A new exhibition on ancient Chinese clothing was held in German capital Berlin. The exhibition traces the history of Chinese clothing, highlighting how the Confucian core value of “ritual” is expressed in Chinese clothing culture.
Set to run until October 9, this exhibition on ancient Chinese clothing culture is part of the 2024 Confucius international cultural exchange series.
“Chinese clothing culture has evolved over different historical periods, forming a comprehensive system of development. It reflects the transmission of civilization and encapsulates historical moments,” said Sun Qinhang, director of the China Cultural Center in Berlin.
“We hope this exhibition serves as a bridge between the ancient and modern, East and West, fostering exchanges and enhancing mutual understanding between civilizations,” Sun noted.
The exhibition features a special selection of heirloom garments from the Confucius temple back in Qufu, Shandong Province. These ancient Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) outfits, renowned for their vibrant colors, exquisite craftsmanship, and unique designs, vividly showcase the splendor of Ming Dynasty clothing culture, while also deeply reflecting the lasting influence of Confucianism on social life.
During the live clothing display segment, models dressed in traditional Chinese attire brought the elegance of these ancient garments to life. As they gracefully walked through the exhibition hall, guests eagerly took photos with them, capturing the charm and beauty of the ancient clothing.
"This exhibition allows our German friends to experience up close the beauty and intricacy of ancient Chinese garments, as well as the Confucian values embodied in the clothing, enhancing their understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture," said Hua Jingang, the curator of the exhibition.
The opening ceremony also featured interactive activities and a display area for cultural and creative products related to intangible cultural heritage. Visitors could try on ancient Chinese Hanfu clothing and pose for photos and, under the guidance of heritage artisans, learn traditional crafts such as Lu Embroidery, fabric knotting, and rope art.
An opening ceremony for master classes at the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts was jointly hosted by Russia's Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad, and the International Humanitarian Cooperation, or Rossotrudnichestvo, the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts (GITIS), the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and the Russian Cultural Center in Beijing on September 18.
Deputy Head of the Public Diplomacy Department of Rossotrudnichestvo Evgeniy Demin, read a welcoming speech by the Head of Rossotrudnichestvo, Yevgeny Primakov.
"I am sure that the best professionals will teach you techniques that will undoubtedly be useful in your professional activities," Primakov said, wishing the Chinese trainees new horizons, true creative inspiration, a positive charge of energy, and new friends.
Ma Xinming, executive vice chairman of the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles, said that, as China's cultural center, Beijing has been committed to building a platform for international cultural exchanges through promoting mutual learning between civilizations.
"Through in-depth study and discussion of the essence of Russian drama art, this program [of master classes] aims to broaden our artistic horizons and enhance the professional quality and innovation capability of players in [the] literary and art [fields] in the capital city," Ma said.
Tatiana Urzhumtseva, director of the Russian Cultural Center in Beijing, said that Russian dramaturgy played a significant role in the development of Chinese modern theatre. "Understanding Russian classical dramaturgy in China and Chinese culture, the theatrical art of China in Russia contributes to the development and mutual enrichment of the theatrical systems of our countries," she said.
The GITIS, a Russian higher education institution, is the largest theatre university and one of the largest in the world. It is the only higher education institution in Russia at which students receive education in all theater specialties and levels of training in eight faculties. The master classes run until September 21.
Some 40 foreign diplomats from 25 countries will go on a tour to Southwest China's Guizhou Province from Thursday to Sunday and play a friendly soccer game with a local team from the Village Super League (VSL), or Cunchao, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT), the 2024 Discover China Cultural Tour of Guizhou for Diplomats event will take envoys from Latin American and Caribbean countries to visit the signature Jiaxiu Tower in Guiyang and ethnic Dong villages in Rongjiang county to explore the region's cultural and architectural heritage.
One of the highlights of this tour will be the friendly game between the diplomats and a local team from the VSL that will kick off on Saturday evening in Rongjiang.
An international cultural and tourism fair will also be held alongside the match to showcase the integration of culture, tourism, sports, and local economies.
The tour is designed to emphasize the role of diplomats as cultural ambassadors, promoting exchanges and friendships, according to the MCT.
Through this event, participants will gain a deeper understanding of the beauty and richness of China, which they can then share with the world, an official with the MCT told the reporters.
Rongjiang county has achieved significant progress in its rural revitalization efforts and economic development by integrating agriculture, culture, tourism, sports, and commerce through the phenomenal VSL.
This unique soccer+culture showpiece attracted 7.66 million visitors in 2023, generating a total tourism revenue of 8.4 billion yuan ($1.19 billion), the China Culture Daily reported on Monday. This event emphasizes the role of diplomats in fostering cultural exchanges and building stronger bridges of friendship.
Marcelo Gabriel Suarez Salvia, Argentine ambassador to China, told reporters earlier that the tour could help foreign diplomats stationed in China to gain a deeper and more accurate understanding of China's cultural heritage and economic strengths, enhancing opportunities for long-term partnerships between China and other countries.
This engagement fosters mutual appreciation and opens doors for future collaborations in various sectors, including trade, tourism, and more. The fusion of culture, tourism, sports, and agriculture in this trip not only showcases Guizhou's unique natural charm but also paves the way for partnerships and shared learning experiences, said the ambassador.
Hector Dorbecker, a counselor at the Mexican Embassy in China, said that Mexico and China have already established cooperation in various fields, and he hopes to see further tourism collaboration between the two countries in the future.
"Soccer serves as a bridge for fostering friendship between people of different countries. I believe this event will offer me a more comprehensive understanding of China's culture, tourism, and sports resources," said Dorbecker.
Launched by the MCT in 2021, the program has taken more than 350 diplomats from over 90 countries to 16 provinces and cities across China, including Beijing, Chongqing, Hubei, and Yunnan, allowing them to experience local customs, appreciate China's rich cultural heritage, and observe the country's developments up close.
Thirteen years since the China-Europe Railway Express (CRE), a crucial link in international logistics, began operations in Duisburg, the German city's profile as a key hub on the railway has been steadily rising.
During a recent visit by Xinhua reporters, bustling terminals, ports, and warehouses in Duisburg highlighted the city's growing vitality. The CRE has significantly impacted the local business community.
At one of Duisburg's central logistics centers, AUKLogis GmbH, a German subsidiary of the Chinese logistics company Western Post, provides storage and customs clearance services for clients using CRE services. The company has witnessed a shift in local traders' perceptions of the service, from initial skepticism to recognition, resulting in long-term partnerships.
"Our clients often highlight the railway's speed and reliability, which are unmatched by other freight methods," said Fan Yuliang, warehouse manager of AUKLogis GmbH. As the routes expand and improve, trust in the service has continued to grow.
Daniele Materazzo, an operator in the outbound group for China-Europe Railway Express at AUKLogis, told Xinhua that he now receives better pay and feels a sense of stability working with the company. "Despite our language and cultural differences, we support each other as a team. I feel completely at home here," he said.
Markus Bangen, CEO of Duisburger Hafen AG (Duisport), noted that the railway is strengthening ties between Europe and China, opening up a new international transport market that benefits both economies. Duisburg's profile is steadily growing as a key stop on the railway, attracting investment, creating job opportunities, and driving growth in the logistics sector, he added.
In August, a direct route from Chongqing to Duisburg, traversing the Caspian Sea, was put into operation. The route provides a new option for transportation along the so-called Middle Corridor, a trade link between China and Europe that passes through several central Asian and southern Caucasian countries.
Bangen said that since the participants facilitating the Middle Corridor are familiar with CRE operations, the experience gained over the past decade will significantly accelerate the corridor's development.
While enabling faster and more cost-effective delivery of goods from China to Europe, CRE has also opened new trade pathways for European manufacturers and traders aiming to enter the Chinese market, Chinese Consul General in Dusseldorf Du Chunguo told Xinhua. "This exchange has significantly improved consumer welfare and created jobs along the route."
On October 1, the People's Republic of China will celebrate its 75th anniversary. Over the past 75 years, under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, the country has made remarkable progress in social and economic development. From a once backward agrarian society, China has transformed itself into a major manufacturing hub backed up with strong technology innovation capability. Chinese economy is globally integrated, offering significant opportunities to the rest of the world. To illustrate this, the Global Times is publishing a series of articles, with the third installment focusing on China's energy transition.
On Friday, tower cranes swirled and other machines roared at the China National Nuclear Power (CNNP) Guodian Zhangzhou Energy Co construction site, located in Zhangzhou, East China's Fujian Province. The workers were pouring concrete for the construction of Unit 4 of Zhangzhou nuclear power plant that uses Hualong One - a domestically designed third-generation nuclear reactor.
"At 5 am on Friday, more than 300 of us were standing ready on the site to start work at any time. It was an incredibly exciting moment," Chen Linhu, the worker who oversees the concrete pouring, told the Global Times as he wiped sweat from his brow.
Li Bin, the trade union chairman of the CNNP Guodian Zhangzhou Energy, said that injecting concrete marks a key milestone for the project, signaling the launch of the second phase of the Zhangzhou Nuclear Power Plant and a further advancement of the development of China's homegrown nuclear reactor Hualong One.
All six units at the Zhangzhou Nuclear Power Plant will use the Hualong One reactor, each with a capacity of generating 1 million kilowatts of electricity. Currently, four units are under construction. Unit 1 is expected to be connected to the state grid at the end of 2024, while Unit 4 is slated for commercial operation by 2029.
According to industry insiders, the rapid rollout of China's homegrown nuclear power technology is indicative of the profound transformation of China's energy structure since 1949 when the People's Republic of China was set up.
Now, China, as the world's largest energy producer, has established an energy production and supply system that is resilient, innovative and secure.
Over the past years, the country's energy mix has transitioned from dominated by traditional energy sources, such as coal, gas and other fossil fuels, to clean and diversified sources. The development of clean energy such as hydropower, solar panels, wind turbines, nuclear power and more sources has been gaining pace.
Continuous innovation
Upon full completion, the Zhangzhou nuclear power plant is expected to generate over 58 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, greatly easing local energy demand and providing strong support for the nation's "dual carbon" goals of reaching peak carbon emissions by 2030 and attaining carbon neutrality by 2060, according to CNNP Guodian Zhangzhou Energy.
Each Hualong One unit generates over 10 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually - sufficient to meet the annual electricity demand of 1 million people.
This is equivalent to saving 3.12 million tons of standard coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 8.16 million tons each year, Wu Yuanming, chairman of CNNP Guodian Zhangzhou Energy Co, told the Global Times on Saturday.
Zhang Yu, general manager for work safety at CNNP Guodian Zhangzhou Energy Co, said on Friday that the construction of Unit 4 is built on the success of Units 1 and 2, with more than 30 design enhancements, including improved safety features, a localization rate of over 95 percent spare parts, and the most innovative construction methods.
Zhang noted that the successful implementation of the Hualong One reactor technology represents a major technological breakthrough developed through 30 years of innovation.
As one of the major achievements in China's nuclear power development, Hualong One is highly emblematic of the country's independent innovation capability, standing among the best in the world.
The Hualong One is currently the third-generation nuclear reactor adopted by a rising number of operational and under-construction generation units in the world, indicating that China's nuclear power technology and industrial competitiveness have entered the top rankings in the world.
The technology has also been well recognized for its top-tier safety and reliability, and has been exported to countries like Pakistan and Argentina. Also, it is gaining broad interest among the Belt and Road Initiative partners, according to Li, who has recently hosted a media delegation from Kazakhstan for a potential bid to build a nuclear power station there .
"With a dual-layer containment structure, it can withstand major threats like aircraft impacts, hurricanes, and even 9-magnitude earthquakes. Its innovative design also integrates both active and passive safety systems, ensuring a robust defense against potential natural hazards," Zhang Yu, general manager of the work safety department of CNNP Guodian Zhangzhou Energy Co, told the Global Times on Friday.
As of August 29, China has approved a total of 102 operational and under-construction nuclear power units - the most in the world - with a combined installed capacity of 113.13 million kilowatts.
Profound transformation
Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, told the Global Times on Saturday that China's nuclear power sector has played a prominent role in the nation's low-carbon industrial transition over the past decades.
"By integrating China's manufacturing capabilities with the Hualong One reactor technology, the country's nuclear power industry is well positioned to drive sustainable energy transformation," he said.
China is the world's largest energy producer. In 2023, China's total primary energy production reached 4.83 billion tons of standard coal, an increase of 202.6 times compared to 1949, with an average annual growth rate of 7.4 percent, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Coupling with those nuclear power generators, the country has led the world in exploring and adopting a wide variety of clean energy sources, fast-tracking the development of solar panels, hydropower, nuclear power, wind power and more.
Last year, electricity generated from clean energy sources accounted for nearly 40 percent of China's total electricity generation, according to a white paper on China's energy transition released in August.
Those notable progresses have positioned China as a key engine in the world's green industrial transition.
The efforts also shed light on the country's firm commitment to fulfilling its responsibility to significantly reduce carbon footprint, while some Western developed countries have shown signs of retreating from their climate goals.
According to the white paper, China's exports of wind and solar photovoltaic products have helped many other countries to cut carbon dioxide emissions by about 810 million tons in 2023. From 2014 to 2023, the global share of non-fossil fuels in energy consumption rose from 13.6 percent to 18.5 percent, with China contributing 45.2 percent to this increase.
President Xi Jinping on Monday said Chinese people will score more remarkable achievements and make greater contributions to the noble cause of peace and development of humanity.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at a reception held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
