确定的情况下，中国科技公司拓展海外市场时面临的合规挑战，尤其是在数据安全方面。heftyadj.大的，可观的detachv.使分离，使分开compliancen.服从；遵守

Join CardioNerds Heart Failure Section Chair Dr. Jenna Skowronski, episode lead Dr. Apoorva Gangavelli, and expert faculty Dr. Ronald Witteles as they discuss the Nex-Z trial. This was a phase 1, open-label trial investigating nex-z, a CRISPR-Cas9-based treatment, in 36 patients with transthyretin amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM). The primary objectives were aimed at studying the safety and pharmacodynamics of this novel gene-based treatment modality. This episode dives into the nuances of the data, future directions for investigation, and future clinical implications. CardioNerds Journal Club PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! References - The Nex-Z Trial Fontana, M., Solomon, S. D., Kachadourian, J., Walsh, L., Rocha, R., Lebwohl, D., Smith, D., Täubel, J., Gane, E. J., Pilebro, B., Adams, D., Razvi, Y., Olbertz, J., Haagensen, A., Zhu, P., Xu, Y., Leung, A., Sonderfan, A., Gutstein, D. E., & Gillmore, J. D. (2024). CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing with Nexiguran Ziclumeran for ATTR Cardiomyopathy. The New England Journal of Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2412309

P-Bush Sean and Zhu discuss Playoff Matchups + Be$T Bet$: Playoff Edition Timestamps: (4:30) Chargers vs Texans (13:05) Baltimore vs Steelers (20:10) Broncos vs Bills (28:11) Packers vs Eagles (34:47) Commanders vs Bucs (50:25) BE$T BET$: Wild Card Edition Zhu Spread Pick: Chargers to cover and Rams to cover! Sean's Picks: Commanders Moneyline and Rams Moneyline Intro/Outro: Intro/Outro: Music by DayFox from Pixabay LISTEN/WATCH US BELOW: INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/tysontalks_/ SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/36vLQowQ6rG6BanA5R9Ruz APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tyson-talks-presents-the-pick-and-dimes-podcast/id1540644830 TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@tysontalks_

Last time we spoke about the complicated story of Xinjiang. Xinjiang, though part of China since the Han dynasty, has a distinct cultural and geographic identity aligned more with Central Asia than China's east. Its remote, mountainous landscapes divide its regions and isolate its ethnic groups, which include Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and Hui Muslims. Yang Zengxin, Xinjiang's Republican governor, ruled with shrewd, divisive tactics, maintaining peace by balancing loyalties but alienating many. His rule ended in 1928, when an ambitious subordinate, Fan Yaonan, assassinated him, marking a turning point. Yang attended a banquet hosted by Fan, where disguised soldiers fired on him, mortally wounding him. Fan seized power but was soon defeated and executed by Jin, who succeeded Yang as ruler of Xinjiang. Jin enforced strict policies, favoring Han Chinese officials and worsening the economy. He raised taxes, restricted Muslim customs, and monopolized industries. His annexation of the Kumul Khanate in 1931 incited unrest among the local Uyghurs, setting the stage for rebellion.   #132 The Beginning of the Kumul Rebellion Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. So last we left off, things had reached a boiling point in Kumul. The explosion at Kumul would begin mostly as a result of a religious and cultural slight against the Muslim population both Turkic speaking and Tungan. They became offended and banded together against the Chinese officials. As a result of the new administration and annexation of the Kumul Khanate, a young Han named Chang Mu from Gansu, was appointed tax collector and chief of police over the small village of Xiaopu, lying due north of Kumul. According to the Nanjing official Wu Aichen “this Chang Mu was a 'wastrel' whose conduct soon became a public scandal”. In early 1931, Chang Mu met a pretty Turkic Muslim girl in Xiaopu and tried to force her father, a Uyghur called Salih, to give him her hand in marriage. Now for those unaware shari law specifically prohibits marriage between Muslim women and men of other religions. What followed is described in two differing accounts. The first account has it that on April 4th of 1931, Chang Mu was invited to eat at the girls house, allegedly in honor of the forthcoming wedding. During the dinner, Chang Mu was attacked by Uyghur's and slaughtered alongside 32 members of his personal bodyguard. It was further implied by our friend Wu Aichen, Chang Mu had already seduced the girl and that the ulama, those being islamic scholars who act as a sort of authority under shari law, upon discovering so, took it upon themselves to correct the situation. On the night of the proposed ceremony a mob appeared in the streets of Xiaopu. Chang Mu and his guard detail were already thoroughly drunk and easily overcome by the pissed off Uyghurs. All were killed, including the poor Uyghur girl. The Uyghurs then took 30 rifles from the dead and turned their attention towards the Gansu Chinese who were said to number in about a hundred families in the area. All of them were massacred and “had their heads buried in the soil of their farms”. Following this the Uyghurs marched upon the Chinese outposts at Tuluhu and Laimahe killing their garrisons and tax collectors while acquiring even more weapons. Better armed, the Uyghurs elected to make a move against Kumul. Kumul held an overwhelming Uyghur majority and easily fell into the hands of the rebels with little to no fighting. Most of the Han fled into the fortified Old City barring its gates. The Han caught outside the Old City were massacred brutally. Soon the rebel forces controlled Kumul's Muslim part of the city and the surrounding countryside, but the provincial forces remained secure within the Old city and its key arsenal. It is unclear whether the Xiaopu incident was carefully planned prior or simply just came into being. Regardless it was a spark that ignited a much larger rebellion. According to Mildred Cable and Francesca French, two members of the China inland Mission, who resided in Xiaopu at the time, it was indeed a systematically planned rebellion. “While officials surreptitiously transferred their wealth to a place of safety, the instigators of trouble were equally persistent in their secret preparations for war. Camels and mules were requisitioned to transport weapons, ammunition and stocks of food over little-known tracks, that they might be stored in mountain caves known only to the few. Steady streams ofsmall caravans carrying ammunition to the mountains came from the South Road, from Tunhwang and across the most lonely tracks of the desert connecting Kansu with Barku!. All these converged on the Khan's summer palace grounds in AraHim, and the stronghold of Bardash was stocked with huge supplies of food and firearms”. Yulbars Khan, the former chancellor of Maqsud Shah claimed he was in the Tien Shah escaping heat when the fighting began. Many speculate he had a hand in planning the uprising. Cable and French argued the Tungan population of Kumul also joined the rebellion early on. The insurgents of Kumul were quickly joined by neighboring Kirhiz of the Karlik Tagh who also held grievances against Jin as he had imposed Chinese officials upon them in 1929. According to Wu Aichen the Barkul and Kazakhs in the area also joined the rebellion. Thus Jin had succeeded in alienating the Turkic speaking peoples of northeastern Xinjiang now had a full scale Muslim rising on his hands.  Jin reacted with a strong show of force despite his Commissioner of Education Liu Wenlung and Commissioner for Reconstruction Yen Yushan both arguing for a policy of conciliation. Jin ordered troops to crack down on the rebels without mercy. Meanwhile back in Kumul the rebels were unable to breach the Old City so they fanned out into the countryside hunting Han settlers and soldiers down. According to the British Vice Consul General at Kashgar, R.P Watts, an initial detachment of 300 troops sent by Jin relieved Kumul Old City were ambushed and killed nearly to a man. Its also implied they had lost so easily because many of them were sleeping off the effects of opium. Despite the initial success, the rebels were unable to prevent provincial forces led by Zhu Juiqi, the Taoyin of Aksu from relieving the Old City. By late April the siege was lifted, Zhu Juiqi occupied the Old City and ordered his second in command Xiong Fayu to occupy Kumul's Muslim quarters. The rebels still controlled the countryside and were harassing Zhu's forces whenever they strayed a bit too far from their forts, but overall were not much of a match. Meanwhile Chinese troops under the leadership of Xiong Fayu began a series of reprisal massacres against Muslim civilians in Kumul and the surrounding villages. The Uyghur leaders quickly determined they needed external help in their rebellion against Jin. According to testimony from Yulbars Khan, they sent an appeal to the KMT government in Nanjing. Then in June of 1931 Yulbars was chosen, most likely because he was fluent in Mandarin, to head out secretly to Nanjing to carry the appeal. Along the way, Yulbars went to Suzhou to meet with Ma Chongying, known as the youngest and most extreme of the 5 Ma Tungan warlords. Ma Chongying was a Gansu native. Very little is known about his early years nor about his father, but he shared the same paternal grandfather of the Gansu/Qinghai warlords Ma Puqing and Ma Pufang. He was also distantly related to the Gansu/Ningxia warlords Ma Hongkuei and Ma Hungpin. Altogether the 5 were known as the 5 Ma warlord clique. Ma Congying entered military service in 1924 at the age of 14 when he joined a local Muslim militia. A year later the Guominjun forces of Feng Yuxiang invaded Gansu, but the Tungan warlords of western Gansu remained for the most part untouched. Ma Chongying became an officer for the forces of his uncle Ma Kechong and laid a siege and captured the important city of Huzhou on his own initiative. His troops easily defeated reinforcements sent to relieve the city under the command of Ma Lin. With this great victory, at the age of 16, Ma Chongying earned the reputation of a military genius and the nickname Ga Ssuling or “little commander”. His triumph would be short lived however for his superior Ma Kuchung had not ordered the seizure of Huzhou and dismissed his nephew for insubordination. Thus Ma Chongying took his men to Xining in Qinghai and there began building a private army.  The Guominjun eventually left Gansu after devastating it. In 1927 the northwestern parts of Gansu was hit by a massive earthquake and this combined with Feng Yuxiang's regional commander Liu Yufen using much of its land for opium cultivation led to a mass famine. In the spring of 1928, the northwestern Tungans began a revolt against the Guominjun led by the Muslim General Ma Tingxiang. Ma Chongying tossed his lot into the fighting leading to three successive attacks against the Guominjun at Huzhou. According to Robert Ekvall, an American traveler in the region “The revolt had by this time assumed all the aspects of a holy war. Chanting prayers, forty or fifty thousand fighters went into battle with fanatical zeal ... the young rebel leader Ma Chong-ing [sic] seemed to bear a charmed life and by his reckless courage gained the utmost in obedience and devotion from his ruffian troops. The Chinese were panic-stricken at the desperate courage of the Moslems, but eventually, by machine gun fire and light artillery, proved superior”. Alongside this American diplomats reported that the famine and war in Gansu had reduced many to cannibalism with a possible two million people dying between 1926-1929. One of the many to die was Ma Chongyings father who was executed by Liu Yufen as a reprisal against him for his actions in 1929.  That year Ma Chongying had strengthened his position by defeating several Guominjun forces. He traveled to Nanjing where he enrolled briefly at the military academy there. Rumors had it there he offered his services to the KMT on the understanding that if he could win control over Xinjiang that they recognize him. After departing Nanjing he traveled to Chongwei along the Yellow River where he joined his army before marching across the southern friends of the Ala Shan desert to head into northwestern Gansu. There he seized control over 4 districts; Kanzhou, Suzhou, Anxi and Tunhuang. Thus by the time of the Kumul uprising in April of 1931, Ma Chongying had established himself the Tungan warlord over northwestern Gansu. In June of that year, Yulbars Khan visited him at Suzhou while enroute to Nanjing. After a dinner, Ma Chongying asked Yulbars what was going on with the Kumul rebellion and the state of Kumul. Ma Congying then proceeded to criticize Jin Shujen whom he thought was unfit to govern Xinjiang. Upon hearing this Yulbars disclosed why he was going to Nanjing. Yulbars told him that many in Gansu did not support Jin and that he was appealing to Nanjing to see if Jin could be replaced with a new governor. Ma Chongying sat silently for some time before asking if Yulbar's had any personal contacts in Nanjing, to which he replied he did not. He then advised Yulbars to not go to Nanjing because of three reasons: 1) The Kuomintang had just completed its Northern Expedition and was in need of stability, so it was not in a position to replace its frontier governors, despite any shortcomings they had.2) Even if the Nanking government agreed to remove Chin Shu-jen, implementing the decision would likely take two or three years due to the vast distances involved. 3) Furthermore, Chin's greed would likely make him unwilling to step down, and he might even seek support from a foreign power to secure his position. Under these conditions, Sinkiang could potentially come under foreign control. The points were sound, however Yulbars stated the people had sent him to Nanjing, what should he do if he failed? Ma Congying replied “I have a way ... I can meet the needs of the Uighurs of Ha-mi ... In the name of Muslim brotherhood, I shall take my army into Sinkiang. First I shall alleviate the suffering of the Uighurs of Ha-mi, then I shall drive Chin Shu-jen from the stage by force of arms.” A lot of this is conjecture, as it would seem impossible Ma Chongying spontaneously decided to invade Xinjiang over dinner. Ma Chongying was interested in the Kumul uprising long before the arrival of Yulbars in Suzhou and based on other sources it seems Yulbars was well aware of this prior to his visit. Ma Chongying most likely had decent information on the political ongoings of Xinjiang as two Muslim Turks from Istanbul had traveled to northwestern Gansu from Urumqi in early 1931 and entered Ma Chongying's military HQ. One was Kamal Kaya Efendi who went on to become his chief of staff. Ma Chongying was also gun running to places like Kumul, meaning he would have a lot of intel. Ma Chongyings powerbase in Kanzhou was also temporary. As pointing out by Mildred Cable and Francesca French “based on the assumption of the paralysing effect of frightfulness in action, and as a method of temporary invasion it answered his purpose well, but it never served him as a basis of true conquest, nor did he ever establish rule over one single acre of the land which he invaded. His was the method of the locust. . . and his army was always viewed as a plague. It came, it devoured, and when it had passed over, the patient, constructively minded peasants instantly began to repair the damage done to their fields, and to begetsons to replace those who had been swept away in his train” In 1931 Ma Chongyings private army was not a large one, it was perhaps no more than 1000 men and given the account of Mildred Cable and Francesca French, his army had to roam around like locusts to survive. Ma Chongying was a very ambitious and young warlord who like many in this part of China dreamed of carving out a Muslim empire in central asia. In the spring of 1931, Ma Chongying had only two possible directions to take. One was through China proper where he would most likely face his uncle Ma Pufang, whom at the time he was in this sort of propaganda war with. The other was to go through Xinjiang, where it seemed he could receive aid from other Muslim groups seeking to be rid of Jin Shujen. Ma Chongying assembled a force of 500 Tungan cavalry and swiftly crossed the desert between Anxi and Kumul during the full heat of midsummer, arriving in the oasis on the 28th of June, at around the same time as the French Citroen expedition. The French Citroen expedition got to see an encounter between Ma Chongyings Tungan Cavalry and some Chinese machine gun detachment outside of the village of Yikoshu. The French account indicated the Chinese forces also had some Mongol soldiers with them decisively beating back the Tungan riders. After witnessing this the French headed for Kumul's Old City which they found in a state of chaos. Everyone within the city was busy organizing defenses. The French were taken immediately to the local Chinese commander, Zhu Juichih. As they made their way they could see anxious Muslims peering out of their windows and on telegraph poles were heads, hearts and livers, most likely from captured insurgents. Commander Zhu gave the French permission to continue to Urumqi, stating they could do so at their own risk. Most of the French departed on July 1st, leaving behind 3 members at the Old City who would become eyewitnesses to Ma Chongyings attack.  On July 3rd, Ma Chongying dispatched two messangers to Zhu Juichich baring the following message. “By order of the National Government of China I have been appointed commander-in-chief of all military forces of Kansu and Sinkiang. Having assumed my new occasional pistol shot could be heard as hand-to-hand fighting began on the wall Its self ... Just when the place seemed to be doomed a machine gun, which up to this had been silent ... suddenly came to life. Emplaced in a blockhouse flanking the wall, It opened fire, mowing down the assault, and the glacis was soon cleared except for heaps of corpses”.  Ma Chongyings Tungan cavalry force lacked heavy artillery necessary to breach the Old city walls. Three separate attacks were made on the night of the 3rd, all beaten back. Zhu Juichih, a military veteran had zero intention of surrendering to the so called “little commander” whom he dismissed as a “thieving cub”. Ma Chongying seemed to have little stomach for siege warfare so on the 5th he led a large portion of his Tungan cavalry away from Kumul Old City. By doing so he had left roughly 1000 Uyghur insurgents with a handful of Tungans to continue a siege against the Kumul Old City who had 2000 provincial troops. Zhu Juichih was unaware of Ma Chongyings true purpose so he elected not to sortie fearing a trap. Meanwhile Ma Congying led his riders over the Karlik Tagh to Barkul surprising its defenders. Barkul would end up surrendering without much of a struggle. The commander at Barkul named Hedin handed over 2000 rifles and opened the Barkul arsenal to Ma Chongying. Ma Chongying left a hundred man garrison to capture the town as he turned south. According to Wu Aichen, the sudden small victories of the young commander emboldened other groups to join his cause such as the Kazakhs and Tungans north of Karlik Tagh. By mid-July Muslim insurgents were effectively controlling the entire territory of the Old Kumul Khanate, from Xingxingxia to Iwanquan. Groups of invading Tungans from Gansu formed an alliance with the Muslims of Xinjiang, notably from Xingxingxia and Barkul to hold the siege of Kumul Old City. Ma Chongying seemed to also hold the full support of indigenous Muslims of the area whether it be Hazakh, Kirghiz, Uyghur or Xinjiang Tungans.  Jin Shujen's received word of the young commander leading a force of Tungan cavalry attacking various places. It seemed his next target was to be Qiqiaoqing. Jin appointed his chief secretary, Lu Xiaozu to be his commander in chief of the provincial forces; Tu Qikuo and Sheng Shihtsai were to be his joint chiefs of staff. Lu Xiaozu was a younger brother to Jin Shujen, a civilian with little to no military experience and was the bitter rival of the current commissioner for military affairs at Urumqi, Jin Shuxin. Lu Xiaozu mustered a force roughly 1000 strong of men almost all lacking any military training or experience. They were immediately tossed over to Qiqiaoqing with orders to halt the Tungan advance pending further reinforcements. Shortly after their arrival, the troops were met by a surprise night attack and killed nearly to a man. Their commander Tu Qikuo committed suicide in disgrace. According to Kamal Kaya Efendi, the Tungans were led personally by Ma CHongying during the daring attack. He had taken his forces into the oasis through little known trails in Karlik Tagh and Bogdo Ula after his capture of Barkul.  Following this victory, Ma Chongying returned to Kumul Old City to see if the siege was providing any results. This was a rather bizarre decision as Jin Shujens capital of Urumqi was basically open for the taking, but perhaps the young commander had overestimated his enemy. When Ma Congying arrived at Kumul Old City, the besiegers' morale improved greatly. Between July 3rd to October 16th over 43 attacks had been levied against the Chinese garrison. The Tungans dug trenches and built barricades trying to storm the walls. Meanwhile within the old city walls the besieged people were forced to eat their camels, horses and mules to survive. By October 1st the defenders were reduced to a ration of 750 grammes of kaoliang floor per day and were expected to run out by the end of the month. Likewise ammunition was running low, prompting Zhu Juichih to resort to more archaic weapons such as fire arrows and Dao swords that the men had found preserved in the arsenal going back to the time of Zuo Zungtang's campaign in the 19th century. One of the French expeditionaries reported the only thing being sold in the bazaars was opium. One could not even obtain oil as it was boiled and hurled over the walls at the attackers. The Tungans attempted numerous times to breach the walls using mines, but they lacked sufficient powder to create large enough explosions. On one occasion a breach was made in the walls, but the defenders were quickly able to block the hole with wool before the attackers could get through. Afterwards a ditch was dug around the walls and flooded so the Tungan trenches would be unable to continue mining. Siege warfare is neat isn't it? Horrible to be sure, but so much ingenuity. By Mid-October the defenders were very desperate. According to the French expeditionaries inside after 108 days of siege, the defenders sortied out of the town on October 16th and tried to reach Urumqi. “What sustained the men was opium. They could not have held out without it, and so long as it lasted and no strenuous effort was demanded of them, they could get along on practically no food. At night the opium lamps of the sentries could be seen sparkling like little stars the length of the ramparts. The whole garrison was in fact intoxicated. It was fantastic!” It is quite probable the defenders chose to make a break for it because they were a majority Han Chinese and greatly feared their fate if the Tungans got in. If you know Islamic history, well you know. Ma Chongying had refused any terms other than unconditional surrender and given the feelings of Kumuls Muslim insurgents, it seemed highly unlikely any prisoners would be taken. Regardless, the siege had delayed the Tungans for a long time, allowing Jin Shujen to hastily organize provincial forces at Urumqi. After his first military campaign had failed horrendously, Jin now orderedTsetsen Puntsag Gegeen, the “living Buddha” of Xinjiang of the Torgut Mongols to lead his famous Torgut Cavalry regiment against the Tungans at Kumul. The Turgot troops were by far the best available at the time to Jin, and the most capable to go one on one with Tungan cavalry. However Tsetsen Puntsag Gegeen was one of the many Torguts who had grievances with Jin over his policy of enforcing Han Chinese officials upon his people to take positions of leadership. Moreover a plot had recently been discovered that one of his subordinates had been paid off to assassinate him. Tsetsen Puntsag Gegeen suspected Jin Shujen to be the culprit to the plot and when the said assassins fled to Urumqi, Jin refused to hand them over for justice, all but confirmed his suspicions.  Thus Tsetsen Puntsag Gegeen refused to become involved in the war over Kumul and instead took his forces to Kara Shahr as a demonstration of power. Lacking sufficient numbers or reliable Han Chinese troops, Jin turned next to the White Russian community. Lu Xiaozu who proved himself an imbecile at military matters was replaced with Chang Peiyuan, the Military commander of the Ili Region which also happened to be the region where most White Russians resided. Chang Peiyuan went to work rallying White Russian volunteers who more or less refused to fight for the Chinese, until Jin threatened to repatriate them to Stalin's USSR. In late September Chang Peiyuan had a force headed by 250 White Russians under the leadership of Colonel Pappengut with the mission of relieving Kumul Old City. During this time Ma Chongying decided to march upon the capital, drawing most of his Tungan cavalry away from Kumul heading westwards along the Qiqiaoqing road. This took him directly into the path of the advancing White Russians who began skirmishing around the village of Liaotun. At some point Ma Chongying was seriously wounded, shot through both of his legs. Despite this both sides had negligible casualties. Yet as a result of his grievous injury a large portion of Ma Congying's Tungan riders retreated back into northwestern Gansu. Rumor has it, at this time Ma Congying was bought off by Jin Shujen, regardless he had to take a prolonged time to recuperate and was away from the front lines. Once safely across the Gansu-Xinjiang frontier, Ma Chongying handed control of his four districts of Tunhuang, Anxi, Yumen and Suzhou to his uncle Ma Pufang. Meanwhile Chang Peiyuans forces with Pappenguts White Russians in the spearhead were still advancing towards Kumul Old City. They managed to relieve it on November 1st. The victorious Chinese troops sacked Kumul as a reward, that was denied to the White Russian forces. The provincial troops then performed a systematic destruction of large parts of Kumul, levelling entire villages and terrorizing the population. Zhu Juichih had returned to Urumqi, but his Lt Xing Fayu had remained at Kumul and began a series of mass executions. The reprisals were so heinous, all of the Uyghurs who had remained neutral during the ordeal threw their lot in with the rebellion. Refugees began to pour westwards towards Turfan while Uyghur insurgents withdrew to Karlik Tagh, notably to their well stocked mountain fort at Bardash. Those who went to Bardash unleashed a guerilla war against Jin troops in collaboration with Ma Chongyings Tungans who awaited their leader in Xinjiang. A communication network led from Bardash and Anxi for this purpose. While Ma Chongying was licking his wounds he reorganized his forces. 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. Thus the Kumul Rebellion had just been unleashed. Those who were oppressed were gradually forming a rebellious coalition against Jin Shujen. Although Ma Chongying had literally been cut down at the legs so to say, he was not down for the count. The Rebellion had only just begun.

P-Bush Sean and Zhu discuss Sam Darnold vs Brock Purdy + Week 16 Be$T Bet$ Timestamps: (0:33) Which coach/qb combo would you take going forward? Brock Purdy/Mike Shanahan or Sam Darnold/ Kevin O'Connell (13:45) Would the Vikings trade J.J. McCarthy based on Darnold's play? (20:25) Could Purdy be a fit with the Steelers in the future??? (21:35) Week 16 Be$t Bet$ Zhu Spread Pick: Take the Rams to cover the (-3) on the road vs The Jets Sean's Picks: Take Tampa Bay (moneyline -198 vs Cowboys Take Washington (moneyline +152) vs Eagles Intro/Outro: Christmas Time Is Here (Instrumental / #6, Take 2 / September 17, 1965) Vince Guaraldi Trio A Charlie Brown Christmas [2012 Remastered & Expanded Edition] LISTEN/WATCH US BELOW: INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/tysontalks_/ SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/36vLQowQ6rG6BanA5R9Ruz APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tyson-talks-presents-the-pick-and-dimes-podcast/id1540644830 TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@tysontalks_

P-Bush Sean and Zhu discuss fantasy boom and busts and we finish with week 15 Be$T Bet$ Timestamps: (2:20) Fantasy MVP's (11:35) Are QB's trending towards being first-round picks in fantasy? (18:10) Sleeper MVP's (40:55) Marvin Harrison Jr DISAPPOINTED this year (58:05) Week 15 Be$t Bet$ Zhu Spread Pick: Take the Broncos to cover the (-4) at the home vs The Colts Sean's Picks: Take Tampa Bay (moneyline +130 vs Chargers Take the Texans (moneyline -154) vs Dolphins Intro/Outro: Music by DayFox from Pixabay LISTEN/WATCH US BELOW: INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/tysontalks_/ SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/36vLQowQ6rG6BanA5R9Ruz APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tyson-talks-presents-the-pick-and-dimes-podcast/id1540644830 TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@tysontalks_

P-Bush Sean and Zhu debate Potential Super Bowl matchups, between the Eagles, Chiefs, Lions, and Bills + A discussion involving darkhorse NFC Teams, and then we finish with week 14 Be$T Bet$ Timestamps: (3:00) Lions vs Chiefs or Eagles vs Bills, which Super Bowl matchup is more likely? (16:55) Are we sleeping on the Steelers? (26:21) Does the NFC have a darkhorse we are not thinking about? (44:25) NFL Be$t Bet$ Week 15 Zhu Spread Pick: Take the Bengals to cover the (-5.5) at the Dallas Cowboys Sean's Picks: Take Green Bay (moneyline +152) vs Lions Take the Chargers (moneyline +172) vs Chiefs Could Parlay those two if your feeling dangerous and it equals out to (+580) Intro/Outro: Music by DayFox from Pixabay LISTEN/WATCH US BELOW: INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/tysontalks_/ SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/36vLQowQ6rG6BanA5R9Ruz APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tyson-talks-presents-the-pick-and-dimes-podcast/id1540644830 TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@tysontalks_

The Party Center's intervention in the Fourth Red Army combines with a string of military victories to bring a simmering dispute between Mao and Zhu to a head.Further reading:Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949Stuart Schram, ed., Mao's Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930Joseph Fewsmith, Forging Leninism in China: Mao and the Remaking of the Chinese Communist Party, 1927–1934Mao Zedong nianpu, 1893-1937 (毛泽东年谱)Some names from this episode:Zhou Enlai, head of the Organization Department of the Central CommitteeLiu Angong, special envoy sent by Party Center to the Fourth Red ArmyLin Biao, commander of the first column of the Fourth Red ArmyPeng Dehuai, commander of the Fifth Red ArmySupport the show

It’s hard not to love pufferfish. They have many great qualities that can make them an excellent candidate for a truly interactive pet fish. They also, unfortunately, have a “bite first, ask questions later” tendency that other fish and corals don’t really like. In this episode, we discuss a variety of saltwater puffer species that are available in the aquarium hobby, as well as care requirements, tank mates, reef-safeness, and more! Join the discussion on the Water Colors Aquarium Gallery Podcast Listeners Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/788428861825086/ Enjoying the show? Support the gallery by shopping aquarium plants, merch, equipment, and more! https://watercolorsaquariumgallery.com/ Looking for more content? Become a YouTube member for exclusive access to behind the scenes livestreams! https://www.youtube.com/@watercolorsaquariumgallery Species mentioned in this episode: Porcupine puffer, diodon holocanthus Webbed burrfish, chilomycterus antillarum Stars and stripes puffer, arothron hispidus Dogface puffer, arothron nigropunctatus Mappa puffer, arothtron mappa Immaculate puffer, arothron immaculatus Narrowlined puffer, arothron manilensis Guineafowl puffer, arothron meleagris Masked puffer, arothron diadematus Birdbeak burrfish, cyclichthys orbicularis Milk spotted puffer, chelonodontops patoca Green spotted puffer, dichotomyctere nigroviridis Blue jewel puffer, canthigaster solandri Papuan toby, canthigaster papua Caribbean sharpnose puffer, canthigaster rostrata Valentini puffer, canthigaster valentini Leopard sharpnose puffer, canthigaster leoparda Goldface toby, canthigaster jamestyleri Sources referenced in this episode 1. Stump, E. Et al. Global conservation status of marine pufferfishes (Tetraodontiformes: Tetraodontidae). Global Ecology and Restoration 14, (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2018.e00388 2. Gladstone, W. The courtship and spawning behaviors ofCanthigaster valentini (Tetraodontidae). Environ Biol Fish 20, 255–261 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00005296 3. Zhu, H., Sonoyama, T., Yamada, M., Gao, W., Tatsuno, R., Takatani, T., & Arakawa, O. (2020). Co-Occurrence of Tetrodotoxin and Saxitoxins and Their Intra-Body Distribution in the Pufferfish Canthigaster valentini. Toxins, 12(7), 436. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins12070436 4. Large Saltwater Pufferfish for Big Tanks. Hobbist Tropical Fish Magazine by Mark Denaro, https://www.tfhmagazine.com/articles/saltwater/large-saltwater-pufferfish-for-big-tanks 5. Fishbase.se Web link: https://fishbase.se/Nomenclature/ScientificNameSearchList.php?crit1_fieldname=SYNONYMS.SynGenus&crit1_fieldtype=CHAR&crit1_operator=EQUAL&crit1_value=Canthigaster&crit2_fieldname=SYNONYMS.SynSpecies&crit2_fieldtype=CHAR&crit2_operator=CONTAINS&crit2_value=&typesearch=simple&group=summary&backstep=-2&sortby=sciname 6. National Aquarium. https://aqua.org/explore/animals/striped-burrfish 7. Palacios, M. M., Muñoz, C. G., & Zapata, F. A. (2014). Fish corallivory on a pocilloporid reef and experimental coral responses to predation. Coral Reefs, 33(3), 625–636. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00338-014-1173-y 8. Moura, R. D., & Castro, R. M. (2002). Revision of Atlantic sharpnose pufferfishes (Tetraodontiformes: Tetraodontidae: Canthigaster) with description of three new species. PROCEEDINGS-BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON, 115(1), 32-50.

In 1994, Zhu Ling – a brilliant chemistry student at China's most prestigious university – fell mysteriously ill. A desperate SOS call by her friends on the fledgling Internet brought a chilling discovery: Zhu had been poisoned with thallium.And despite the evidence all pointing in one direction, the investigation ground to a suspicious halt, and nobody was ever charged. Join us for a story of jealousy, digital manhunts and seriously toxic friendship.Exclusive bonus content:Wondery - Ad-free & ShortHandAmazon Music - Ad-free & ShortHand (available with some Prime accounts)Patreon - Ad-free & Bonus EpisodesFollow us on social media:YouTubeTikTokInstagramWebsite & Sources:redhandedpodcast.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Last time we spoke about the Central Plains War. Chiang Kai-Shek faced a formidable anti-Chiang coalition led by Yan Xishan, Feng Yuxiang, and Li Zongren. Zhang Xueliang, initially absent, worked tirelessly from Mukden to prevent Northern warlords from joining the coalition. The conflict, exacerbated by severe famine in Shaanxi that fueled unrest, saw major battles as Chiang's forces clashed with the anti-Chiang fronts across multiple railways. Despite initial setbacks, Chiang's strategic maneuvers and alliances, including a pivotal deal with Zhang Xueliang, gradually turned the tide. The Young Marshal's entry into the fray and the subsequent defections from Feng Yuxiang's camp weakened the anti-Chiang forces. By October, the anti-Chiang leaders, overwhelmed and isolated, sought peace. The Central Plains War, a grueling seven-month struggle, ended with the anti-Chiang factions disbanding, leaving China's civil war landscape dramatically altered. Within the vacuum, the CCP was thriving, but now the Generalissimo could direct his full attention on the Red Menace.   #125 From the Jinggangshan Mountains to the Jiangxi Soviet 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. The last time we were talking about the CCP, they had performed the Nanchang uprising, Autumn Harvest Uprisings and the Guangzhou uprising. These all did not go very well and literally saw the surviving CCP forces fleeing for their lives into the mountains. Their experiences during these uprisings reinforced the idea they required a strong military force to push forward a new agrarian-based communist revolution. To develop such conditions favoring a revolution, Mao Zedong and Zhu De adapted the Red Army and CCP policies to the local conditions in order to recruit, sustain and retain loyal troops and build a relationship between the army, local populaces and party.  After the collapse of the Harvest Autumn Uprisings, the Red Army scattered into the rural parts of China. Mao Zedong himself narrowly escaped capture by the NRA, as he made his way to Sanwan of Jiangxi province. Countless were killed, arrested or deserted. Less than 1000 Red soldiers remained from the original uprising force. Moral was law, there lacked direction, there existed conflicting loyalties and many blamed Mao Zedong for the failings. In order to counteract this, Mao Zedong held a conference on September 29th of 1927 whereupon he implemented a series of radial policies to stave off an implosion. He began streamlining the command structure, instituted political representatives within each unit to instill revolutionary spirit within the troops. A political cell was established in each squad, a branch at company levels and a party committee at the battalion and regiment level. Next he established troop soviets within the units to provide a form of democratic centralism within the units. Additional he began spinning the narrative in his own favor, shifting blame for the failed uprisings to the collective poor understanding of the revolutionary course within China, rather than upon her leadership. Now initially a large part of the Red Army wanted to return to their hometown of Anyuan, but the local military presence was too strong there. Another option was needed and quickly as they had many sick and wounded amongst their ranks. They looked to the nearby Jinggang Mountain Area as a temporary fix. Many of Mao Zdong's former Peasant Movement Training students knew the area well. Jinggangshan meaning “well ridge mountain”, derived its name from the 5 villages around its main city of Ciping: Big Well, Middle Well, Little Well, Upper Well, and Lower Well. The mountain is situated in the Luoxian range, straddling the border between Jiangxi and Hunan. It also happens to be a place where 4 counties converge: Lingxian, Suichuan, Ninggang and Yongxin. Surrounding it were factional and political enemies, thus preventing most provincial forces from really coordinating efforts or massing against them. The terrain provided ample defensive obstacles. It also stood in the midpoint between Changsha, Nanchang and Guangdong, offering the Red Army flexibility to try and finish the uprisings they started in those locations. Given the weak state the Red Army was in, it would not be feasible to occupy Jinggangshan by force. Jinggangshan was controlled by two bandit leaders named Yuan Weicai and Wang Zuo. Mao Zedong was forced to negotiate with the two to come to an arrangement. The CCP was of course concerned about the trustworthiness of the two bandit leaders. At an early meeting in Gucheng, some CCP members of the front committee doubted the revolutionary character of Yuan and Wang, believing them to only be bandits at heart. Mao Zedong on the other hand argued the two leaders and their loyal followers were crucial to the communist movement. I would argue Mao Zedong was grasping at straws.  As for Yuan and Wang, their primary concerns were the impact of a new military force affecting the regional balance of power. In essence the mountain areas outside the major cities had a complex power dynamic. Bandits and local elites maintained the status quo, any change to that power dynamic could lead to problems. There was also an ethnicity issue. Jinggangshan was considered something of a Hakka ancestral land, and the Han settlers amongst them were more like guests. There always remained a Hakka-Han tension, and this prompted Hakka to vet any Hans coming in. Mao first convinced Yuan how a partnership would be mutually beneficial. In exchange for food, housing and local support the Red Army would provide weapons, training and support Yuan and Wang's operations. Mao presented Yuan with a gift of 100 rifles to sweeten him over. Mao then made a similar gesture to Wang, sending him 70 rifles. The two bandit leaders let the Red Army right in. Upon arriving, the Red Army began conducting guerilla operations and peasant mobilization. On October 7th, 1927 the began activity in Maoping and moved to Ciping. While marching they passed through Lingixan and Shuikou villages, attacking the local elites and their militias, freeing prisoners in jails and holding mass rallies to recruit. On the 22nd they reached Dafen, where they were ambushed by a local militia. Using their knowledge of the terrain the militia inflicted severe casualties, forcing the Red Army to retreat towards Wang Zuo for aid. Wang Zuo was wary of them, but Mao Zedong won him over by promising more weapons and training for his bandits. Mao also pledged to support him against his local rivals, one of whom was Xiao Jiabi. Wang's bandits and the Reds joined forces in Dajing and together seized Shimen. Then the Reds arrived in Ciping on October 15th. They quickly seized the city center and within a month's time established a base of operations. The CCP quickly expanded its influence in the surrounding area, preying upon local populations where government control was weak or in flux. By mid November the Red Army dispatched a battalion west to capture Chaling. This success allowed them to further expand into Suichang in January of 1928. In February the Red Army occupied its first major city, Xincheng in Ningang country. Within two months of action the Reds had nearly doubled their territory now occupying portions of 3 counties. For the most part Mao Zedong was left alone because of the political shakeup after the failed uprisings in the larger metropolitan areas. Contact with the provincial and regional CCP community still existed though. Zhou Lu, a member of the southern Hunan special committee heard about the CCP expansion in the mountain areas and came to inspect them. While at Jinggangshan he gave Mao Zedong orders to dispatch his unit to support Zhu De's forces in a uprising about to hit southern Hunan. After the failed Nanchang Uprising, Zhu De took the remnants of his forces and fled into southern Jiangxi and then Fujian where he linked up with a fellow Yunnanese NRA leader, Fan Shisheng. They stayed with Fan Sisheng's unit awhile, but once rumors spread he was harboring Reds they had to go. By January of 1928 they fled for southern Hunan to try and support urban uprisings. Upon arriving, Zhu De's force began augmenting the local peasantry forces and Zhou Lu said he would get Mao Zedong to lend his support. However the uprising never really got its legs. It began in late January, but the urban workers and local populace couldn't rise as expected. Instead local support turned against the communists. Likewise Mao Zedong's men never made it to southern Hunan, he had intentionally dragged his feet on the issue. Instead Mao Zedong focused his attention in central Hunan holding rallies and mobilizing local peasant groups. Thus Zhu De was pounced upon by local warlord groups in Guangdong and Hunan. Zhu De's Red Army engaged the warlord armies as they slowly retreated into Jinggangshan. Zhu De and Mao Zedong would meet in Maoping for a conference. On May 20th, 1928 they agreed to establish the Jinggangshan Special Committee, with Mao Zedong as its general secretary. Additionally the 4th Red Army was created and nicknamed the Ironsides Army. The 4th Red Army was roughly 12,000 men strong consisting of Zhu De's Nanchang uprising force, now designated the 28th regiment, Mao Zedongs Autumn Uprising force now designated the 31st regiment, Yuan Wencai and Wang Zuo's bandits, later designated the 32nd regiment and the Hunan uprising force now designed the 29th regiment. Zhu De's arrival also brought in a traditional military mindset, adding some more professionalism to the Red Army. Here Zhu De also made a famous quote “When the enemy advances, we retreat; when the enemy halts and encamps, we harass them; when the enemy seeks to avoid battle, we attack; and when the enemy retreats, we pursue”. This statement would guide much of the Red Army's actions going forward. The increase in communist numbers brought unwanted attention immediately from Jiangxi and Hunan forces. The first major military campaign against the Reds began in May of 1928 and was led by Zhu Peide wielding Jiangxi provincial military units. The campaign was based out of Yongxin with the Jiangxi government unleashing the 27th division. One regiment garrisoned at Yongxin was held as reserve while the division sent another regiment to attack the Red Army stronghold in Nanchang and another regiment flanked to the east. The Reds countered by stationing a regiment in the mountains to protect the base, another regiment to defend the mountain passes and 2 regiments to conduct spoiling attacks on the Jiangxi regiments flank. The Red Army was able to destroy the flanking unit, forcing them to retreat back to Yongxin. They pursued them to Yongxin, destroying its garrison regiment in the process. The Red Army then maneuvered to the rear of the Jiangxi division pushing them to pull back to Ji'an. Thus the Reds occupied Yongxin where they went to work establishing a worker-peasant government, expanding the Soviet across the county.  A second encirclement campaign was unleashed in late MAy, with the same Jiangxi 27th division leading the action. This time they were reinforced as they quickly recaptured Yongxin and began cautiously pursuing the Reds into the mountains. The Reds tried to exploit the terrain for guerilla warfare but was met with little success. The Red 28th regiment was soon forced to help distressed red forces at Chaling county. However the Jiangxi Division did not account for the Red Army's mobility. The Red 31st regiment quickly assumed the 28th regiments former defensive positions offering a stiff fight against the Jiangxi forces. When the 28th regiment returned to reinforce the 31st they hit the enemy's rear and advanced upon Yongxin again while the Jiangxi forces pulled back to Ji'an again.  Another encirclement campaign was unleashed the following June this time seeing Jiangxi and Hunanese forces work together against the Reds. The Jiangxi 9th division was deployed in combination with the remaining 2 regiment of the 27th Jiangxi division. The Jiangxi forces performed a frontal attack through the mountain passes using 3 regiments. Meanwhile the Red Army had to perform a feint attack in the east to occupy a Hunanese division. The Red Army deployed a battalion augmented by local guerilla groups along the western flank of the mountain passes. Guerilla attacks on the eastern flank of the Jiangxi forces caused the commander to maintain 2 regiments at Yongxin. Exploiting the mountain terrain the Red Army managed to destroy one regiment as they funneled up the passes. This small victory brought much needed arms and new soldiers who quickly recaptured Yongxin for a third time.  By the end of June, the Jinggangshan base had basically hit its apex in terms of size. They now controlled Ninggang, Yongxin, Lianhua counties and parts of Ji'an and Anfu. At this point Chiang Kai-Shek took notice of the Red gains and directed a new campaign against them. Another series of campaigns were unleashed seeing Hunanese and Jiangxi armies attack the 4th Red Army beginning in July 1928. The Hunan 8th Army began their attack from the west through Ninggang while the Jianxi army unleashed 11 regiments from the 3rd and 6th armies through Yongxin against the eastern border of Jinggangshan. To meet this threat the Reds kept 2 regiments to defend the bases while the 28th and 29th regiments advanced west to slip behind the Hunanese forces to conduct raids against their rear. Meanwhile local Red Army militia forces began a scorched earth strategy removing all food, poisoning water sources and evacuating villagers to deny their enemy. The Hunan 8th army was forced to retreat in the face of this, allowing the Reds to focus on the Jiangxi forces around Yongxin. The 28th and 29th regiments advanced west to support the attack against the Jiangxi forces, but then suddenly turned south towards southern Hunan, citing orders to assist the Southern Hunan Special Committee. Then these 2 regiments attacked the city of Chenzhou, roughly 200 kms away from the Jinggangshan mountains. There they defeated local forces. Afterwards the Red troops began strolling through the streets of Chenzhou as civilians, many of them had families in the area. Some began looting the area. They had made the egregious error of now pursuing their enemy further and gave them too much respite to reorganize themselves. The local forces counterattacked driving the 28th regiment to withdraw with little casualties. The 29th regiment fared much worse, being ambushed trying to retreat over the only bridge leading in Chengzhou. They suffered heavy casualties and many of their surviving forces simply joined the 28th regiment as a result. Meanwhile with the 2 regiments gone from the mountain, the NRA forces were emboldened. 3 Hunanese regiment joined 11 Jiangxi regiments to attack the Jinggangshan mountains. The remaining Reds employed every tactic they knew to survive. They began giving up terrain as the enemy penetrated closer to the mountain base. The 31st and 32nd regiments found themselves retreating to the protection of higher ground, where the established defensive positions along key routes to maximize casualties upon the invaders. Mao Zedong took a battalion from the 3st regiment south to escort the incoming 28th regiment, further weakening the lines. Meanwhile guerillas raided the flanks and rear of the advancing NRA forces heading up the mountain. After repeated failed attempts to get to the peaks of the mountains,the Jiangxi and Hunanese forces ultimately had to withdraw come September allowing the 28th regiment to safely get back to Jinggangshan. From there the Red Army contuined to fight and recapture lost territory. By October they retook Ninggang county and portions of Suichuang, Lixing and Yongxin, but were unable to reclaim everything they once had.  Another campaign coincided with an economic blockade and the arrival of General Peng Dehaui's 5th Army. The Jiangxi and Hunanese forces adopted blockade tactics, normally employed against bandits, to try and deprive the Reds from using markets in the lowlands. Starting in the fall of 1928, NRA and local militias established checkpoints along all routes and trails leading into the Jinggangshan mountains. Local private armies with troops familiar with the area conducted interdiction patrols to capture anyone trying to get past blockades. The blockade halted most local trade, meaning little medicine, clothing, food or salt was getting into Janggangshan. The Reds began subsisting on sweet potatoes and pumpkins, then Peng Dehuais 5th army arrived in December worsening the burden on the area. Simulteanously NRA forces from Fujian were added to the Jiangxi and Hunanese to fully surround the mountains in preparation for a offensive.  In the face of all of this the 4th Red Army's leadership convened a conference at Bailu. The attendees all were trying to figure out how to overcome the situation but their options were very limited. Many called for the same tactics that had been winning them the battles as before. Some called for withdrawing to a safer area momentarily and launch a counterattack when the enemy lightened up. The economic blockade exacerbated the civilian military relations in the mountains and it seemed the local populace was no longer willing to help the Reds. The last option many advocated for was to mount a defense of the mountain range, but this would not allow for any withdrawal route for the 6000 or so troops. Ultimately the adoptd a hybrid solution. The 4th army would break through the blockade to try and draw forces away from the mountains while also obtaining supplies. The 5th army who were pretty battered from their march would defend mountains and base. On January 14th of 1929 the 4th army led by Zhu De and Mao Zedong broke through the blockade and headed south into Jiangxi.  The 4th army at first was only meeting light resistance as they captured Suichuan and Shangyu. After this they headed for Dayu, but there found 3 Jiangxi regiments who ambushed them. The Reds were forced north into the Xingguo-Ji'an area. They marched 30 days, often 30 miles per day to avoid their pursuers, while taking casualties and losing equipment. They found themselves at Dabaidi village on February 10th where 2 regiments of the 15th NRA division fought them. The Reds routed the NRA forces and even captured the two regimental commanders alongside 800 soldiers and their equipment. This victory earned the 4th army a safe place to rest up for quite some time. As we saw in the former episodes, the Chiang-Gui and Central Plains War engulfed Chiang Kai-Sheks attention, giving the Reds some breathing space. During this period, Mao Zedong and Zhu De expanded that is referred to as the Jiangxi Soviet. They did so through a series of campaigns into western Fujian. In February 1929 the 4th army incorporated 2 independent guerilla regiments and used them to occupy Ji'an, Ningdu and Ruijin. In March they entered western Fujian and captured Tingzhou. At Tingzhou the Reds got 3000 NRA soldiers to defect. From Tingzhou they expanded the Jiangxi Soviet to encompass over 20 counties in Jiangxi and Fujian. In light of their major accomplishments, Mao Zedong dispatched word to the Central Committee proclaiming all they had done in Jiangxi and Fujian. In May the Red Army unleashed a second campaign into western Fujian, this time capturing Longyan and Yongding. With every successful campaign the Red Army recruits more soldiers, obtained more equipment, more territory and acquired further fundings sources.  The early days of the Jiangxi Soviet were quite chaotic. Despite the Red Army's expansion, in reality they were not a unified force. Numerous factions with their own ideologies existed. The Red Army was an amalgamation of different groups coming together less so of a common goal, more so out of survival. Many of the soldiers were former peasants, but there were also former NRA troops, warlord troops and bandits. The traditions of these different groups, coupled with a lack of education in the rural areas creating a boiling pot of bad behaviors and this hurt morale. To accommodate this the Red Army made itself extremely flexible in the early days. In the early days it was only about survival. Mao Zedong and Zhu De recognized the fact, in a conventional battle the Red Army stood no chance against even a Warlord Army, let alone the NRA. Thus the 4th army created a new political-military strategy within the rural areas to protect and grow the revolution. The first part of the strategy adopted by Mao Zedong was making alliances. It was a no brainer, increase numbers, gain more legitimacy, learn more about local areas, keep expanding. Yet the Central Committee frowned upon being too open to alliance, like with lets say, bandits? In 1928 a resolution from the CCP 6th Party Congress called for expelling bandits from the Red Army, but this obviously ran counter to everything going on in Jinggangshan. To remedy this, Mao Zedong simply did not comply and vetoed any plans made against the bandit leaders such as Yuan and Wang. The second strategy was adapting communist policies to local conditions. Contrary to the CCP guidance of attacking landlords and rich peasants, the Red Army tended to just attack those disliked by the local community. They often would avoid attacking popular landlords or rich peasants because it could endanger local support. Instead they would use propaganda and negotiations to win over such popular figures. Yet over time the strategies changed from survival to expansion. Mao Zedong described the CCP expansion to come in a series of waves. He believed a systematic development of rural Soviets was an effective way to encircle cities and create the conditions necessary for revolution.  To survive and expand the Red Army had to create a new way to fight their superior enemies. A famous slogan “the enemy advances, we retreat”, became doctrine quickly. The Red Army combined mobile warfare, guerilla warfare and propaganda against their rival the KMT. During the Jingangshan and Jiangxi Soviet period, guerilla warfare was the mainstay. It's purpose was not to gain victory, but to gain time, so the CCP could continue growing. The Red Army in Jinggangshan and Jiangxi focused on small-unit tactics, emphasizing scouting, patrolling, ambushing, mobility and so on. Most guerilla units were local militia units trained by Red Army officers, many of whom were also political leaders. They always sought to meet the enemy via ambush, during a raid, a feint attack or attacks to the rear and flank. Yet the Red Army did often find itself facing those like the NRA in conventional warfare. For these engagements it tended to be done only by the professional Red Army units. A major issue facing the Reds was logistics. They were guests in most of the areas they occupied and had to abide by the local customs. They also could not consume all the local resources in an area, it would hinder growth and foster resentment. Thus the Red Army had to make sure they gained as much as possible from battle. The capture of Tingzhou in 1929 was essentially an economic choice. There the Red Army captured 2 arsenals and a clothing factory. The Red Army also focused strongly on propaganda. Early on propaganda teams were created, each assigned 5 soldiers. These teams had one oratory section and one product section. The oratory section was responsible for spreading propaganda in village markets, centers and halls. The products section was responsible for creating propaganda products. They would go around towns placing up signs and banners to increase awareness. Typically in a month the propaganda teams would hold a large mass rally in the center part of town to vie for local support. They would try to tailor their messaging to meet the local needs. These efforts would help recruitment, elicit support and differentiate them from the run of the mill bandits. If the conditions became ripe and a local populace was sufficiently agitated by social inequalities, the Red Army leaders would make a call for action to topple the local government and push the people to create their own. The Red Army was very careful on who to replace in such situations as the local leadership typically proved useful at transitioning. The Red Army had a selective way of executing key leaders who would be the most troublesome towards their communist needs.  When a new local government sprung up, the CCP would entice everyone to join the Red Army. This saw people join different parts of the Red Army. For teenagers there was the communist youth organization which was basically a feeder unit into the Red Army. The Red Guard was a local militia group that protected the community and supplemented the Red Army when needed. Those who proved themselves capable could join the Red Army proper. The Red Army instituted a series of organizational changes to establish loyalty to the CCP and allow for a dispersion of forces. Initially the Red Army applied the Russian Soviet and NRA models, but changes were necessary to meet local conditions. When the 4th Red Army captured Sanwan, Mao Zedong established party rule over the army by using party representatives and soldier soviets. The party representatives and army leaders held equal footing, allowing for both to have greater oversight into the issues and concerns of the other. It was commonplace in Warlord armies and the NRA for soldiers to be abused. This quasi democratization allowed soldiers to have a greater voice. On June 22nd of 1929 the 4th Red Army held their 7th representative congress in Longyan. Mao Zedong spoke much of party control over the military, ruffling a lot of feathers and would contribute to his failure at becoming the Front Committee secretary General that year. In the wake of that loss, Mao Zedong departed for Fujian to assist the mass mobilization going on over there whence he became quite ill. During that period, Chen Yi representing the 4th Red Army in Shanghai reported to the Central Committee. Based on his reports they authorized political communist control over the Red Army units. At least vindicated that his ideas were accepted, Mao Zedong attended the 9th Representative Congress in Gutian county of Fujian. Here he would issue a famous statement “On the Rectification of Incorrect Ideas in the Party” . It outlined his views on the Red Army and what needed to be improved. That same conference gave a platform to Mao Zedong and Zhu De to push for further centralization of power within the Red Army. The Red Army had suffered numerous casualties, desertions and received numerous new recruits. Because of this Mao Zedong believed the military structure needed change. There was also the issue of factionalism within the Red Army. Mao Zedong believed more educated and centralized control would help maintain the unity of the armed forces.  In December of 1929 a conference was held in Gutian seeing more initiatives adopted to help consolidate military power under party control. The Red Army adopted the political commissariat system from the Soviet Red Army, placing greater control of the army into the hands of the political commissar. The political commissar had political training, but did not have the same power over political operations. The introduction of former KMT and NRA members into the Red Army increased a need for more political indoctrination. Alongside this the Gutian Conference reiterated the equality amongst soldiers and civilians. Mao Zedong and Zhu De understood the important role of military training for the Red Army. Two major groups of soldiers already had formal training, former NRA and graduates of the Peasant movement training institute. Many of these men were lost in the initial battles however leading the Red Army to be filled with peasants with little to any combat experience. Another issue was the Red Guards lacking any experience, requiring Red Officers to be pulled from front lines to help them out. By developing a competent and trained local force, this further allowed the Red Army to advance outside its borders and expand.  With a lack of discipline a lot of property damage became common. To combat this, Mao Zedong initially instituted three disciplines in 1927 (1) obey orders in all your actions; (2) don't take anything from the workers and peasants; and (3) when attacking the local bullies, turn over whatever you take from them. This was expanded further into 8 by 1930 (1) Put back the doors [you have taken down for bed boards]; (2) put back the straw [you have used for bedding]; (3) pay fairly for what you buy; (4) return everything you borrow; and (5) pay for anything you damage. Mao and Zhu later added two more points of attention: (7) defecate only in latrines, and (8) do not steal from captives. The purpose of such rules was two-fold, to curb reckless soldierly behavior and to not piss off local communities.  Yet discipline alone does not guarantee success in war. The 4th Army held many senior leaders who had trained at Baoding, Whampoa and the Yunnan military schools. But at the lower levels the military experience was quite uneven. The Red Army needed to create a universal standard. Mao Zedong established the first training unit, the 31st regiment training units in December of 1927 at the Longjiang academy in the Jingangshan mountains. Zhu De and Chen Yi would create similar units. Once in Jiangxi the Red Army established mobile schools that accompanied the forces to the front lines. The pressure from the KMT led encirclement campaigns made it impossible to implement a normal education system. While schools were important, for many soldiers the only way to learn was from doing. Sometimes conditions did not allow for the training, and the students were thrust into combat immediately. Mao stated “to learn warfare through warfare—this is our chief method.” However many of the new recruits and junior leaders never received formal education and found classes and training boring. To retain interest, practical exercises were used. By the beginning of 1930, the 4th Red Army had expanded from Jinggangshan to Jiangxi, Hunan and Fujian. Additionally 7 other Soviets were established in the interior of China, demonstrating the viability of the CCP model. For a large part it was the efforts of Mao Zedong and Zhu De that allowed the CCP to thrive. However major issues loomed externally and internally. 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. Mao Zedong had forged a seed in the Jinggangshan mountains the would grow into the base of a new 4th Red Army. Forming alliances with local groups and adopting new innovative strategies to survive allowed the 4th Red Army to expand and with it Mao Zedong's career. Yet externally and internally enemies lay everywhere.   

Send us a textThis month we read and review She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan. Like all of our reviews, the first part is spoiler free.Here's a little about She Who Became the Sun:To possess the Mandate of Heaven, the female monk Zhu will do anything“I refuse to be nothing…”In a famine-stricken village on a dusty yellow plain, two children are given two fates. A boy, greatness. A girl, nothingness…In 1345, China lies under harsh Mongol rule. For the starving peasants of the Central Plains, greatness is something found only in stories. When the Zhu family's eighth-born son, Zhu Chongba, is given a fate of greatness, everyone is mystified as to how it will come to pass. The fate of nothingness received by the family's clever and capable second daughter, on the other hand, is only as expected.When a bandit attack orphans the two children, though, it is Zhu Chongba who succumbs to despair and dies. Desperate to escape her own fated death, the girl uses her brother's identity to enter a monastery as a young male novice. There, propelled by her burning desire to survive, Zhu learns she is capable of doing whatever it takes, no matter how callous, to stay hidden from her fate.After her sanctuary is destroyed for supporting the rebellion against Mongol rule, Zhu takes the chance to claim another future her brother's abandoned greatness.We hope you enjoy the episode!Do you have a book you'd like us to review on this show? Send us an email at badassliteraturesociety@gmail.comIf you don't already, follow us on Instagram and FacebookArt by Justin Miller DesignCheck us out here!

Oliver drops his brand new track with RoRo "Shine", his new HI-LO collab with ZHU "Afraid To Live", and some of the best new dance music from around the world on a fresh #HeldeepRadio! #heldeepradio | https://twitter.com/OliverHeldens | https://www.facebook.com/OliverHeldens

In episode 201 of Resonation Radio, we have new music for you by Paul Oakenfold, HI-LO together with Zhu, Cosmic Gate and more. Join the #RESONATION every Wednesday at 8 P.M. CEST! Tracklist: 1. Ferry Corsten - Resonation Radio #201

Oliver drops his brand new HI-LO collab with ZHU "Afraid To Live", his new DIZZY EP and some of the latest & greatest dance music from around the globe on a fresh #HeldeepRadio! #heldeepradio | https://twitter.com/OliverHeldens | https://www.facebook.com/OliverHeldens

AFROJACK drops his brand new Summer Remix of "2 The Moon" and plays new music from Bassjackers & Wasback, Kaskade & Just_us, Yufo & Amél, Dannic, Danny Avila, Sam WOLFE & HNTR, HI-LO & ZHU, Nicky Romero and loads more on #JackedRadio!

Finally Fed makes a move (they will not be done jabbering though) Storms heading to Florida and Gulf Coast - Natural gas prices jump COVID Shot Stocks - "fun" while it lasted Confidence is waning..... CHINA! PLUS we are now on Spotify and Amazon Music/Podcasts! Click HERE for Show Notes and Links DHUnplugged is now streaming live - with listener chat. Click on link on the right sidebar. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter DONATIONS ? Warm-Up - Finally Fed makes a move (they will not be done jabbering though) - Storms heading to Florida and Gulf Coast - Natural gas prices jump - COVID Stocks - "fun" while it lasted - Confidence is waning..... - CHINA! Bazooka Time! Markets - All-Time Highs - Same saying Goldilocks conditions - Seasonality favors the bulls starting next quarter - Uranium starting to move as people warming up to nuclear energy again - Trump Stock on the move Need to Pick a new CTP Exile - A leading economist in China has vanished following critical comments about President Xi Jinping‘s economic policies. - What Happened: Zhu Hengpeng, deputy director at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), was detained after allegedly criticizing Xi in a private WeChat group. Zhu's remarks reportedly included veiled criticisms of Xi's leadership and comments on China's struggling economy, reported The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday. - The investigation into Zhu coincides with the Chinese Communist Party's intensified efforts to suppress negative commentary about the country's economic health. Under Xi, dissent has been increasingly punished, with critics facing imprisonment or exile. - AH would be have cement shoes if this happened in the USA On The Other Hand - CHINA PROP IT UP - China said it will allow institutional investors to tap central bank financing for stock purchases and is weighing plans for a market stabilization fund, sparking the biggest rally since 2020 for the nation's beaten-down equities. - The People's Bank of China will set up a swap facility allowing securities firms, funds and insurance companies to tap liquidity from the central bank to purchase equities - The CSI 300 Index, a benchmark of onshore Chinese stocks, surged 4.3% to cap its best day since July 2020. In Hong Kong, a gauge of Chinese shares was up more than 5% intraday. - MCHI up 8%, FXI up 8.5%, YINN (3X) up 25% M&A FOLLOW UP - Buyout firms Vista Equity Partners and Blackstone are in advanced talks to acquire Smartsheet, in a deal that could value the collaboration-software maker at close to $8 billion, people familiar with the matter said on Monday. - NEWS: Collaboration software maker Smartsheet on Tuesday announced it would be acquired by Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners in an all-cash deal which valued the company at $8.4 billion. THE FED - Cuts rates by 0.50% -- Seems to have been looking to appease markets - Initial reaction was blah... Unwinding of positions put on right before the decision - Next day stocks soared - “The Committee has gained greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward 2 percent, and judges that the risks to achieving its employment and inflation goals are roughly in balance,” the Federal Reserve statement said. - Last time Fed cut rates was COVID days , time before that was Financial Crisis of 2008 - The federal funds rate is now a range between 4.75%-5% Meanwhile - Consumer confidence in September suffers largest decline since August 2021 - The key takeaway from the report is that consumers' views of the current labor market situation continued to soften and became more pessimistic about future labor market conditions -- a sentiment that could weigh on consumer spending activity. ---- The Present Situation Index dropped to 124.3 from an upwardly revised 134.6 (from 134.4) in August.

AFROJACK drops his brand new Summer Remix of "2 The Moon" and plays new music from Bassjackers & Wasback, Kaskade & Just_us, Yufo & Amél, Dannic, Danny Avila, Sam WOLFE & HNTR, HI-LO & ZHU, Nicky Romero and loads more on #JackedRadio!