Authorities in India's southern state of Kerala have heightened surveillance measures to contain the spread of Nipah infections, officials said on Saturday.
The measures have been stepped up in Kozhikode district, where so far six cases have been identified. Of them, four are active while the remaining two died.
The state-run broadcaster All India Radio (AIR) said that so far 1,080 people have been included in the contact list of Nipah-infected patients in Kozhikode, of which 297 people are in the high-risk category.
"Those in the contact list are kept in isolation and their body fluids have been sent for testing," the broadcaster quoted officials as having said.
According to AIR, health workers covered more than 15,000 houses in Kozhikode so far, as part of their field survey.
Reports said after a resident in Cheruvannur tested positive for Nipah on Friday, local administration declared the five-kilometer area around the residence as a containment zone. A strict perimeter control has been imposed in several localities falling under Kozhikode Municipal Corporation. The officials have put up barricades to limit access to these areas.
The district administration in Kozhikode has directed all educational institutions to hold classes online for the students till Sept. 24.
Meanwhile, the Director-General of India's top health research body - Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Rajiv Bahl, on Friday said they have reached out to Australia to procure 20 more doses of monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of Nipah virus infection.
"We got some doses of monoclonal antibody from Australia in 2018. Currently, the doses are available for only 10 patients," Bahl said, adding globally monoclonal antibody has been given to 14 patients infected with Nipah virus outside India and all of them have survived.
According to Bahl, no one so far has been administered the medicine in India.
"Twenty more doses are being procured. But the medicine needs to be given during the early stage of the infection," he said. "It can only be given as compassionate use medicine."
Bahl said teams from ICMR's National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV) and National Institute of Epidemiology (ICMR-NIE) have been deployed on the ground and are working with authorities in Kerala to strengthen containment efforts.
He also advised that people take certain precautionary measures against Nipah, including handwashing, avoiding contact with body fluids of infected or suspected cases, avoiding areas where bats are known to roost and contact with bats and avoiding consumption of raw foods that may be contaminated by bats, such as raw date palm sap or raw fruits.
Kerala had first witnessed an outbreak of the Nipah virus in 2018 in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts, claiming 17 lives.
According to WHO, Nipah virus infection is a newly emerging zoonosis that causes severe disease in both animals and humans. The natural hosts of the virus are fruit bats of the Pteropodidae Family, Pteropus genus.
Typically, the human infection presents as an encephalitic syndrome marked by fever, headache, drowsiness, disorientation, mental confusion, and coma, which can potentially lead to death.
The Chinese Embassy in Israel confirmed that a Chinese worker was injured in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on Saturday, and the embassy has issued an urgent alert to Chinese citizens in Israel to pay close attention to security.
According to the embassy, the Chinese worker was injured by a stray bullet near Ashkelon in southern Israel during Saturday's Israeli-Palestinian conflict and is currently in hospital.
The embassy issued a safety alert on Saturday, saying that Israel had been hit by rocket attacks and armed assaults in multiple areas on the morning of that day, resulting in significant casualties. Hence, the embassy reminded Chinese citizens in Israel to closely monitor the local security situation and follow security measures to ensure their own safety.
The alert also stated that according to the Israeli tourism department's reminder, all types of tourism activities within Israel had been immediately suspended, and foreign tourists who were already in the country were told to stay in their hotel rooms and avoid going out.
Accordingly, the embassy emphasized that Chinese citizens must pay attention to and comply with relevant safety guidelines, especially familiarizing themselves with the locations and distribution of bomb shelters, and in the event of an air raid alarm, they should evacuate to the bomb shelters immediately.
Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years on Saturday, combined gunmen crossing into Israel with a barrage of rockets fired from Gaza, with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declaring that the country was "at war," according to media reports.
At least 40 people have been killed and over 700 injured, with the death toll expected to rise, the Times of Israel reported, while the Palestinian health officials said that 198 have died and at least 1,610 people had been injured in the strikes.
Cohen Roni, an Israeli citizen, told the Global Times on Saturday that she had never experienced such a large-scale conflict.
"I woke up in the morning to the sound of alarms and rockets. The entire country was in chaos, and my hands trembled with fear while my heart raced. Currently, citizens are all confined to their homes, not leaving under any circumstances. This is extremely dangerous, as if I were to leave my house, I could potentially be kidnapped or killed," Roni said.
Although the scale of this conflict is relatively unusual, some Chinese experts believe that fundamentally it remains a conflict between Israel and Palestine, and will not escalate into a war between Israel and the surrounding Arab countries.
This kind of conflicts have occurred in the past, mostly between Israel and Palestine's hawkish militias groups like Hamas, rather than a total war between the two countries, and normally Israel retaliated by intensifying its strikes on Hamas and the Gaza Strip to make Palestinians pay more bloodsheds, Ma Xiaolin, senior professor and dean of the Institute for Studies on the Mediterranean Rim at Zhejiang International Studies University, told the Global Times on Saturday.
Following the strikes, countries that have established diplomatic relations with the Middle East and Israel expressed varying degrees of protest and condemnation, leading to temporary appeasement, Ma added.
Currently, some major Arab or Islamic countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Oman are calling for both sides to exercise restraint, Ma said. "This indicates the delicate stance of these countries towards the Israeli-Palestinian issue, as they don't wish to be deeply involved," the expert noted.
The "Out of Africa - Celebrating the Beijing Swifts" seminar was successfully held on Monday evening in the Belgian Residence in Beijing, coinciding with the World Migratory Bird Day to promote the conservation of migratory birds such as the Beijing Swifts and their habitats.
Ambassador of Belgium to China H.E. Bruno Angelet, deputy director-general of the Beijing Municipal Forestry and Parks Bureau Wang Xiaoping, deputy director of the Wildlife and Wetland Protection Division Ji Jianwei, Beijing Normal University professor Zhao Xinru, professor of Ornithology at the Sun Yat-sen University, Liu Yang and Beijing-based wildlife conservationist Terry Townshend, and several ambassadors attended the event.
Ambassador Angelet, the host of the event delivered a speech. He declared a love for birds, especially the Swifts as they are intelligent, social, gentle and free, adding that he was also a birdwatcher in Belgium and after arriving in Beijing in August, he was pleasantly surprised at the great variety of birds in the city, including sparrows, which have almost disappeared in Belgium, but can be found everywhere in Beijing.
"I was so excited to discover that European and Chinese scientists have studied specific aspects of their journey. Through this study, we have discovered that the Swifts which nest in Beijing also come every spring from Africa, mostly from Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa," he told the Global Times.
Ambassador Angelet also expressed his hope that embassies and their Chinese counterparts will join forces to improve bilateral international scientific cooperation.
Professor Zhao and Professor Liu, two of the best-known Chinese scientists who have been studying the bird species shared the results of the citizen science surveys to count the Swifts in Beijing to help understand the bird's population trends.
The Beijing Swift, as a migratory bird named after "Beijing," is a landmark species and one of the ecological symbols of Beijing. It spends three months a year in Beijing to breed before undertaking an incredible migration to southern Africa in mid-July for the northern hemisphere winter, professor Zhao said at the event.
On July 4, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) published a report announcing that Japan's dumping plan meets the IAEA's safety standards.
Several days after the report was released, doubts are mounting. It also sparked a strong backlash in countries that will be impacted by the scheduled dumping.
Several sources and industry experts involved in the project revealed to the Global Times Japan's intent to create "reasonableness" for the plan to be well received. In their view, despite Japan's calculated efforts to create a narrative of harmlessness around its intended plan, the risks associated with the dumping of nuclear-contaminated wastewater from Fukushima are real. From the perspective of the interests of all humankind, there should have been better options considered, but Japan has disregarded them and chosen the most favorable approach for itself.
Unproven safety
As an independent intergovernmental organization within the United Nations system, the conclusions reached by the IAEA are often seen as inherently authoritative. The Japanese government also intends to use the IAEA's report to legitimize Japan's dumping of nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the ocean.
However, as stated by Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin, the agency's report cannot serve as a "shield" or "green light" for Japan's dumping plan. Several industry insiders and experts expressed the same view in recent interviews with the Global Times, saying that the conclusions of the IAEA assessment report cannot provide a stamp of approval for the safety of the plan.
Regarding the released report by the IAEA, the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment have recently raised questions about its content. They believe that there are many issues concerning the legitimacy of Japan's ocean discharge, the reliability of the purification system, and the completeness of the monitoring plan.
Deng Ge, secretary general of the CAEA, noted that according to the IAEA report, the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) method used by Japan cannot remove all radioactive nuclides from the nuclear-contaminated wastewater. Based on previous operation results, it has been proven that ALPS method is ineffective in removing radioactive nuclides such as tritium and carbon-14. The effectiveness of ALPS in removing other radioactive nuclides also requires further testing and verification through experiments and engineering.
According to data released by Japan itself, over 70 percent of the wastewater treated by ALPS does not meet discharge standards and requires further purification. During long-term operation, the performance and reliability of ALPS will further deteriorate due to equipment corrosion and aging. But Japan has not demonstrated the long-term effectiveness and reliability of the water purification system.
An insider familiar with Japan's dumping plan revealed to the Global Times that the current plan and assessment in Japan are based on the assumption that the treated wastewater will meet the standards. Unfortunately, according to data previously released by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the operator of the Fukushima plant, even after treatment through ALPS, about 70 percent of the treated contaminated wastewater does not meet the set standards, with 18 percent exceeding the standards by 10 to 20,000 times. Additionally, the frequent malfunctions and component damage of ALPS raise doubts about its capability to treat the nuclear-contaminated wastewater.
The insider further stated that it is uncertain whether the situation would improve if the water undergoes a second round of ALPS treatment. The plan provided by TEPCO does not explain how to ensure that the treated wastewater will meet the discharge requirements, nor does it include an analysis of the impacts of the discharge.
Publicly available data showed that TEPCO only retreated 0.25 percent of the nuclear-contaminated wastewater, without disclosing the time required for the second treatment or explaining the plan for the second treatment.
The accuracy and reliability of the data released by Japan on the contaminated wastewater have also been questioned by numerous parties. Deng stated that TEPCO has repeatedly concealed and tampered with data on the nuclear-contaminated wastewater. Japan unilaterally approved the dumping plan and accelerated its implementation, putting pressure on the IAEA's review and assessment through various means.
The IAEA conducted its review and assessment based solely on the data and information provided by Japan, with only a limited number of samples of the nuclear-contaminated wastewater collected unilaterally by Japan for laboratory comparison and analysis. The authenticity and accuracy of the data are yet to be verified, and the sampling independence and representativeness are severely lacking. Therefore, even if the IAEA's review and assessment conclude that the discharge complies with international safety standards, it lacks sufficient persuasiveness, according to Deng.
Regarding sampling and monitoring, TEPCO initially only sampled and monitored nine nuclides other than tritium in the contaminated wastewater, which was later adjusted to 29 nuclides in 2023. However, considering the complex composition of the contaminated wastewater from Fukushima with its high salt content and various impurities, this is still far from sufficient, according to the insider.
"TEPCO's actions have introduced significant uncertainties in the source information of the nuclear-contaminated wastewater, thereby greatly increasing the difficulty of formulating subsequent monitoring plans and assessing the impact on the marine ecosystem," said the insider.
Even if the assessment report by the IAEA concludes that Japan's plan to dump nuclear-contaminated wastewater meets international safety standards, risks still remain.
Wei Fangxin, a researcher at the Center for Nuclear and Radiation Safety at the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, told the Global Times that the radiation safety standards established by the IAEA set the public dose limit at 1 milliSievert per year. However, even if the dose is below 1 milliSievert, there are still risks of radiation exposure.
"It's like a highway speed limit of 100 kilometers per hour. It doesn't mean that driving below 100 kilometers per hour is absolutely safe," the expert said.
Wei also pointed out that there are many nuclides in the contaminated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, making its treatment challenging. Each treatment technology has limitations and can only handle specific types of nuclides, while other nuclides or impurities can affect the performance of the treatment equipment.
Over time, the performance of the treatment system deteriorates, and the treated water may have excessive levels of radioactivity, he said.
"In the long run, the people in neighboring countries and regions to Japan will undoubtedly be adversely affected by the dumping of the nuclear-contaminated wastewater. Regardless of how small the radioactivity of the contaminated wastewater may be, it still poses certain risks." Wei noted.
Mounting doubts
As early as on July 4, Mao Ning, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, said that the report would "not prove the discharge is legitimate and justified and exempt the Japanese side from its due responsibilities and obligations under international law."
Liu Senlin, an expert with the China Institute of Atomic Energy, who participated in the IAEA's technical working group for the assessment, told the Global Times that the report, released in the name of the IAEA director general, was released without sufficient consultation with the experts in the technical working group.
He believes that the report released by the IAEA does not represent the IAEA's recognition of the legitimacy of Japan's decision to dump the treated wastewater into the ocean, nor does it represent the IAEA's approval or authorization of Japan's dump of nuclear-contaminated wastewater.
Liu mentioned that the report was released in the name of the IAEA director general Rafael Mariano Grossi. Although the IAEA Secretariat had sought opinions from the technical working group's experts on the draft report before its release, the time given to the experts was very limited, and their opinions were only for reference, with the decision on whether to adopt them being made by the IAEA Secretariat.
After receiving feedback, the IAEA Secretariat did not initiate a discussion or reach a consensus with the experts on the modification of the report or the adoption of the opinions before its hasty release, according to Liu.
Liu revealed that during the last two years of evaluation tasks, experts from various parties in the technical working group extensively and deeply discussed technical issues related to the Japanese government's responsibilities and functions in the discharge of treated contaminated wastewater, key principles and safety objectives, authorization procedures, source characterization, safety issues of the discharge system and process, evaluation of radiation environmental impact, source monitoring and environmental monitoring plans, occupational radiation protection, public consultation, and the involvement of relevant parties. "There were both consensuses and differences of opinion, and a unanimous agreement was not reached."
On the one hand, the IAEA's review and evaluation effectively raised the technical threshold and regulatory requirements for Japan's dumping of nuclear-contaminated wastewater; on the other hand, there were significant limitations, such as not addressing the international community's concerns over the legitimacy of Japan's decision to discharge, and not having sufficient discussions and arrangements for subsequent review and assessment tasks, and long-term monitoring plans.
"The IAEA plays the role of an assessor, rather than a decision-maker, in the issue of the disposal of nuclear-contaminated wastewater in Fukushima, Japan," Wei said.
"From the perspective of the IAEA, its release of the comprehensive assessment report stating that Japan's plan for discharging nuclear-contaminated wastewater 'meets international safety standards' can only be understood as the plan being feasible. However, feasibility does not imply that the plan is the optimal solution, and there are still many questions that Japan has not answered," he noted.
When Japan requested for an IAEA assessment of its disposal plans, it did not submit all feasible options for evaluation. Instead, it submitted the discharge plan that was most favorable to its interests. This assessment itself has limitations and biases, the expert said.
South Korean media revealed on June 21 that the Japanese government made a political donation of more than 1 million euros ($1.10 million) to the IAEA in order to resolve differences of opinion between the IAEA and third country experts. But it was later denied by Grossi and the Japanese government.
"From the perspective of the IAEA's assessment results, its position clearly leans more toward the Japanese government," said an anonymous expert close to the event.
Firstly, the IAEA itself is also eager to resolve the issue of Fukushima's nuclear-contaminated wastewater as soon as possible because one of its mandates is to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy globally, he said.
The other reason is that Japan has significant influence within the IAEA. From the information available to us, there are many Japanese nationals serving in the IAEA, and this trend has continued in the last decade, according to the expert.
"The Japanese government is active in this issue and financially supports sending experts or advisors to serve in or provide services to the IAEA. From the perspective of the IAEA, enjoying free professional services is certainly welcomed. From Japan's perspective, it expands its influence and discourse power within the IAEA through this approach," he said.
Simplest way
In the implementation of the dumping plan, Japan has been unable to prove the legitimacy and legality of its decision throughout the process. This is one of the reasons why they requested an evaluation and assessment from the IAEA.
In this regard, Japan's actions have revealed a lack of long-term responsibility in addressing the issue and have instead revealed a need for a temporary rather than a long-term solution.
According to the CAEA, Japan deliberately restricted the authorization of the IAEA's technical working group, limiting review and assessment to only one disposal option, while excluding other possible alternatives. Even if the IAEA considers the discharge to be in line with international safety standards, it does not prove that it is the only or best solution for the disposal of the contaminated wastewater.
"Now, by releasing the contaminated wastewater into the open sea, it is the simplest and least burdensome approach for Japan, reducing economic costs and minimizing harm to its own territory. However, it potentially poses risks to neighboring countries, effectively transferring their own risks to others," Wei said.
A delegation from the Chinese senior care industry was invited by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Beijing, together with the Consulate General of the Netherlands in Shanghai and the Task Force Health Care to visit the Netherlands to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the field of senior care.
Wang Sheng from the Economic and Commercial Section of the Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands also participated in the event.
The delegation consisted of representatives of commercial companies, research institutes, and nursing and day care organizations from Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai.
The delegation visited different types of senior care organizations in the Netherlands and had in-depth exchanges with Vilans, the national think tank for long-term care, and the University of Groningen.
The delegation also had exchanges with representatives from the Netherlands business community involved in senior care services and technology products, as well as with representatives from the scientific research and development industry in the field of senior care.
The visit of the delegation is another milestone in the fruitful partnership between China and the Netherlands in the field of senior care, through which both sides hope to explore common solutions to global challenges in areas such as aging.
The Sino-Dutch sports exchanges and reception for the Dutch delegation to the Chengdu World University Games was successfully held on July 29 to celebrate the Sino-Dutch sports relations.
The event, hosted by the Consulate General of the Netherlands in Chongqing, greeted all the student athletes from the Student Sport Netherlands attending the Games.
The guests of honor included Rob Cuppen, head of the Dutch delegation to the Chengdu World University Games, Wim Koch, deputy head of the Dutch delegation and more than 60 participants in 11 sports.
Huub Buise, Consul General of the Netherlands in Chongqing, delivered a speech at the event. Buise said that, "After working together for the last three years, we are finally witnessing the opening of the Chengdu Universiade and the competitions being held as scheduled. Everyone has put in a lot of effort in this process, including our head of delegation, official representatives, and all of you here, all working together. I am very happy to be here with all of you and wish you all the best in the competition."
Silke Jonkman, the student athlete representative from the Dutch delegation touched on the feelings and experiences of participating in the Games and expressed the delegation's expectations for Sino-Dutch sports exchanges and friendship. She said that, "I am very grateful for the welcome reception prepared for us. At the same time, we are very happy to be here in China, in Chengdu, where we ate a lot of food, saw pandas, attended the grand opening ceremony, and were deeply impressed by the friendliness, warmth, and helpfulness of the Chinese people."
Buise also stressed that Chengdu is the engine of the entire western economy in China and the world has seen its internationalization. He expressed special thanks to liaisons at the Chengdu Foreign Affairs Office for building a bridge of friendship between China and the Netherlands.
Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque inaugurated the Pakistan National Pavilion and attended the opening ceremony of the 9th Sichuan Agricultural Expo in Chengdu on October 28. Hu Yun, vice governor of Southwest China's Sichuan Province, presided over the opening ceremony.
The exhibition hall introduced famous tourist attractions in Pakistan and more than 10 Pakistani companies showcased some agricultural products. The exhibition hall attracted great interest from participants.
Pakistan is the guest of honor of this expo. The ambassador emphasized in his speech that Pakistan and China have established a solid bilateral relationship based on political mutual trust, strategic communication and practical cooperation. He also stressed the close cooperation between Pakistan and Sichuan, including through their sister cities.
Pakistan's participation in the 2023 CIIE will inject new impetus into the ongoing agricultural cooperation between Pakistan and China. Recently, the two sides reached five important agricultural agreement on the application of sanitary and phytosanitary measures, granting Pakistan access to the $30 billion market for cooked beef, dairy products, chili peppers, cherries and other livestock products, which will help Pakistan expand its exports to China.
Deepening mutual understanding between Chinese and Grenadian people will be realized through a multifaceted approach, which entails expanding cultural exchanges, promoting educational endeavors, and facilitating direct connections between individuals from both nations, Chad Vincent John, a 34-year-old Grenadian who is currently a kindergarten teacher and has been living in China for more than a decade, told the Global Times in a recent interview.
By organizing diverse cultural programs, offering language courses, and creating opportunities for personal interactions, we can cultivate stronger bonds, John said. Additionally, leveraging digital platforms and social media will enable the seamless sharing of personal stories, experiences, and cultural insights, ultimately fostering a more profound and lasting connection between our two communities, he noted.
Learnroom International Kindergarten in Beijing, known for its commitment to fostering cultural understanding, recently hosted a successful Culture Day that had a profound effect on attendees. John, a respected member of the school's management team, spearheaded the event with the generous support of the Grenadian Embassy.
Among the showcases by various countries, the Grenada exhibit stood out, captivating both children and parents with its displays.
"The Chinese audience's response to this event was remarkable. As they entered the exhibition room, they were captivated by the vibrant displays," John said.
The delightful aroma of Grenadian spices and cocoa intrigued them, sparking their curiosity about our culture. Attendees received goodie bags with Grenadian spices, T-shirts, bandanas, and brochures, enhancing their experience. They also enjoyed seeing their children dressed in carnival costumes, adding to the event's charm, he noted. "Overall, the positive reactions underscored the power of cultural exchange."
The 34-year-old Grenadian who has been working in China for over 10 years, called the country "a second home" to him. "I have found the experience of living and working here to be truly enriching."
However, it's worth noting that many Chinese people are not familiar with Grenada, he said. "Whenever I'm asked about my origin, I often find myself explaining that Grenada is a beautiful island located in the Caribbean Sea, situated to the south of Cuba, Jamaica, and Haiti, and to the north of South America and Trinidad and Tobago, among others," John said.
I refer to these nearby countries to provide context and help people understand where Grenada is situated geographically. This interaction provides an opportunity for cultural exchange and helps bridge the gap in understanding between our two nations, he said.
Young Chinese people in the new era are confident, aspirational and responsible. With a global vision, they stand at the forefront of the times, ready to fully commit to a more global outlook. Chinese people accept and quickly respond to the world's trending schools of thought. Some members of China's Generation Z have started to practice the tenets of their "global citizen" identity and use their thought processes and actions to influence the society. The Global Times has therefore launched a series of introductory stories to China's Gen Zers who are interested in different global topics such as environmental protection, equality, and employment issues, and invites them to share their stories, sentiments, and ideas on social media platforms. As the match point arrived, the stadium with nearly 6000 seats sat in silence. When the last ball landed, accompanied by a tsunami of cheers from the crowd, celebrating with fist pumps, shouts, and embraces, raising the Five-Star Red Flags to show their sincere gratitude to the audience and the country they beloved.
Similar scenes unfolded six times during the table tennis competition at the 19th Asian Games held in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province. Generation Zers Sun Yingsha, Fan Zhendong and Wang Chuqin, the absolute mainstays of the Chinese table tennis team, presented a lot of world-class pinnacle competitions with players from different countries and regions in a firm and confident manner.
Compared with the older generation, this group of world champions, who are blowing up a storm of youth, are more confident in expressing their love for table tennis, their desire to enjoy the game regardless of winners and losers, as well as their courage in communicating with the outside world to build up a more positive and united force, adding a more contemporary and vibrant expression to this sport, which is considered the national game by the Chinese people.
Enjoy the game
"When the last ball landed, the first thing I recognized about my performance was that it was very good," Sun, who was born in 2000, the current world No. 1 in women's singles, said while answering a question from the Global Times during a post-match interview on October 1, 2023.
And in a subsequent interview with the Global Times, Sun said she has gained a lot from the Hangzhou Asian Games. "Compared with the Asian Games in Jakarta five years ago, I have taken on more responsibility, but compared with the pressure, I am also more motivated, and am satisfied with my play."
In Jakarta in 2018, the enduring impression left by Sun to the public was a cute little girl with a round face and eyes. There is no Tokyo Olympic gold medal, Houston and Durban mixed doubles champions. At that time, Sun represented the national table tennis team in the women's team and mixed doubles events.
Five years later, Sun took the oath as a representative of the participating athletes at the opening ceremony of the Hangzhou Games, and competed in women's singles, doubles, team and mixed doubles, winning gold medals in three of them.
"I feel very proud to be sworn in as an athlete representative at a major international competition hosted by my country. To be able to fight on home soil, there were also many fans who came to cheer me on, I told myself to focus on every game on the field, and I hope I can really enjoy the feeling that the game brings to me. I didn't think too much about the result," Sun said.
But for Sun, the Asian Games in Hangzhou is not without regrets. Earlier, in a shock result, women's doubles world No. 1s Sun and Wang Manyu lost 1-3 to Japanese duo Miwa Harimoto and Miu Hirano.
Sun admitted that after the defeat, both her coach and her partner gave her a lot of encouragement so that she could adjust quickly be ready to face the next match. But she also told the Global Times that such a defeat is precious and needs to be fully faced, and that she will take stock of the loss after the game.
Fan, the world's number one men's singles table tennis player, also tasted defeat at the Asian Games. In the table tennis men's singles final on October 2nd, Fan lost 3-4 to his teammate Wang and won the silver medal. After the match, Fan told the Global Times that he was still very happy with his performance in his third Asian Games he attended.
"Being able to participate in the Asian Games in China and be a torchbearer is a great honor for me. It is a recognition of my past achievements. I also really wanted to win the final singles match and defend my title, but both of us played very well in the final. I feel a little regret for my lost, but not enough to be disappointed," he said.
Fan, who is 26 years old this year, made his debut in the Asian Games in 2014 in Incheon, South Korea. Starting his career at a young age and gaining fame early, Fan admitted that he felt "not very young" anymore. However, he still hopes to focus on the competition and give his all in every match, using his superb skills and competitive state to bring more positive energy to his teammates and fans who love him.
Valuing heritage
23-year-old Wang, who took home four championships in the table tennis men's team, singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, becoming the first person in the history of table tennis at the Asian Games, first to expressed his gratitude to the country for its cultivation in an interview with the Global Times.
Wang noted that China's nationwide system allows athletes to train in a world-class environment. "At the same time, the Chinese table tennis team is a strong team, with a lot of world champions, allowing us - the younger generation - to constantly progress and improve in a fine tradition."
"When you wear the national flag on your uniform, you represent Team China. The honor of this collective is passed down through generations through unremitting efforts, and we will do our best to defend it," Wang said.
However, Wang also noted that in competitive sports, no one can maintain their peak state forever and there can never be eternal victory. "This is also the charm of competitive sports."
In the men's and women's team finals of the Hangzhou Asian Games, the Chinese team defeated their opponents 3-0. The coaches of the Chinese table tennis team told media that although they ultimately won the matches, the process was not easy and the women's doubles event failing to reach the top four made the whole team realize that the competition in the world of table tennis is becoming increasingly fierce.
"Winning championships in table tennis may seem easy for the Chinese team, but in fact, every member of our team has put in unimaginable efforts in various aspects throughout this process. For us, it has always been about striving for first place, not just maintaining it," Fan said.
In the current world of table tennis, the level of athletes from various countries and regions is getting closer, Fan pointed out. "Every competition and major event requires us to give our all to achieve good results."
But for Fan and Wang, this kind of competition is positive and necessary. "We are also looking forward to these challenges, which are in fact mutual promotion that can further improve and develop the Chinese table tennis team," Fan said.
More open and international
"Play the fiercest ball on the court, and be the most sincere and lovely teenager in life." This is a popular comment of this group of all-powerful table tennis made by their young Chinese fans.
And it's not just the fans who are attracted to them.
On the first match day for the table tennis at the Hangzhou Asian Games on September 22, when Fan was warming up on the sidelines, a foreign coach took the initiative to shake hands with him. The handshake between them conveyed the friendship and respect built on this sport.
After the women's team first round match, Team Macao player Seak Hui-li specifically took a photo with Sun with her racket, which also received a friendly response from her idol.
After the women's team semi-finals, Korean athlete Jeon Jihee happily revealed in an interview that she exchanged pins with Sun.
Despite the tight schedule of the competition, Sun still lived up to her title as the "pin exchange master" with her actions.
"If I meet someone have pins I like or find cute, I will think about exchanging with them. We are all friends," Sun told the Global Times.
With the promotion of this more open and international Gen Zers, the slogan of the Chinese Table Tennis Association, "Chinese table tennis is shared with the world," has become a reality.
Sun, Fan and Wang told the Global Times that they love table tennis and hope to connect with more like-minded people through the sport. As idol for many despite their young age, they hope that more young people, like them, focus on what they love, can always go forward, ultimately realize the dreams.
The highly anticipated Indonesian cultural festival kicked off in the opera hall of Beijing's Central Conservatory of Music recently to promote cultural exchanges between China and Indonesia and encourage people to learn more about the traditional Indonesian instrument the Kolintang.
Indonesian Ambassador to China Djauhari Oratmangun, delivered a speech saying that the Indonesian cultural performance held in Beijing is particularly important for the promotion of Indonesia's rich and colorful culture and enhancement of civil relations between Indonesia and China.
Oratmangun also stated that through this event, he hopes that the Kolintang instrument will be recognized by UNESCO in 2024.
Accompanied by the Kolintang, Oratmangun and his wife sang the Chinese song The Moon Represents My Heart, which resonated with the audiences and received thunderous applause.
This event serves as a bridge for cultural exchange between the two countries, enhancing cultural exchange and mutual learning, and strengthening the friendship between the two peoples, while promoting the healthy development of bilateral relations.
