爱上海419

The reactor shell of Russia's Brest-OD-300 lead-cooled fast reactor in Seversk is nearing completion, nuclear technical journal Nuclear Engineering International reported on Tuesday, citing general contractor Titan-2.

The Brest-OD-300 is under construction at the Siberian Chemical Plant (SCC part of the Rosatom fuel company TVEL) as part of the pilot demonstration power complex ODEK - Opitno Demonstratsionovo Energo-Kompleksa, which is part of the Breakthrough (Proryv) project intended to demonstrate closed fuel cycle technology, according to the report.

About two months before, the magazine also reported that the world's largest multi-purpose sodium-cooled fast neutron research reactor, a 150-megawatt facility, MBIR (Mnogotselevoi Bistrii Issledovatelskii Reaktor), is also expected to start actual operation in 2027. The move will allow Russia to make a major leap in nuclear research.

Since their birth in 1960, fast reactors have been attracting increasing attention around the world because they can provide efficient, safe, and sustainable energy. The closed fuel cycle of fast reactors can support the long-term development of the nuclear power as part of the world's future energy structure and reduce the burden of nuclear waste. Thus, the fast reactor has become one of the development directions of global fourth-generation nuclear power.

As an intermediate link in China's "three-step" nuclear power technology roadmap of "thermal neutron reactor - fast reactor - controlled nuclear fusion reactor," the development of fast reactors has always attracted industry attention. China's first sodium-cooled fast neutron reactor, the China Experimental Fast Reactor (CEFR), located at the Beijing-based China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE), under the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), is the cornerstone of China's fast reactor technology development.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, sodium-cooled fast reactors are the most mature fast reactor technology, with over 400 cumulative reactor-years of experience gained through the design, construction, operation, and decommissioning of experimental, prototype, demonstration, and commercial reactors in multiple countries including China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Russia, the UK, and the US.

"The fourth-generation nuclear energy system demonstrates a new stage of nuclear energy development with its comprehensive advantages. By establishing a fast reactor nuclear energy system and implementing a closed fuel cycle, uranium resource recycling can be achieved, increasing the utilization rate of uranium resources from less than 1 percent to around 60 percent, and the development of nuclear fission energy is expected to extend from a hundred-year time scale to a thousand-year time scale," Zhou Peide, deputy chief engineer at the China Institute of Atomic Energy and chief designer of China's integrated fast reactor project, told the Global Times during a recent media group visit to the CIAE.

The "thermal neutron reactor - fast reactor - controlled nuclear fusion reactor" strategy was first proposed in 1983 in order to solve the problems associated with the sustainable development of nuclear energy and the long-term safe and effective supply of nuclear fuel in China.

After decades of development, China's thermal reactor technology is becoming increasingly mature, with thermal neutron reactors accounting for over 90 percent of nuclear power generation. Compared to thermal reactor technology, fast reactor nuclear energy systems have advantages such as a high uranium resource utilization rate, a high inherent safety of reactors, and the minimization of high-level waste.

According to Zhou, most third-generation nuclear power reactors are pressurized water reactors, which belong to the category of thermal neutron reactors. The main material used in these reactors is uranium-235, which accounts for only about 0.7 percent of natural uranium in nature. In comparison, fast reactors can fully utilize uranium-238, which accounts for as much as 99.3 percent of natural uranium, increasing the utilization rate of natural uranium to more than 60.

In terms of safety, the working pressure inside the fast reactor vessel is slightly higher than atmospheric pressure, belonging to a low-pressure system with the working temperature of the coolant being more than 300 degrees lower than the boiling point. At the same time, the inherent safety of the reactor is high, and non-energy systems can be used to remove the residual heat of the reactor during an accident.

A complete fast reactor nuclear energy system consists of fast reactor power plants, fast reactor fuel manufacturing plants, fast reactor spent fuel reprocessing facilities, and other parts.

By placing the fast reactor, fuel recycling items (including spent fuel reprocessing and new fuel manufacturing), and other supporting items at the same site, an integrated nuclear energy system with self-sustaining fuel circulation and rapid circulation within the plant will be formed.

According to calculations by the China Nuclear Energy Industry Association, by 2060, China's nuclear power installed capacity needs to reach 400 million kilowatts.

"Taking both safety and uranium supply into account, continuing to build pressurized water reactors at an installed capacity of 200 million kilowatts and then transitioning to integrated fast reactors will be a feasible technological approach to achieving the goal of nearly 400 million kilowatts of total installed nuclear fission energy by 2060," Zhou stressed.

However, the construction of integrated fast reactors still faces a long and arduous road. Integrated fast reactors still need to break through key technologies such as advanced reactors, advanced fuels, and advanced reprocessing, requiring significant innovation in engineering and technology, he noted.

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday in Beijing. Chinese analysts said the meeting sends a strong signal that China will firmly develop its strategic partnership with Russia, despite pressure from the West. The China-Russia partnership continues to be key for the global strategic balance and the hope for promoting a multipolar world in which countries of the Global South will have greater roles to play. 

Xi asked Lavrov to convey his sincere greetings to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, Xi said China and Russia have embarked on a new path of harmonious coexistence and win-win cooperation between major countries and neighbors, which has benefited the two countries and their peoples and contributed wisdom and strength to international fairness and justice, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Lavrov in Beijing, and both sides expressed hope for strengthening practical cooperation in various fields, Xinhua reported.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China is willing to work with Russia, in accordance with the consensus reached by the two heads of state, to strengthen the synergy of the two countries' development plans and promote practical cooperation in various fields.

The top diplomats of the two countries held a joint press conference after their meeting. Wang mentioned "five always" at the press conference. For example, he said that the two countries should always follow the strategic guidance of head-of-state diplomacy, and should always adhere to the principle of no-alliance, no-confrontation and no-targeting at any third party.

China and Russia should always stay on the right course on major matters of principle. As permanent members of the UN Security Council and major emerging countries, China and Russia actively respond to the common aspirations and legitimate concerns of the people of all countries, advocate a new path of state-to-state relations featuring dialogue and partnership rather than confrontation and alliance, and actively promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, said Wang. 

Yang Jin, an associate research fellow at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the remarks made by Xi and the "five always" raised by Wang provide a "framework and outline" for the future development of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination.

Yet many voices from the West, mainly from the US as well as some senior NATO officials, insist on depicting the China-Russia relationship as akin to an "anti-West alliance," which is completely wrong. By reaffirming the principles of "non-alignment, non-confrontation, and not targeting any third party," China and Russia are refuting those voices with a clear stance, experts said.

Multipolar world

China always attaches great importance to the development of China-Russia relations, and stands ready to strengthen bilateral communication with Russia and enhance multilateral strategic coordination in BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation  Organisation (SCO), Xi said when meeting with the visiting Russian top diplomat.

Xi said that the two countries will show more responsibility, unite countries in the Global South in the spirit of equality, openness, transparency and inclusiveness, promote the reform of the global governance system, and vigorously lead the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

China and Russia are trying to promote a multipolar world where developing countries and emerging economies of the Global South will play a greater role, which is the antithesis of the unipolar world dominated by the US, analysts said. 

"China and Russia will not target any third party, but if hegemonic forces threaten China and Russia, or threaten world peace, China and Russia will stand together and fight to protect their own interests and safeguard world peace together," said Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University. 

This is why China and Russia, as well as other members in the UN Security Council, are pushing an immediate cease-fire and the resumption of humanitarian aid to Gaza, even as the US vetoed these attempts time and again, before the Ramadan cease-fire resolution eventually passed on March 25, experts said.

Wang said at the joint press conference that Russia will hold the BRICS presidency this year, and China will take over the rotating presidency of SCO this year. The two sides will support each other's chairmanship and light up the "moment of South" global governance.

Richard Sakwa, professor of Russian and European politics at the School of Politics and International Relations of the UK's University of Kent, told the Global Times at a forum in Beijing on March 28 that China-Russia relations are "one of the key axes for international politics, and it's not only very important but also necessary" to maintain the global strategic balance.

Lavrov said at the meeting with Wang that Russia supports the China-initiated Global Security Initiative, and is willing to deepen cooperation with China on multilateral platforms to promote the establishment of a more just and democratic international order.

The two sides also had in-depth exchanges on the Ukraine issue, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the situation in the Asia-Pacific region and other international and regional issues of common concern.

Ukraine crisis and counterterrorism

Wang said at the joint press conference with Lavrov that on the Ukraine issue, China hopes to see a "cease-fire and an end to the war as soon as possible." China supports the timely convening of an international conference recognized by both Russia and Ukraine, with equal participation by all parties, and a fair discussion of all peace options, whether it is track one or track two, Wang noted.

Cui Heng, a scholar from the Shanghai-based China National Institute for SCO International Exchange and Judicial Cooperation, told the Global Times on Tuesday that "some Western countries have always blamed China for its 'pro-Russia' stance, but actually we are just asking for a mechanism that can be accepted by all parties and can treat everyone equally."

"China's stance is based on the desire to stop the bloodshed, but the US' stance is to use the [Russia-Ukraine] conflict to weaken Russia as much as possible. The development of the crisis to some extent depends on the US presidential election later this year," Cui noted "If Donald Trump is elected, there will be a chance to break the deadlock, but if Joe Biden gets reelected, we might also see some changes, as Washington and its allies might not be able to afford the war anymore."

Xi stressed at the meeting with Lavrov that China supports the Russian people in following a development path that suits their national conditions, and supports Russia in combating terrorism and maintaining social security and stability.

At the joint press conference with Lavrov on Tuesday, Wang stressed that China must also pay attention to the resolution of other global and regional hot spot issues, including continuing to counter terrorism. "China once again reiterated its condemnation of the terrorist attack in Moscow and its condolences and support for Russia," said Wang. 

"The Chinese people are also victims of terrorism, and terrorism has always been a common threat facing mankind. The international community should resolutely combat all forms of terrorism with a 'zero tolerance' attitude, firmly support the efforts of all parties to maintain national security and stability, strengthen international anti-terrorism cooperation, coordinate development and security, and eliminate the breeding grounds for terrorism," Wang remarked.

"I want to thank China for their condolences in connection with the terrorist attack in the Moscow Region on March 22, and for their support of Russia's fight against terrorism," Lavrov said during the meeting with Wang.

All those involved [in the terrorist attack] will be certainly punished, Russia's top diplomat stated. "Our [Russia-China] cooperation on counter-terrorism will continue, including within the framework of multilateral institutions."

China and Russia are two major powers in the SCO, and  counter-terrorism cooperation between them and other SCO members is significant for regional peace and stability, especially when the threat of terrorism has reemerged in relevant regions, experts said. Apart from the discussion on the diplomatic level, the militaries, law-enforcement and intelligence agencies of the two countries will promote cooperation on combating terrorism, experts said.

During a trip in the Chinese mainland, the former chairperson of the Kuomintang (KMT) party Ma Ying-jeou recommended ancient texts as "must read" when visiting a branch of China National Archives of Publications and Culture in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province as the ancient texts prove that the Diaoyu Islands do not belong to Ryukyu.

Xinhua reported that Ma led a group of Taiwan young people to visit the Xi'an branch of the China National Archives of Publications and Culture （CNAPC） located at the foot of the Guifeng Mountain in the northern foothills of the Qinling Mountains on Saturday. The CNAPC has its headquarters in Beijing, with three branches located in Xi'an, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou. They each have their own unique characteristics while complementing each other, jointly undertaking the important task of permanently and safely preserving outstanding Chinese editions and continuing the historical context.

During the visit, Director of the CNAPC Liu Chengyong, explained the selected collections of the main and branch museums to Ma. This included the Song Dynasty's rubbings of Xi Lou Su Tie, the Ming Dynasty's manuscript of the Yongle Encyclopedia, the Ming Dynasty's manuscript of Records of Envoys to Ryukyu.

While visiting the manuscript of Records of Envoys to Ryukyu, Liu explained that the book was written by Chen Kan in the 13th year of Jiajing (1534 AD) after serving as an envoy to the Ryukyu Kingdom to confer the king and returning to East China's Fujian Province. The book stated, "On the tenth day, the south wind was very fast, the boat moved like it was being carried by the wind, but it was not very turbulent even when going downstream. Passing by Pingjia Mountain, passing by the Diaoyu Islet... On the evening of the eleventh day, seeing the Kume Mountain, which belongs to Ryukyu." 

Liu noted that the Diaoyu Islet is now known as the Diaoyu Islands, and the ancient texts clearly record the situation of the Diaoyu Islands outside of Ryukyu. This is an early version of the writing that proves that the Diaoyu Islands and its affiliated islands belong to China's territory.

After hearing this, Ma said, "This is something that researchers studying the Diaoyu Islands must read. It proves from ancient texts that the Diaoyu Islands do not belong to Ryukyu." He mentioned that he had seen related materials at Oxford University but not in full, and there should be more publicity about relevant historical materials.

The young people who were part of delegation were amazed by the rich and precious Chinese excellent classical editions preserved in the museum, calling it "very spectacular."

"The museum has preserved so many ancient texts intact, making an indelible contribution to the dissemination of Chinese civilization," Ma said after the visit. "I look forward to the wisdom of Chinese civilization's ancient texts, like a bright light in the river of history, continuing to illuminate the future of the Chinese nation."

Ma is leading a group of Taiwan youth to the Chinese mainland on an 11-day trip from April 1 with their first stop in South China's Guangdong Province and later arriving in Shaanxi on April 3. Upon China's Tomb-Sweeping Day, or Qingming Festival on April 4, the former KMT leader participated in a public worship ceremony of China's legendary ancestor Huangdi, or the Yellow Emperor, followed by visits to the Ma Yuan Temple, Ma Yuan's Tomb, Famen Temple, Xi'an City Wall, the Museum of the First Emperor of Qin, and the Xi'an branch of the CNAPC. 

"On both sides of the Taiwan Straits, we share the same roots. It's important we don't forget about that amid distractions," Taiwan youths said on Saturday as former chairperson of the Kuomintang (KMT) Party Ma Ying-jeou is paying a visit to the Chinese mainland for a second consecutive year, which according to analysts, suggests an elevation from tracing personal roots to the collective ancestors.

On Saturday, Ma led a delegation of young people from Taiwan to visit the world-renowned iconic Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, where he expressed keen interest not only in the evolution of weapons, but also the shape of different arms. 

Discovered in 1974, the army of Terracotta Warriors was built by Emperor Qinshihuang of the Qin Dynasty (221 BC-207 BC), who unified China for the first time. 

Upon China's Tomb-Sweeping Day, or Qingming Festival, the former KMT leader on Thursday participated in a public worship ceremony of China's legendary ancestor Huangdi, or the Yellow Emperor. While on Friday, he paid tribute at the home of his ancestors, the Ma Yuan Temple, to commemorate the patriotic spirit of his ancestor Ma Yuan, who gave his life for the country.

Taiwan compatriots studying and working in the Chinese mainland, especially the younger generations, are paying close attention to Ma's destination choices for his mainland trip.

Lee Wei-kuo, chairman of the Taipei-based Chinese Youth Trade Development Association, told the Global Times on Saturday that by participating in the Qingming Festival traditions and worshiping the ancestors, Ma conveyed a clear message that people from both sides of the Taiwan Straits are all descendants of the same bloodline, and share the same roots and culture. 

KMT has had a tradition of honoring the Yellow Emperor during the early days. However, today, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities in the island stopped this tradition due to their promotion of ''Taiwan independence,'' Wang Jianmin, a senior cross-Straits expert at Minnan Normal University in Fujian, told the Global Times on Saturday.

Political figures within the KMT like Ma, who has a strong sense of Chinese nationalism, have always emphasized the inheritance of Chinese culture and the confidence of the Chinese nation, thus placing great importance on ancestral worship, Wang said.

Ma's participation in the activities of Qingming Festival this time holds significant meaning for Taiwan regional society, and the youth community, boosting the mutual understanding of history and traditions between the two sides, Wang noted.

From Ma's family ancestral worship visit to the mainland last year to this year's worship of the common ancestors of the Chinese people, there has been a transition and elevation from the personal to the collective, analysts stressed. 

If last year's visit was an ice-breaking trip, this year's visit is a peaceful journey made against the backdrop of tense cross-Straits relations, Wang said.

Besides the birthplaces of Chinese culture, Ma and the delegation also visited Shenzhen in South China's Guangdong Province, with a focus on witnessing mainland's technological advancement. This includes a number of high-tech enterprises, including Chinese leading drone manufacturer DJI, technology conglomerate Tencent and new energy vehicle giant BYD.

Lee, who is also head of Sichuan Welove Technology Development Co, believes that the Shenzhen leg of the trip will allow more Taiwan youths to witness the tremendous changes in mainland's development and the achievements of reform and opening-up, thus encouraging more people-to-people exchanges.

Ma's trip conveys these Taiwan youths' direct and emotional understanding of the mainland and their knowledge of Chinese history to more people in the island, Wang noted.

From Sunday, the delegation is scheduled to visit the political, economic and cultural center - Beijing. 

According to Wang, it is expected that Ma and his delegation will express their hopes for the development of cross-Straits relations and the openness of cooperation and exchanges between the two sides, which can play a positive role in easing the tension under the current complex and severe situation. 

However, Ma's visit to the mainland cannot fundamentally change the current difficulties in cross-Straits relations, analysts stressed. "We need to have an objective understanding of the development of cross-Straits relations. This requires long-term efforts from all sectors," Wang said. 

The timing of Ma's visit to the mainland coincided with Chair of the American Institute in Taiwan Laura Rosenberger's Taiwan visit, but the two trips are expected to have the opposite effect. Also, while Ma kicked off his trip to the mainland, the DPP engaged in provocative actions, including fire drills in Kinmen. 

China's annual national commemoration event for human organ donation was held in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province on Sunday. In recent years, significant progress has been made in China's body and organ donations, but there is still a large gap in medical supply and demand and there is still much work to be done in terms of social awareness for the cause.

Statistics show that there are more than 6.7 million registered organ donors nationwide. There have been more than 51,000 cases of posthumous organ donation and more than 158,000 organs donated, saving the lives of 150,000 people.

In order to carry forward organ donors' spirit of altruism throughout society, more than 220 memorial sites have been established nationwide.

This national annual event, which is also a publicity and promotional activity for organ donation, is guided by the Red Cross Society of China and the National Health Commission, and organized by the China Organ Donation Administrative Center (CODAC). It includes activities such as laying flowers at cemeteries, evening parties, academic lectures and work meetings.

On Saturday afternoon, a memorial event for organ donors was held at a cemetery in the outskirts of Hangzhou. After some donors were given eco-burials on site, attendees presented flower baskets to them and offered condolences to their families.

A ceremony was later held at the Zhejiang Provincial People's Congress Hall on Sunday. Through various forms such as storytelling, stage plays, recitations, and song and dance, the event focused on showcasing the touching stories and the spirit of great love of organ donors and their families, organ transplant recipients, organ donation coordinators, medical personnel and Red Cross workers and volunteers.

Members of the Expert Committee of the CODAC issued a collective call, urging organ donation and transplantation workers to contribute more to the high-quality development of the human organ donation cause, and calling on people from all walks of life to care about and support the cause, making a positive contribution to the promotion of socialist spiritual civilization.

In China, the Qingming Festival and the days before  the festival are a time for beneficiaries and people from all walks of life to remember organ donors. Over the past few days, various provinces such as Jiangsu in East China, Hainan in South China, Sichuan and Chongqing in Southwest China, and Hebei in North China, have organized local memorial ceremonies. 

Hou Fengzhong, head of the CODAC, told the Global Times that this reflects the deepening understanding and recognition of organ donations in Chinese society.

From only 34 cases of organ donation in 2010 to 6,454 cases in 2023, the total number of organ donations has exceeded 51,000. The number of registrants for organ donation reached 6.7 million today from 1,087 in 2010. The concept of donation is gradually gaining widespread recognition and support in society, Hou said, pointing out that a new social trend of participating in and supporting donation efforts is emerging.

In December 2023, the State Council, China's cabinet, issued the Regulation on Human Organ Donation and Transplantation, which will take effect on May 1 and was refined from regulations on human organ transplantation issued in 2007. The new rules highlight the publicity of organ donation to advance its further development and optimize the conditions and procedures for organ donation following the Civil Code.

Hou told the Global Times that the promulgation of this new regulation is significant in two aspects. First, the regulation includes provisions on organ donation, whereas previous regulations only focused on organ transplantation. Second, the regulation includes provisions on organ procurement and distribution, which are issues of great concern to society, making the entire process more transparent and fair.

According to public reports, China has ranked second in the world and first in Asia for the number of annual organ donations and transplants for the past seven consecutive years. However, there is still a significant gap between actual medical demand and the amount of organ donations in the country.

Based on current data, the ratio of actual organ donations to the number of people waiting for organs is approximately 1:6. However, the actual situation is even more severe, as many people on the waiting list are unable to receive organs, Hou told the Global Times. 

"Taking this into consideration, the ratio is closer to 1:30, meaning that for every 30 people in need of organs, only one person is able to successfully receive a transplant," Hou said.

The head of CODAC said that compared with developed countries, China is already at the forefront of organ transplant technology. For China's organ donation cause, what is most needed to change is the overall social concept, especially some traditional beliefs that "the body cannot be destroyed," Hou said, urging joint efforts from all sectors of society.

Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, met on Thursday with representatives of students and teachers from the Chinese Choir of the Burg Gymnasium, a German high school, at Beijing No.35 High School.

Peng congratulated the choir on its fruitful achievements over the past decade of conveying friendship through songs.

She said that through everybody's joint efforts, the choir has built a bridge of cultural exchanges between China and Germany and become a shining symbol of China-Germany friendship. It is hoped that the students can feel the charm of Chinese culture in the beautiful melody, and become a new generation of envoys of China-Germany friendship, she added.

Olaf Millmann, president of the choir association, thanked Peng for her care and support for the choir, and said that more and more German teenagers have come to know and love China by learning Chinese through singing, and they will continue to actively build a bridge of communication through music and Chinese, enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between German and Chinese teenagers.

The student representatives of the choir reported their learning situation and experience, as well as their love for China, to Peng in Chinese, and said that they would continue to work hard to learn Chinese well.

Peng had a cordial interaction with the teachers and students, praised the students for speaking Chinese better, and encouraged the students to share their experiences and feelings in China with their families and friends after returning home, and continue the stories of China-Germany friendship.

The Chinese choir is a non-profit public welfare organization. With the aim of promoting non-governmental exchanges between China and Germany, it is committed to enhancing the friendship between the two countries in the fields of language and culture.

The US, UK, New Zealand and Australia have expressed concerns over the so-called malicious cyber activities from China after releasing "evidence" of infiltration and hacking in recent days and then announcing sanctions, showing strong coordination.

Such groundless accusations have been rejected out of hand on Tuesday by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, which urged the US, the instigator behind the smear campaign, to stop politicizing cybersecurity issues and act responsibly in cyberspace.

The Biden administration on Monday US local time announced a criminal indictment and sanctions against seven Chinese individuals for allegedly conducting hacks against US companies and government officials on behalf of China's civilian intelligence service, CNN reported on Monday.

The charges come as the British government accused China of being responsible for "malicious cyber campaigns" targeting the country's Electoral Commission and politicians.

Both the US and UK claimed the Chinese hacking group APT31 was behind the cyber activities. It was accused of targeting the US presidential election in 2020.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Li Jian said at Tuesday's routine press briefing that the Chinese side has made technical clarifications and responses to the so-called APT31-related information submitted by the British side, and made it clear that the evidence provided by the British side was inadequate and relevant conclusions lack professionalism. But unfortunately, there has been no further response from the British side.

China firmly opposes and combats all kinds of cyberattacks, and is committed to working with all countries, on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, to strengthen cooperation and jointly deal with the threats of cybersecurity through channels such as bilateral dialogue or judicial assistance, Lin said.

China's relevant cybersecurity institutions have released a series of reports on the US government's cyberattacks on China and other countries. Yet the US government has been silent about them. We urge the US to adopt a responsible approach in cyberspace and stop framing the innocent, the spokesperson noted.

New Zealand and Australia have also joined to condemn China over "hacking activities," according to media reports.

Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that China rejects outright the groundless and irresponsible accusations against China on cyberattacks or intrusions. "Accusing China of foreign interference is completely barking up the wrong tree. We hope the New Zealand side can practice the letter and spirit of its longstanding and proud independent foreign policy," Wang wrote.

Lin, in response to a question by the Global Times, said that for some time, driven by its own geopolitical agenda, the US has encouraged "Five Eyes Alliance," the world's largest intelligence organization led by the US itself, to compile and spread all kinds of disinformation about the threats posed by the so-called Chinese hackers. Now along with the UK, the US is hyping up the so-called Chinese cyberattacks and even launching groundless unilateral sanctions against China, he said.

The US and the UK once again hyped up the so-called cyberattacks from China and sanctioned China's individuals and entities. This is sheer political manipulation. China strongly deplores and firmly opposes this, Lin said.

"We have lodged serious representations to relevant parties. We urge the US and the UK to stop politicizing cybersecurity issues, stop smearing China and imposing unilateral sanctions on China, and stop cyberattacks against China. China will take necessary measures to firmly safeguard its lawful rights and interests," the spokesperson said.

Chinese analysts believe this round of accusations was carefully plotted and conducted in close coordination among the Five Eyes countries - the US plays the boss and the UK is the secretary; the others, including Canada, which has not followed suit this time but has previously accused China of hacking and cyberattacks before, are more of a "yes man" in such a scenario.

Lü Xiang, an expert on US studies and a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the Biden administration has been committed to enhancing the Five Eyes' presence and internal coordination on cyber matters to target US rivals and competitors, and the strategy works to some extent.

To cooperate with the US in a smear campaign and a disinformation war is the easiest and costless task of being a US ally, noted Lü, who believes that when it comes to substantial benefits, the intelligence clique would break up due to varying interests.

Analysts attributed the US and UK's intensifying smear campaign against China on cybersecurity to their anxiety over waning dominance in cutting-edge information technology.

The US, in order to maintain its hegemonic status in the information and communication sector, has adopted two methods - slandering China and painting it as a threat, and cracking down on real entities and industry players, to poison the environment for China to develop high technologies, Lü said.

The upcoming elections in the US and UK also motivated the two countries to intensify their smear campaign, as they twisted the fabricated charges from "stealing AI technology" they used previously to "attacking democracy."

Blame shifting is an easy approach to divert public discontent over domestic policies amid election cycles, and accusing China of attacking Western democracy institutions caters to their long-term ideological bias, analysts said. But they warned such moves are also feeding a new cold war.

The claims made by India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar over the Chinese territory of Zangnan in Singapore on Saturday were slammed by Chinese analysts on Sunday as a brutal disregard of historic common sense, and the recent acts and remarks by the Indian government are viewed as merely a vicious attempt to help Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party to win reelection, by establishing a hawkish image to court domestic nationalist voters. 

Responding to a question after delivering a lecture at the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) of National University in Singapore on Saturday, Jaishankar called China's claims on the so-called Arunachal Pradesh "ludicrous" while asserting that the region is "a natural part of India,"  India's NDTV reported. 

According to the reports, the Saturday event marked Jaishankar's first public comment on the issue after the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chinese Ministry of National Defense came out in opposition to Indian leaders' visit to the Zangnan region earlier in March. 

Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defense, said at a routine monthly press conference that the area of Zangnan is Chinese territory and the Chinese government has never recognized the so-called Arunachal Pradesh and strongly opposes the so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally established by India, demanding India to stop taking any actions that complicate border issues and to effectively maintain peace and stability in border areas.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a routine daily press conference on March 11 that "The area of Zangnan is Chinese territory. The Chinese government has never recognized the so-called 'Arunachal Pradesh' illegally set up by India and firmly opposes it. The China-India boundary question has yet to be solved. India has no right to arbitrarily develop the area of Zangnan in China." 

"India's relevant moves will only complicate the boundary question and disrupt the situation in the border areas between the two countries. China strongly deplores and firmly opposes the Indian leader's visit to the East Section of the China-India boundary. We have made solemn representations to India," Wang noted.

It is a show of total disregard of the most basic historic common sense and a move to use territorial issue to court domestic voters, Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow with the Institute of International Relations at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday, refuting Jaishankar's provocations. 

The Modi administration has always tried to use the issue of Zangnan to bargain with China. "Militarily, China needs to keep on high-alert and be prepared for any provocation and present effective determination. Only by doing so can we make sure India will not be arrogant enough to do anything unwise," Hu noted.

Jaishankar's erroneous claims came after a US State Department spokesperson said on March 20 that the US recognizes Arunachal Pradesh (namely Zangnan of China) as Indian territory, which China immediately strongly deplores and firmly opposes. 

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a routine press conference on Thursday that the China-India boundary has never been delimited. Zangnan has always been China's territory, a basic fact that is undeniable. "The China-India boundary question is a matter between the two countries and has nothing to do with the US side. It is known to all that the US has consistently spared no efforts to provoke and take advantage of other countries' conflicts to serve its selfish geopolitical interests." 

Due to the US' pushing India over its "Indo-Pacific Strategy" and supporting India's position on the Xizang issue, it further exposes the US' strategic intention of forming an anti-China coalition with India, Chinese analysts pointed out.  

This action by the US stimulates and encourages India's anti-China behavior, making the China-India border issue more complex and detrimental to the peaceful resolution of border disputes between the two countries, Hu remarked. 

Speaking at the same event on Saturday, Jaishankar, while stressing the need for peace and tranquility between borders, smearing that it was China that disrupted the "equilibrium" at the border with the 2020 border standoff.

Slamming such remarks, Hu said that it was a deliberate attempt by the Indian government to confuse public opinion, garner sympathy and attention both domestically and internationally, while seizing the opportunity to suppress China and enhance India's international influence.

The Philippines has recently advanced the domestic legislation of the "Maritime Zones Act" in an attempt to put a legal veneer on its illegal claims and actions in the South China Sea.

Experts have called it an "egregious bill" as it will create more risks and confrontations, like opening a Pandora's Box, making the situation more complex in the South China Sea.

This bill goes against the provisions of international law, including the UN Charter and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and against the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, they pointed out.

Chinese government has strongly opposes the bill and has lodged a solemn representation with the Philippine authorities. Experts warned that China's ability and determination to safeguard its sovereignty in the South China Sea should not be undervalued, and the Philippines will soon see more resolute, decisive, and powerful measures from China to defend its legal rights on the issue.

This investigative piece will expose, from various angles, why this bill does not conform to international norms, how it exacerbates the conflicts of claimant countries in the South China Sea, and why it goes against resolving the complex issues in the South China Sea.

This bill continues the recent trend of various provocations by the Philippines in the South China Sea issue and is a legal challenge launched against China. It is also the latest part of its "cognitive warfare" in attempts to tarnish China's image in the international community.
Egregious legal tool

The Philippine Senate recently approved the amendment to the Marine Zones Act in its third reading. The Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines said the bill would "codify the status and regime of the waters inside the archipelagic baselines and redefine the extent of Philippine territorial sea, including the contiguous zone," the Philippine News Agency reported.

China firmly opposes attempts by the Philippines to solidify the illegal ruling of the South China Sea arbitration through domestic legislation, which unlawfully includes China's Huangyan Dao and most of the islands and reefs in the Nansha Islands in its maritime jurisdiction, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.

The move has severely violated China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, and China has lodged solemn representation to the Philippines, the spokesperson said.

The Philippines' move is to "legalize" its illegal occupation of the South China Sea islands and reefs, and it is a wrong attempt to consolidate its illegal gains, Ding Duo, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at the China Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times.

Since the 1950s, the Philippines has never relented its covetousness for islands and reefs in the South China Sea, and has adopted different means of encroachment under various disguises across different historical periods, Ding noted.

In 2009, for example, the Congress of Philippines amended "An Act to Define the Baselines of the Territorial Sea of the Philippines," which falsely claimed its sovereignty over China's Huangyan Dao and some other parts of the Nansha Islands.

In recent years, in the process of domestic legislation, the Philippines deliberately confused their illegal occupation with so-called "jurisdiction" over China's Nansha Islands, seeking to solidify its illegal claims, Ding stressed.

The expert said that manipulating "legal means" is part of the Philippines' cognitive warfare against China. A number of senior officials within the Philippine Coast Guard, National Security Council, and other departments continue to make provocative statements around this new agenda, serving their own political interests while tarnishing China's image to deceive the international community, Ding said.

The actions of ignoring reality and blindly resolving relevant disputes with unilateral legal resolutions are not applicable to the complex South China Sea issue. Such actions will only further squeeze the political space for the Philippines and China to jointly control crises and properly handle disputes, Ding noted.

This move indicates that the Philippines may further escalate its legal disputes against China in the future. This could involve proposing applications, either individually or jointly with other parties, for delineating the outer limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles in the South China Sea. The Philippines may also seek to bypass China and engage in maritime border negotiations with other countries. Additionally, there is a possibility of initiating new international lawsuits on issues such as marine environmental protection in the South China Sea, according to the expert.

In November 2023, the Philippines has approached neighbors such as Malaysia and Vietnam to discuss a separate code of conduct regarding the South China Sea, despite the code of conduct between China and ASEAN has seen progress. Analysts are concerned that the situation of the Philippines "always turning a new page" out of its own interests may also gradually spread to the legal level.

The Philippines' bill has had limited effect in practice, but it will inevitably exacerbate the contradictions and confrontations among the countries involved in the South China Sea dispute, Lei Xiaolu, a professor of law in China Institute of Boundary and Ocean Studies, Wuhan University, told the Global Times.

Currently, China and ASEAN countries are accelerating the negotiations over the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC), and the Philippines' actions will disrupt the good atmosphere and be of no benefit to the overall peace and stability of the South China Sea, Lei underlined.

"If other countries were to emulate the Philippines by enacting domestic legislation to advance their maritime rights in a piecemeal manner, this could introduce more risks and uncertainty for resolving the South China Sea issue in the region. For example, such unilateral actions could escalate tensions in the South China Sea, leading to increased militarization, confrontation, or incidents at sea, affecting regional stability," Dai Fan, director of the Center for Philippine Studies at Jinan University, told the Global Times.

The bill has sparked some opposition within the Philippines. On social media X, a few Filipino users have expressed their concerns on this unreasonable bill. They criticized that the bill is sort of a "great cry and little wool," which can do nothing but worsen the Philippines' relations with involved countries.
Contravening international conventions

The Global Times has found that the Philippines' claim to "sovereignty" over Huangyan Dao, based on distance or the islands and reefs being located within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, does not comply with international law, including the UNCLOS. Even the illegal ruling of the South China Sea arbitration, which the Philippines strongly supports, does not endorse the Philippines' claim.

According to the principle in international law that land dominates the sea, the land is always the basis for any claim of maritime entitlements. A coastal state should not base its claims to the sovereignty of islands and reefs on its maritime entitlements. Therefore, if the Philippines claims sovereignty over the islands and reefs simply because they are within its EEZ, it would violate that principle.

Moreover, Philippines' bill stated that "all artificial islands constructed within the Philippine EEZ shall belong to the Philippine government." However, even if there is no dispute over the sovereignty of islands and reefs, it has no basis in international law, because there is no international law that gives the Philippines ownership of those artificial features.

In accordance with Articles 80 and 60 of UNCLOS, "In the exclusive economic zone, the coastal State shall have the exclusive right to construct and to authorize and regulate the construction, operation and use of artificial islands, installations and structures." However, UNCLOS does not ensure that these artificial islands, installations and structures necessarily belong to the coastal state, according to Lei.

Chinese Foreign Ministry's Spokesperson Mao Ning stated on Tuesday that the territory of the Philippines is defined by a series of international treaties. China's Huangyan Dao and other islands and reefs of Nansha Islands are completely beyond the limits of the Philippines' territory. Its illegal occupation of a number of islands in the Nansha Islands has seriously violated international law, including the UN Charter.

Enactment of the bill is not a wise decision for the Philippines. Rigoberto Tiglao, former spokesperson and head of presidential office for former Philippine president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, said in his commentary piece in September 2023, "The very bad news is that under a Maritime Zones Law, we will lose our Kalayaan Island Group, which comprises 19 percent of our territory as currently defined."

A graphical representation on the Philippine so-called new maritime zone bill recently released by the Chinese think tank South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI) found that the bill effectively waived "Kalayaan's claim." This means that the Philippines has given up probably about tens of thousands of square kilometers of sea area and sovereignty over some features of the so-called Kalayaan's claim.

Philippines is pushing forward a domestic bill that interestingly relinquished its original illegal territorial claims, which they called the "Kalayaan Island Group," in the South China Sea. Experts wonder is the Philippines shooting itself in the foot with this move? Won't the Filipino people feel deceived?

Rigoberto Tiglao expressed in his commentary piece that this bill also happens to align with the US' conspiracy, which is to ensure that this sea area no longer belongs to the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines so that "the area would be indisputably international waters and therefore its warships, even those that are nuclear-armed, wouldn't need these nations' permission to pass through."

On March 5, the US State Department issued a statement on the situation in the South China Sea, smearing China's policies, exaggerating maritime friction, and declaring that they "stand with the Filipino people."

Experts say that the US is ostensibly siding with the Philippines, but is actually just using the Philippines as a pawn in a chess game to gain its own interests.

Dai believes that whether the latest versions of the so-called Marine Zones Act can ultimately be implemented, and the specific provisions will be carried out, will depend on further votes and deliberations in the Philippine House of Representatives. Considering the relatively low overall administrative efficiency in the Philippines, and the bill that this legal text will undergo negotiations between various parties internally, its implementation may be a lengthy process.

"China's ability to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and development interests in the South China Sea is now stronger than ever before, and its determination to maintain stability in the region remains unwavering. Regardless of the Philippines' efforts to manipulate the arbitration ruling, push forward domestic maritime legislation amendments, or implement any unilateral actions to impose its claims on China, the arbitration ruling will not legitimize such actions, nor will it diminish China's legitimate rights in the South China Sea under international law. The Philippines can expect China to take resolute, decisive, and powerful measures to defend its rights," Ding noted.

Editor's Note:

Recently, Australian historian author John John Queripel wrote an article titled "China: learning from Canute," published on Pearls and Irritations, which gained widespread attention as the article provides a keen analysis of Western smears against China as well as Australia's relations with China and US influence therein. Global Times reporter Xie Wenting (GT) conducted an exclusive interview with John Queripel to further explore his opinions on China's development and US influence on Australia's foreign policy, among other topics.

GT: What do you believe is the future of China-Australia relations and the influence of the US in the region?

Queripel: The demise of the previous Sinophobic government under Scott Morrison and its replacement by one led by Anthony Albanese has seen a slight upturn in relations. The hostile rhetoric has been somewhat laid aside, and trade has returned to normalcy. Yet, Australia is increasingly becoming an integral part of US war planning. Those of us working for a sensible relationship between our countries are still faced with a largely hostile political climate, a media, including public broadcasters, who are vehemently anti-China, along with a security and military establishment premised on opposing China.

As for the US influence in the region, it will inevitably diminish. Nations of the region will no longer perceive it as a stabilizing influence. ASEAN represents a significant success story, founded on trade, and is committed to ensuring the region remains stable, avoiding disruption by military adventurism. Furthermore, in the US, there are strong isolationist currents. The US is likely to be squeezed out of the region anyway. Three of the world's four largest economies will soon be Asian; China, India, and Indonesia. The US will be seen as an interloper.

GT: You once said that Australia has lost its sovereignty to the US. How do you assess the influence of the "follow the US' policy" that Australia has chosen with regard to China-Australia relations? How does it harm bilateral relations and cooperation as well as Australia's own interests?

Queripel: Regarding China as an aggressive military threat to Australia is totally unrealistic. Propaganda has it that China covets Australian resources and could invade to take them. This is the madness we get in the Australian media, from some irresponsible politicians and even some of the security services.

There is nothing in China's long history, extending back almost 5,000 years, which would provide any evidence for them being an aggressive threat. China has never invaded anywhere not contiguous with its own territory. That is a peculiarly Western thing, as history shows.

Quite clearly the US has determined it can constrain China. It has set up a series of military bases in an arc around China, from South Korea, Japan, and the Philippines, to Australia. It aggressively sails its warships right up to the Chinese shores.

Australia is a part of this. Northern Australia has become heavily militarized with the presence of US forces and weaponry under the Force Posture Agreement. The aforementioned submarines are also designed to be part of US blockading of the South China Sea, something they ingeniously accuse the Chinese of doing. Why China, the world's greatest trading nation, would want to blockade trade to its own shores, no one has been able to say.

GT: Could you elaborate on the impact of China's rise on Australia and its relationship with the US?

Queripel: Australia is caught as a small player between its traditional security alliance with the US and its increasing economic dependence on China. Over 30 percent of Australia's exports go to China. Until 2017 these roles were rather complementary. At that point however, the US determined that China was not going to play its game, become like it, and seeing that, suddenly decided China would be turned from being a partner in the world economy, to being an enemy. Australia, almost as though under orders, quickly followed suit.

Australia has become increasingly pulled into being a sub-imperial power to the US. The result has been the Quad and AUKUS, even a toying with NATO. Of course all these are aggressively aimed at China. Australia is committed to spending $240 billion on a nuclear submarine program directly aimed at China. Not much of it makes logical sense. Hysterical propaganda, run even by previously reputable media, has China attacking Australia tomorrow, yet Australia has submarines on order that will take another 20 years to complete. Australia is tying itself ever more closely to an unstable and declining power. This is foolish, and against Australia's own interest.

GT: From your point of view, why do certain Western media outlets and some politicians like to hype up the claim that China's run is nearing the end? How do you assess the resilience of the Chinese economy?

Queripel: They hype it as they perceive China as a threat to them. That is the only way they can see it. For them it is a winner takes all model. A win-win model, as China is setting in place through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), is inconceivable to their eyes. The Western economic model has been, and still is, based around sucking up profits from around the world, and impoverishing nations by taking those profits and materials back to the colonial powers - the metropoles. China itself knows that well from "the century of humiliation."

Of course that is all now changing through the networks China has been at the core of. BRICS is now larger than the G7, and the gap is widening. BRI now encompasses 150 nations. The order from which the West so profited for 300 years is rapidly changing. It is not only China, but also India and Asia as a whole. To many in the West, this is threatening. It is perceived as an attack on what has seemed to be a natural order of Western domination.

I am convinced of the resilience of the Chinese economy. The government has diversified the economy, turning it from being primarily an export economy, often of cheap consumer goods, to being a circular economy increasingly based not only on exports but also internal consumption. That obviously will largely insulate it from the actions of outsiders seeking to frustrate its growth. Infrastructure is core to growth and China has developed that at a pace which leaves others in its dust. Furthermore, the organizations of which I have just spoken will ensure its resilience. China is the world's greatest trading nation. That is the reason for Western military aggression against China. Trade abhors war and loves peace. Yet, many in the West make out that it is China which is the aggressive threat. From what I just said concerning trade, that is profoundly illogical.

GT: You recently wrote the article "China: learning from Canute," in which you gave strong evidence to refute that China's collapse is imminent. What inspired you to write this article? What feedback have you received in Australia after publishing the article?

Queripel: Western media is constantly saying that the "China bubble" is about to burst and the Chinese economy is about to fall. What's strange though is, that bubble, rather than bursting, keeps getting larger. Of course as the Chinese economy has grown the stratospheric growth rates from the past of 11 and 12 percent per annum are no longer possible as the economy is growing from a higher level. Still the 5.2 percent of the past year means that the Chinese economy will double in just 14 years. In comparison that of the US is growing at 1.6 percent. Over the same time it will grow 25 percent. The math makes what is happening to our world obvious.

Since the opening up under Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, the Chinese economy has grown some 40-fold. This is phenomenal! When I was young (I am 69), China was almost synonymous with "poverty." Now on the best measure Purchasing Parity Power (PPP) it is the largest economy in the world! It soon also will be in terms of nominal GDP, with 800 million lifted out of poverty. It is unbelievable. That's over 30 times the population of my country, Australia. I was recently in China and would look at people my age and wonder whether they had registered some kind of "economic shock" at the enormous change. It must be almost impossible for their grandchildren to understand the magnitude of the change.

GT: China has developed friendly relations and cooperation with many countries in the South Pacific region, including possible security cooperation. However, this cooperation has drawn criticism and has even been hindered by Australia and the US. What's your take on it?

Queripel: The connections which the Solomon Islands, in particular, developed with China almost caused an apoplectic fit in Australia. Much of it was paternalistic, alleging that the "naïve" Solomon Islanders were being manipulated by China. That type of attitude is precisely the problem that Australia has had with the Pacific. Not only Australia, but the US also. The Pacific nations have simply been regarded as "belonging to us." That has changed. Chinese interest in the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Kiribati, and Papua New Guinea, among others, has suddenly spurred a renewal of interest from both Australia and the US, who had previously left the region as a backwater for years.

I could add that Australia dragging its feet on climate change didn't help. The current leader of the opposition, Peter Dutton even made fun of Pacific Islanders being concerned about the inundation of their homes by rising ocean waters.

GT: How do you respond to critics who argue that China's rise poses significant challenges and risks to regional and global stability and security?

Queripel: I have consistently argued that China represents no threat. There are several reasons. Let's commence with history. As I have said, Chinese history shows no interest in aggressive overseas ventures. Philosophically at the core of Chinese thought is the concern for Tianxia (stability under heaven). Over the last 200 years, China has had enough instability through conquest and internal upheaval. They are unlikely to initiate such. Trade is at the heart of China's economic revival. China will not put that at risk through military adventurism. Finally, China is not a military state.

It is not China which represents a threat, but rather the US, so committed to war as a means of dealing with conflict. In that path it has been stunningly unsuccessful in the last 50 years. China is showing a different way to trade. It is building cooperative networks and supporting multilateral initiatives. Rather than a threat, China represents a new and better way of doing things.