Finnish Film Night fosters China-Finland cinematic exchange in Beijing

A Finnish movie screening night is held in Beijing on April 23, 2024. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A Finnish movie screening night was held in Beijing on Tuesday to foster collaboration and exchange between professionals in the Chinese and Finnish film sectors.

The spotlight of the event was on Death is a Problem for the Living, a compelling new Finnish film that delves into the complexities of addiction, friendship, and the unexpected journey of carrying the departed to their final resting place.

Death is a Problem for the Living has been nominated for the Tiantan Award for Best Picture at the 14th Beijing International Film Festival.

Azerbaijani ambassador praises China’s stance on new-energy collaboration, hoping for strengthened ties to boost green transformation

Customs staff members check the first

Customs staff members check the first “Qilu” freight train running from Jiaozhou, east China’s Shandong province to Baku, capital of Azerbaijan in Jiaozhou, Jan. 31, 2021. A freight train carrying 100 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers’ goods such as tires and air conditions left Jiaozhou on Sunday, marking the launch of “Qilu” freight train services from Jiaozhou to Baku. (Photo by Xie Hao/Xinhua)

Azerbaijan is fully ready to develop economic and trade relations with China without setting any ceiling or limit in terms of scope, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to China Bunyad Huseynov said in an exclusive interview with the Global Times, giving examples of the potential for deeper cooperation in the new-energy industry, where the two countries are highly complementary.

As the world is at a crucial moment in the transition to green energy, the ambassador hopes to deepen cooperation with Chinese companies to achieve sustainable development and win-win outcomes.

Speaking at an investment promotion event held by the Embassy of Azerbaijan in China earlier this week, Huseynov said that China’s remarkable achievements in the field of new energy are well known, and highly complementary cooperation is already well underway.

Recently, Azerbaijan initiated a bidding process to build a new-energy vehicle (NEV) factory. Chinese automaker BYD won the bid and signed an agreement to establish a joint venture company and set up an electric bus production line in Azerbaijan, the ambassador said.

The country is planning to gradually replace fuel buses with electric ones in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, Huseynov said, indicating possible cooperation.

“We are also in communication with Contemporary Amperex Technology – a Chinese lithium-ion battery company – regarding the construction of energy storage projects in Azerbaijan,” the envoy said.

The Embassy of Azerbaijan in China is also actively promoting the green transformation and strengthening cooperation with Chinese companies in this field, including replacing the embassy’s fuel vehicles with BYD’s NEVs, the Global Times learned from the embassy.

Chinese companies are also involved in the green energy transition as investors, builders and operators, including in the photovoltaic power sector, according to the embassy.

Closer cooperation in the green field can be foreseen as both countries are playing an increasingly important role in tackling climate change on the world stage.

This November, Azerbaijan will host the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku.

In March, Azerbaijani Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources and president-designate of the COP29 Mukhtar Babayev visited China along with a delegation. This was the first visit of the country’s COP team abroad, to understand China’s expectations from the climate change conference.

“I believe that both countries share a high degree of consensus on the green agenda,” Huseynov said.

Ambassador of Azerbaijan to China Bunyad Huseynov Photo: Yin Yeping/GT

Ambassador of Azerbaijan to China Bunyad Huseynov Photo: Yin Yeping/GT

China takes the lead in wind energy and solar, as well as electric vehicles, and is willing to share its achievements with other countries, which the ambassador said “demonstrates China’s open and win-win cooperation attitude.”

Azerbaijan hopes to play a role as a regional growth hub, and cooperating with the booming Chinese new-energy industry can help it achieve its own transformation, Chinese experts said.

“Azerbaijan does not want to remain solely in the fields of fossil energy and raw materials. It hopes to make achievements in the new manufacturing industry, and strengthening cooperation with Chinese companies in the field is a natural option to reach that goal,” Zhang Hong, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Deepening cooperation with Chinese enterprises can help Azerbaijan achieve its energy transformation faster and enhance its industrial innovation capabilities, meeting its needs for industrial modernization and development, Zhang said.

Azerbaijan is not alone. Countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Russia are also actively attracting Chinese NEV companies to invest in building factories in a bid to drive the development of their own NEV industry chains.

The positive moves of these regional countries are in stark contrast with the intensified protectionist actions taken by the US, experts said.

Asked for comments on the “overcapacity” narrative in new energy by some Western media outlets, the Azerbaijani ambassador said that China not only produces high-quality and affordable products but is also willing to share these achievements with the world.

“The world is at a crucial moment in the transition to green energy, and Chinese companies are collaborating with those from other countries with an open attitude to help them achieve this energy transformation,” Huseynov said, noting that “this initiative is worthy of praise.”

“Regardless of how certain media outlets may perceive it, I greatly appreciate China’s open and cooperative attitude,” Huseynov said

On a separate note, the ambassador highly commended the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, in which Azerbaijan has been one of the earliest and most active respondents and participants.

“The value of this global cooperation initiative lies in ‘building bridges rather than walls’,” Huseynov said, noting that this joint initiative “serves as a demonstration of the spirit of cooperation and openness, which is needed for global development at the current stage.”

China will continue to assist Asia-Pacific countries to rapidly develop their economies under BRI framework: experts

An electric multiple unit (EMU) machinist trainee tries the high-speed train simulator at Tegalluar High Speed Train Depot of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway in Bandung, Indonesia, on January 17, 2024. Photo: VCG

An electric multiple unit (EMU) machinist trainee tries the high-speed train simulator at Tegalluar High Speed Train Depot of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway in Bandung, Indonesia, on January 17, 2024. Photo: VCG

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently concluded his successful visit to three Asia-Pacific countries, displaying China’s willingness to strengthen cooperation with the region.  As good friends and economic partners based on mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit, China’s relations with regional countries are evolving and constantly reaching new heights.

One important focus of Wang’s trip was the high-quality construction of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). China’s cooperation with Indonesia, Cambodia, and Papua New Guinea under the BRI platform has yielded fruitful results.

In Indonesia, the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway has become the first high-speed railroad in Southeast Asia, delivering tangible benefits to local development and improving livelihoods of many Indonesians.

In Cambodia, highways constructed with Chinese aid and industrial parks built by Chinese companies have become important drivers of local economic development.

As the first Pacific island country to sign a memorandum of understanding and cooperation with China under the BRI, Papua New Guinea has become China’s largest trading partner, investment destination, and engineering contracting market in Pacific island countries. 

Unlike the US’ past efforts in the Asia-Pacific region, often attached with political strings and hardly bearing any substantive results, China’s cooperation and assistance to the countries in the region are based on principles of mutual respect, equality, and win-win, without imposition of any political conditions, experts said.

As the BRI celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, embarking on a new journey of high-quality development, experts said that China’s cooperation with Asia-Pacific countries will continue to focus on helping regional countries achieve sustainable development and improve locals’ livelihood. This includes enhancing cooperation in emerging areas such as green development and digitalization.

Friends and partners

During Chinese Foreign Minister Wang’s recent visit, important exchange meetings with regional countries were held, including the Fourth Meeting of the China-Indonesia High-level Dialogue Cooperation Mechanism co-chaired by Wang and Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Indonesia’s coordinator for cooperation with China and coordinating minister of maritime affairs and investment, as well as the Seventh Meeting of the China-Cambodia Intergovernmental Coordination Committee, co-chaired by Wang and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol.

High-level interactions provided clearer direction for future cooperation under the BRI between China and the three countries. 

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, while describing Wang’s visits, used a common description when referring to the three countries as “good friends and good partners” based on the principles of mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit and shared development.

That characterization is fair and fitting, given the well-known friendly relations between these three countries and China, experts said, noting that the joint construction of the BRI serves as an accelerator for the continuous growth and enhancement of friendly cooperation between China and the regional countries.

The tangible results under the joint initiative are evident for all to see. 

Last week, the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway marked its sixth month of operation with a total of 2.56 million passengers being transported. Since its official operation around mid-October, the railway has operated a total of 7,050 rides with a mileage of over 1.26 million kilometers, Xinhua News Agency reported, citing data provided by PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China, a joint venture consortium between Indonesian and Chinese state-owned firms that constructs and runs the HSR.

In the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, a landmark project under the BRI in southwestern Cambodia, changes have taken place with the participation of Chinese companies. Over the past decade, the economic zone, a joint venture between Chinese and Cambodian companies, has drawn more than 175 companies from countries including China, Europe, the US, Southeast Asia and other regions to settle there, creating more than 30,000 local jobs.

Papua New Guinea, the largest Pacific Island country, was the first country to sign a memorandum of understanding and cooperation plan in the region for jointly building the BRI.

The Juncao and Upland Rice Project has been implemented in Papua New Guinea for over 20 years, benefiting more than 40,000 local people. The country’s Prime Minister James Marape referred to Juncao technology as a “gift from China to the world,” with Juncao now known locally as the “grass of happiness” and “grass of prosperity.”

China and Papua New Guinea are engaging in negotiations to reach a free trade agreement, and the talks are expected to be completed by June, Chen Hong, director of the Australian Studies Center of East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Thursday. 

Chen noted that this illustrates that China’s cooperation with Asia-Pacific countries is genuinely based on mutual benefit, using strong economic ties to drive overall cooperation and improve local economies and living standards.

China’s foreign minister’s trip to the Asia-Pacific is of landmark significance as the current relations between China and the regional countries have continued to improve and have reached a very important moment, Zhao Gancheng, a research fellow from the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Against the background of a volatile international landscape, China continues to adhere to multilateralism and inclusive growth in the region, despite the protectionism and egoism of the US, Zhao said.

China’s cooperation with the countries differs significantly from that of the US-led West, which often prioritizes its own strategic objectives before local interests, Chen said.

Stark contrast

While the US pledges in the Asia-Pacific often fails to materialize, resulting in empty promises and broad disappointment, China’s cooperation under the BRI in the region is in stark contrast – Chinese involvement directly improves education, healthcare, employment and more in the region, Chen said.

During Wang’s visit in Indonesia, he referenced public expectations to expand bilateral cooperation in three key directions – digital economy, green development, and improvement of people’s livelihood, under the framework of the BRI.

As the BRI is entering a new phase of high-quality development, new opportunities in green economy and digital economy are emerging as countries pursue sustainable development. The extent of Belt and Road cooperation in Asia-Pacific will undoubtedly be expanded to include new frontiers like clean renewable energies and electric vehicles and more, which also signify new quality productive forces in the coming wave of high-quality development, Chen said.

What needs to be tackled next, according to Zhao, is to complete cooperation projects that were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, China’s cooperation with regional countries will always be kept as open and transparent and lead to more tangible results for local residents. 

“Infrastructure development have been and will continue to be an important part of the BRI cooperation in building quality roads, bridges, railways and other crucial infrastructure,” Zhao said. The economic partnership will only get closer and stronger, he added. 

From robot dogs to smart wheelchairs: China’s exhibits at Hannover Messe 2024

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China is hoping to get tongues wagging at Germany’s largest industrial tech fair. 

More than 1,000 Chinese exhibitors are showcasing their products at Hannover Messe 2024. There is plenty on offer, but the Chinese-built ‘GO2’ robot dog is generating lots of buzz. It can learn commands using artificial intelligence. It’s also quite athletic – not even ‘pawsing’ to stop in the face of some tough challenges. 

“The robot dog runs up the stairs but doesn’t lose his balance,” says Danny Ehlerding from Quadruped Robotics. “Many robots can’t do this. This one has an inertial measurement unit, or IMU, that allows it to get back its balance.”

Quadruped Robotics’ Chinese-developed technology helps robot dogs to maintain balance./CGTN

Quadruped Robotics’ Chinese-developed technology helps robot dogs to maintain balance./CGTN

Robot designers at the event say there’s a push to create models that need very little supervision. China’s FD Robot showed off its latest design, saying it’s one of its most nimble creations. “This robot has a high degree of freedom,” says CEO Tianlian Hu. “It can move freely and do many different and difficult movements.”

Visitors also got a peek at a wheelchair that ‘thinks’ for itself.  Chinese firm XSTO built the M4 model on display at Hannover Messe this year. The chair instinctively adjusts the seating angle when it moves over surfaces with different gradients. 

Chinese firm FD Robot says its latest model is able to perform a range of complicated movements./CGTN

Chinese firm FD Robot says its latest model is able to perform a range of complicated movements./CGTN

Meanwhile, a gear manufacturing firm unveiled a product that could make it easier to handle industrial equipment. Wenling Minghua Gear says its ‘intelligent hoist’ provides pinpoint accuracy. “This design has a more accurate position compared to the traditional ones,” explains sales manager Yan Yu. “This hoist allows you to stop exactly where you need.”

CGTN’s Johannes Pleschberger investigates the ‘intelligent hoist’ produced by Wenling Minghua Gear. /CGTN

CGTN’s Johannes Pleschberger investigates the ‘intelligent hoist’ produced by Wenling Minghua Gear. /CGTN

Chinese firms made up a quarter of the 4,000 exhibitors at this year’s show – the highest number of any country except the host. German chancellor Olaf Scholz opened the fair last weekend, just days after meeting with President Xi Jinping during an official visit to China.

All the activity at Hannover Messe suggests Chinese companies are keen to show what they can do with new technology. The saying goes that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. But as for robot dogs… well, that’s another matter altogether. 

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Aranya Theater Festival to showcase 29 plays from around the world

This poster shows the four sections of this year’s Aranya Theater Festival. /Aranya Theater Festival

This poster shows the four sections of this year’s Aranya Theater Festival. /Aranya Theater Festival

The 2024 Aranya Theater Festival will kick off in Qinhuangdao, north China’s Hebei Province on June 20. This year’s edition will feature 29 plays from around the globe. For the first time, nine artistic directors from theater festivals in eight countries – including France, Austria, Japan and Australia – will bring their productions to China. As 2024 marks the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism, several theatrical works led by French directors and actors will highlight the cultural exchanges between the two countries on the festival stage. The event will run until June 30.

GT Voice: Xinjiang’s green devt experience valuable to Western economies

Illustration: Xia Qing/Global Times

Illustration: Xia Qing/Global Times

Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has emerged as a prominent symbol of China’s progress in new-energy development. Its leading position in the new-energy field can offer concrete evidence showcasing China’s efforts to maintain stability, promote economic development and enhance people’s livelihoods in the region. 

These tangible achievements speak volumes, countering baseless Western hype over alleged human rights issues.

The installed capacity of new energy in Xinjiang has exceeded 70 million kilowatts (kW), accounting for about half of the region’s total installed capacity, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday, citing data from the State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power Co.

Xinjiang now ranks among the top markets in terms of its installed capacity of new energy and the capacity proportion of new energy. Even on a global scale, these are remarkable signs of progress. Only a handful of European countries, such as Denmark, get 50 percent of their electricity from wind and solar power.

Xinjiang’s achievements not only mark a major advance in China’s new-energy development but also provide the world, especially Western countries, with valuable experience in green development. 

Some American politicians are advised to learn about China’s efforts in achieving rapid green growth in Xinjiang, so as to give meaningful consideration to facilitating their country’s green development, instead of spreading lies about Xinjiang.

Xinjiang boasts of some of the largest new-energy resources in China. Total reserves of wind energy resources in Xinjiang are estimated at about 890 million kW and the exploitable amount of wind energy resources accounts for 15.4 percent of the country’s total. 

The exploitable amount of solar energy resources accounts for 40 percent of the country’s total, ranking top worldwide, according to local authorities.

In recent years, Xinjiang has capitalized on its natural advantages in energy and other resources, actively promoting the development of renewable energy. This has led to significant progress in adjusting the region’s energy structure, with the rapid construction of large-scale wind power and photovoltaic base projects. 

Xinjiang has installed 35.68 million kW of wind power and 34.35 million kW of photovoltaic power. Under the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), the region approved 180 gigawatts of new-energy capacity, with installed capacity estimated to exceed 89 million kW by the end of 2024. By then, new energy is expected to become the primary power source in Xinjiang.

Over the years, the rapid development of new energy in Xinjiang has been greatly facilitated by China’s policy of boosting development in the country’s western region, aiming to bridge the development gap with the eastern region.

It is under the guidance of the central government’s policies covering the western region that Xinjiang has increased its investment and support to the new-energy industry, actively driving the transformation and upgrading of the local economy. 

Accelerated economic development has also benefited people in Xinjiang, which is conducive to promoting social stability. 

Xinjiang’s transformation of its resource advantage into economic development advantage has not only ensured electricity supply for the local population, but also boosted local employment. 

While promoting the construction of new-energy projects, Xinjiang also prioritizes ecological protection, achieving a harmonious balance between economic development and environmental protection.

The experience of Xinjiang in new-energy policies, investment and infrastructure construction demonstrates that government guidance and support can expedite the growth of the new-energy industry. 

As the world strives to achieve green development and address climate change, Xinjiang’s example in the area of new-energy development could serve as a valuable reference for other countries, especially those in the West.

Emerging talents, seasoned champions propel China’s swim team to new heights as they gear up for Paris Olympics

Yu Yiting (in water) of Team China celebrates after the mixed 4x100m freestyle final at the World Aquatics Championships on February 17, 2024 in Doha, Qatar. Photo: VCG

Yu Yiting (in water) of Team China celebrates after the mixed 4x100m freestyle final at the World Aquatics Championships on February 17, 2024 in Doha, Qatar. Photo: VCG

Editor’s Note:

Swimming is gaining increasing popularity in China thanks to Chinese swimmers’ excellent performances in recent years, including three gold, two silver and one bronze medals at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 – an increase from one gold, two silver and three bronze medals at Rio 2016.

Following the Fukuoka 2023 and Doha 2024 world aquatics championships, some emerging ace swimmers have made their name in the sport such as Qin Haiyang, who set a new world record in men’s 200 meters breaststroke, and 19-year-old Pan Zhanle, a world record holder in the 100 meters freestyle. 

Female butterfly specialist Zhang Yufei is also a gold medal contender for the Paris Olympics, after bagging two gold and two silver medals for China at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, while Li Bingjie strengthened China’s squad depth allowing the team to be able to compete against other major swimming powerhouses such as the US and Australia.

Recently, Chinese swimmers competed domestically for Olympic berths in Shenzhen, South China’s Guangdong Province, where they delivered excellent performances that elevated the expectations of fans for the Paris Olympics. 

In this installment of the Road to Paris series, we would like to offer readers some insight into the four aforementioned young swimmers who are the flag bearers of the Chinese team.

(From left) Gold medalists Pan Zhanle, Wang Haoyu, Yu Yiting and Li Bingjie celebrate after winning the mixed 4x100m freestyle final at the World Aquatics Championships on February 17, 2024 in Doha, Qatar.Photo: VCG

(From left) Gold medalists Pan Zhanle, Wang Haoyu, Yu Yiting and Li Bingjie celebrate after winning the mixed 4x100m freestyle final at the World Aquatics Championships on February 17, 2024 in Doha, Qatar.Photo: VCG

At February’s World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar, the Chinese swimming team accomplished its best results since the 1994 worlds as they dominated the overall medal tally with an impressive haul of 23 gold, eight silver, and two bronze medals in all aquatics sports, including seven golds, three silvers and one bronze from swimming.

World Aquatics President Husain Al-Musallam told the Global Times that he was extremely impressed with the performance of the Chinese athletes in Doha.

Clocking in at 46.80 seconds, Pan Zhanle set a new 100m freestyle world record thanks to his exceptional performance in the leadoff split of China’s gold medal-winning 4x100m freestyle relay. 

“China was the dominant country in Doha. You have so many outstanding athletes, and, of course, the world record by Pan was incredibly exciting. China has led the world for many years in diving, but I am happy to see that so much progress is also being made in sports like swimming and artistic swimming,” said Al-Musallam. 

The president said Pan’s great performance elevates swimming to a higher level as the 19-year-old finished the worlds with a tally of four golds, marking himself as a force to be reckoned with on the international stage.

As the sole athlete to set a new world record in Doha, Pan solidified his place on the leaderboard by clinching his first individual world title in the 100-meter freestyle final. This result establishes him as one of the leading contenders for a success at the Paris Olympic Games. 

Looking ahead to the Paris Games, ­Al-Musallam ­anticipates a strong showing from the ­Chinese athletes.

“I am very confident that these will be an excellent Olympic Games for China. We have seen in Fukuoka and Doha the depth of talent in the Chinese team. I am sure that we will see many Chinese medalists on the podium in Paris,” he noted.

‘Qin Dynasty’

On Tuesday, the 200m breaststroke final of China’s national swimming championships pitted 2024 Doha worlds champion Dong Zhihao against 2023 Fukuoka worlds champion Qin Haiyang. 

Qin and Dong, the two favorites to secure a podium finish at the Paris Games, completed a 1-2 finish in the final, surpassing the best Olympic result for Chinese breaststrokers achieved by Yan Zibei, who placed sixth in the 100m breaststroke at the Tokyo Olympic Games. 

The 24-year-old Qin made history at the Fukuoka worlds as he became the first swimmer to pull off a hat trick of titles in the 50m, 100m and 200m events at a single edition of the world championships, while also shattering the 200m breaststroke world record.

Qin was honored with the title Male Swimmer of the Year by the World Aquatics in October 2023, becoming the first athlete from the Chinese mainland to win this award. He was also named the Most Valuable Player in the men’s division for sweeping five golds at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, East China’s Zhejiang Province. 

While in junior competitions Qin specialized in freestyle, in 2013 his coach Zhao Fei determined to transform him into a breaststroker, which proved to be a turning point for Qin’s career and Chinese swimming history.  

Qin said he was ready to pursue his journey at Paris 2024.

“When I finish a race, everything ends. When I take off the gold medals, it’s a new beginning. Each new race, it’s a new challenge, a new beginning for me,” he said.

‘Butterfly Queen’

Zhang Yufei, the ace athlete of the Chinese women’s swimming team, said after ­bagging six golds at the Hangzhou Asian Games that her goal for the Paris Games is to win three individual medals and four relay medals.

From the Fukuoka worlds, Chengdu Universiade and Hangzhou Asian Games to the World Cup, Zhang endured a hectic schedule in 2023. How she will strike a balance between individual and relay events in Paris remains the major challenge for Zhang, who is dubbed the “Butterfly Queen.”

The 26-year-old won two golds in the 200m butterfly and 4x200m freestyle relay at the Tokyo Olympic Games. 

She said earlier that signing up for multiple competitions is one of the ways for her to ­improve endurance and gear up for Paris Games.

“Each time I take part in a major competition, I compete in a dozen races, including heats and finals. This is to help me get accustomed to the intensity at the Paris Olympic Games. Only in this way do I know how to adjust to multiple races in a short span,” said Zhang. 

“If we only talk about personal ideals, I can say what I like and what I don’t like. But if I shoulder the responsibility of the nation at international competitions, there is no choice but to strive for the best,” she noted.

Pan Zhanle competes in the men's 200m freestyle event at the national swimming championships in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province, on April 20, 2024. Photo: VCG

Pan Zhanle competes in the men’s 200m freestyle event at the national swimming championships in Shenzhen, South China’s Guangdong Province, on April 20, 2024. Photo: VCG

Pan excels with under-47s

Pan Zhanle’s name has become synonymous with excellence and consistency lately. 

The latest testament to his prowess came on Tuesday at the national swimming championships in Shenzhen where he clinched yet another victory in the men’s 100m freestyle final with a blistering time of 46.97 seconds, marking his third consecutive sub-47-second performance.

Pan’s journey to dominance has been marked by remarkable achievements over the past few months. 

It began with his gold medal win at the Hangzhou Asian Games in September 2023, where he shattered records by becoming the first Asian swimmer to break the 47-second barrier, clocking in at 46.97 seconds. 

His momentum only surged forward as he made waves at the Doha worlds in February, where he not only secured gold in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay but also set a new world record of 46.80 seconds in the leadoff leg.

Now, with his recent triumph at the nationals, Pan has once again demonstrated his unwavering dominance in the 100m freestyle event. 

Reflecting on his achievement, Pan remains humble yet determined, acknowledging that even greater feats lie ahead, particularly with the looming challenge of the Paris Olympics.

Despite his youth, Pan’s performance stands as a testament to his unparalleled skill and resilience in the pool. 

His ability to consistently breach the sub-47-second mark places him in an elite echelon of swimmers, with only a select few achieving such a feat, including him and David Popovici of Romania, who made headlines in 2022 by consecutively breaking the 47-second barrier and setting a world record of 46.86 seconds. 

Pan’s success, however, has not been without its challenges. Despite his remarkable achievements, he remains steadfast in his pursuit of further excellence, acknowledging the ever-changing landscape of competitive swimming. 

As he sets his sights on the Paris Olympics, Pan remains focused on maintaining a balanced mind-set and approach, emphasizing the importance of adapting to the pressures of elite competition.

“It will be my first time participating in the Olympics. My main goal is to relax and not feel too much pressure. I’m not concerned about the results for now; I just want to give it my all,” Pan said. 

“I really want to achieve a good result. I can’t afford to be impatient during the Olympics. I need to calm down and stabilize.”

Li aims higher

Distance swimmer Li Bingjie’s tale is one of redemption and tenacity. 

Bursting onto the international scene at the age of 15 during the 2017 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, she captured silver in the 800-meter freestyle and bronze in the ­400-meter freestyle.

Despite her early promise, Li faced a bitter taste of disappointment after failing to advance in the preliminaries of the women’s 400-meter freestyle at the 2019 world championships.

Subsequent years saw Li grappling with profound setbacks and self-doubt, her once-promising trajectory veering into a downward spiral. 

Amid injuries and faltering confidence, she confronted her fears head-on, shedding her long locks in a symbolic gesture of renewal reminiscent of her teenage debut.

Her perseverance bore fruit in 2021, as she triumphed on the grandest of stages, securing a gold and a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

Li’s main disciplines, the distance freestyles 400, 800 and 1500 meters, are fiercely competitive, with US swimmer Katie Ledecky dominating the disciplines with seven Olympic golds and 21 world championship titles. 

At the Doha worlds held in February, Li was seen as the anchor for the team’s gold medal haul in the 4x200m free and 4x100m mixed relays.

“Defending the glory is much harder than conquering it. It’s normal to fail in trying to conquer, but if you can’t defend a title, you’ll be vulnerable to criticism,” Li said. 

“I’m more cautious and focused on strategy. I will put forward my best efforts to strive for breakthroughs at the Olympics.”

RISC-V chip tech curb on China ‘to harm US firms’

A chip manufacture machine Photo: VCG

A chip manufacture machine Photo: VCG

The US is reportedly working to review the potential risks of RISC-V chip technology being used by major Chinese technology companies, which is seen as a new front of the expanding technology war initiated by the US that aims to curb China’s development in the sector.

Observers said that the US will find it difficult to restrict China on RISC-V technology and that if it does so, US companies could bear huge losses and the global supply chain could be affected.

The US Department of Commerce is reviewing the national security implications of China’s work in open-source RISC-V chip technology, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing a letter the department sent to US lawmakers.

Any restrictions could set off a chain reaction and create uncertainty for the initiators themselves, Zhang Xiaorong, director of the Beijing-based Cutting-Edge Technology Research Institute, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

“As an open-source technology, RISC-V is widely used in the design of the Internet of Things. China’s contribution to the technology is strong,” said Zhang.

According to Reuters, the US Commerce Department letter said that it is “working to review potential risks and assess whether there are appropriate actions under Commerce authorities that could effectively address any potential concerns.” 

But the Commerce Department also noted that it would need to tread carefully to avoid harming US companies that are part of international groups working on RISC-V technology. Previous controls on transferring 5G technology to China created roadblocks for US firms working in international standards bodies where China was also a participant, risking US leadership in the field, according to Reuters.

Analysts said that the letter shows that the US action is about technology dominance, not open-source development.

RISC-V, pronounced as “risk five,” is a set of basic instructions that tell a chip how to perform a computing task. It provides a common language for designing processors used in devices such as smartphones, disk drives, Wi-Fi routers and tablets, according to RISC-V International, a non-profit managing RISC-V technology.

Since RISC-V is an open-source technology, if the US imposes restrictions, it will slow down the global development of the technology, Ma Jihua, a veteran telecom industry observer, told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

If the US imposes restrictions, it may only restrict American companies that do RISC-V research and development and production from cooperating with Chinese companies, Ma said.

“It’s similar to … when the US sanctioned Huawei [and] American companies weren’t allowed to participate in international conferences or organizations where Huawei was present. However, the ban was eventually revised because Huawei was seen as more important to many international organizations than some American companies,” said Ma, and it will be the same with RISC-V technology.

Controlling China’s access to RISC-V technology, however, is easier said than done, said an analysis published by the Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET), a policy research organization within Georgetown University, in January.

RISC-V International moved its headquarters from the US to Switzerland in March 2020 in part to insulate itself from the creeping influence of geopolitics on the chip industry. This move severely limits the US government’s regulatory options, according to CSET.