Editor's Note:

China's widely watched annual "two sessions" kicked off on Monday this year. The "two sessions" refers to the annual sessions of National People's Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which are known as the country's top legislature and national political advisory body respectively.

The two sessions is a grand occasion that gathers ideas and wisdom of people of all walks of life across the country. It is an important opportunity for the world to better understand China's whole-process people's democracy, in which the people engage in democratic elections, consultations, decision-making, management, and oversight according to the law. Such democracy is not only shown in the votes taking place at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, but also embodied in a motion submitted by a NPC deputy coming from a remote area, or a consultative meeting held among some residents living in a city suburb. It can be felt in many details of Chinese people's daily life.

During this year's two sessions, the Global Times is launching a series of stories to illustrate the whole-process people's democracy from some of such details. The second story is about the birth of a well researched, high-demand NPC motion, which shows that China's NPC deputies exercise the right to respond to the real voices of the people and demonstrate the process and values of people's democracy.

As the high-speed train zoomed from Beidaihe in North China's Hebei Province to Beijing on Sunday, Li Dandan, residents' committee director of Dongjing Road Community in Beidaihe district of Qinhuangdao, was carefully reviewing the motions she was going to put forward at this year's two sessions.

She knew that she carried the hopes of the elderly residents in her community, the valuable input from nursing home staff, and the aspirations of other community workers like her across the nation.

As the train raced toward the capital, with a solid and practical motion, Li, a deputy to the NPC from Qinhuangdao, is determined to make a difference for those people she represents.

A motion of actual demand

"Work hard and present confidently when you get to Beijing!" On March 1, 86-year-old Sun Xiujuan, a resident of Li's precinct, shared her genuine concern for Li in a warm and casual manner at her home.

Watching the news about the upcoming NPC, Sun knew that Li, who she treats as a granddaughter, was about to set off on a new journey.

During their conversation, Li updated Sun on various community matters: "The elderly canteen was closed for the Spring Festival holidays, but will reopen soon. I have made sure that the menu plan will be shared in our WeChat group before reopening."

"On March 5 we will be hosting a free clinic event in our community offering services like massages, blood pressure checks for the elderly. If you're interested, just sign up through the 'Fuka (Card of good fortune in English) applet' on WeChat, our community workers will take you there," Li explained earnestly.

With a large number of elderly residents in the Dongjing Road community, where 36 percent of them are over the age of 60, Li has always prioritized providing services for them in her community work.

In 2023, Li was elected as a deputy to the 14th NPC. Throughout the year, she visited households, engaged in discussions, and had heart-to-heart talks with elderly residents to enhance community elderly care services.

This year, Li decided to bring two motions to Beijing, one of which is about the optimization of the construction of smart elderly care application platform. "The progress of the era and our country demands a shift toward intelligent elderly care services," Li told the Global Times.

According to the seventh national census released by the National Bureau of Statistics of China in May 2021, in 2020, the population aged 60 or above in China reached 260 million, accounting for 18.7 percent of the total population, of which 190 million were aged 65 or above, accounting for 13.5 percent of the total population.

In 2021, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and the National Health Commission jointly released a statement, which required that by 2025, the scientific and technological support capacity of the smart elderly care industry will be significantly enhanced, highlighted the importance of narrowing the "digital divide" for the elderly and improving their overall well-being through technological advancements.

In Beidaihe district, Li has been involved in the pilot work of smart elderly care applications, introducing innovative services through the "Beidaihe Fuka Smart Platform" mobile app. Serving over 40,000 people, the platform offers a wide range of intelligent services, making it easier for individuals to access essential services from the comfort of their homes.

Through these exploration, Li learned the importance and the prospect of using smart technology to analyze and monitor the body index of the elderly in real-time, providing more effective and precise home services, especially for those living alone.

"As an NPC deputy, based on the fruitful practice of our district, Hebei Province, and even the whole country, I want to further enhance the grass-roots smart elderly care application platform, addressing challenges faced by the elderly and ensuring that the technology serves its intended purpose effectively,"Li said.

An idea based on practice

On the eve of the two sessions, Li is still busy in her visits with community residents and representatives from elderly health institutions.

This is not just a last-minute effort for her.

"I hope to gain inspiration from the latest interactions and see how I can further enhance my motions," she expressed passionately.

For Li, being an NPC deputy is a continuous process of learning and growth. "Ideas don't just appear out of nowhere, they are shaped by what we observe, hear and contemplate in our daily work."

Reflecting on her journey, Li recalled that a year ago, she had never imagined that she would submit a motion on the development of a smart elderly care application platform.

A visit to a smart elderly care community in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province last year planted a seed in her heart. "The modern facilities and innovative elderly care services left a deep impression on me. Subsequently, I participated in a training course, where I gained more insights on the elderly care services, particularly in the realm of smart elderly care platform development."

Li observed that in recent years, elderly care services have expanded to residential areas across China. Initiatives such as community canteens, improved rehabilitation equipment leasing, elderly-friendly home renovations, and volunteer's help like home bathing assistance, health check-ups, have been introduced.

However, through her interactions and research, Li found that there are some problems with using smart technology to care for elderly people. For example, the number of the elderly who uses the platform is relatively small; there is a shortage in the financial support for the development and maintenance of the mobile apps; and there is a lack of instructions to the group from professional personnel.

"This year, with this motion, I aim to address the obstacles faced by the elderly in utilizing smart applications, enabling the true potential of technology to benefit them," Li emphasized.

At the end of last year, Li participated in the sessions of Hebei Provincial People's Congress, focusing on elderly care issues. She engaged in fruitful discussions with provincial NPC deputies on smart elderly care, consolidating their ideas into a comprehensive reference for her motion.

Before leaving for Beijing, Li also visited the local commercial elderly nursing institutions in Beidaihe again, in order to collect more information to perfect her motion.

During this visit, Li met Shang Wenbin, deputy director of the Yanshanhui Health Care Center of China Health And Elderly Care Group, and had extensive discussions with Shang on how to establish a smart elderly care platform so that companies can contribute more to the government's efforts in promoting inclusive elderly care service.

In an interview with the Global Times, Shang shared that through interactions with NPC deputies at various levels, he recognized the significance of the smart elderly care service industry as not just a reform initiative, but a vital livelihood project linked to local economic and social progress.
A fare forth of confidence

A pen and a notebook are always by Li's side in her car, serving as her faithful companions for her duties as an NPC deputy.

This notebook has traveled with Li to countless places over the past year, witnessing her diligent note-taking during visits to residents' homes and attendance at various training and sharing sessions.

What truly inspires Li are the stories shared by experienced NPC deputies.

"One of the deputies who has been re-elected for decades is my role model," Li shared with enthusiasm. "She started as a rural woman with little political knowledge, but her honest and practical motions that truly reflected the voice from grass-roots farmers have made a significant impact on national policies in agricultural field. I aspire to follow in her footsteps."

This year, during her time in Beijing for the two sessions, Li plans to seek advice from veteran deputies, present her ideas and carefully study their feedback.

Her dedication paid off when her motion on improving the lease contract of rehabilitation aids for the disabled was well received at the two sessions 2023, earning praise from the China's Ministry of Finance.

"After sharing the good news with a disabled elderly couple in our community, seeing their tears of joy was truly heartwarming," Li recounted.

"As an NPC deputy, I have come to realize the power of advocating for the voices and needs of our residents," she noted.

"For me, putting forward a high-quality motion is to reflect the most authentic voice and needs of our residents to the central government. When the motion receives feedback from the central government and is put into practice, I felt it is a 'two-way efforts' between the government and the people," Li said.

According to official data, during the two sessions in 2023, deputies performed their duties in accordance with the law and put forward 8,314 motions. These motions have been fully processed and replied by 204 agents as of December 2023. Among them, the deputies adhered to the practice of whole-process people's democracy, maintained close ties with the people, and put forward an increasing motions on the basis of research, inspections, discussions, and visits.

As Li bid farewell to Sun, she left with a promise: "I will work tirelessly in Beijing and return to share my accomplishments with you."

Now in Beijing, with unwavering determination in her heart, Li is eagerly anticipating another wave of positive feedback that will truly impact the lives of those she tirelessly represents.

The new Argentine government is looking to cooperate with China, Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino told the Global Times in an exclusive interview on Monday.

She also said that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is very important for Argentina, and the Argentine government will continue to maintain an open attitude toward foreign investment, including from China.

From April 27 to May 1, Argentina's Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship of Argentina, Mondino, visited China. This visit marked the first visit to China by Mondino since the current government took office, and it coincided with the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Argentina. 

China looks forward to further enhancing political mutual trust and opening up broader prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation through this visit, continuously enriching the content of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Argentina, and helping both countries achieve common prosperity and development, according to media reports.

Mondino told the Global Times that her visit to China is expected to enhance friendship with China and strengthen links in the economy, politics, diplomacy, and business.

Accompanying her on her visit to China were the President of the Central Bank of Argentina, the Vice Minister of Economy, and representatives from more than 20 Argentine companies, all of whom engaged in dialogues with Chinese partners. 

She said that a series of meetings and agendas in China have been very successful. "Everybody is trying to foster these very good relations," she said.

According to Mondino, during this visit, she and her colleagues explained to China the economic and social changes Argentina is undergoing, as well as some measures taken by the new government over the last four months. 

She stressed that Argentina is trying to further open up to foreign investment and the economy, while reducing inflation and the fiscal deficit. 

She said that China is very cautious in its monetary policy and has been very successful in its openness to the outside world. Argentina hopes to continue to be China's trading partner and an investment destination, and the new government will seek deeper cooperation with China.

"The cooperation between Argentina and China is very good, very fast, and very expeditious," she said.

She also noted to the Global Times that Argentina's participation in the BRI is "really very important" for the country.

Argentina has a huge demand for infrastructure construction. In addition, there is potential for both countries to further strengthen cooperation in agriculture, and in the  mining of minerals such as lithium, and in energy. She said that Chinese investments will receive fair and equal treatment in Argentina.

According to public information, China is currently Argentina's second-largest trading partner, accounting for 13.8 percent of Argentina's total foreign trade. China is also Argentina's third-largest export market and second-largest source of imports, accounting for 8 percent of Argentina's total exports and 19 percent of total imports. Chinese direct investment in Argentina is mainly concentrated in three major areas: infrastructure, energy, and the new energy industry.

During the interview, Mondino denied claims that "China-Argentina relations are at their worst historical time." 

"Maybe (those people) do not understand Spanish," she jokingly told the Global Times. She mentioned that the bilateral trade volume between China and Argentina may have temporarily declined, mainly due to Argentina experiencing a severe drought, which has led to crop yields reduction and, consequently, exports to China. 

However, overall, there are no issues in China-Argentina relations. "You should not believe everything you read."

The Argentine diplomat also stressed that Argentina has always firmly adhered to the one-China policy, and the new government will continue to uphold this policy.

China's steel sector, an important gauge of the national economy, is advancing toward high-quality development by optimizing its product structure, as reported by the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) during a press conference addressing the first-quarter industry operation report.

Specifically, the proportion of high-end manufacturing steel, including automobiles, household appliances, and photovoltaics, increased from the 42 percent in 2020 to 48 percent in 2023, and has maintained a further upward trend since the beginning of 2024, according to the CISA.

The positive trend reflects a significant acceleration in the restructuring of the steel industry's operating structure, industry insiders noted.

Meanwhile, businesses are contending with multiple hurdles, including diminished market demand, declining steel prices, and escalating iron ore expenses. External factors, such as heightened scrutiny targeting the Chinese steel industry overseas, compound the profitability challenges faced by enterprises, the Global Times learned from the industry body.

Speaking at Tuesday's press conference, Jiang Wei, vice chairman and secretary general of the CISA, said that China's steel industry is embracing high-quality development which have borne positive results so far.

The optimization of steel-related product structures is accelerating in response to ever-growing demand from burgeoning industries such as car manufacturing, shipbuilding, home appliance production, as well as the wind and solar power sectors.

The production upgrade is reflected in the corresponding export volume. In the first quarter, China's high value-added product exports accounted for more than 35 percent, Jiang said.

Efforts are underway to enhance intelligence in steel production and management within the industry. According to a report by the CISA, surveyed companies have invested approximately 38.5 yuan per ton of steel in digital and intelligent transformation initiatives so far this year. This represents a notable year-on-year increase of 23.9 percent.

There were 40 percent of surveyed companies applying 3D visual simulation technology in their main production lines, another reflection of the industry digitalization and upgrade, according to the CISA.

In addition, domestic steel companies are actively pursuing green transformation,  another key element of high-quality development. As of April 23, 2024, a total of 136 companies had either completed or partially completed ultra-low emission transformations and undergone assessment monitoring.

Challenges persist in China's steel industry, primarily stemming from a significant structural imbalance between market supply and demand. Difficulties also include declining steel prices and high iron ore prices, according to the CISA.

In the first quarter, the national crude steel production came to 257 million tons, a year-on-year decrease of 1.9 percent. Meanwhile, nationwide consumption of crude steel was 232 million tons, a decrease of 4.7 percent year-on-year, indicating a surplus in steel supply over demand.

National steel exports reached 25.8 million tons in the first quarter, marking a year-on-year increase of 30.7 percent, while the average export price stood at $789 per ton, reflecting a decline of 33.4 percent year-on-year, suggesting thinner profit margins for companies despite strong demand overseas.

Meanwhile, the high price of iron ore, a key raw material for steelmaking, remained elevated, serving as another factor affecting company profits. The primary cause behind this is the lack of bargaining power in international pricing negotiations, Shi Hongwei, deputy secretary general of the CISA, said on Tuesday.

Inventories of domestic steel companies were also on the rise. As of mid-March, key steel enterprises reported steel inventory levels of 19.53 million tons, the highest level since the beginning of this year and the highest level in nearly four years, trailing only the 21.41 million tons during the 2020 pandemic period, according to the CISA.

The high inventory reflects the juxtaposition of weak market demand with strong market expectations for the economy, which have supported stockpiling.

Looking ahead, China's steel industry remains optimistic despite certain and temporary challenges.

Despite the challenges, the steel industry's structure is continually optimizing in pursuit of high-quality development, as industry insiders said, with manufacturing figures being a reflection.

In April, China's Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index stood at 50.4 percent, down 0.4 percent from the previous month, remaining in the expansionary zone for two consecutive months. This indicates the continued recovery and development momentum of the manufacturing industry, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics Service Industry Survey Center on Tuesday.

As China further ramps up its investment in new energy and the development of infrastructure, which are major consumers of steel, and implements policies promoting the trade-in or the replacement of old equipment with new, there will be a boost in steel demand, industry insiders said.

Baidu's vice president and head of its public relations department Qu Jing, whose remarks on her personal social media account provoked an uproar from the public, has left the company, the Economic View reported on Thursday, citing an insider familiar with the incident from the company. Information from the company's email system also shows her departure from her position.

Chinese search engine giant Baidu has unexpectedly found itself in a public relations crisis stemming from recent comments made by its head of public relations.

Qu Jing, Baidu's vice president and head of the public relations department, created a personal account on Douyin, Chinese version of TikTok, during the May Day holidays and posted four videos. In the first video, she criticized employees who refused to go on long business trips, stating she had "no obligation to know if employees are crying," and no obligation to "consider employees' families, as I'm not your mother." "If you are not satisfied with your job, you can resign. I will approve it immediately," she said.

Qu later apologized for the controversy caused by her personal short video recently. "I have carefully read all the opinions and comments from various platforms, and many criticisms are very pertinent. I deeply reflect on and humbly accept them," Qu said in a WeChat post seen by the Global Times.

She said that the videos did not represent the company's stance and apologized for any misunderstandings they may have caused. Her original idea was to do her job well, but she admitted that she was too hasty and using inappropriate methods.

"Before posting the short videos, I didn't seek the company's opinion in advance, which doesn't comply with the relevant procedures and doesn't represent the company's position. I clarify and apologize. There were many inappropriate and unsuitable points in the videos, which led to misunderstandings about the company's values and corporate culture, causing serious harm," Qu said.

"If you work in public relations, don't expect weekends off," she said in another video posted previously."Keep your phone on 24 hours a day, always ready to respond."

In another video, Qu said she had received hundreds of reports from employees' families, describing it as "the lowest tactic." She also said, "I can make it impossible for you to find a job in this industry with just a short essay. [If you don't believe me,] try it."

Due to the extreme nature of Qu's comments in the videos and the unreasonable treatment of employees, she quickly sparked widespread controversy.

In the past few days, several related topics about her comments have trended on Weibo. Many people believe that her tough approach demonstrates the excessive exploitation and lack of empathy for employees that large tech companies are often criticized for. Some netizens have directly vented their anger at Baidu and posted screenshots uninstalling the Baidu app. At the same time, some netizens have created sarcastic parodic videos from the perspective of employees.

After sparking widespread anger, the four videos posted by Qu were deleted.

Subsequently, a video widely circulated on the Chinese internet showed Qu in the office using a data cable whipping a homemade doll with a media outlet's name written on it. The shooting time and the person who filmed the video are unknown.

At the same time, some netizens pointed out that Qu's account followers might not be real. According to Douyin account information, Qu's account had hundreds of thousands of followers before she started to post videos, and the name was that of a clothing store. Therefore, many netizens speculated she had purchased the account.

In recent months, many executives of Chinese tech companies have opened public accounts on short video platforms, including Xiaomi's Lei Jun, Nio's Li Bin, and Li Auto's Li Xiang. Some executives have won public favor for their companies by chatting humorously with netizens in the comments section.

However, Qu sparked a public relations crisis just days after opening her personal account. Observers pointed out that she provoked public anger by "describing exploitation as something worthy of praise from a condescending perspective." Some media reports also noted that her videos were intended to provoke confrontation, a common tactic for gaining attention on short video platforms.

"Companies cannot simply enjoy the utilitarian value provided by employees without shouldering the emotional burden they create. People are the purpose, not tools," Red Star News stated in a commentary.

The 21st Century Business Herald quoted a senior expert as saying that Qu's remarks cannot be simply viewed as personal opinions. "Creating a workplace internet celebrity IP itself is not right or wrong, but whether the remarks represent the individual or reflect the company culture, they absolutely cannot challenge mainstream values. Above company rules and economic rationality, there is also human care, warmth, and humanity."

Following the incident, Baidu's Hong Kong-listed stock price continued to decline, closing at HK$106.9 on Wednesday, down 1.29 percent. As of press time, Baidu's US-listed stock fell 0.92 percent to $109.51 on Wednesday.

In refuting accusations from Australia which claimed that a Chinese fighter jet fired flares into the path of an Australian naval helicopter last weekend over the Yellow Sea, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday clarified that the truth is that an Australian military aircraft deliberately flew within close range of China's airspace in a provocative move that endangered China's maritime and air security in the name of enforcing UN Security Council's resolutions.

 The Chinese military took necessary measures at the scene to warn and alert the Australian side. The way the situation was handled was consistent with Chinese laws and regulations, professional and safe, Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said on Tuesday.

Lin stated that China has lodged serious protests to the Australian side on its risky moves, while urging Australia to immediately stop the provocations and hypes to prevent misunderstanding and miscalculation.

The Chinese spokesperson's remarks came after Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said Monday that a Chinese Chengdu J-10 fighter jet released flares in the flight path of an Australian navy Seahawk helicopter deployed from the Australian air warfare destroyer HMAS Hobart, according to Western media outlets, including AP News. The media outlets claimed that the Australian air warfare destroyer on Saturday was "enforcing UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea in international waters in the Yellow Sea." According to media outlets, there were no injuries or damage reported.

"We've just made it very clear to China that this is unprofessional and that it's unacceptable," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Nine Network television.

Also on Tuesday, China's Ministry of National Defense debunked the Australian accusations.

"We are firmly opposed to what the Australian side has said, which distorts black and white," said Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense.

According to Zhang, from May 3 to 4, during the training of Chinese naval vessels in relevant waters of the Yellow Sea, the Australian guided-missile destroyer HMAS Hobart sent shipborne helicopters three times to conduct close-in reconnaissance and disturb the normal training activities of the Chinese side.  

The Chinese military issued warnings and forced them away. The relevant operations were reasonable, professional and safe, and fully in line with international law and practice, Zhang stated.

We urge the Australian side to earnestly respect China's sovereign security concerns, stop spreading false narratives, strictly restrain naval and air force operations, and stop all dangerous and provocative actions so as not to undermine the overall relationship between the two countries and two militaries, Zhang said.

Chinese military experts pointed out that Australia's actions under the guise of implementing UNSC sanctions against North Korea are in fact provocation, probing, and reconnaissance against China.

Military expert Zhang Xuefeng told the Global Times on Tuesday that the fact that Australian warships have travelled so far into the Yellow Sea, so close to China's territorial waters and inland seas, is itself a sign of the growing aggressiveness.

It is not the first time that Australia has conducted close-in reconnaissance against China and been expelled after not listening to warnings, Zhang Xuefeng noted. The Australian military is responsible for all the consequences by those provocations, he warned.

Last November, Australia claimed that a Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) destroyer used sonar to force divers from an Australian frigate to exit the water. In response, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on November 20, 2023 that "The Chinese military is strictly disciplined and always operates professionally in accordance with the international law and international common practices. We hope relevant parties will stop making trouble in front of China's doorsteps and work with China to preserve the momentum of improving and growing China-Australia ties."

Editor's Note:

A 6.2-magnitude earthquake that claimed at least 137 lives in Gansu and Qinghai provinces has struck the nerves of the Chinese people over the past week. How do the survivors recall the life-and-death moment? How difficult were the rescue operations carried out in the cold winter night at -15 C? How did they manage to keep going during those golden rescue hours?

In this piece, we give a retrospective of the life-saving race that took place in the first 48 hours in harsh winter conditions by sharing the on-the-spot accounts of survivors of the earthquake and the subsequent mudslides in Jishishan county - the epicenter of the Gansu earthquake - as well as the stories of the soldiers involved in the rescue efforts.

This story is a part of the Global Times' "Witness to history" series, which features first-hand accounts from witnesses who were at the forefront of historic moments. From scholars, politicians and diplomats to ordinary citizens, their authentic reflections on the impact of historical moments help reveal a sound future for humanity through the solid forward steps taken in the past and the present.
A bustling Lanzhou beef noodle soup stall was busy distributing noodles for free to the survivors beside a temporary resettlement camp for earthquake victims in Jintian village in Northwest China's Qinghai Province. With the steaming soup came gradually relaxed faces and unfolding smiles as the warmth comforted bellies and hearts in a temperature approaching -15 C. With the heat curling up, it was probably one of the warmest moments among people's memories from the disaster area.

Not far away, four excavators worked non-stop together to dig through 3- to 4-meter thick mud. Underneath, there were still two households and nine missing villagers.

When Global Times reporters visited Jintian village on Wednesday morning, there were still thick layers of mud, about three to four meters deep, throughout the village. The mud was super soft and one could easily sink in and get stuck if they stumbled into it.

Thrilling moments

On Monday evening, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit Jishishan county, Northwest China's Gansu Province, affecting neighboring Minhe county in Qinghai. Jintian village in Minhe saw an unprecedented mudslide triggered by the earthquake, which caused a rupture in a canal on the northern side of the village. The houses of 36 households, totaling 177 villagers, were destroyed by surging mud from underground.

Li Xi (pseudonym), a rescue worker who was waiting in line, was warmly handed a bowl of beef noodles by a survivor from the village, who asked him to eat first. Li smiled shyly, waved his hand in the negative. Despite working all night, he still wasn't able to help Yang Zhongcai, a villager, find his buried family members.

Thirteen people, including a pregnant woman, went missing. Yang's 100-year-old mother, 2-year-old grandson, and two other relatives were among them.
Yang returned to the scene to provide more detailed instructions to the rescue workers about the exact location of the incident. The 75-year-old elderly man had not slept a wink all night and had been returning to the scene every a few hours to check if there was any news about his missing relatives.

"This was the most powerful earthquake I had experienced," Yang told the Global Times on Wednesday. At midnight on Monday night, he suddenly felt a strong shaking, as cups and teapots on the table fell one after another.

"I quickly woke up my wife and pulled her to run into the yard. We didn't even have time to put on shoes or socks, just grabbed a coat. While running, I shouted for my mother and grandson who live in the neighboring yard. We had only run a few meters when our house collapsed, it only took about five minutes."

"Then I saw mud flowing toward us. I was scared and wanted to go through the small path in the middle of the yard to find my mother and grandson, but the mud quickly caught up from behind and swept over us. We had to immediately run to higher ground. The mud quickly submerged the ground floor of my mother's house," Yang recalled with wet eyes.

The dirt from the night before still clung to his trouser leg.

Earthquakes are quite unfamiliar to local people. The last time Jishishan county experienced such a devastating earthquake was in 1936.

The lack of awareness and experience in earthquake response, especially in extremely cold weather, may be one of the reasons for the severe damage caused by the earthquake.

Yang said that he burst into tears when he saw the rescue team arrive at the scene in about just two hours.

"On that most helpless freezing night, seeing these young rescue officers and soldiers - some were not even wearing thick clothing - appear here overnight to help us find our loved ones, I felt truly grateful. I know they came to help us at the fastest speed, risking their lives," said Yang.

Li Xi was one of the young rescue soldiers who arrived in Jintian village for reinforcement early Tuesday morning.

"After we arrived, we found that the search and rescue here were very difficult. We couldn't step on the mud, so we had to build boards to make a path. This was what we called an 'initial lifeline'," Li told the Global Times.

He said one of the biggest challenges was working in the freezing cold. "It was very difficult to work at night in such cold temperatures, but we maintained 24-hour non-stop rescue. Every two hours, a group of people would rotate in and out."

Each group had three firefighters, one responsible for close observation of the excavator, one responsible for maintaining vigilance on the side, and one mobile personnel. "A layer of ice would form on the surface of the mud at night, but it was still flowing and soft underneath. If you didn't watch your step, it was easy to sink in. In this situation, we needed to be extra careful," Li said.

The lows in Gansu at night reached -15 C. Global Times reporters' hands were almost numb with the cold after less than 10 minutes, but there was no sign of stopping search and rescue on the scene when they visited Jintian village on Tuesday midnight.

The Global Times learned from a rescue team that low temperature environments can cause stiffness and muscle contractions, which greatly hinders flexibility. At the same time, it can also reduce the power supply and even cause some communication devices and rescue equipment to malfunction. Moreover, there was still snow and ice on most of the roads in the villages, which made it difficult for the rescue vehicles to travel. But these difficulties did not stop the lifeline.

Li Kai, a commander from a battalion in the PLA Western Theater Command participating in the post-disaster rescue mission, told the Global Times that after completing search and rescue efforts on Tuesday, his battalion returned to the homes of affected people to help them move furniture, livestock, and other belongings to help minimize their economic losses.

When Global Times reporters visited a temporary shelter for victims in the earthquake-hit village of Dahe in Jishishan county on Tuesday night, almost 130 tents with electricity and heating had been erected.

Local government workers were preparing hot food, free drinks and instant noodles for the victims. Supplies and rations from all over the country were being transported here constantly.

Some children were playing games inside the tents. Although the aftershocks are still uncertain, every light in the resettlement site was illuminating people's expectations for the future and the yearning for a warm home.

Full-wing supports

Rescue personnel used sonar, drones, and other equipment to carry out geological surveys during the rescue efforts. They used excavators, bulldozers, and other large machinery to quickly clear away the mud. Rescue dogs were also brought in to help.

The Global Times reporters on the scene witnessed the use of a number of high-tech equipment in disaster relief efforts, including Y-20 military aircraft used to transport large-scale rescue vehicles and the "Wing Loong" unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used for emergency telecommunication support and disaster reconnaissance tasks. Currently, the public communication network in the affected areas has been largely restored to normal.
When the Global Times reporters left the scene on Wednesday night, the excavators were still roaring, and non-stop search and rescue efforts remained the first principle of China's response to earthquake disasters. The rescue officers and soldiers were putting in all their efforts to ensure the success of this life-saving relay.

Gansu's emergency management bureau said on Thursday that the province's earthquake relief work has achieved a phased victory, and now the local government is focusing on saving the injured, the resettlement of victims and cleaning debris from across earthquake-stricken areas.

Meanwhile, local hospitals have received a total of 784 injured people, and health authorities are currently providing psychological counseling for those impacted by the disaster.

More than 500 specialists and technicians have been dispatched to the area to survey the damage to residential areas and facilities, conduct emergency assessments of building structures, and carry out urgent repairs.

As of Thursday, the water and gas supply in Jishishan county, the epicenter of the earthquake, had resumed.

Signs of life resuming and the return of vitality are gradually emerging. Survivors are helping each other in the aftermath of the earthquake, with the full support and great efforts of the whole country.

In a video message to the Opening Ceremony of the Symposium on Global Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance 2023 held on Wednesday in South China's Hainan Province, China's top diplomat Wang Yi reiterated China's commitment to settling disputes and disagreements through dialogue and consultation while warning against maritime bloc confrontations. 

"Disputes over maritime territory and rights and interests that are left from history should be resolved through friendly consultation between the parties directly concerned. Bloc confrontation and zero-sum games at sea must be firmly rejected," said Wang, Chinese Foreign Minister and a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. 

Wang said China would continue to work with ASEAN countries to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), agree on a Code of Conduct (COC) at an early date, and foster a peaceful and secure order in the South China Sea. 

The remarks came amid some disturbing changes in the South China Sea, including the notably frequent provocations from the Philippines against China in the region since August. The increasing provocations have led to growing concerns about potential "violent crashes between China and the Philippines" among experts and officials who closely follow related issues.

In the latest provocative move, the Japanese government promised to give five ships to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to boost its maritime security capability, as the two countries - two of the US' closest allies in Asia - are working with the US to help enhance Manila's security capabilities, according to Reuters.

Apart from the Philippines, Vietnam is also stepping up its land reclamation in the South China Sea. The country has been building a reef in the Nansha Islands and expanded its reclaimed area in the region more than four times in less than a year, according to media reports.

Although frictions, disputes, and claims of conflict have always existed in the South China Sea, some incidents are inevitable. However, it is surprising that these incidents have occurred so frequently in the context of the overall good relations between China and the Philippines, as noted by some experts. 

They pointed out that the current tense situation in Ren'ai Reef has largely been caused by the overt or covert intervention of the US, calling on the Philippines to come back to bilateral dialogue to seek peaceful resolution to disputes rather than blindly following a third party's footsteps to target China as an enemy and risk aggravating the situation. 

Increasing provocations

The Philippines started the recent wave of provocation over China's islands and reefs in the South China Sea on August 5, when two Philippine transport ships escorted by two Philippine coast guard ships illegally trespassed into waters off China's Ren'ai Reef of the Nansha Islands, forcing the China Coast Guard (CCG) to take lawful, necessary measures, including issuing a warning with water cannons, to block the Philippine vessels that were carrying illegal building materials.

The aim of the trespassing ships was to reinforce a Philippine warship that was illegally grounded on Ren'ai Reef in 1999. At the time, China lodged solemn representations and the Philippines promised several times to tow away the grounded vessel.

Now, 24 years has passed, and the Philippines not only has not towed away the warship, but is attempting to repair and reinforce it now that it is on the verge of disintegration, so the Philippines can occupy China's Ren'ai Reef permanently.

On August 22, the Philippines made another attempt to send illegal building materials to Ren'ai Reef, again sending two transport ships and two coast guard ships, which were again restricted by the CCG.

After the CCG restricted a third attempt by Philippine transport and coast guard ships to reinforce the illegally grounded warship on Ren'ai Reef on September 8, the Philippines switched to Huangyan Island on September 22 to divert China's attention from Ren'ai Reef and increase its bargaining chips.

Following yet another attempt to reinforce its grounded warship on Ren'ai Reef on October 4, which was also restricted by the CCG, the Philippines returned to Huangyan Island on October 10, when a Philippine navy gunboat intruded into waters off the Chinese island despite repeated warnings from the Chinese side.

The Philippine gunboat was expelled by the CCG through professional, lawful measures.

It marked the first event since the start of the Philippines' recent provocations since August that the Philippine side deployed a naval vessel to stir up trouble, which analysts said was a sign of escalation of tensions from a paramilitary level to a military level.

The Philippines then claimed that a Chinese naval vessel had shadowed a Philippine warship on October 15 near Zhongye Island, another Chinese island in the Nansha Islands, to disrupt a resupply mission. 

The tensions around Ren'ai Reef again escalated on October 22, when the Philippines hyped collision events in its latest attempt to send vessels to the reef.

In the latest provocation by the Philippines, a Philippine navy corvette illegally trespassed into waters off China's Huangyan Island on October 30.

Instead of the CCG, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command organized naval and aviation forces, tracked and monitored, verbally warned, and then blocked and restricted the Philippine warship in accordance with the law.

With the involvement of military ships from both sides, observers warned of potential violent clashes between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea. 

China will not step back when it comes to safeguarding national security and territory, a military expert told the Global Times on condition of anonymity, while for the Philippines, the US will not allow it to retreat. 

US shadow

The US is without doubt the biggest negative element that is affecting the peaceful and stable situation of the South China Sea, Wu Shicun, president of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times. 

The overall situation in the South China Sea remains stable and controllable. The second round of text review consultations on the COC have been completed as planned and the third round of review has been officially initiated. At the bilateral level, China and relevant countries such as the Philippines have established emergency communication hotlines between their foreign ministries and have conducted productive dialogue, laying the foundation for the stabilization and improvement of the situation in the region. However, at the same time, there have been some disturbing changes, including increasing military presence by some external countries and bloc confrontation targeting China led by the US, Wu pointed out.

In a recent event, two sorties by a vessel-borne helicopter from the Canadian Navy's frigate HMCS Ottawa with unknown intentions approached China's territorial airspace above the Xisha Islands, and despite the PLA naval and aviation forces' lawful identification, verification and repeated verbal warnings, the Canadian helicopter not only refused to respond, but also took provocative maneuvers including flying at a very low altitude, Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, said in a press release on Saturday.

It marks a third provocation from the Canadian military over the past month. In mid-October, a Canadian CP-140 reconnaissance aircraft illegally entered China's airspace over Chiwei Islet, approached China's eastern coast and entered the Taiwan Straits for close-in reconnaissance, forcing the PLA Air Force to take lawful management and control measures.

On November 1, the Canadian Navy's HMCS Ottawa frigate made a transit through the Taiwan Straits together with the US Navy's USS Rafael Peralta destroyer, while the PLA handled the event in accordance with the law and regulations.

Since 2021, the US has also been building small cliques with relevant countries in or outside the South China Sea, such as the Quad Security Dialogue between the US, Japan, India, and Australia, and the trilateral cooperation between the US, Japan, and South Korea, as well as the AUKUS alliance between the US, the UK and Australia. 

In May this year, the US and the Philippines signed the Bilateral Defense Guidelines. In September, the navies of the two countries launched their first joint patrol in the South China Sea. 

The US is attempting to use the joint patrol as a lever to build a mechanism for coordination among the US, the Philippines, Japan and Australia in the South China Sea. These US-led cliques all regard China as an imaginary enemy, according to Wu.

The essence of the disputes over the South China Sea is the disputes over territorial sovereignty and maritime jurisdictional claims among various claimants. While China has been actively seeking and promoting a maritime cooperative mechanism to solve the disputes, the US' partiality and connivance to some claimants has encouraged provocative actions. These claimants do this to enhance their own interests and create a "fait accompli" before the COC is launched, Wu explained.  

Such actions hinder the implementation of practical cooperation under the forum of the DOC, Wu noted, and he predicted consultation on the COC would enter a "deep water area" in the third round of the review.  

Back to direct talks

The second round of text review for the COC was completed in July during the ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting. The ministers agreed during the meeting to complete the COC negotiations before fall 2026, according to the Associated Press.

But the previous two rounds of review did not address core issues such as geographical scope, island construction, oil and gas extraction, and implementation mechanisms. As the negotiations enter the third round, the divergences, the conflicts and the dilemmas of all parties will gradually surface, Wu pointed out. One need not go into the details to imagine how challenging it will be for 11 countries to reach a consensus on these issues, he said.

The Philippines and Vietnam may want the COC to be launched as late as possible so that they can boost their negotiating position with the support of the US. But is the US a reliable backer for these countries? Observers hesitate on this question and have called on relevant countries to put more emphasis on direct talks rather than reliance on the intervention of a third party.

Obviously, the US is the biggest external factor in the South China Sea. It is widely believed in China that the US is behind almost all of the provocations in the South China Sea. But this is only part of the US' strategy to contain China. Another strong concern of the US is to avoid being dragged into conflict merely over land features in the South China Sea, Yang Li, executive director of the Institute for China-Europe Studies, said at a round-table meeting jointly organized by Malaysia-based think tank East West Bridge and Chinese think tank Global Governance Institution (GGI).  

Some observers slammed current Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr for abandoning his predecessor's more friendly policy toward China. Instead, he has focused more on enhancing ties with the US to promote the development of his country's military capabilities. By doing this, Marcos Jr is hoping to consolidate domestic support. In addition, by constantly provoking troubles with China in the South China Sea, he also wants to test how strong the US-Philippines alliance is, observers said.

In the past six to seven years, the South China Sea dispute between the two countries has been well managed. Relevant bilateral mechanisms have been put in place and have been progressing as planned. However, the current situation between the two countries is continuously escalating. This is because the development of these events is not a simple repetition of what happened 10 years ago, but rather a significant change and deterioration in the environment. 

Geopolitical tensions around the world are intensifying, and the strategic competition between China and the US is escalating. In this unfriendly environment, any incident between China and the Philippines will face greater risks. Compared with 10 years ago, today's events are more prone to spiraling out of control. Therefore, both China and the Philippines must demonstrate greater political will, employ more political wisdom, and allocate more resources to address these disputes and differences, experts said at the round-table meeting. 

The Chinese-built Belgrade-Novi Sad high-speed railway, a section of Hungary-Serbia Railway, a benchmark infrastructure project under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), marked its 2nd anniversary on Tuesday.

The railway has transported over 6.83 million people between Serbia's two largest cities since its operation in 2022, which greatly facilitated travel in the region and has become a significant project of international railway cooperation, China Railway said in a press release sent to the Global Times.

The Belgrade-Novi Sad section marks the first time that China-developed train control system and technology were imported to Europe.

A large range of Chinese technology and equipment, such as wireless communication systems, were also used in the railway. The Belgrade-Novi Sad section of the railway is more than 54 percent made-in-China, according to the company.

China Railway said that the construction of the section between Novi Sad and Subotica - another part of Hungary-Serbia Railway - is picking up speed, and will be ready for operation at the end of 2024.

According to the company, the north-south high-speed railway is a double-track electrified railway with a total length of 341.7 kilometers, including 183.1 kilometers in Serbia, with a designed maximum speed of 200 kilometers per hour, and 158.6 kilometers in Hungary, with a designed maximum speed of 160 kilometers per hour.

It is a major project to forge high-quality BRI cooperation among China, Hungary and Serbia, a flagship project of the cooperation between China-Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries.

To date, the majority of CEE countries have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the BRI with China.
Since 2012, the trade volume between China and CEE countries expanded by 8.1 percent year on year, and bilateral investment has neared $20 billion to date, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce.

China's commercial aerospace enterprises were inspired as the Government Work Report vowed to step up the development of commercial spaceflight to foster new growth engines. 

Developing commercial spaceflight was listed among key areas for development of emerging industries in the Government Work Report, which was mentioned again following the Central Economic Work Conference held in December 2023. 

Industry insiders said the Government Work Report underlines the importance and strategic position of the commercial spaceflight industry and builds a foundation for potential policy support for fostering new quality productive forces.

Zhang Changwu, founder and CEO of Chinese private aerospace firm LandSpace, told the Global Times that China's commercial aerospace sector is at a stage of vigorous development, and overall policies, funds, talent and other factors are converging toward this industry.  

From the industry's perspective, competition and opportunities coexist. In the fields of rockets, satellites and the corresponding downstream applications, the degree of commercialization varies, but many market participants have emerged, Zhang said.

The development of commercial aerospace has opened a major window, which determines that at this stage, the industry and enterprises need to be more calm and pragmatic, Zhang said, adding that the nation has systematic guidance and guarantees for commercial aerospace from the policy and resource levels.

In regard to the government's pledge to develop new quality productive forces at a faster pace as noted in the Government Work Report, Xia Dongkun, vice president of the Beijing-based private aerospace enterprise firm Galactic Energy, told the Global Times that developing new productivity in the field of commercial aerospace can effectively promote the continuous innovation and breakthrough of new technologies, promote the improvement and optimization of the commercial aerospace industry chain, and create more development space and opportunities for commercial aerospace enterprises.

Xia called for industry efforts to strengthen innovation and production efficiency to compete with global leading commercial aerospace companies such as SpaceX, generating a force for economic growth. 

On January 11, the world's mightiest solid carrier rocket, Gravity-1, developed by Chinese aerospace firm Orienspace, blasted off from a space port in East China's Shandong Province, making the company the sixth commercial aerospace firm in China to have sent a satellite into orbit. 

In 2023, domestic private rocket companies made 13 launches and successfully entered orbit 12 times, setting new records in the eight years of China's commercial aerospace development, according to media reports. 

China's National Development and Reform Commission, the economic planner, in 2015 launched a medium- and long-term development plan for the civilian aerospace infrastructure, which aimed to build an advanced world-spanning infrastructure system during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25).

Since 2015, the size of China's commercial aerospace market has quickly expanded. Data from analysis organization iiMedia Research Institute showed that the market is expected to reach 2.3 trillion yuan ($319.47 billion) in 2024 from 376.42 billion yuan in 2015.

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp said in a blue book released on February 26 that 2024 will be a critical year for China's aerospace development as about 100 launch missions will take place this year.

Also, China's first commercial aerospace launch site in South China's Hainan Province is expected to host its first rocket launch in the first half of 2024.

One day in the 1950s, in the dimly lit hall of a museum in the US, young James Cahill saw the Zhi Garden Album for the first time.
The album from 17th-century China depicts a Chinese garden called Zhi with extraordinary realistic brushwork, which was uncommon in classical Chinese paintings. Almost every detail of the Zhi Garden was captured by the artist, revealing to Cahill an exquisite, yet unfamiliar Eastern-style beauty.

Cahill's eyes and heart were captured. This US student in Chinese art, who later became a famous art historian and one of the world's foremost scholars of Chinese painting, started his decades-long journey in search of the real Zhi Garden. For half a century, he visited China several times, and mentioned the Zhi Garden in his books and on many academic occasions, but never got concrete information about this mysterious garden.

Did this remote Chinese garden really exist, or was it just a Xanadu on paper? The question has long gnawed at Cahill's mind.

One summer day in 2010, on the other side of the globe, two Chinese students studying landscape architecture wrote an email to the then 84-year-old Cahill. This email, which shared the exciting news of the Zhi Garden's probable existence, was the very beginning of a beautiful story that saw Chinese and US scholars make joint efforts to discover and study the Zhi Garden, leading to their lasting friendship.

A dialogue across time and space

This 2010 email was sent by Liu Shanshan and Huang Xiao, who were then students of renowned Chinese professor of architecture Cao Xun.

In 2009, Cao came across the Zhi Garden Collection at the National Library of China, a book of poems and essays written by Wu Liang, a garden artist in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Through careful study, Cao became certain that Wu was the owner of the Zhi Garden, and the garden was most likely located in Wu's hometown in present-day Changzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province.

Under Cao's encouragement, Liu and Huang wrote an email to Cahill. They shared with Cahill that they might have found the owner and the possible location of the Zhi Garden, and asked him about the images of the Zhi Garden Album. 

Cahill's fast response surprised Liu and Huang. "We emailed him at around 10 pm Beijing time, and the next morning we found that he had replied," recalled Liu, who is now an associate professor at the Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture.

They soon felt Cahill's excitement about and his strong passion for the Zhi Garden. In the following days, they received a couple of Cahill's emails, which were "too many to reply to in time." Moreover, after learning that Liu and Huang were also interested in the Zhi Garden and were willing to engage in related studies on it, Cahill soon mailed them a big package from the US, which included a complete set of duplicates of the Zhi Garden Album, as well as some 400 pages of literature and two CDs containing images of paintings of gardens that Cahill had collected throughout the years.

What made Liu and Huang more surprising was that Cahill suggested writing a book with them, sharing insights from their studies on Chinese gardens including the Zhi Garden from the Eastern and Western perspectives, as well as art history and garden architecture.

This idea sounded like a Nobel Prize winner inviting university students to work together on a thesis. "We could hardly believe it," Liu told the Global Times. "Professor Cahill was a leading figure in the study of Chinese art, but we were just postgraduate students at that time. There was a big gap between us."

Cahill's trust and encouragement gave them courage. In the following year, the two sides exchanged more than 100 emails to discuss the book's contents and forms. In 2012, the Chinese edition of their book Garden Paintings in Old China was published, becoming an influential work among international scholars of Chinese art.

Cahill described the book as the result of "a dialogue across time and space." It was the fruit of a yearlong online collaboration between two generations of Chinese and US scholars specialized in different fields, echoed Liu.

In July 2013, Liu and Huang handed the book to Cahill in their first offline meeting at the latter's home in the US. At that time, Cahill was already suffering from cancer.

During their one-month stay in the US, Liu and Huang visited many museums and art galleries with the help of recommendations from Cahill, and saw part of the original copy of the Zhi Garden Album at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. They celebrated Cahill's 87th birthday with him, which was tragically the last birthday of his life.

Cahill passed away in February 2014. "Working with Liu and Huang, learning that the Zhi Garden had indeed existed, and writing a book together, brought such contentment and happiness to the last years of his life," Cahill's daughter, Sarah Cahill, told the Global Times via email.

Moving story behind pictures 

In April 2011, Liu and Huang found the specific location of the Zhi Garden based on historical materials and topographic maps. It had been turned into a commercial residential area in Changzhou, with a shopping mall downstairs.

They emailed the area's satellite imagery to Cahill, who immediately confirmed it as the original location of the Zhi Garden. Huang explained that Cahill had probably read the Zhi Garden Album hundreds of times, as he was very familiar with the garden's terrain and topography as depicted in the album. "So when he looked at the satellite imagery, it was as if he was looking at an old friend," said Huang, who is now an associate professor at the Beijing Forestry University.

The garden has been lost to centuries of change and urbanization. But fortunately, its beauties can be seen again today thanks to the unremitting efforts of many Chinese and foreign scholars. In 2013, a digital model of Zhiyuan was completed. In 2015, one year after Cahill had passed away, the Museum of Chinese Gardens and Landscape Architecture made an intricate model of the Zhi Garden, to serve as a representative example of the private gardens in the regions south of the Yangtze River during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Sarah visited the model in 2018 when attending a Zhi Garden-themed symposium in Beijing organized by Liu and Huang. "The model is miraculous; so detailed and lifelike, and truly expresses the beauty and perfect proportions of the original garden," praised Sarah.

Sarah voluntarily took over some follow-up work related to the Zhi Garden after Cahill's passing. Her father's love for Chinese gardens has deeply impressed and influenced her. "I have only been to one Chinese classical garden, but have long admired the beauty and ingenuity of Chinese gardens, from paintings and photographs," she told the Global Times. "The balance and harmony of humanity within nature makes Chinese gardens so perfect for reflection and inspiration."

The story does not end with the finding of the Zhi Garden's location and the departure of Cahill. In 2022, after years of studying the garden, Liu and Huang published their two books: The Zhi Garden Album: A Portrait of Peach Blossom Spring and Rediscovering a Ming Dynasty Peach Blossom Spring: A Study on the Zhi Garden. In September 2023, at the 3rd Conference of the European Association for Asian Art and Archaeology (EAAA) in Slovenia, Liu and Huang shared the story of the Zhi Garden with participating global scholars.

The beautiful set of pictures in the Zhi Garden Album is like a dream, Katherine Anne Paul, Curator of Asian Art at the Birmingham Museum of Art, said at the conference. "I love the beautiful garden in the pictures, and I love the moving story behind the pictures and the garden more," she said with excitement.

Envoys of culture exchanges

Cahill's life was deeply connected with China.

After then US president Richard Nixon visited China in 1972, the country sent its first art and archaeology delegation to China the following year. As a member of the delegation, Cahill participated in the first-ever important cultural exchange between China and the US since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. In 1977, Cahill led an ancient Chinese painting delegation to China. 

In his lifetime, Cahill visited China for academic events and cultural exchanges many times, and established friendships with lots of Chinese scholars. He also helped many Chinese students.

"When Chinese publishers and publications paid Cahill for the manuscripts, he often asked me and Huang to give some of the money to the Chinese students who had [financial] difficulties," Liu said. "He was also pleased to write letters of recommendation for Chinese students and scholars who wished to go on academic visits to the US, helping them get some subsidies or grants."

Generous and warm-hearted Cahill was among the expanding pool of overseas scholars and ordinary people who are interested in Chinese culture and art, especially traditional Chinese garden art, and who are friendly to Chinese people. 

Liu said in 2024, she and Huang will cooperate with the California-based Huntington Library to hold an exhibition under the theme of Chinese gardens and plants, at the Chinese Garden (also known as or the Garden of Flowing Fragrance) of the library. The garden usually holds public activities related to Chinese culture, said Liu.

As an art form that represents Chinese cultural characteristics, and a current display and communication space of Chinese culture, the Chinese-style garden plays an important role in the cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries, Liu said.

"Today, there are more than 100 Chinese-style gardens outside China, and they offer global people [a platform] to enjoy Chinese garden culture and artistic life," she told the Global Times. "The gardens are hailed as envoys of culture exchanges."

The year of 2024 marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US. A pianist and radio host herself, Sarah is glad to see more people-to-people cultural exchanges between the US and China. She said that the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she is a faculty member, has a close relationship with the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

Sarah also feels fortunate to develop friendships with her father's good friends in China, including Liu and Huang. 

"It is so true that friendships and collegial relationships can strengthen and reinforce political relationships," she told the Global Times. "Music and art are of the best ways to bring us together!"