China

Beijing, Jan 24 (Prensa Latina) China and Nauru formally resumed diplomatic relations on Wednesday after the foreign ministers of both countries signed a joint document.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Nauru counterpart, Lionel Aingimea, talked in this capital about the future of bilateral relations and resumed ties at the level of ambassador, effective from the date of signature.

Nauru is the latest country to break diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

In this regard, the Chinese Government recently stressed that the one-China principle is non-negotiable and the so-called “dollar diplomacy” is not a go-to tool.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning was responding to media reports that Beijing is allegedly pressuring Nauru to break its ties with Taiwan.

Shortly after the elections in Taiwan, the Government of Nauru decided to re-establish diplomatic ties with Beijing and joined the 182 countries that recognize the one-China principle.

An academic institute which is part of Jinan University of South China's Guangdong Province released on Thursday the first installment of the country's first oral history of victims and survivors of terrorism in China with the purpose to fill the research gap and let more know the stories of this special group and to get a more objective understanding of China's counter-terrorism efforts amid rumors spread by anti-China forces.

The Institute for Communication and Borderland Governance of Jinan University held a seminar on Thursday to release the report, during which researchers introduced that the research project titled "Victims and Survivors of Terrorism in China: An Oral History" began in 2021. So far, they have conducted interviews with over 60 witnesses of violent terrorist incidents happened in various places of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, including Hotan, Kashi, Turpan and Urumqi, collecting over one million words worth of written records and over 90 hours of audio and video materials.

Full report: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202401/1305661.shtml

At a hearing held in the US Congress on Wednesday local time, American space experts, government officials, and members of Congress reached or reinforced a unified understanding: "For the US and its partners not to be on the moon when others are on the moon, is unacceptable." The US and its allies should win the 21st century "space race" and lead a "rules-based international order" there before China creates its own "undesirable norms."

In plain language, this statement suggests that after the US, along with its allied nations, has used the banner of the so-called "rule-based international order" to engage in geopolitical efforts to contain China on Earth, they now want to apply the same tactics in outer space. They view the moon as the first "arena" for competition among nations beyond Earth. From this perspective, the true purpose of the US "return to the moon" plan is far from pure. It goes against the universal human desire to explore and utilize outer space for peaceful purposes. The extension of US geopolitical strategies from "land" to "space" is not just a significant escalation in competition but, in a sense, a step backward.

Full editorial: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202401/1305700.shtml

A man uses a fishing net to catch seafood in the sea in the Republic of Nauru, Jan. 18, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

YAREN, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Nauru, a pearl in the Pacific Ocean, attracts tourists from across the world with its beautiful tropical scenery and unique customs.

The island country on Monday announced that it will recognize the one-China principle and sever "diplomatic relations" with Taiwan authorities. Xinhua hired a local reporter and set up a reporting office in Nauru on the same day.

After a five-hour flight from Brisbane, Australia, a Xinhua correspondent arrived at the Nauru Airport, becoming the first Chinese reporter to enter the Pacific island nation after Nauru's government announced that it is willing to resume diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China.

Nauru's sunshine and people leave a strong impression on visitors. The island nation, located about 42 km south of the equator, enjoys a tropical rainforest climate.

Feeling happy about the government's decision, a Nauruan who only identified herself as Sarabi told Xinhua at the airport that people in Nauru welcome more Chinese tourists to come and hope Nauru and China become good partners.

The Parliament Building, museums and World War II Monument on the small island all feature historical and cultural characteristics of Pacific island countries.

Chinese companies have been working in Nauru for years to help improve local infrastructure. China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd. undertook the project of re-developing the Aiwo Port, including building a new wharf and a revetment, among other facilities.

Zhu Wei has been working on the project for five years. As a production manager, Zhu said that the new wharf has played a significant role in improving local logistics capacity.

"In the past, the old wharf was too small for container ships to dock directly, and they only came once every two months. Now the containers can dock directly at the new wharf, and they come every month or even every 20 days," Zhu said.

On Sept. 3, 2022, the new wharf was inaugurated and became operational. Nauru's trade of goods formerly relied on transshipment at sea; now container ships can directly unload goods at the wharf. Zhu recalled that many people excitedly poured into the port to take pictures.

"I do recognize the one-China principle and I agree with the government. It severed relations with Taiwan. It's good. I have high expectations for the China-Nauru relationship," said Joshua Scotty, a local legal practitioner.

"China, Nauru, we are one," Sarabi told Xinhua.

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The current banner is a photo of Chi Lin Nunnery (https://chilin.org/) in Hong Kong, which looks good, but I think it is not appropriate as a banner for China. The current icon is a photo of China's flag, but I think it could be better.

Current banner:

Current icon:

Please leave your suggestions for a new community icon and banner, make sure to indicate where the image is from and what it is about.

If someone doesn't know what I'm referring to, 996 refers to working 9am-9pm 6 days a week, which some Chinese companies enforce (or enforced) on their employee. Jack Ma, for example, has spoken in support of it.

Wikipedia says that the Supreme People's Court deemed it illegal in 2021. I don't know about China's court system in detail (or any country's, really) but my understanding is that cases go to a higher court if someone successfully appeals the decision of a lower court. Shouldn't something like a 72 hour workweek be stricken down before reaching the supreme court?

I've heard that Huawei still enforces this, for example. I don't have sources because I've heard it from someone with Chinese acquaintances, so some fact-checking is appreciated.

Conferences and short course topics at the school are taught by Chinese teachers affiliated with party schools in China. In Tanzania, they teach party governance, party discipline, anti-corruption methods, Xi Jinping Thought, and poverty alleviation. African staff, who operate the school, give lectures and short courses on topics including Pan-Africanism, nationalism and public-sector enterprise management. Together, they share lessons from their revolutionary history.

Oh no they are teaching them to care for their people.

Completed in 2017, the 275MW Soubré dam and hydroelectric power plant is wholly owned and operated by Société des Energies de Côte d’Ivoire (CI-ENERGIES) — a state-owned company under the management of the government of Côte d’Ivoire.

The power plant will provided endless renewable energy for decades if not centuries with the proper maintenance. This reduced the need for fossil fuels, yes, but also, and importantly, reduces dependency on the importation of fossil fuels.

Another benefit is the control over water and therefore better agricultural yields, fewer floods, and control over national utilities.

Finally, the dam created local jobs during construction, serviced skills transfers, and will serve to drive local tourism to see the national pride that is the dam.

This is comparable to the total industrial output of the United States, Japan, and Germany. China has become an industrial colossus capable of independently matching the entire West.

These high production capabilities and regular growth give China a great advantage in terms of self-sufficiency, global trade, and military production.

Unparalleled, nation-wide coverage has virtually turned China's high-speed rail network into a giant version of a city's metro grid.

These trains run at 300-350 km/h, while being both a lot cheaper and more convenient than flying.

When the next generation of 600-km/h maglev trains come fully into service, there's going to be no point in flying at all.