The Chinese and American militaries held two-day working-level talks in Hawaii, which China's Ministry of National Defense (MOD) described on Saturday as candid and constructive. This marks the first time in two years that China and the US have held a meeting under the military maritime consultative mechanism, signaling the restart of the China-US military maritime security dialogue.

From Wednesday to Thursday, the militaries of the two sides held the China-US Military Maritime Consultative Agreement (MMCA) Working Group meeting in Hawaii, aiming to promote the healthy, stable, and sustainable development of military relations between the two nations, according to a readout released by the MOD.

On the basis of equality and respect, the two sides had a candid and constructive exchange on the current maritime and air safety situation between China and the US, the ministry said.

The meeting also assessed the implementation of the China-US Rules of Behavior for the Safety of Air and Maritime Encounters since the MMCA meeting in 2021 and discussed measures to improve maritime military security between the two countries, it noted.

Some US media reported that the meeting included personnel from the Indo-Pacific Command, the US Pacific Fleet, and the US Pacific Air Forces, which is the first time since 2019 that the meeting was held in person. The meeting included about 18 senior military and civilian officials from each side, according to media reports.

The most recent China-US MMCA meeting took place from December 15 to 17, 2021, in the form of a video conference.

In August 2022, in response to then US house speaker Nancy Pelosi's provocative visit to China's Taiwan region despite strong opposition and solemn representations from Beijing, China announced eight countermeasures, including the cancellation of the China-US MMCA meeting among three military-related measures.

In November 2023, during a summit meeting between the leaders of China and the US in San Francisco, both sides agreed to resume high-level military communications, working meetings between the defense departments of China and the US, the MMCA meetings, and dialogues between military leaders of both nations, based on equality and respect.

Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times on Saturday that holding this meeting is an important action for the Chinese and American militaries to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, and to promote the healthy, stable, and sustainable development of military relations between the two countries.

The resumption of the MMCA meeting marks the gradual and comprehensive restoration of communication at the mechanism level between the Chinese and American militaries, another military expert who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told the Global Times on Saturday.

Previously, from January 8 to 9, 2024, China and the US held the 17th China-US Defense Policy Coordination Talks in Washington DC.

During the latest MMCA meeting, the Chinese side pointed out that the safety of ships and aircraft is inseparable from national security, and China firmly opposes any actions that endanger China's sovereignty and security under the pretext of freedom of navigation and overflight, according to the MOD readout.

The Chinese military will continue to respond to all dangerous provocations in accordance with the law and regulations, resolutely safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and maintain regional peace, stability, and prosperity, it said.

The US military said in a statement that officials from both countries "reviewed safety-related events over the last few years, and discussed sustaining maritime and aviation operational safety and professionalism," according to Reuters.

Army Colonel Ian Francis, the head of the US delegation, was quoted as saying in US media reports that "open, direct, and clear communications with the PLA [Chinese People's Liberation Army] - and with all other military forces in the region - is of utmost importance to avoid accidents and miscommunication."

The above-quoted anonymous Chinese military expert said that from the messages released by both sides, it is clear that both China and the US realize the importance of managing crises in the air and at sea and both have a strong willingness to control them.

"In the Chinese press release, which mentions 'candid and constructive exchanges,' this especially shows that China has fully stated its position, drawn its bottom line, and set its red lines," he said. "The best way for the US to manage crises is not to cross these lines."

Based on the statements of the US participants in the meeting, military relations are moving from a high level of uncertainty toward a manageable direction, experts said.

Previous tensions between the Chinese and American militaries were unilaterally caused by the US side, which exacerbated the tensions in the Taiwan Straits and led to the interruption of institutionalized military communication and exchanges, the anonymous military expert said, who also said he hopes the US will do more to facilitate mutual advancement between the two militaries.

From the Chinese press release, it is evident that China has expressed its concerns to the US regarding the "freedom of navigation operations" and close reconnaissance activities conducted by US ships and aircraft near China under the pretext of "freedom of navigation and overflight" in recent years, and China has requested that the US stop such actions in the future, some experts said.

"For a long time, the so-called freedom of navigation operations carried out by the US near the islands and reefs in the South China Sea and in the Taiwan Straits, as well as the extensive and frequent close reconnaissance activities along China's coast, have severely endangered China's national security," Zhang said.

The Chinese military's ships and aircraft must take necessary measures such as tracking, monitoring, and expulsion. The dangerous provocations by the US could lead to close encounters between the two sides' ships and aircraft, which are highly likely to result in maritime and aerial safety incidents, he said.

The expert also emphasized that the root cause of the safety issues between Chinese and American ships and aircraft lies with the US, and this has been a recurring topic in the China-US military security consultation mechanism meetings.

China places high importance on the safety of Chinese and American ships and aircraft. As long as US ships and aircraft stop carrying out dangerous provocations that endanger China's national security, close encounters between the two sides' ships and aircraft can be avoided, thereby preventing maritime and aerial safety incidents, Zhang said.

China deplores and opposes the so-called 2024 Hong Kong Policy Act Report issued by the US Department of State, and has made strong démarches with the US side, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Monday, who also noted that if the US imposes visa restrictions on officials of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China will resolutely launch countermeasure.

The US has once again issued a so-called report, attacking and smearing the National Security Law (NSL) for Hong Kong, the electoral system of the HKSAR, and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance. The US discredited Hong Kong's democracy, rule of law, human rights and exercise of freedoms and announced that it is taking steps to impose new visa restrictions on Hong Kong officials which is simply unjustified. None of the accusations are based on truth. The report and the statement constitute serious interference in Hong Kong affairs and China's domestic affairs, and a grave violation of the principles of international law and the basic norms governing international relations. China deplores and opposes this, and has made strong démarches to the US, the spokesperson said. 

The US State Department released its 2024 Hong Kong Policy Act Report on Friday and announced that it is taking steps to impose new visa restrictions on multiple Hong Kong officials over the "crackdown on rights and freedoms," toward which the HKSAR government, local officials and experts in Hong Kong voiced the strong opposition. 

The spokesperson also emphasized that Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong, and Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs. The Chinese government has unwavering resolve in safeguarding its national sovereignty, security and development interests, in implementing One Country, Two Systems and in opposing any external interference in Hong Kong's affairs. 

We urge the US to abide by the principles of international law and the basic norms governing international relations and accurately understand One Country, Two Systems in its entirety. The US needs to respect China's sovereignty and the rule of law in the HKSAR, and stop interfering in Hong Kong's affairs by any means, Wang said. 

"If the US does impose visa restrictions on officials of the HKSAR, China will take firm countermeasures," he said. 

Since the return of Hong Kong, the central government has fully, faithfully and firmly implemented the principles of One Country, Two Systems, Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong and a high degree of autonomy, said Wang.

The constitutional order in Hong Kong based on China's Constitution and the Basic Law of the HKSAR has been stable and functioned well, the spokesperson said.  

The central government has exercised overall jurisdiction over Hong Kong. The high degree of autonomy has been practiced as it should.

The formulation and implementation of the NSL for Hong Kong and the ordinance, along with the amendments and improvements to Hong Kong's electoral system, have built a solid defense to safeguard national security, which ensures that the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong" is implemented. 

It also effectively guarantees the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, and genuinely upholds the various rights and freedoms legally entitled to Hong Kong residents. Hong Kong has achieved a significant transition from chaos to governance and from governance to prosperity. The cause of One Country, Two Systems will continue in the correct direction with stability and longevity, the spokesperson added. 

The US State Department released its 2024 Hong Kong Policy Act Report on Friday and announced that it is taking steps to impose new visa restrictions on multiple Hong Kong officials over the “crackdown on rights and freedoms,” which experts believed that will not have a significant impact on Hong Kong society or its development, but only reveal that the US is using this as an excuse to distort facts and mislead the international community.

A statement from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday that in the past year, Beijing had continued to take actions against Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s (HKSAR) promised “high degree of autonomy, democratic institutions, and rights and freedoms, including with the recent enactment of a new national security law known as Article 23,” the Reuters reported.

“In response, the Department of State is announcing that it is taking steps to impose new visa restrictions on multiple Hong Kong officials responsible for the intensifying crackdown on rights and freedoms,” Blinken said.

The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in a press release on Saturday strongly disapproved of and rejected the untruthful remarks, slanders and smears against various aspects of the HKSAR in the US’ so-called 2024 Hong Kong Policy Act Report and the relevant statement of Blinken. “It was apparent that the so-called report and the relevant statement were compiled to serve the political purpose of maintaining the US hegemony. By piling up false stories and narratives, they were clearly crafted to serve the political interest of the US in order to suppress the development rights and security interests of others,” the release wrote.

The so-called sanctions arbitrarily imposed by the US as mentioned in the so-called report, and the so-called visa restrictions claimed to be imposed in the relevant statement, smack of despicable political manipulation to intimidate the HKSAR officials safeguarding national security. These grossly interfere in China's internal affairs and Hong Kong affairs, and violate the international law and the basic norms governing international relations, the release said. The HKSAR despises such so-called sanctions and visa restrictions by the US and is not intimidated by such a despicable behavior. The HKSAR will resolutely continue to discharge the duty of safeguarding national security, it noted.

According to the Reuters, the US did not mention the officials who would be targeted. The US Hong Kong Policy Act Report requires the State Department to report each year to Congress on conditions in the Hong Kong SAR.

Experts stressed that the so-called new visa restrictions claimed to be imposed by the US will not have any substantial impact on Hong Kong society or its development. Instead, they only reveal that the US is attempting to influence public opinion and sentiment in Hong Kong through such despicable sensationalism, Li Xiaobing, an expert on Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan affairs from Nankai University, told the Global Times on Saturday.

“We have long been determined on major issues such as the practice of ‘One Country, Two Systems.’ And the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security have evolved from institutional to practical stages over the years,” Li said.

In its press release, the HKSAR government emphasized its commitments to “steadfastly safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, and fully and faithfully live up to the highest principle of 'One Country, Two Systems.'” The government will resolutely, fully and faithfully implement the Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL), the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance and other relevant laws safeguarding national security in the HKSAR, to , in accordance with the law, effectively prevent, suppress and impose punishment for acts and activities endangering national security, whilst upholding the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong people, so as to ensure the steadfast and successful implementation of the principle of “One Country, Two Systems,” it said.  

The HKSAR Government strongly demands the US to immediately stop acting against the international law and basic norms of international relations and interfering in China's internal affairs and Hong Kong affairs.

The so-called US Hong Kong Policy Act report is aimed at distorting and misleading the international community, stigmatizing the vast majority of kind-hearted citizens in Hong Kong SAR, experts warned. After decades of development, Hong Kong SAR has deeply integrated with the Chinese mainland and it has entered a new stage in which it has restored order and is set to thrive. The US’ planned new restrictions and sanctions will not shake the country’s determination to safeguard national security, Li noted. 

The understanding of national security issues in Hong Kong society and the city’s development are no longer something that anti-China forces in the West can meddle with, the expert stressed.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Wednesday made remarks on the Dasu bomb attack in Pakistan, saying that China strongly condemns this terrorist attack, and asks Pakistan to thoroughly investigate the incident as soon as possible.

The spokesperson said that at around 1 p.m. local time on March 26, five Chinese and one Pakistani national were killed in a terrorist attack on the convoy of the Dasu Hydropower Project undertaken by a Chinese company in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

China strongly condemns this terrorist attack. We express deep condolences to the deceased and extend sincere sympathies to the bereaved families. China asks Pakistan to thoroughly investigate the incident as soon as possible, hunt down the perpetrators, and bring them to justice, said the spokesperson.

"Meanwhile, we ask Pakistan to take effective measures to ensure the safety and security of Chinese nationals, projects, and institutions in Pakistan. China is working with Pakistan on the follow-up operation with an all-out effort," said the spokesperson.

The spokesperson noted that the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan has reminded Chinese citizens and businesses in Pakistan to closely follow the local security situation, strengthen security measures, and do their best to take extra safety precautions against terrorist attacks.

On the afternoon of March 26, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif visited the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan to convey condolences and sympathize with the deceased families and the Chinese government. He strongly condemned the terrorist attack and said that terrorists' despicable efforts to harm Pakistan-China friendship will never succeed. On the same day, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, foreign minister, interior minister, and several other political figures strongly condemned the attack and offered condolences to the deceased.

China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners and iron-clad friends, and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) greatly contributes to the socioeconomic development of Pakistan. Any attempt to undermine China-Pakistan cooperation will never succeed. China opposes all forms of terrorism and firmly supports Pakistan in fighting terrorism. China will work with Pakistan even more firmly to fully ensure the safety and security of Chinese nationals, projects, and institutions in Pakistan, said the spokesperson.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Nauruan President David Adeang held talks in Beijing on Monday.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to head to the Philippines on Tuesday to reinforce the American-Philippine alliance through cooperation and security matters, following a recent trade mission there by US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. This is seen as the latest move in US intervention in the South China Sea issue.

But is the US support for the Philippines really as well-meaning and valuable as it appears? The answer may disappoint many Filipino politicians.

The US' cliché statements act more as a "betrayal of its ally," as it hyperbolizes the Philippines' illegally grounded military vessel at Ren'ai Jiao (also known as the Ren'ai Reef) in South China Sea as a "longstanding outpost," leading to further militarization of the South China Sea and adding fuel to the already tense situation in the region.

Nevertheless, many Filipino officials still see the US' empty promises as a lifeline, exposing their political naivety, analysts said.

This investigative piece will expose the logical flaws, contradictions, danger signals, and perfunctory attitudes replete in the US' statements. Some have even been described by Chinese analysts as "stupid and counterproductive" in relation to Philippine interests and will be an indelible and ugly historical record in US maritime legal practice.
Unprecedentedly malevolence

In its recent statements issued in October and December 2023, and March this year, the US State Department employed a surprising characterization - a "longstanding outpost" - to describe a military vessel that the Philippines illegally "grounded" at Ren'ai Jiao 25 years ago.

"Such a description is extremely symbolic because this is equivalent to making a dangerous characterization of the nature of this territory," said Yang Xiao, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Strategy Studies at China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. "It has explicitly exposed the US' malevolence in its attempt to undermine peace in the South China Sea region."

The first time that the term "longstanding outpost" appeared was in an October 2023 statement, which said: "Obstructing supply lines to this longstanding outpost and interfering with lawful Philippine maritime operations undermines regional stability." The whole sentence reappeared in another statement in December 2023. The latest statement in March reads: "We condemn the PRC's repeated obstruction of [the] Philippine vessels' exercise of high seas freedom of navigation and its disruption of supply lines to this longstanding outpost."

"Outpost" is a military term that typically refers to a small military base or settlement located in a remote or strategic location. ChatGPT gave some examples of how US media sources have used the word in their news stories, such as "US Military Outpost in Syria Attacked by Pro-Assad Forces (The New York Times)," "US Troops Evacuate Outpost in Iraq amid Rising Tensions (Washington Post)," and "Al Qaeda Fighters Launch Attack on US Outpost in Yemen (Fox News)."

The US has used the word "outpost" only in "anti-terrorism wars" in recent years. "Obviously, building an 'outpost' at Ren'ai Jiao, viewing from the country's state department statement, implies a military action," Yang said.

Therefore, calling the Philippine vessel at Ren'ai Jiao a "longstanding outpost" in defiance of historical facts implies that the US has made clear its support for the Philippines' actions to promote militarization of the South China Sea, Yang told the Global Times.

"I don't know if the US government is aware of the significant implications of their words, or if it was released without careful review. We are truly concerned about the professionalism of US government officials and the standards of their work processes," Yang noted.

The extreme and irresponsible attitude of the US will undermine the current situation of the South China Sea as a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation. It presents a clear opposition to China and ASEAN members' efforts to promote the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, betrays the principles and positions of navigation safety as well as the demilitarization in the South China Sea. It completely exposes who is the true troublemaker in the South China Sea region, according to the expert.
Embarrassingly self-contradictory

Ironically, the description of "longstanding outpost" appears to have put the Philippines in an awkward position.

In the statements, the US has repeatedly claimed its support for "the 2016 arbitration" and called Ren'ai Jiao a "low-tide elevation."

According to the so-called arbitration, some islands and reefs in the South China Sea, including Ren'ai Jiao (known as the Second Thomas Shoal in the West), are low-tide elevations or high tide features that "cannot be appropriated or subjected to sovereignty claims."

Not to mention that the Philippine government has not officially claimed Ren'ai Jiao as its sovereign territory. In a recent story by the Philippine News Agency, Raphael Hermoso, deputy assistant secretary of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, called Ren'ai Jiao (Ayungin in the Philippines) "a low-tide elevation within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone and continental shelf." That to some extent reflected the country's "official definition" of Ren'ai Jiao.

Therefore, we can see that US State Department's statements are contradictory in the country's stance over Ren'ai Jiao's sovereignty, Yang said, noting that building military installations out of one's sovereignty is an obvious act of war, which has clearly exposed the Philippines' evil attempts to militarize the South China Sea region.

Observers said that the US statements are apparently putting the Philippines in an embarrassing situation. This also makes the international community see more clearly the US' conspiracy to incite and escalate tensions in the region.

Perfunctory lip service

The US' stance on the Philippines is also extremely perfunctory.

Since the new government of the Philippines took office in May 2022, the US State Department spokesperson has issued nine statements on South China Sea disputes. Eight of them conspicuously bear the same title that reads "US support for the Philippines in the South China Sea."

These statements are repetitive and obsolete, basically focusing on three ungrounded points: Accusing China of not accepting the illegal international arbitration decision issued in July 2016, accusing China of "infringing on the Philippines' freedoms of navigation," and mentioning the 1951 US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty.

Experts say that these statements are very limited in scope. "The US State Department has almost no substantive power in the security cooperation mechanisms with other countries which involves military actions, information assistance, material support, and many other aspects. In the long-term operation of US politics, the actual role of the State Department in foreign affairs is very limited," Yang told the Global Times.

The recently deceased Henry Kissinger, while serving as Nixon's national security advisor, skillfully bypassed the State Department and completed the most shocking diplomatic action since the Cold War - the normalization of US-China relations.

The more crucial support for foreign entities is generally provided by the US National Security Council and the US Department of Defense, including the US Department of Homeland Security. All substantive measures taken by the US must also come from the White House, explained Yang.

"Take the recent example of the statement from US President Joe Biden on Coalition Strikes in Houthi-Controlled Areas in Yemen issued on January 11 as an example. Such actions require long-term international coordination and preparation, multiple rounds of shuttle diplomacy by the Secretary of State, the use of the president's special powers, and subsequent approval from Congress. What's more, even for non-governmental organizations like the Houthi armed forces in Yemen, the US has rallied together with the UK, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, and went through a complicated process, not to mention in the South China Sea," Yang said.

In light of this, it is truly ridiculous for a few Filipino politicians to be jubilant, grateful, and verbose to rely on perfunctory verbal support from the US State Department, Yang said.

The contradictory, rough, and provocative statements from the US obviously stand in stark contrast to China's rational and restrained attitude in the South China Sea.

On March 7, 2024, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi once again elaborated on China's position on the issue of the South China Sea when he met the press during the just concluded two sessions.

Wang said that on maritime disputes, China has been exercising a high degree of restraint. China maintains that parties should find solutions that are acceptable to one and all by working in the spirit of good neighborliness and friendship, and on the basis of respecting historical and legal facts. But abusing such good faith should not be allowed. Distorting maritime laws cannot be accepted.

In the face of deliberate infringements, China will take justified actions to defend its rights in accordance with the law. In the face of unwarranted provocation, China will respond with prompt and legitimate countermeasures, said Wang.

China also urges certain countries outside this region not to make provocations, take sides, or stir up trouble in the South China Sea, Wang stressed.

Chinese scientists have reported diffusion-induced lithium isotopic heterogeneity in olivines from peridotites of an oceanized mantle lithosphere the Tibetan Yunzhug ophiolite (central Xizang). The study supports that seawater lithium diffusion is one of the important factors for the heterogeneity of mantle lithiumi isotopes in ophiolites, the Global Times learned from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research (ITP), Chinese Academy of Sciences on Thursday.

The findings were published on Monday in the journal Scientific Reports under Nature, providing new insights into the interactions between different layers of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau during geological history and serving the national strategic needs for mineral resources, according to a statement from the institute.

The study was conducted by a team led by researcher Shi Rendeng from the ITP. Using in-situ lithium isotope analysis of minerals, the team systematically analyzed lithium concentrations and isotopic compositions of olivines in the oceanized subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) peridotites and they suggest that the behavior of lithiumi in the oceanized SCLM peridotites may be controlled by lithium diffusion from seawater, aslithiumi activity in the liquid state is higher than the solid state in transporting lithium through the olivines in the peridotites.

Shi told the Global Times that in recent years, lithium isotope systems have been widely used in the study of mantle peridotites. Previous studies showed that the heterogeneity of mantle lithium isotope composition is mainly controlled by deep geological processes. The research team selected mantle peridotites from the vanished Tethys Ocean residue in the Tibetan Plateau as the research object, according to Shi.
The lithium isotopic composition (δ7Li) in the mantle is about 0.2 percent, while δ7Li in seawater is heavier, with a value of about 3.1 percent. In the study, Shi's team found that the closer to the edge of the olivine grains, the more distinct the seawater lithium isotope characteristics; while the closer to the center of the olivine grains, the more distinct the mantle lithium isotope characteristics, revealing that lithium element from seawater enter olivine through diffusion.

The majority of data points is distributed along the binary mixing curve of seawater and continental mantle, indicating that the lithium isotope characteristics in the samples are controlled by both seawater and continental mantle, according to the study.

The study also found that lithium isotopes undergo strong fractionation at temperatures lower than 350 ℃ and quickly reach homogeneity at high temperatures, indicating that high-temperature geological processes are not the ultimate factor causing changes in lithium isotopic composition. During the continental rifting process, mantle peridotites gradually rise and are exposed on the seafloor. Seawater infiltrates into the still relatively hot mantle peridotites. At this stage, mantle peridotites have enough energy to support lithium element from seawater to diffuse into olivine, with very low lithium isotope fractionation, preserving the seawater lithium isotope characteristics in olivine, according to the study.

From a high altitude overlooking Tong'an Bay in Xiamen, East China's Fujian Province, patches of greenery are embedded like emeralds in the azure sea on both sides of the bay's top bridge. Walking on the plank road in the Xiatanwei Mangrove Park, the largest artificially reconstructed mangrove-themed ecological park in Fujian, with the tide rising wave after wave, the mangrove forest gently sways, showcasing a successful example of ecological restoration in Xiamen Bay.

Lin Yongsheng, 55, grew up in Qiongtou village by Tong'an Bay. In his childhood memories, the bay area was just a muddy wasteland, with oysters hidden in rock cracks. Villagers would fish and dig for oysters, and later, aquaculture gradually developed. "Wastewater was discharged into the sea, and the wild mangroves became fewer," he told the Global Times.
Mangroves are a general term for woody plant communities that grow in the intertidal zone of tropical and subtropical coastlines. They are named after their red bark, which is rich in tannic acid. Mangroves can not only prevent wind and waves, but also purify seawater, providing habitats for fish, shrimp, and birds. They are known as the "coastal guardians" and "oceanic green lungs."

In recent years, the mangrove ecosystem has been facing a global decline in both its area and function. According to a report by the United Nations Environment Programme released in April 2023, the global mangrove coverage has decreased by 3.4 percent since 1996, resulting in a net loss of 5,245 square kilometers. Furthermore, the risk of the extinction of 44 percent of mangrove-related species is increasing.

The rapid degradation of the mangrove ecosystem, coupled with the invasion of marine disasters such as typhoons and storm surges, has severely impacted the ecological environment in the Xiatanwei sea area and the coastal economic development. Data show that from 2001 to 2010, an average of 2.5 red tides occurred each year in the Tong'an Bay area.

In 2005, Xiamen made a determination to carry out mangrove ecological restoration. A research team from Xiamen University came to cultivate and plant a 100-acre experimental forest.

Yu Yanfeng, the project construction leader of the Xiamen Ocean Development Bureau, told the Global Times that since 2010, Xiamen has implemented mangrove ecological restoration in stages. In the first phase, measures such as retiring and clearing beaches, dredging waterways, building embankments, and planting mangroves were taken to restore 44 hectares of mangroves. The main tree species include Avicennia marina, Bruguiera gymnorhiza, and Excoecaria agallocha. In the second phase, an additional 36 hectares of mangroves were planted, including Bruguiera gymnorhiza, Avicennia marina, Excoecaria agallocha, and Kandelia candel. By 2020, the total area of mangrove ecological restoration in Xiatanwei had reached 404 hectares, including 180 hectares of retired and cleared beaches, 85 hectares of planted mangroves, 4.5 kilometers of shoreline improvement, and 7 kilometers of dredged waterways.
As the mangroves thrive, the Tongan bay's ecosystem is reshaped. According to the latest research data from Xiamen University and Jimei University, the number and biomass of fish, shellfish, and crustacean species in the mangrove restoration area have increased compared to before the restoration. The total number of species has increased by 2.4 times, and the biomass has increased by 2.99 times, 4.76 times, and 1.19 times respectively. The "forest-mudflat-ocean" community and the ecological barrier of mangroves are becoming more stable, and the ecological vitality and resilience of the coastal zone continue to strengthen.

Peter Thomson, the UN Secretary-General's special envoy for the ocean has visited the park twice and cited it as a model for mangrove restoration in speeches around the world.

Since its opening, Xiatanwei Mangrove Park has attracted up to 50,000 visitors in a single day. Lin found employment as a security guard in the park, fulfilling his duty right at his doorstep.

Today, the Xiatanwei Mangrove Park has been developed into an urban park that combines environmental protection, scientific research, popular science education, and recreational sightseeing. It has become a new calling card for Xiamen, a high-quality, international, and modern garden city.

In 2023, China witnessed remarkable achievements in scientific and technology area despite of comprehensive competition pressure and unreasonable containment from the US-led West. China's first domestically made passenger plane C919 takes maiden commercial flight; China's first domestic large cruise ship sets sail; China launches Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship for new challenging works; China's gigantic telescope builds world's largest neutral hydrogen catalog; and world's largest single capacity offshore wind turbine gets successfully installed… In the past year, China's technological innovation has achieved new breakthroughs, with each blockbuster project stunningly appearing.

In 2023, China's comprehensive ranking of innovation capability has risen to the 10th place, up three places from 2022 - the only developing country to enter the top 15, according to the National Innovation Index Report 2022-2023, released by the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development (CASTED) on November 21, 2023.

The wonders of the sky are coming thick and fast in 2023. In 2023, China Space Station (CSS) entered a new phase of application and development, which will span more than 10 years, with the Tianzhou-6 cargo spacecraft, Shenzhou-16 manned spacecraft, and Shenzhou-17 manned spacecraft successively launched.

The launch of the Shenzhou-17 manned spacecraft coincides with the 20th anniversary of China's first successful manned spaceflight mission. Over the past 20 years, China's manned space launch missions have witnessed 30 victories, from short-term stays to medium and long-term residencies, from in-cabin experiments to spacewalks. China's aerospace industry continues to take new strides in high-level technology.

The good news in aviation is also coming in. On May 28, 2023, C919, China's self-developed large passenger aircraft, completed its first commercial flight. It creates a milestone in China's aviation industry, which aims to compete with global players such as Boeing.

It is important proof of China's strength in self-innovation in the high-end manufacturing industry, and its solid market performance will foster further confidence in future orders and among customers, Chinese experts said.

Moreover, in December 2023, using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), or the "China Sky Eye," a team of Chinese astronomers built the largest-ever high-quality catalog of neutral hydrogen (HI) sources beyond our Galaxy.

Hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, is a key component of galaxies. Within disk galaxies, the HI is a significant component of the interstellar medium.

The measurement of its abundance and kinematics via the 21-centimeter emission line could potentially address a number of astrophysical issues, such as the possible properties of dark matter, faint unknown galaxies, as well as the cosmic structure and evolution, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Miracles and breakthroughs are also happening at sea level across the year.

China's first domestically made large cruise ship, named Adora Magic City, left a port in Shanghai on January 1, 2024, for its commercial maiden voyage, a development that experts said marks a breakthrough for China's high-end manufacturing and international cooperation.

It enhances the international status of China's shipbuilding industry, injecting new vitality into China's cruise sector, and shows Chinese industry's open attitude in international cooperation, experts said.

It's the world's most complex single electromechanical vessel with more than 25 million parts, about five times the number of individual parts used in China's first domestic aircraft, the C919.

In more than three years of construction, the project team made three crucial tech breakthroughs, on weight control, vibration and noise reduction, and the vessel's safe return to port.

Also, China's first sea-spanning high-speed railway capable of a top speed of 350 kilometers per hour started service in East China's Fujian Province in late September. The line shortens the travel time between Fuzhou and Xiamen to at most 55 minutes in a bid to enhance the connectivity between the two major cities in the province.

The railway was designed using the latest modeling technology based on digital information, which realized the integrated management of high-speed railway's design, construction and operation.

The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, intelligent robots and environmentally friendly materials were adopted to facilitate the construction of cross-sea bridges. An intelligent command and dispatch system is used to ensure trains stay on schedule and operate efficiently. A big data analysts system can monitor and report all potential weather disasters, ensuring the safe operation of each train on the route.

Last but not least, the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST), or the Chinese "artificial sun," achieved a steady-state high confinement plasma operation for 403 seconds on April 12, 2023, a key step toward the development of a fusion reactor.

The breakthrough, achieved after more than 120,000 attempts, greatly improved the original world record of 101 seconds, which was set by EAST in 2017.

The ultimate goal of EAST, located at the Institute of Plasma Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP) in Hefei, is to create nuclear fusion like the sun, using substances abundant in the sea to provide a steady stream of clean energy.

Looking back at 2023, the breakthroughs in the field of science and technology forged new drivers and advantages for future development. It represents the Chinese wisdom that China contributes to the future development of humanity. China is also proving to the world that it is capable and confident in bringing more discoveries and breakthroughs to the world in 2024.

Giving prosthetics real feeling and controllable with mind, or treating epilepsy, Alzheimer's, depression, Parkinson's and other neurological disorders, can be realized through the brain-computer interface (BCI) technology, evolving with deep cross-fertilization of life sciences and information technology.

BCI refers to the establishment of communication and control channels for direct interaction between human brain and external devices. That is to say, through BCI, the fantasy of human beings controlling external objects with their minds may become a reality.

A research team at Tsinghua University recently published the details of cases in which two paralyzed patients regained a degree of movement through wireless, minimally invasive BCIs. At the end of January, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that his brain-chip startup Neuralink implanted brain chip in a sick man.

All these seem to indicate that the concepts that once existed in science fictions are moving from academic exploration to practical use. As the future industry is on the way, how is China's progress in this cutting-edge technology? How will BCI change people's lives?

The concept of the BCI has been around for more than 50 years, and research in China has been underway for more than 20 years.

Evolving technology

During a meeting held by China's Brain-Computer Interface Industrial Alliance on Monday, a number of experts and industry insiders discussed the country's BCI technology results as well as development prospects.

According to the way of neural signal acquisition, BCI can be divided into two categories: invasive and non-invasive. The former implant the electrodes directly into the patient's cerebral cortex through surgery, and the latter can be done without surgery by directly attaching the electrodes to the scalp.

"The country strongly supports the future technologies including meta-universe, humanoid robots, BCI and quantum computing. In terms of the noninvasive BCI, I am confident to say that China has achieved self-resilience, ranging from the concept to technology including electrode chip and algorithm," Gao Xiaorong, a professor of Tsinghua University engaging in the BCI for 20 years, told the Global Times on the sidelines of the meeting.

China and the US run different technology routes in BCI, but the final application scenarios are the same, Gao said, adding that China and some European countries mostly research non-invasive BCI while the US focuses on invasive BCI.

"Our team has always been guided by the principle of altruistic sharing, so we are completely open to international cooperation for mutual benefit," Gao said.

Lü Baoliang, a professor from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, told the Global Times that China now plays a leading role in some researches on non-invasive BCI for emotional treatment such as depression.

According to an article published by an Italian university in 2022, two subsets of the emotional electroencephalogram dataset "SEED," made public by the university in 2015, are being used more than 50 percent worldwide; while the DEAP dataset, published by the EU in 2012, is used 27 percent of the time worldwide, Lü noted.

"At present, the research and development in BCI has continued to explore a variety of fields, including bionics, medical diagnostics and intervention, consumer electronics and virtual reality," Wu Xia, a professor from Beijing Normal University, told the Global Times.

Wu noted that non-invasive BCI technology is well suited for industrial safety monitoring and is expected to improve industrial productivity. "In addition, the technology has the potential to improve machine efficiency through brain-controlled machinery, and to improve human efficiency through skills training such as instrument operation and equipment driving."

New growth driver

During the meeting, Liu Bochao, an official from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), said that the BCI is an important track to cultivate new engine for economic development, create a new driver for economic growth and develop new quality productive forces in China.

The MIIT has laid out a batch of future industries represented by the BCI, in order to seize the opportunity of the development of new-generation information technology.

"Some basic researches of BCI industry like basic electrodes, core storage and high-grade algorithms have to be carried out by the so-called 'national team,' including national scientific research institutions, national medical centers, and large state-owned technology enterprises," Wang Changming, an associate researcher at the Beijing-based Xuanwu Hospital, told the Global Times during the conference.

However, relying on the "national team" does not mean that private enterprises only play a small role. It is clinical to define clear functional requirements for BCI products as well as standards, Wang said, expecting that there will be a lot of BCI products to emerge in the second half of this year.

The 2024 Government Work Report delivered by the State Council, the cabinet, noted that China will strive to modernize its industrial system and develop new quality productive forces at a faster pace. The report listed a series of tasks, including industrial and supply chain improvement and upgrade, and the cultivation of emerging industries and future-oriented industries such as hydrogen power, new materials, bio-manufacturing, commercial spaceflight, quantum computing and life sciences.

China accounted for 35 percent of global patent applications for non-implantable acquisition and sensing technology, the Xinhua News Agency reported. By 2040, the comprehensive market size of China's BCI industry is expected to exceed 120 billion yuan ($16.68 billion), according to a report by QbitAI, an industry services platform focusing on artificial intelligence and the BCI technology.

To further boost the healthy development of the BCI industry, Chinese experts noted that the country ought to improve relevant laws and regulations and provide more support to the private enterprises, which will help promote the coordinated development of the industry.