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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.

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.

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.

Editor's Note:

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.

Li Yanfei and Sun Longfei contributed the story

On Saturday, the British police confirmed to the media that a parliamentary researcher had been arrested in March this year on "suspicion of spying for China," causing a stir in the UK. It appears to be a farcical situation, highlighting how the declining British Empire is becoming increasingly paranoid and shallow.

Not only did the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs categorically dismiss the UK's accusations as "entirely groundless," but the so-called "Chinese spy" who is out on bail also refused to plead guilty, stating through his lawyer that he is "completely innocent."

If the UK were genuinely facing a serious espionage threat from China, its Cabinet and Prime Minister would undoubtedly be aware of the threat and would take it seriously. However, in recent months, UK officials have repeatedly expressed a willingness to improve relations with China, with James Cleverly becoming the first British Foreign Secretary to visit China since 2018.

After the "spy incident" was exposed over the weekend, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who was attending the G20 summit, told British media that he expressed "very strong concerns about any interference in our parliamentary democracy, which is obviously unacceptable" to the Chinese Premier during their the meeting. If London truly believed the matter to be of grave concern, why did it take so long to react? Sunak was clearly putting on a show, aiming to placate the furious UK parliamentarians.

The trivial matters in the British Parliament aren't worth China's efforts and risks of "planting spies." Those extremist politicians who gain attention by criticizing China are not highly regarded by today's Chinese people. Moreover, with Sunak, of Indian origin, becoming Prime Minister and India surpassing the UK in GDP, the decline of the former empire is evident. Yet, they persist in clinging to their past glory and treating everything in their house as treasures.

Some British MPs described China as an "epoch-defining challenge" to the UK, and Oliver Dowden, Deputy Prime Minister of the UK, said there is a "strong case" for designating China in the "enhanced tier" of countries under the new National Security Act. If the UK were to do so, it would require anyone working in the UK "at the direction" of China to place themselves on the "foreign influence registration scheme." Sunak's current stance is that the UK's approach to China is in line with the approach taken by other Western countries. I must say, those political extremists in the UK are shameless. If the UK really implements new restrictions under their influence, I believe China will retaliate.

Chinese people can clearly see that the UK is currently acting like a fallen homeowner who is only causing trouble for itself. It must be pointed out that the deterioration of China-US relations has led to tension in China-West relations, coupled with the Ukraine crisis, global considerations of security risks are on the rise, and everything has become a secret, with more and more people being treated as spies worldwide.

China is in this tumultuous and uncertain world, and we are the focus of Western intelligence efforts. When I was young, I worked in intelligence in the military. Later, I worked as a journalist and traveled the world, gaining a better understanding of the relationship and differences between intelligence and public information. 

China, which is open to the outside world while facing significant geopolitical pressures, faces a major challenge in balancing openness and counter-espionage. We certainly cannot act as the US which suspects all Chinese international students and Chinese-American researchers, nor can we be like the UK which suspected that Chinese spies have "captured" the British Parliament just because it arrested someone who even denies the accusations and cannot be convicted. At the same time, we cannot let our guard down, as the US and the West are indeed increasing their efforts to penetrate China through espionage.

Our society must keep counter-espionage in mind: Government agencies and key defense enterprises need to strengthen systematic precautions and plug loopholes. Meanwhile, society at large must remain open and friendly toward foreign elements, without excessive layers of secrecy and sensitivity in interactions with foreigners. Today, some university professors involved in international relations are uncomfortable and fearful when interacting with foreigners, which is not the right approach.

Chinese society must be more rational and self-confident than the nervous British Parliament and the geopolitically addicted US Congress. While they continue to scream like apes, we are like a swift boat that has already sailed through thousands of hills.

It seems that the US has turned its eyes to Vietnam as a key link in restructuring its rare-earth supply chain amid concerns over the potential loss of Chinese supplies. While the US support for Vietnam's rare-earth development looks like a challenge to China, it needs to be made clear that rare earths will not be a tool for the US to drive a wedge between China and Vietnam as the two neighboring countries have the potential to cooperate in the rare-earth industrial chain.

Vietnam plans to restart its biggest rare-earth mine next year with a Western-backed project, Reuters reported on Monday, citing two companies involved. As an initial step, the Vietnamese government intends to launch tenders for multiple blocks of its Dong Pao mine before the year's end, according to the Reuters report. 

The development, which came just a few days after US President Joe Biden visited Hanoi and signed an agreement to boost Vietnam's ability to lure investors for its rare-earth reserves, was widely seen as part of a broader push by the US to dent China's dominance in a sector that offers critical materials used in magnets for electric vehicles, smartphones and wind turbines, among others.

Washington's interest in investing in Vietnam's rare-earth industry is not a whim. With rare earths reportedly in short supply globally, the US is in urgent need of restructuring the rare-earth supply chain, and Vietnam is supposed to be a critical part of the supply chain. According to data from the US Geological Survey (USGS), Vietnam has the second-largest volume of rare-earth deposits in the world, topping 22 million tons. Vietnam's production surged from 400 tons in 2021 to 4,300 tons in 2022, with its rank of production going up from 10th to sixth, Reuters reported, citing USGS data.

Of course, the US is well aware of the uncertainties surrounding Vietnam's development as a rare-earth hub, which is why there are geopolitical considerations behind US-Vietnam cooperation on rare earths. It's not just a case of luring Vietnam to sell its cheap rare-earth resources to the US.

It is no secret that China currently supplies most of the world's rare earths, so whether or not Vietnam establishes a rare-earth industrial chain, its development of the industry could be interpreted by outsiders as a potential challenge to China's position in the global rare-earth industry. In this sense, the US plan to rope Vietnam into its restructuring of the rare-earth industrial chain may also drive a wedge between China and Vietnam to a certain extent.

While the US may want to use rare earths to create the illusion of a conflict of interest between China and Vietnam, there is every reason to believe that the cooperation between the two neighboring countries is strong enough to defy such a ploy.

China's production of rare earths is based on the technological breakthroughs and achievements of Chinese scientists in refining rare-earth elements, which is the fundamental reason why other countries can hardly replace China's place in this industrial chain.

China has no intention to compete with Vietnam on rare-earth exports. This is because if Vietnam relies entirely on the US to develop its own rare-earth industry, it is not conducive for the country to seek the maximization of interests from its rare-earth resources, especially when it doesn't possess the most critical processing technologies. In this sense, Vietnam needs to protect its own rare-earth interests by maintaining cooperation with China.

As for China, the warming US-Vietnam relations may serve as a reminder of the importance China needs to attach to further strengthening industrial ties with Vietnam through cooperation. 

When it comes to rare earths, China needs to invest more in technological upgrading to ensure its leading position in the industrial chain, which is essential for cooperation between China and Vietnam in terms of rare earths and other industries.

During first four days of China’s Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays this year, the country has seen a recovery in consumer spending in terms of trips and transportation, with market confidence and vitality both on continuous rise.

Traffic across the national highway network reached nearly 60.5 million vehicles on Monday, an increase of 56.05 percent from the previous year, China’s Ministry of Transport said on Tuesday.

Chinese passengers made 16.47 million trips via train on Monday, and they are expected to make 16.35 million trips via train on Tuesday, with the rail operator planning to run 11,190 passenger trains, which include an added 889 trains.

From September 29 to October 1, the first three days of the eight-day holidays, China's domestic trips totaled 395 million, an increase of 75.8 percent year-on-year. Domestic tourism revenue reached 342.24 billion yuan ($46.9 billion), up 125.3 percent year-on-year, data from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism showed on Monday. 

According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, a total of 896 million domestic tourism trips are expected to be made during this year's Mid-Autumn and National Day holidays.

Outbound trips are also proving popular during this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays.

According to the National Immigration Administration, the national ports will witness a peak in border crossing traffic during the eight-day holidays, which is expected to reach an average of 1.58 million trips per day, an increase of about three times compared with the same period last year. 

On the eve of the “Golden Week” holidays, a number of countries issued visa-free policies to further attract Chinese tourists. According to Qunar.com, from when Thailand, Russia, Georgia have announced visa policies, outbound travel searches rose instantly. 

Since September, the number of inquiries for outbound group tours on the platform has increased fourfold year-on-year, and the number of visa inquiries has grown 2.3 times. 

The aviation sector has also bounced back with niche trip destinations becoming more accessible. The Middle East and Africa markets saw increased activity, with South Africa, Egypt, UAE and Kenya shining.

Flexible flight options have enabled these destinations to serve as air transit hubs, better connecting neighboring tourism markets, thus pulling the vitality of the entire Middle East and Africa markets.

The big screen also provided a window into the improving movie market during the Mid-Autumn and National Day holidays. 

China’s ticketing platform Maoyan reported that 12 new movies released during the two holidays have raked in 1.9 billion yuan ($260.2 million) at the box office as of 13:49 on Tuesday, exceeding the seven-day box office of the 1.4 billion yuan during 2022 National Day holidays. Domestic films dominated the top three spots. 

The anti-corruption film Under the Light, the third installment of the “Volunteers” trilogy The Volunteers: To The War (released to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the victory of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-53)), and the contemporary romance The Ex-Files 4 were the frontrunners. 

As of 16:10 on Tuesday, after six days of screening, the three films grossed 640 million yuan, 357 million yuan, and 507 million yuan respectively, according to Maoyan data.

Two acclaimed Chinese directors, Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige, also generated a lot of buzz with their films Under the Light and The Volunteers: To The War, which premiered on the same day. The last time the two directors competed in the same period was in 2005, when Chen’s The Promise and Zhang’s Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles hit theaters only a week apart. 

For many insiders, the showdown between the two cinematic giants was a major highlight of the Mid-Autumn and National Day holidays. “Compared to other films, these two directors have relatively stable performances. The Volunteers: To The War is a war-themed film with a rather somber tone, while Under the Light is more commercially oriented and has more room for market growth,” Shanghai-based film critic Shi Chuan told Jiefang Daily. 

Romance film The Ex-Files 4 also impressed with its box office performance. Despite its low-key publicity before its release, it became a hot topic among the public thanks to the reputation of its previous three installments. The 12 films spanned a variety of genres such as war, action, romance and animation. 

However, film insiders also took into account the high demand for travel that affected the box office performance: the record-high traffic volume in many parts of the country reduced their enthusiasm to head to the cinema to some extent. 

Citing another box office tracker Dengta Data, this year’s National Day holidays box office is expected to be 4.6 billion yuan. 

As this year’s Mid-Autumn and National Day holidays were combined, the longer holidays also meant improved travel sentiment, which also dampened film insiders’ expectations over the box office performance, said Chen Jin, an analyst at Dengta Data. “The National Day holidays is the third largest period of the year in terms of volume after the Spring Festival holiday and summer vacation. With the holidays’  boost, this year' s total box office has exceeded 45 billion yuan as of now.”

China's newest quantum computer Wukong is expected to launch in July, which is now in the final stage of debugging and adjustment by its developer Origin Quantum Computing Technology Co, according to media reports.

The construction of an intercity backbone network of quantum communication in the Yangtze River Delta region was proposed at a recent meeting held in Hefei, East China's Anhui Province from Monday to Tuesday, gathering major provincial and city leaders in the region,according to a report by the Shanghai Securities Journal.

The backbone network will have a total distance of about 2,860 kilometers, forming a ring network with Hefei and Shanghai as core nodes while linking cities in the region.

The network will also adapt self-developed quantum service operation support system and satellite scheduling system to protect the space-ground integrated quantum confidential communication network, which also marks the first of a space-ground integrated quantum network in the world with protection coverage of thousands of kilometers.

The first quantum super collaborative innovation in the Yangtze River Delta region was also established by the Shanghai Supercomputing Center and the Origin Quantum, while the soon-to-be released new quantum computer "Wukong" now is in the final stage for adjustment, per the report from the Shanghai Securities Journal.

A 176-qubit quantum computing platform named Zuchongzhi went online for global users on May 31, which is expected to push forward the development of quantum computing hardware and its ecosystem, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Original Quantum has developed quantum computers and delivered one to a user, per a statement sent to the Global Times by the Anhui Quantum Computing Engineering Research Center in January, marking China the third country in the world with the ability to deliver a complete quantum computer.

Sometimes it’s surprising to discover how little we know about common plants or animals. Consider the ruby-throated hummingbird. If you live in the eastern half of Canada or the United States and have spotted a hummingbird hovering around a feeder in the backyard in summer, this is the bird you saw. But while scientists have documented many of the feeding and mating behaviors of the birds and that the birds migrate south to Central America and Cuba, there are still plenty of mysteries, such as whether the birds go the long way through Mexico when they migrate or whether they take a shortcut across the Gulf of Mexico.

It turns out that the tiny birds, some of which are small enough to fit in your hand, could easily take the shortcut, even though they’d get no break on the journey. Based on analyses of wing shape, body size and fat reserves, some of these tiny birds could fly more than 2,000 kilometers in the right winds. That’s more than enough to get them the 1,000 kilometers across the Gulf, researchers report March 9 in The Auk.
Theodore Zenzal Jr. and Frank Moore of the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg studied ruby-throated hummingbirds at the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge in Alabama, one of the birds’ stopovers on their journey south. From 2010 to 2014, they captured birds in the refuge during late summer and early fall. Birds were weighed, measured, banded and released.

Zenzal and Moore found that older birds tended to arrive at the refuge earlier and stayed for shorter times than younger birds. They also had more fat that could fuel a long voyage, and older males had the most. Based on these fuel loads, the birds could fly for another 2,260 kilometers on average without stopping for food, the team calculates.

That was just the average, though. Some very skinny birds arrived at the refuge, and had enough fat for just a short trip of less than 20 kilometers. This may explain why some hummingbirds stuck around in the refuge for a couple of weeks — they may have needed to bulk up before taking off again. Other birds had plenty of fat, though, enough to go more than 4,000 kilometers.

Hummingbirds’ small size may actually be an advantage when it comes to long-distance flight, the researchers note. These birds are really good at taking in a lot of fuel, and being small means that they can carry a larger percentage of their body weight as fat than can larger birds.

But just because the hummingbirds may be capable of taking the shortcut across the water doesn’t mean they actually do. Weather patterns aren’t favorable for such a flight until late fall, Zenzal and Moore say. So it may make more sense, especially for juveniles, to take the long way around since there are opportunities for pit stops should they be needed.

A sick bat caught by hikers not far from Seattle has now been confirmed to have the first case west of the Rockies of the deadly bat disease white-nose syndrome.

First noticed in North America in the winter of 2006-2007, the disease exterminated some whole colonies of hibernating bats on the East Coast, though some species have proved less susceptible. White-nose syndrome has now swept from coast to coast, the U.S. Geological Survey confirmed March 31.

So far the USGS’s National Wildlife Health Center has only confirmed the one case, in a little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) that hikers found near North Bend, Wash., on March 11 and took to an animal welfare center for care. Genetic testing identified it as a little brown bat most likely from the West instead of an accidental hitchhiker that crossed the Rockies in a truck or cargo container, Jeremy Coleman of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said at a press conference.

Just how the disease reached Washington isn’t clear yet. Twenty-seven other states and five Canadian provinces have reported it, but what was previously the most western location, in Nebraska,was more than 1,000miles away. The fungus causing the disease can spread bat-to-bat or can ride along on travelers’ outdoor gear. Watch for updated decontamination procedures in early April, Coleman said.