Chinese paddler Xie Maosan claimed the first gold medal of the Hangzhou Asian Para Games in East China's Zhejiang Province as the Chinese delegation pulled off strong performances to dominate the medal table on the opening day.
Xie claimed the gold medal in the Women's KL1 canoe final on Monday morning at the Fuyang Water Sports Center, which is also the first gold of the Hangzhou Para Games.
Xie, a tailor-turned-athlete, told the Global Times after the match that sports boosted her confidence and changed her life.
"As one of 85 million people with disabilities in China, I want to tell them to go out of their homes and explore the world. You can also fight for laurels for China like I did," said Xie.
"I hope I can have the national flag raised again at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games."
After watching a dance performance delivered by people with disabilities at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Xie set her sights on showcasing her athleticism on a big stage, and canoeing offer her a perfect opportunity.
Despite serious back injuries, the 37-year-old has been sticking to a rigorous training regime that sees her spending six hours a day on the water.
"Being in a canoe made me feel like I was reborn. When I paddle on the water, I feel like an able-bodied person as I can go to anywhere I want. Canoeing gave me a new life," Xie noted. "Life is about moving forward against the odds, surpassing yourself, and challenging yourself."
In athletics, Shi Yiting broke the world record to win gold at the women's 200m -T36 final with a time of 28.17 seconds at the Huanglong Sports Centre Stadium. Her compatriot Li Sishuang finished the race with a bronze.
"I'm really satisfied, for I pulled out my best performance. Because of the discomfort in my feet, my training intensity was not hight. However, I finally rose above myself at this home competition," Shi said.
"I love you all; my dad, my coach, teammates, and staff who have always been helping me," Shi noted.
Di Dongdong and Ye Tao won gold and silver medals in the men's Long Jump-T11.
Meanwhile, powerlifter Guo Lingling also set a new world record of 123 kilograms in the women's 41kg final.
As of Monday, China topped the medal table with 31 golds, 29 silvers and 23 bronzes, followed by Iran and Uzbekistan in second and third places.
Athletics, swimming, table tennis, weightlifting, wheelchair fencing, badminton, cycling and archery are some of the events in which China excels.
The Chinese delegation topped the Para Games medal table three times with 185 gold medals in Guangzhou in 2010, followed by 174 in Incheon, South Korea in 2014 and 172 in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2018.
Gravity, the inaugural exhibition of the second phase of a youth experimental project, recently opened at the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) Art Museum.
The exhibition showcases the personal works of Chen Mingqiang, a faculty member of the Experimental Art and Science and Technology Art College at CAFA. The exhibition features 14 of Chen's recent works, aiming to present the artist's creative thinking and new artistic imagery.
The inspiration for the exhibition came from a serendipitous event during the artist's creation: A bird flying over a courtyard "left a mark" on a work placed in the courtyard due to the force of gravity, which sparked Chen's creative impulse.
Gravity is a force that humans experience at all times, and all objects are endowed with mutual gravitational influence.
The artist's creative orientation and inspiration are no different. Everything perceivable in life guides the artist in his self-creation.
The "Wide Angle Youth Experimental Project Space" is an experimental field for displaying the curatorial and creative work of young teachers at the Central Academy of Fine Arts. It aims to assist and promote young teachers and students to make positive responses to interdisciplinary linkage, regional cultural research, and traditional Chinese culture through diverse exhibition projects.
Thailand will take steps to ensure safety and restore confidence among tourists, officials said on Wednesday, one day after a shooting at a renowned shopping mall in downtown Bangkok that killed two people and injured five others.
The Thai government has attached great importance to this matter and will implement measures to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said after joining a one-minute silence at the mall and expressing condolences to the deceased.
He added that the government will be working on the implementation of an alert system to notify the public about emergency situations.
In a press conference, Tourism and Sports Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol said that government agencies would work harder to restore confidence among tourists.
The police have encouraged shopping malls and other public places to implement stricter security screening and be constantly prepared by providing training for security personnel, Samran Nualma, Assistant Commissioner-General of the Thai Police, told the news conference.
Investigators initially pressed five charges against the suspected gunman, including premeditated murder, attempted murder, illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, illegally carrying a weapon, and firing shots in a public place, Nakharin Sukhonthawit, commander of Metropolitan Police Division 6, told reporters.
China and Pakistan share a long-standing friendship that dates back to the early 1950s. Over the years, this relationship has evolved into a robust strategic partnership, with the two countries often being referred to as "iron brothers." In an exclusive piece penned ahead of the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, highlights the deep-rooted brotherhood and ironclad relations between China and Pakistan. He not only emphasizes the strength of bilateral ties between both countries, but also commends China's significant contributions to the global community.
By Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar
The tale of China-Pakistan relations is not an ordinary one. It is an account of brotherhood, friendship, and trust, the foundations of which were laid more than 70 years ago. The vision of the leadership of our two countries at the time laid a solid basis for a relationship, which has subsequently been carefully nurtured into a robust, vibrant, time-tested, all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. Pakistan and its people, with absolute confidence, value the relationship greatly, and proudly call China our "best friend." It is heart-warming that in China, the term "Ba Tie" (Iron Brother) is reserved only for Pakistan.
The timeless Pakistan-China partnership and deep-rooted friendship serves the interests of both countries, being the historic choice of our people. Pakistan-China relations remain the cornerstone of our foreign policy. The close time-tested friendship with China enjoys the abiding support of the people of Pakistan.
With a time-honored history of brotherhood, our two countries have stood together, rain or shine, building an exemplary iron-clad friendship. Despite the vicissitudes of times and changes in the international landscape, the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership has grown into a towering tree with its deep roots of love in the hearts of the two peoples. The bond of love and affection that the peoples of the two countries have for each other indeed remains higher than the mountains, deeper than the sea, and sweeter than honey.
Zhou Enlai, China's first premier, once said that "the friendly interactions between the peoples of China and Pakistan date back to the dawn of history." Certainly, Pakistan-China relations are the continuation of ancient civilizational bonds that have existed between our two nations since ancient times. The flow of trade through the ancient Silk Road and geographical proximity brought the two great Asian civilizations together. Monks and thinkers from China made their historical journeys to Taxila and other Buddhist places in Pakistan, painting a beautiful picture of the Gandhara civilization and bringing Buddhist wisdom to China, thus binding the two nations together in an everlasting bond.
The historical evolution of the Pakistan-China relationship, and its growing importance in the wake of evolving regional and global developments, is an exemplary model of inter-state relationship. The unique relationship of more than seven decades, underpinned by the rationale of strong political support, mutual trust, and all-round practical cooperation, has matured into a strong strategic partnership.
I will soon be traveling to Beijing on my first visit after assuming office, to participate in the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation - an event which will mark the completion of a decade of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the iconic and visionary project proposed by President Xi Jinping.
We pay tribute to the vision and statesmanship of President Xi who, 10 years ago, propounded the vision of building a global community of shared future, introducing a novel concept for international development partnership, a new idea for global governance and cooperation, and a fresh approach toward international exchanges, thus drawing up a new blueprint for a better interconnected world.
The core of the visionary concept is built on socio-economic development; with a focus on the elements of inclusivity, common prosperity, and win-win cooperation. It embodies the ideals of an open, interconnected, clean, and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace and sustainable security. As we delve more into this concept, it becomes clear that it draws upon ancient Chinese philosophy and wisdom.
The concept of "tianxia datong," translated as "harmony under heaven," refers to the whole world and promotes diversity, while emphasizing harmonious and mutual interdependence as the means to enduring peace.
As noted by the recent BRI white paper released by the China's State Council, the BRI is a key pillar of the global community of shared future. The subsequent unveiling of the concepts - including the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) - have further refined the concept of a global community of shared future.
Pakistan was among the first countries to join the BRI. As the flagship project of the BRI, the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) marks a milestone in Pakistan-China relations, by placing economic cooperation and connectivity at the very center of the bilateral agenda, making the two countries more interconnected than ever before. The CPEC remains a shining example of the BRI's promise of economic prosperity and connectivity. It has transformed the socio-economic landscape of Pakistan, upgrading modern infrastructure, enhancing regional connectivity, ensuring energy security, and creating jobs.
This year Pakistan hosted a series of events and activities marking the successful first decade of the CPEC. We were also pleased to welcome Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, the special representative of President Xi, in Pakistan to attend the Decade of CPEC celebration event.
Pakistan remains committed to jointly building the CPEC. We fully endorse China's proposal of developing the CPEC as a corridor of growth, livelihood, innovation, greenness and openness - representing our two countries' preference for a human-centric approach, inclusivity, and green development.
Pakistan is also a pioneering member of the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and has played an active role in giving it a more concrete shape. As the first priority partner under the GDI, and the first one to ink an MoU on the GDI, Pakistan stands ready to benefit from this cooperation in areas of education, healthcare, climate change, and poverty reduction, thus making meaningful contributions to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in a timely manner.
Pakistan has also supported the Global Security Initiative and its adherence to the UN Charter and principles of multilateralism and non-interference in other countries' internal affairs. Having long suffered due to unresolved disputes, conflicts, and terrorism, we also advocate for dialogue and constructive engagement based on mutual respect, to ensure regional peace in South Asia.
The Global Civilization Initiative is yet another landmark and timely initiative proposed by President Xi, promoting respect for diversity, peaceful co-existence, mutual learning, and inclusiveness. In a world marred with discord and divisiveness, dialogue between civilizations can be a means to peace and reconciliation.
Pakistan's foreign policy objectives have always been those of "peace within and peace without," as outlined by our founding father Muhammad Ali Jinnah. It was, therefore, all but natural for Pakistan to endorse these key initiatives put forth by President Xi.
In a world marred by multiple challenges like conflicts, economic recessions, food insecurity, social inequalities, and climate change, the salience of the Pakistan-China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership assumes great importance.
It is a source of pride and comfort for our two peoples and a factor of peace and stability in the region and beyond. Ours is a relationship of the past, present, and future, and nothing can alter this reality.
As per our long-standing tradition, we support each other on our core issues. We are grateful to China for its support for Pakistan's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and economic security, and its principled support on the issue of Kashmir. We reaffirm our commitment to the one-China principle and our support to China on its core issues related to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xizang (Tibet), Xinjiang, and the South China Sea.
As close friends, strategic partners, and iron brothers, Pakistan and China are moving forward toward a destiny of shared future. I remain confident and convinced that our friendship will further strengthen in the coming days and attain even greater heights in the years to come.
August 1 marks the 96th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). Recently, the Global Times participated in the "Big Country Borderland" project launched by prestigious Renmin University of China, conducting social research along the Kashi line. Together with the teachers and students from university, the Global Times journeyed to Taxkorgan Tajik autonomous county in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in Northwest China. It is the homeland of the hero Laqini Bayika, a Tajik herdsman who devoted his life to patrolling China's northwestern border and sacrificed his lives while trying to rescue a child who had fallen into an ice hole. While there, the Global Times witnessed magnificent sentiments of the border guards rooted in the borderland, safeguarding and promoting its development. The 314 National Highway is busiest during the summer, and it is a route favored by adventure enthusiasts. Only during this time does the Pamir Plateau temporarily shed its aloof demeanor and welcomes visitors from all directions with its majestic scenery.
Tourists may not be aware that there is a group of people who witness this aloofness all year round, silently guarding the stability of the borderland - they are the Tajik border guards.
Today, they still appreciate and practice their duties of safeguarding and developing the borderland despite the remoteness and harshness present there, as Laqini Bayika once did.
A day with four seasons
Leaving the rich and magnificent night life of Kashi is leaving the civilized world.
But what stands in the way of exploring the strength supporting this prosperity is a long journey ahead toward the west.
The Taxkorgan Tajik autonomous county is located at the eastern foot of the Pamir Plateau, at the junction of the Karakoram Mountains, the Hindu Kush Mountains, and the Alay Mountains, with an average altitude of over 3,600 meters.
It is connected to Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan in the northwest, southwest, and south, respectively. The Taxkorgan Tajik autonomous county belongs to the Kashi prefecture, where the prosperity of the city and the glaciers of the plateau converge constitute the vastness and richness of Xinjiang region.
Driving 300 kilometers southwest along the 314 National Highway from Kashi city for nearly a 6-hour-long journey, people will experience a peculiar transition from "summer to winter." As the Baisha Lake and the Muztagh Ata Peak appear one after another, the snack packs bulge like balloons, and people wrap their jackets tight - the research team has entered a high-altitude area. Rain is not common in the Taxkorgan Tajik autonomous county, but when it greeted the guests from the capital city of China, the temperature suddenly dropped to below 10 C, seemingly to allow the research team to deeply experience the harsh climate faced by the border guards who patrol the area.
Things were not as simple as imagined, when the research team arrived at the Khunjerab Pass at an altitude of 5,100 meters, the rain suddenly turned into swirling snowflakes accompanied by cold winds.
However, this unexpected ice and snow ignited a passion to see and experience more, and in front of the towering national gate, the teachers and students that comprised the research team shouted in unison, "Long live the motherland!"
"It feels like being drunk, but I'm not sure whether it was due to excitement or hypoxia," a student with the research team told the Global Times.
A special family ritual
"Forever following the Communist Party of China (CPC), guarding the country for a lifetime!" On July 28, Longjike Kadeer, a retired soldier, led Afuzi Jiaerman, his newlywed nephew, and other family members to the "Family Motto Stone" located in the border area between China and Tajikistan to make a solemnly oath.
In 1979, at the age of 17, Longjike enlisted in the military encouraged by his father. In 2008, Longjike retired with honors from the position of deputy director of Southern Xinjiang headquarters under the Xinjiang border defense corps of the People's Armed Police.
His selfless dedication earned him the titles of "The Most Beautiful Retired Soldier" and "National Model Retired Soldier." He also served as a torchbearer for the 2022 Beijing Winter Paralympics.
On that morning when Longjike and his family made their way to the sacred spot, it was raining in the Paiyike River area on the Pamir Plateau. Despite the bad weather and the mountain roads often being washed away by rainwater, Longjike insisted on taking the newlyweds to perform a solemn family tradition: Taking an oath to guard the country by the "Family Motto Stone" located at an altitude of 4,200 meters in the border area between China and Tajikistan. It is a traditional ritual for Longjike's family, who have been guarding the border for four generations.
The family is famous for border defense on the Pamir Plateau. From Longjike's grandfather to his son, the family has been serving the country at the border for more than 70 years. Media sources reported that this border defense family has cultivated 53 Party members, 22 soldiers and police officers, and 84 border guards.
In 2008, after retiring, Longjike gave up the opportunity to live in Urumqi and chose to stay on the plateau to assist in border defense, becoming a volunteer border guard in the Kashi Border Management Detachment.
He told the Global Times that his father was the prototype of the soldier Amir in the classic movie "Visitors on the Ice Mountain."
Afuzi Jiaerman is the fourth generation of soldiers in this border defense family. He served in the army in Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous Region and became a special police officer in the town police station's special operations team in the Taxkorgan Tajik autonomous county after retiring in 2020. Just a week ago, he and his fiancee tied the knot.
Longjike's family "Family Motto Stone" is oval-shaped, with the emblem of the PLA and a paragraph etched in ethnic script which reads: "Guarding the border and loving the country is the most glorious. I hope my descendants will guard the border and love the country for a lifetime…"
According to Longjike, this "Family Motto Stone" was set up according to the wishes of his grandfather, Abulikemu, a Tajik militia border guard, and was established by himself and his father Kadeer.
"Grandfather, please rest assured that I have inherited your aspirations. After graduating from university, I will proudly join the PLA and, after retiring, I will proudly join the People's Police," Afuzi vowed, "I have some good news for you - I am married now, and your grandson will continue to inherit the red gene. Please rest assured!"
Afuzi told the Global Times that before joining the army, he also came to the "Family Motto Stone" to take an oath. Whenever there are important events in the family, they always come here to report to their ancestors and take oaths. This has become a traditional ritual for this four-generation Tajik border defense family.
The vow of fearlessly sacrificing
It was already 3 pm in the afternoon when the research team returned to Paiyikegoukou guard station located at the foot of the mountain. Longjike asked his family members to serve hot yak meat to warm everyone. The house was simply decorated, with iron bunk beds arranged in a circle around a central stove.
"This is a house built by the government for the border guards. We have access to electricity and water and new roads were also built here. The border guards also receive a monthly subsidy of 2,600 yuan ($363)," Longjike told the Global Times.
He often takes other border guards on rounds. For him, the most important tradition for the border guards is patriotism which he wants to pass down to the younger guards. Moreover, during the mountain patrols, which are often in remote areas, they frequently encounter sudden dangerous situations. "So hands-on teaching is necessary," he said. According to him, in the border areas, the main force of the border defense consists of the PLA officers and soldiers, and the border police. The border guards are responsible for assisting in the work. Border guards at the patrol points are rotated every 15 days, and those who are replaced return home to take care of farming and herding. In this way, one patrol point can cover an area of at least 40 to 50 kilometers in the mountains.
The next day, Longjike invited the research team to visit his home. He told the students and teachers in the research group that "in my opinion, whether the motherland is strong in defense on Xinjiang region and whether Xinjiang is strong in defense on the Taxkorgan Tajik autonomous county, the county needs intellectuals like you, and I hope you can visit often and work together to build our beautiful Xinjiang!"
Zhou Xiaohui, a teacher from the Renmin University of China, said "Border guards demonstrate year after year what patriotism means. Today, as we have gotten closer to them, we have a deeper understanding that individual pursuits should align with the country's needs, and individual ideals should merge with the country's destiny."
Longjike was in high spirits that day and performed a traditional Tajik eagle dance in his "blue house" (a Tajik traditional civil structure house) to entertain everyone. The atmosphere was warm and contagious, and everyone joined in.
In the small county, there are, in fact, many people like Longjike who protect the country. The Global Times noticed that every household displays the honors they have received prominently.
After leaving Longjike's home, the Global Times went to Bandier village near the Taxkorgan Khunjerab Airport. Kezilikeli Daximaimaiti, who won the title of "The Most Beautiful Family in the Country" in 2019, is a female border guard who lives in the village with her three daughters.
Similar to Longjike's home, Kezilikeli's house is clean and spacious. The gratitude wall at the entrance is adorned with various posters, such as the "one household, one policy for poverty alleviation." The poster details the time of house construction, housing level, insurance status, and water usage in Kezilikeli's home. Under the "employment" section, it is noted "Maintaining stable employment for three people, with an annual wage income of 72,300 yuan." Additionally, there are agricultural income and policy forms of income, which brought Kezilikeli's family's a per capita net income of 35,473 yuan in 2022.
He Jinming, the first secretary of Bandier village, told the Global Times that there are 118 households in the village with a total of 428 people, of which 110 are border guards, and female border guards like Kezilikeli account for approximately 30 percent of the total.
Mula Abifu, deputy director of the education bureau of the Taxkorgan Tajik autonomous county, told the Global Times that "the Tajik border guards are very loyal to the country. Back then, when they were carrying out construction in the border area at an altitude of 5,200 meters, the ground was covered with permafrost. First, they had to use a blowtorch to soften the ground. People from other parts of the country would not come here even if they were offered 5,000 yuan, but our border guards volunteered to participate in the construction, and the women would make nang (a toasted wheat flatbread) at home and send it up." "Patriotic border protection is what our ancestors have been doing for generations. Our elders have personally experienced the development and changes here, and witnessed the country's fast development from scratch," Mula Abifu said.
"Now many people in other countries are envious of us. Some people here do business with neighboring countries, and the people from neighboring countries often tell them 'Your country is really a great country.' After the reopening of the port, they came in large numbers. Even the most common rock sugar is precious to them. This is why our confidence in guarding the border is stronger, and why we can sacrifice a small family for the greater good," he stressed.
The Global Times learned that in order to ensure a new crop of border guard recruits, all parts of the Taxkorgan Tajik autonomous county have their own methods. Taking Bositebandier village as an example, where the village party branch implemented the "training border guards into party members," a system by which border guards who are Party members are trained to become village-level reserve forces.
Grassroots party organizations lead the border guards to make continuous progress, and the border guards drive the masses to develop together.
Through these measures, the border guards not only become loyal defenders of guarding the border, but also grow into practitioners and promoters of grassroots Party organizations in the new era to connect with and serve the people.
Kazakhstan marks the lynchpin for the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), not only because geographically it acts as a key point along the BRI, and has fostered deep connections and conducted meaningful cooperation with China covering almost all sectors under the BRI framework, but also because Kazakhstan was where the initiative was first proposed 10 years ago.
As the BRI is set to celebrate its 10th birthday this month, China-Kazakhstan cooperation can offer a paragon of how the initiative has deepened both countries' connectivity, boosted trade, as well as benefited both peoples and brought the two countries closer. Moreover, it also offers examples of how the BRI's win-win cooperation has stood against unilateralism; how the initiative has broken geographic isolation and brought countries closer; in addition to enabling people from different countries to better understand each other.
As the 10th anniversary of BRI approaches, Global Times reporters have visited a number of countries and regions across Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, as well as the South Pacific, where they witnessed first-hand the success of the BRI and how it has improved life in those countries and regions. This is the third installment, which focuses on how the BRI has been helping to usher in a new era of development in Eurasia over the past decade.
Revisiting the starting point
In mid-August, Nazarbayev University in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan, has already begun to welcome new faces. When Global Times reporters visited the campus on a cool and clear summer afternoon, a number of student societies and interest clubs attached to the university were recruiting new members, attracting hundreds of freshmen to participate. Everywhere, sounds of music and laughter could be heard, signs in English, Kazakh and Russian could be seen, and an energetic and youthful atmosphere could be felt.
Vibrant and highly internationalized - no other words could possibly be more accurate in describing Nazarbayev University. And they are also true for the BRI first proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping at this very location 10 years ago.
The young Nazarbayev University, founded only in 2010, is now widely considered to be the starting point for the revitalization of the millennia-old Silk Road under the BRI. The concept "Silk Road Economic Belt," part of the BRI, was officially proposed during President Xi's visit to Kazakhstan in 2013. In a speech in Nazarbayev University's Senate Hall on September 7, 2013, Xi recalled the 2,000-plus-year history of exchanges between China and Central Asia along the ancient Silk Road and proposed joining hands to build a Silk Road Economic Belt with an innovative cooperation model and making it a grand cause benefiting people in countries along the route.
Ten years later, the Senate Hall, filled with dark wood furniture that are mostly the same as in 2013, remains in good condition. This is because the room is now mostly used only for events like ceremonies and officials' visits, according to a staff member from the university.
Usually, there are more than 200 seats in this conference hall. Around 100 more seats were added before President Xi's epoch-making speech in 2013 due to the high demand from students and faculty members to participate in the event. A live broadcast was even arranged for those who couldn't enter the scene. Xi's remarks were greeted with warm applause from the audience, recalled the staff member.
Gulnar Shaimergenova, Director of China Studies Center, Kazakhstan was working at the Nazarbayev University at the time and directly participated in the event when President Xi first proposed the Silk Road Economic Belt there. "I am sure that the Belt and Road Initiative, which represents the reconstruction of the Great Silk Road of the 21st century, became the most remarkable event of this century. It reflects the rise and grandeur of modern Asia," Shaimergenova told the Global Times.
Shaimergenova said that the implementation of BRI is strategically beneficial for Kazakhstan. "The transformation of China into a key trade partner of the EU has been made possible to some extent thanks to the stable operation of China-Europe rail routes - up to 80 percent of which pass through Kazakhstan. Further development of China-Europe trade relations implemented through land corridors is economically beneficial for Kazakhstan."
The smooth promotion of BRI cooperation between China and Kazakhstan was also advanced by the strategic guidance of the leaders from both countries.
President Xi has visited Kazakhstan four times in September 2013, May 2015, June 2017; and September 2022, the last of which marked his first trip abroad since emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev paid a state visit to China in September 2019, attended the Beijing Winter Olympics in February 2022, and also attended the China-Central Asia Summit in May 2023.
Over recent years, China's relationship with Kazakhstan has continued to strengthen. In 2019, China and Kazakhstan decided to develop a permanent comprehensive strategic partnership.
I am very pleased that Kazakhstan became the first country to support the idea of the BRI, and actively participates in its development, Aidar Amrebayev, Director of the Political Studies Center in Almaty, Kazakhstan told the Global Times.
After 10 years since the announcement of the initiative, many projects have been implemented in Kazakhstan, benefiting our country and the entire Central Asian region. These projects involve expanding transport and logistics capabilities, modernizing industrial and agricultural infrastructure, enhancing mutual understanding among our peoples, and fostering active inter-country interactions at the political level, Amrebayev opined.
"I am happy to say that 10 years later, all my expectations [about the BRI] have materialized," former Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and Chairman of the Board of the Foreign Policy Research Institute under Kazakhstan Foreign Affairs Ministry Bolat Nurgaliyev told the Global Times. The development of the BRI, going through stages, has gone hand in hand with the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, he added.
The decade-old BRI cooperation proves that we have to show inclusiveness by involving countries in constructive cooperation instead of confrontation, division, and ideological divergence in the immediate political considerations, Nurgaliyev added.
Astana is one of the youngest capitals in the world. Yet, it is also one of the most modernized and fast-growing cities in Central Asia. From the Chinese businesspeople coming out from the striking Chinese-style building known as the Beijing Palace in the city center to the city's first light rail system under construction with the help of a Chinese company, they mark the changes that China and the BRI have brought to Kazakhstan's capital.
In Almaty, the former capital and largest city in Kazakhstan, advertisements for Chinese electronic devices, vehicles and even sportswear are easy to find. Locals told the Global Times that from China-made smartphones to electric vehicles, Chinese products are popular among Kazaks. At the same time, Kazakhstan was the second country to open a national pavilion on the Alibaba e-commerce platform and more than 200 Kazakh enterprises are running business on the Chinese platform.
According to the General Administration of Customs of China, the total volume of trade in goods between China and Kazakhstan stood at $31.17 billion in 2022, up 23.6 percent from the previous year. In 2022, the trade volume between China and Central Asian countries registered a record of over $70 billion.
The story of Yuan Zhaohui, a Chinese businessman is a vivid example of the robust economic cooperation between two countries. Yuan has been operating cross-border trade with his partners from Kazakhstan for eight years. He started his business from scratch as the first company in the Xi'an International Trade and Logistics Park to use the Chang'an train to ship cross-border e-commerce goods.
At present, about 80 percent of his company's business is linked with Kazakhstan, other Central Asian countries and Russia through the train service. The stable operation of China Railway Express has greatly reduced freight costs for his business.
Taking the road from Xi'an to Almaty as an example, the cost of freight for a container transported by the Chang'an train is about 50,000 to 60,000 yuan ($7,130 to $8,560), which is half the price of traditional land cross-border transport, according to Yuan. The simplified and easier custom declaration for cross-border e-commerce companies has also served to accelerate the growth of his business.
Agriculture is another key area of China-Kazakhstan cooperation that is vigorously developing under the BRI framework. Located in the North Kazakhstan Region, more than 300 kilometers north of Astana, is the Kazakhstan processing park of the Aiju Grain and Oil Industrial Group headquartered in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province. The company is one of the first Chinese enterprises that engage in agricultural investment and cooperation in Kazakhstan under the auspices of the BRI.
Kazakhstani local Yerkenbek Sidick has been working in Aiju's agro-processing and logistics park since 2017. He has witnessed how his company has transformed from a few Soviet-era grain silos into a comprehensive base with large-scale grain storage and distribution capacity.
The Aiju processing park has built a modern oil processing plant with a maximum annual output of 300,000 tons of processed oil crops and a depot that can store 50,000 tons of grains. It has dispatched more than 200 freight trains to deliver 350,000 tons of high-quality raw materials, such as wheat and rapeseed, from the North Kazakhstan Region to China through the Alashankou port.
More than 10 years ago, very few Chinese companies were active in Kazakhstan, and even fewer showed interest in taking roots in the country and making long-term investments, Sidick told the Global Times. With the implementation of the BRI, more and more Chinese companies have begun to pay attention to Kazakhstan, boosting the cooperation and development of the two countries in various fields, including agriculture.
From trade and investment to capacity cooperation, from connectivity to emerging industries, from joint efforts in fighting against the pandemic to cultural exchanges, the all-round mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Kazakhstan has demonstrated strong vitality and resilience, and the foundation of people-to-people friendship is becoming increasingly concrete, Chinese Ambassador to Kazakhstan Zhang Xiao told the Global Times in an exclusive interview.
Specifically, he gave an example of a large number of exemplary projects built by both sides, such as the Shymkent Oil Refinery, the photovoltaic power plant in Almaty, the Orda glass plant in Kazakhstan's Kyzylorda Region, saying that those projects greatly improved Kazakhstan's industrialization level and benefited local residents.
Aside from economic cooperation, China and Kazakhstan are also embracing close people-to-people exchanges. Those two countries are cooperating in areas such as publishing books, jointly making films, doing archaeological research together and establishing universities… Such interaction between the two countries has laid the foundation for friendly exchange between two peoples.
Famous Kazakh director and producer Akan Satayev is planning to co-produce a film with China. He told the Global Times that China and Kazakhstan are both countries along the Silk Road, which renders them to share a common history and culture. Satayev said he is very interested in Chinese culture, and he hopes to find more common points in the history and culture of China and Kazakhstan and make films and television works based on such findings. "This will definitely bring us closer together," said Satayev.
"The BRI has helped China 'go global' and broaden the Chinese people's horizon, while enhancing Central Asia's understanding of China," said He Cheng, Chief Representative of the Kazakhstan International Integration Foundation. As the understanding of people in Central Asia and China on each other deepens, people now become more open-minded and see the opportunity and potential of bilateral and multilateral cooperation under the BRI framework, he noted.
In He's opinion, the BRI is no longer a link of communication, but a model of cooperation between countries in a honeycomb structure. "With the deepening and widening of cooperation, we are ultimately moving toward the establishment of a community," he told the Global Times.
Brighter future
In 2014, a $9 billion infrastructure project known as "Nurly Zhol," translated as "Bright Path," was announced by Kazakhstan's government. Since then, the integration between the BRI and Nurly Zhol has been constantly discussed in Kazakhstan's strategic and political circles.
"The two programs should be interconnected. They should be coordinated so that what has already been started as projects within the Nurly Zhol should be somewhat supplemented. This will be a better use of the capital of the investment," former SCO Secretary-General Nurgaliyev commented.
In many senses, the development road the BRI has provided can also be described as "bright." Ten years on, this ambitious initiative has benefited Central Asia through close cooperation, including improving infrastructure, providing jobs and boosting bilateral trade. It is now a path that is even brighter than a decade ago and has the ability to lead the region and the world to a brighter future.
Nurgaliyev believes that the BRI will continue to develop. "The circle of participation in the BRI is already so wide. We have now 193 states in the United Nations system, and 152 are BRI participants," he said. "So what better argument can prove that the BRI is beneficial for everybody who participates in the implementation?" the diplomat noted.
On September 7, 2023, the 10-year anniversary day of the proposal of BRI, a seminar was held by think tanks from China and Kazakhstan at Nazarbayev University.
As a participator of the seminar, Shaimergenova said "I am sure that the Belt and Road Initiative, which represents the reconstruction of the Great Silk Road of the 21st century, became the most remarkable event of this century. It reflects the rise and grandeur of modern Asia."
With the support of China, Central Asia now is beginning to realize economic revival as the region becomes a contributor to its own development. By embedding in the East-West transport communications, the problem of continental isolation is being eliminated, and strong prerequisites for intra-regional cooperation are being created, said Shaimergenova.
Cooperation along the BRI has a strong impact on the prosperity and progressive development of several billion people around the world. I am sure that the Initiative will be a good basis for building the Community of the common destiny of mankind, she noted.
The further flourishing of the BRI is a general wish from not only scholars and diplomats from Kazakhstan, but also ordinary people like Sidick from Aiju's processing park in the Central Asian country.
"After our company's seven-year journey in Kazakhstan, now we are expecting a harvest," Sidick told the Global Times.
"I hope that the road of BRI will become wider and wider to attract more Chinese companies to develop and invest in Kazakhstan and drive the two countries' economic development and people-to-people exchanges. I am looking forward to finding my own position and creating more value for my company and the BRI," said the Kazakh young man with a big smile on his face.
Today, issues related to the climate change, as a shared challenge faced by humanity, are receiving significant attention, and climate cooperation has become an integral part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The demands of the ecologically vulnerable and climate-affected Pacific Island countries have garnered particular attention. Global Times reporter Shan Jie (GT) recently talked with Chen Dezheng (Chen), vice director of the China-Pacific Island Countries Climate Change Cooperation Center and the director of the Research Center for Pacific Island Countries at the Liaocheng University in Shandong, to discuss how China, as a responsible major nation, has engaged in climate cooperation with Pacific Island countries in the recent years, the support China can offer to the South Pacific to reduce the risk of and harms from climate change, and the climate change-related demands shared by China and Pacific Island countries as developing countries via the BRI. GT: The China-Pacific Island Countries Climate Change Cooperation Center has been in operation for a year and a half since its launch in April 2022. Under the BRI framework, what achievements have been made so far, and what plans are underway for further work?
Chen: Since its establishment, the center has organized five high-level academic conferences, including the China-Pacific Island Countries Climate Change High-level Dialogue. In June and November of 2022, it conducted two climate change training courses for officials, scholars, and technical personnel from Pacific Island countries (PICs).
The center has also signed cooperation memoranda and strategic cooperation agreements with institutions such as the University of the South Pacific, the National University of Samoa, the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Atmospheric Physics, and the Ministry of Natural Resources' Second Institute of Oceanography. It has established an atmospheric environment and source analysis laboratory, meteorological stations, and 10 research teams, including those focused on integrated photovoltaic and wind energy generation.
Additionally, it has implemented small-scale climate aid projects for PICs and undertook a 2 million yuan ($280,000) agricultural planting technology project in Tonga. The head of the climate center also visited PICs to introduce the progress of related work to various sectors in those countries. The center also hosted visits by prominent leaders from island countries, including the Speaker of the Parliament of Vanuatu and the Minister of Internal Affairs of Kiribati.
GT: What are the highlights of the cooperation on climate affairs between China and the PICs with the BRI?
Chen: China places great importance on the unique circumstances and concerns of PICs regarding climate change and is committed to helping these countries enhance their climate change resilience. China is dedicated to cooperating with island countries on various levels and through various means to improve their capacity for climate adaptation and climate change mitigation, and high-quality development.
In 2018, China supported the construction of a China-Vanuatu marine joint observation station, continuing collaborative efforts in ocean observation and disaster risk reduction with Vanuatu. To further advance maritime cooperation between China and Vanuatu, China's National Marine Technology Center, in collaboration with the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department (VMGD) and the Public Works Department (PWD), jointly planned the construction of Phase II of the China-Vanuatu joint observation station, including a meteorological station. The meteorological station's designs have been completed, and progress is being made in the construction of meteorological infrastructure.
China's National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center (The Tsunami Advisory Center of the Ministry of National Resources) utilizes the national ocean forecasting and warning platform to continuously track and analyze global undersea earthquakes and tsunami monitoring data, providing ocean disaster warning and alert services. In 2023, the center issued tsunami alerts for the Kermadec Islands waters of New Zealand, the waters of Tonga, the southern waters of the Fiji Islands, the New Caledonia waters, and the waters of Papua New Guinea, thereby assisting PICs in safeguarding against marine disasters.
Through initiatives such as the "The Marine Scholarship of China," China has provided scholarship opportunities in marine, environmental, and climate-related areas to PICs. This aligns with China's commitment to offer 2,500 government scholarship opportunities to PICs from 2020 to 2025.
GT: In August, you attended the Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) High-Level Dialogue on Climate Change in Suva, the capital of Fiji, and conducted visits to countries like Kiribati and Tonga. From your understanding, what impact has climate change had on the local people's livelihoods and production? Are you also aware of the local perspectives on climate change?
Chen: After engaging with government departments and academic institutions in countries like Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Kiribati, and others, we have learned that climate change has led to various natural disasters such as high temperatures, floods, droughts and storms, causing damage to the homes of the island nations' residents, reducing their incomes, and affecting their livelihoods significantly.
The interviewees of our research unanimously acknowledged the clear effects of global warming and believe that the intensity and frequency of natural disasters have increased over the last five years.
At the same time, the interviewees all recognized the helpful role of China's assistance in the island nations' efforts to address climate change. Regarding areas of assistance that should be strengthened in the future, more than half of the interviewees suggested enhancing vocational training, disaster relief supplies, and coastal zone planning and management. Over one-third of the interviewees believed that support should be increased in higher education, research facilities, research projects, financial aid, infrastructure, and technology transfer.
GT: The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP28) is scheduled to be held in the United Arab Emirates from November 30 to December 12. In terms of climate change, what are the demands of PICs? Have these demands received sufficient attention from developed countries?
Chen: The Pacific island region is one of the most severely affected areas by climate change, characterized by significant environmental sensitivity and vulnerability. Global climate change profoundly affects their right to survival and development. Global climate governance is crucial for the sustainable development of PICs. Over the years, PICs have consistently voiced their concerns on the international stage, advocated for a voice in global climate governance, presented their demands and requests for participation in global climate governance, and continuously pushed for the implementation of climate governance policies and measures in their region. They have become an important force that cannot be ignored in global climate governance.
China has taken into account the demands of island countries in addressing climate change and provided targeted climate governance assistance. However, as a vulnerable group in the international community, PICs still face some challenges in climate governance: Lack of sufficient international discourse power; limited economic capacity and insufficient funding for climate change adaptation; lagging infrastructure development for climate change adaptation; lack of core climate change technologies, and the need for further strengthening of their own efforts in climate governance. GT: What are the paths for China climate governance collaboration with PICs?
Chen: China, as a responsible major nation in the field of climate governance, particularly in its determination and actions in addressing climate change, has instilled hope and bolstered confidence in island countries' efforts to combat climate change. China's principles of green development and sustainability within its ecological civilization construction align closely with the climate change objectives of PICs. The future of climate cooperation between China and the PICs holds even greater promise, facilitating the advancement of the China-PICs community of shared future.
In driving the process of climate cooperation with PICs, China should adopt a strategic approach that combines post-disaster management and source control, and interconnects short and medium- to long-term goals.
Guided by the principle of "harmonious coexistence between humans and nature," China and the PICs could strengthen the exchange and mutual learning of climate governance concepts.
China and island countries should advance high-quality BRI cooperation to enhance disaster protection infrastructure in island countries. China has emphasized the alignment of the BRI initiative with strategic goals, including practical infrastructure cooperation related to natural disasters such as storm surge protection. Exploring ways to enhance disaster resilience in island countries, including the planning and construction of disaster-resistant infrastructure like storm surge barriers and monitoring stations, water storage facilities to combat drought, and improved building standards, is essential.
China could support island nations in developing new energy sources. China encourages enterprises in the solar power and wind power sectors to "go global" and promote the development of exemplary green energy projects. Through flexible cooperation in green industry investment, China aims to help island nations address their energy needs sustainably.
Under the framework of South-South cooperation on climate change, China has allocated approximately 1.1 billion yuan in recent years to provide energy-efficient and new energy products and equipment to developing countries. China possesses technical expertise and operational experience in photovoltaic, tidal, and wave energy generation, as well as small-scale integrated energy solutions. It is recommended to assist island countries in assessing their suitability for solar, wind, and marine energy sources and tailor assistance projects accordingly to their natural conditions and development needs.
PICs have vast exclusive economic zones spanning over 30 million square kilometers, holding tremendous potential for blue economic development. China has actively promoted high-quality, green, and low-carbon development in the marine economy, with advanced expertise in seawater aquaculture and marine ranch construction. China has also established a comprehensive marine spatial planning technology system, which can assist PICs in achieving sustainable development that is low-carbon and environmentally friendly in various aspects.
At the recent G20 summit, the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) backed by the US, Europe and India under the Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment was announced. This corridor aims to connect Europe, the Middle East and India with rail and shipping routes.
With Biden calling it a "really big deal" and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan describing the project as "transformative," the project has already been described as one that counters China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which has been signed up to by the majority of the world.
However, the working group tasked with drawing up a fuller plan, over the next sixty days, will have to confront some harsh economic realities relating to funding, material capabilities and the ideological outlook of the main countries involved.
When it comes to funding, let's not forget that the Build Back Better Plan undertaken by the G7 in 2021 to counter the BRI was consigned to the dustbin of history the same year it was announced.
The $1.7 trillion package (less than two years of US defense spending) was considered too costly.
Railway linking India, the Middle East and Europe would be the center piece of the IMEC. When it comes to infrastructure, the US and India do not set good examples for others to follow, yet they expect to compete with China which has first-rate infrastructure. Rather than build something abroad, based on hegemonic competition against China, it would be better for the US and India to demonstrate they can solve the basic democratic infrastructural needs of their citizens first.
Even if internal infrastructural issues and financing can somehow be overcome, the ideological attitude of maintaining economic hegemony that the West holds toward the Global South acts as a barrier to the IMEC. Only with gunship diplomacy could the US force states to buy exclusively from expensive Western companies. Even then, many components will be sourced from China.
At any rate, we are in a multi-polar world now. The Saudi-Iran rapprochement, the enlargement of BRICS, and the good relations in the region toward Russia and China show that the Middle East refuses to take sides and will trade with all. Another Iraqi-style invasion in the region to maintain US-led economic predominance would be foolhardy, as such, the West must be competitive in the market.
Currently, Saudi Arabia is choosing China when it comes to rail construction - though this too is an international effort that pulls in Western companies. The China Railway 18th Bureau Group has already completed the 450km-long Mecca-Medina High-speed Railway and is working on the Medina Tunnel Project along with the Saudi Rua Al Madinah Holding Company, Canada's WSP and US-based Parsons. The linking of Saudi's eastern and western seaboard, while led by China, is also a joint international project. This further highlights the lunacy and impracticality of fencing off the world economy.
One of the major forces driving US hegemonic attempts is its capitalist system which seeks immediate profits. This motivation has led to the decay of US infrastructure and a lack of long-term railway investment; a similar "democratic" system sees India's infrastructure in shambles too. Furthermore, much of the Global South remains in tatters after being harvested by the US military-industrial complex, which seeks quick profits from war and sees development as a threat to its economic hegemony.
In contrast, The BRI is premised on long-term social economic planning. Some projects will not be profitable for decades - many will provide immense social-economic benefits but no profit extraction for private capital. China's socialist system subordinates capital for the democratic good of society and it's because of this that it has the world's largest high-speed rail network, which it can then sell abroad at competitive prices.
In an attempt to conceal China's governing advantages and foresight, the corporate press labels Chinese-involved projects that don't reap immediate profits as "white elephants." Indeed, the debt trap narrative has been constructed to conceal the BRI's long-term planning and misdirect attention from private capital lending, which is far more severe than Chinese loans and the source of much suffering in the Global South.
Certainly, should the IMEC get off the ground without Chinese involvement and sell expensive Western infrastructure, then it will be interesting to observe the Western ideological apparatus scramble to justify how their venture is superior to the BRI, the initiative that the majority of the world has already voluntarily signed up to. There is still an open invitation for Europe, the US and India to join!
The author is an independent international relations analyst who focuses on China's socialist development and global inequality.
Chinese officials have vowed to ramp up proportion of electric vehicles (EVs) in official car fleets, as part of the government's efforts to promote green car sales and EV sector growth.
The National Government Offices Administration (NGOA) said in an online post last Saturday that it held a meeting on promoting EVs and management of official car fleets from September 26 to 27 in the Xiong'an New Area in North China's Hebei Province. Local officials from 31 provincial-level regions attended the meeting.
The meeting called on all levels of departments in charge of official car fleets to fully implement various policies on promoting EVs, strengthen cooperation with industry regulators, improve supplementary systems, and increase the use of NEVs, according to the post.
The meeting noted that official fleets are important assets crucial for ensuring efficiency of Party and government departments and public institutions. Strengthening management of official fleets and promoting government departments to use more EVs is important work to consolidate the results of institutional reform.
In 2015, China released a guideline on reforming the country's official fleet system at all central government departments. To further strengthen the management of official fleets, the NGOA released interim regulations on management of official car fleets on September 12, 2023.
The regulations placed a priority on facilitating the use of EVs as a proportion of government car fleets. Central institutions are required to make annual plans on renewal of official vehicles, including the number NEVs, and ensure the proportion of NEVs meets requirement.
As the leading NEV producer in the world, China has issued over 70 administrative measures to encourage the nascent industry to grow during recent years, which include carrying out innovative projects and forming manufacturing centers for batteries, according to Xinhua.
According to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, China's new-energy vehicle production and consumption rose by 36.9 percent and 39.2 percent year-on-year, respectively, to 5.43 million and 5.37 million in the first eight months of 2023.
The recently revealed primary plan for China's crewed moon landing before 2030 where China in which attempt to use two launch vehicles and carry out two rendezvous and docking missions in lunar orbit, has drawn attention worldwide, and the China Space News, an authority news service for state-owned aerospace contractors, further explained that such plan would be highly effective in using China's most advanced space technology and more reliable and economic given it does not rely on the development of a special super heavy-lift rocket to achieve the goal of sending taikonauts to moon.
When the US and Soviet Union tried to execute a manned moon landing, the rendezvous and docking technology had yet to mature and it was also difficult to launch two or more launchers one after another within a short time period. So to develop a super heavy-lift rocket to send moon lander and crewed spacecraft all in one go was the easier and safer path to achieve the goal.
But things are different now. The current reality is that to develop a new-generation heavy-lift carrier rocket would take longer time and cost much more, let alone the difficulty. For example, the development for the US Space Launch System (SLS) took more than 10 years and counting, cost reached somewhere around $50 billion and the SLS is still using interim upper stage, the report pointed out.
Since China has mastered rather matured reliable space rendezvous and docking technology, a two-launcher path would be more reasonable and also feasible.
Zhang Hailian, deputy chief engineer with the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), disclosed earlier this month that China plans to realize a manned moon landing before 2030, and the country will attempt to build a moon-based scientific research station, in a bid to carry out long-term, systematic lunar research and verify relevant technology.
China will attempt to use two launch vehicles to send a moon surface lander and manned spacecraft into lunar orbit before they carry out rendezvous and docking with each other. Following this maneuver, the taikonauts onboard the manned spacecraft will enter the lander, Zhang said.
Taikonauts will carry out scientific exploration and sample collecting after they descend to the moon's surface using the lander. After completing all preset missions, they will engage the lander to ascend and dock with the manned spacecraft waiting in the lunar orbit, he said.
Then taikonauts will take the lunar samples and ascend from moon surface with the lander that will dock with the manned spacecraft again in lunar orbit before they return to Earth in the manned spacecraft.
A Beijing-based space watcher, who requested not to be named, told the Global Times on Tuesday that China's path of using two launchers for moon landing is no doubt most cost effective, and it fully takes advantage of China's technology strengths in terms of increasingly matured space rendezvous and docking ability which is repeatedly verified and honed in China Space Station missions over the recent years.
Leading Chinese rocket scientist Long Lehao has shown his own vision of China's moon landing in 2021, which also included two launch vehicles carrying a lunar lander and a next-generation manned spaceship for the mission, and the two parts of the spacecraft will rendezvous and dock in near-lunar orbit, before executing the landing process.
But different from Long's vision where he referred to the two launchers in question as Long March-5 DY - variant of the 57-meter-long Long March-5, China's strongest launcher in service, China is now developing the Long March-10 carrier rocket for the moon landing mission.
The new launcher will be a three-stage rocket with two boosters, weighing 2,187 tons at launch, increasing payload launching capability from Long March-5's 8.2 ton to the Lunar transfer orbit to around 27 ton, according to the China Space News, which is equivalent to the US SLS.
Considering that the development cost of the Long March 10 rocket is much lower than that of several heavy rockets in the United States, there is no doubt that China's manned lunar landing program will be more cost-effective and sustainability, the report noted.
