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Borneo Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- Borneo Post
From peasant uprising to industrial revolution: hero's hometown revived
An aerial drone photo shows Peng Pai's former residence at Shanwei, a coastal city in south China's Guangdong Province, May 14, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Shuo) GUANGZHOU (July 22): When tourists arrive at Shanwei, a coastal city in south China's Guangdong Province, they quickly notice that red is everywhere. In what is known as the city's red block, the upper facades of street-side shops selling fish maw, eyeglasses and savory Chinese pancakes are painted in red, accented with touches of yellow — echoing the colors of the flag of the Communist Party of China. Shanwei is a famous 'red land.' It is the birthplace of China's first Soviet government, the Hai-lu-feng Soviet, established in 1927, and also the hometown of Peng Pai, a Communist hero who led the founding of the government, hailed by Mao Zedong as the 'king of peasant uprisings.' Today, locals still recount the stories of Peng. Despite being born into a wealthy landowning family, he burned the land deeds to give his lands to farmers after he accepted Marxism. He mobilized countless peasants to join the revolutionary cause before his execution at the age of 33. Peng's rebellion and boldness are regarded as a reflection of the Shanwei people's fearless spirit and strong perseverance. 'Peng's dream was to build a new world where the country would become strong and the people could live a happy life. As offspring, we have inherited his legacy,' a senior official of the Shanwei government told Xinhua. One example is the achievement of Peng Shilu, the son of Peng Pai. He was arrested after his father's death, but was rescued and sent to the revolutionary base in Yan'an for education. Later, he was sent to study in the Soviet Union. After returning to China, Peng Shilu devoted his life to the nation's nuclear enterprise and was eventually hailed as the 'father of China's nuclear submarines.' Another prominent Chinese nuclear submarine designer, Huang Xuhua, was also born in Shanwei. Before his passing in February 2025, Huang's story had been widely covered by the media, including a TV drama adaptation that aired in 2021. However, despite being located in the economically developed province of Guangdong and adjacent to the bustling city of Shenzhen, Shanwei struggled to reach such lofty development heights, and historically had a high concentration of underprivileged residents. Until December 2013, there was not even a railway leading to the city. In order to realize Peng Pai's dream, Shanwei's officials went above and beyond painting the streets red, and worked hard to develop the economy. 'We have accelerated industrial project implementation and construction by offering proactive, service-oriented governance,' said Chen Jianhua, director of the municipal development and reform bureau of Shanwei. Peng Pai's statue is pictured at Shanwei, a coastal city in south China's Guangdong Province, May 14, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Shuo) He noted that Shanwei has benefited from high-tech business production transferred from bigger cities, adding that the city had been focusing on the new energy vehicle (NEV) sector, attracting upstream and downstream enterprises to establish itself as a major hub for NEVs. One notable example is the Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone, established in 2011 under the cooperation between Shanwei and Shenzhen. Located in Shanwei, the zone has become a key hub for the NEV industry, with Shenzhen-based NEV giant BYD and around 30 companies in the NEV supply chain. According to the official Shenzhen Special Zone Daily, BYD's auto industrial park within the zone had secured total contracted investment exceeding 31.5 billion yuan (about 4.4 billion U.S. dollars) as of February 2025. Following the signing of a construction agreement for the park's fourth phase in November 2024, its total annual output value is projected to exceed 200 billion yuan once all four phases are fully completed and operational. Previously, some investors doubted Shanwei's ability to complete the construction in the industrial park within the specified time. But the hard-working local people completed the task ahead of the scheduled deadline. At the same time, Shanwei has developed itself into a major clean energy supply hub for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area through the development of wind power. The city has the world's largest 18-megawatt offshore wind turbine and the largest 16-megawatt floating offshore wind turbine. By the end of 2024, new energy accounted for nearly 30 percent of the city's total installed power generation capacity, reaching 9.17 million kilowatts. The city has also upgraded its ports to accommodate large container ships. The development of new energy and new ports has therefore attracted more partners who hope to export their products to the European Union to invest in the city. Between 2020 and 2024, Shanwei recorded an average annual GDP growth rate of 5.5 percent, outperforming any other city in the province during the period. Chen said the city was evolving into a key focal point on China's eastern coastline. 'With its tradition of bold innovation, Shanwei is striving to transform from a revolutionary base area into a modern industrial stronghold,' he added. This also reflects the changes happening in China, a country that is striving for modernization. The economic boom has drawn back many Shanwei natives, who had once left to seek opportunities elsewhere, with renewed hope. Liu Dejiang, 37, came back to Shanwei to open a coffee shop in 2022, after closing a clothing business that he had run for over 10 years in Guangzhou due to market changes. Now he owns eight outlets in operation or under preparation in Shanwei. Tourists relax at a coffee shop in the Red Bay beach of Shanwei, a coastal city in south China's Guangdong Province, May 14, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Shuo) The first outlet was constructed on the site of an abandoned abalone farm at a beach in Shanwei's Red Bay. Liu named it 'Floating Sun Hideaway,' inspired by its impressive sunset view. What happened next, Liu describes, was a 'breakout.' Young people flocked in to take pictures to share on social media, attracting more visitors to check in. Some even came from as far away as Beijing or Chongqing. 'We have benefited from Shanwei's rural revitalization efforts that have renovated the environment of villages in the city's suburbs,' Liu said. To attract vacationers, the local government has removed a number of aquaculture farms, set up water purification facilities, launched regular cleanups of coastlines, and invited artists to create paintings on the facades along the seaside street, incorporating ocean-themed elements such as whales and sailboats. At a corner of the Red Bay beach, a stone monument inscribed with the words 'Beautiful Red Bay,' penned by nuclear submarine designer Huang Xuhua, is a tourist's photo favorite. Indeed, Red Bay has made a name for itself among the younger generation. 'I decided to come here after reading some reviews of this place on 'rednote,' and I found it to be super photogenic. I will definitely come again,' said Cai Jinhan, a 20-year-old female who traveled to Red Bay from another city in Guangdong. 'It's hard to imagine how far young people today are willing to go just to capture the perfect photo,' Liu said. In 2024, Shanwei received over 9.5 million tourist visits, a 15.1 percent increase from the previous year, with its tourism revenue exceeding 10 billion yuan for the first time. Meanwhile, the city's permanent population increased by nearly 10,000 from 2023, marking the second consecutive year of positive population growth. Liu has become the chairman of the newly established Shanwei Young People Entrepreneurship Association, which has over 80 members, all of whom are Shanwei natives returning to start businesses, ranging from tourism to fruit processing. It provides regular entrepreneurship counseling services and gives lectures in local colleges. 'With an improving business environment and more support for businesses in Shanwei, we hope to work together to contribute to rural revitalization and achieve further development,' he said. – Xinhua China Peng Pai Shanwei tourists
West Australian
5 days ago
- West Australian
Exhausted by the inexhaustible people of Qianmen Street
'The taste of childhood!' it says on the Beijing shopfront. And admittedly, as I bite into the candied haw, or Tanghulu, I am reminded of the toffee apples I once enjoyed as a child. However this traditional Chinese street food, made from skewering tart hawthorn berries on a bamboo stick before encasing them in sugar syrup, could not be more different. Neither could the bustling Qianmen Street and Dashilan be more different from Perth's Hay Street Mall. Beijing is home to nearly 22 million people. And right now, on a late Friday afternoon in summer, it feels like every one of them has converged on this popular cultural and commercial part of the city's Xicheng and Dongcheng districts. There is an old poem about Qianmen Street which goes: 'The green and the red are setting off each other on both sides of road; it is a busy street with happy and inexhaustible people.' It's these happy and inexhaustible people who still flock here in their thousands every day to enjoy the markets and other shops selling wares ancient and modern. Dongcheng takes in the eastern half of the old imperial city and many of Beijing's most famous landmarks including the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and a section of the Grand Canal. Xicheng district by contrast is home to many of China's most important government institutions, including the headquarters of the Communist Party of China, the National People's Congress, the State Council, and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. So you could say there's a lot to see. Unfortunately my two travelling companions and I, who had just shut up shop at the Beijing International Book Fair before deciding we'd treat ourselves to a few hours sightseeing, hadn't fully comprehended the nightmare that is Friday peak hour traffic in Beijing. Therefore, a couple of hours later, we jump out at Qianmen Street and plunge into the vast sea of humanity, content to spend the next hour or so just taking in the sights and sounds here and in nearby Dashilan. The former dates from the Ming Dynasty; the latter, from the Yuan Dynasty, boasts Ming and Qing courtyard houses and hutongs, or narrow laneways. The former is famous, amongst many other things, for its Quanjde Roast Duck and its markets; the latter for Tongrentang (a Chinese medicine company) and such speciality stores as milliner Ma Ju Yuan and shoemaker Neiliansheng. Upon arriving, I also note the Zhengyangmen Archery Tower (1419), which lies at the southern end of Tiananmen Square along Beijing's central axis, and the northern end of Qianmen Street. Along with families, couples and others out for the night, we dart from shops specialising in pickles and books to purveyors of alcoholic beverages and cosmetics, stopping just long enough to grab another snack in the form of a Great Wall yogurt (delicious!) before calling for another taxi back to our hotel. Back in my room, I flop on the bed, utterly exhausted — but happy. + Will Yeoman travelled to Beijing as a guest of the Fableration Foundation. They have not influenced this story, or read it before publication.
India.com
5 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
China Begins Construction Of Mega Dam On Brahmaputra, Prompting Concern In India
China on Saturday officially began construction on a mega dam project in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo - upper reaches of the Brahmaputra River in Tibet, raising major concerns in the downstream countries, including India and Bangladesh. Chinese Premier Li Qiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, attended the groundbreaking ceremony and announced the official start of the Yarlung Zangbo River Lower Reaches Hydropower Project in the Tibet region. Responsible persons from relevant departments of the central and state organs, relevant central enterprises, members of the expert advisory committee for the construction of the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River hydropower project, project research, testing and construction units, and local people's representatives attended the groundbreaking ceremony, Xinhua news agency reported. "The project mainly adopts the development method of straightening the bends and diverting water through tunnels, and builds five cascade power stations with a total investment of about 1.2 trillion yuan (about 167.8 billion US dollars) The power of the project is mainly transmitted and consumed, while taking into account the local self-use needs of Tibet," the state-owned press agency mentioned. While the Chinese government insists that the project will primarily deliver electricity for external consumption while also addressing local demand in Xizang, its construction could severely harm the interests of downstream states of the Brahmaputra. India has been carefully monitoring all developments relating to the Brahmaputra River, including plans by China to develop hydropower projects, and has taken necessary measures to protect its interests, including preventive and corrective measures to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of Indian citizens residing in downstream areas. Following the announcement by China of the mega dam project, New Delhi had registered its concerns with the Chinese side on December 30 last year, including on "the need for transparency and consultation" with downstream countries. "Various issues relating to trans-border rivers are discussed with China under the ambit of an institutionalized Expert Level Mechanism which was established in 2006, as well as through diplomatic channels. As a lower riparian state with considerable established user rights to the waters of the trans-border rivers, Government has consistently conveyed its views and concerns to the Chinese authorities, and has urged them to ensure that the interests of downstream states are not harmed by any activities in upstream areas," Kirti Vardhan Singh, Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), had said while replying to a question in Rajya Sabha on March 27 on the issue of China approving the construction of a mega hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo despite concerns raised by India regarding its impact on downstream water flow and ecological stability. The issue was also raised during the visit of Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to Beijing for a meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Foreign Minister mechanism between both countries on January 26-27, following which both countries had announced their decision to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. "During the visit, India and China agreed to hold an early meeting of the Expert Level Mechanism to discuss resumption of provision of hydrological data and other cooperation pertaining to trans-border rivers. The Government of India remains engaged with China on the issue of trans-border rivers to safeguard our interests," MoS Vardhan had stated in Parliament. Earlier this week, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing and discussed the trajectory of India-China bilateral relations. The interaction took place as part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers' call on the Chinese President. During the talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, EAM Jaishankar emphasised a long-term approach to resolving bilateral issues. "Incumbent on us to address aspects related to the border, normalising people-to-people exchanges and avoiding restrictive trade measures and roadblocks. Confident that on the foundation of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity, ties can develop along a positive trajectory," he posted on X after the meeting on Monday.
The Star
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
CPC delegation visits Laos to strengthen ties
VIENTIANE: Chen Zhou, deputy head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, led a CPC delegation to visit Laos from Wednesday (July 16) to Friday (July 18) at the invitation of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party. During the visit, Chen met with Thongloun Sisoulith, general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao president, and Bounleua Phandanouvong, acting head of the LPRP Central Committee's Commission for External Relations. He also held brief discussions with leaders from various Lao Party and government departments. The two sides exchanged views on the relations between the two parties and the two countries, as well as issues of common concern. They agreed to follow the important consensus reached by the top leaders of both parties and countries, enhance strategic mutual trust, deepen interparty exchanges, expand pragmatic cooperation, promote the steady and long-term development of the China-Laos community with a shared future, and make positive contributions to maintaining regional peace and development. - Xinhua
Bangkok Post
17-07-2025
- Business
- Bangkok Post
China believes it is winning Trump's trade war
The most recent trade talks between the United States and China in Geneva and London provided little more than temporary relief in the conflict between the world's two largest economies. Despite US President Donald Trump's efforts to tout the stopgap measures as a "deal" that benefits America, China reads the scoreboard differently -- and believes it is winning. From its vantage point, it has weathered the storm and emerged more confident, more self-reliant, and more convinced that its long game is paying off. Since the grinding Sino-American trade war began in 2018, China has crafted a playbook that blends defensive and offensive strategies to mitigate its vulnerability to tariffs and sanctions. On the defensive front, China has rerouted trade flows, developed hedge against the dollar-based global financial system, and accelerated investment in indigenous technologies. It has also made a concerted push to boost domestic consumption, although not as an end in itself but as a means to reinforce strategic sectors like artificial intelligence applications and green tech. On offence, China has tightened export controls and demonstrated a readiness to retaliate swiftly and surgically. Chinese authorities' response to the second Trump administration's tariff threats and escalations reflects this tactical flexibility and steadfast resolve. Over recent months, China has hit back almost immediately, taken a hard line in negotiations, and generally refused to be cowed. It is not merely reacting to pressure; it is redefining the US-China trade conflict on its own terms. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has -- perhaps unwittingly -- exposed the dependency of US industries on China for rare-earth minerals and other inputs. The disruption to bilateral trade triggered by Mr Trump's tariffs has left US manufacturers scrambling and overpaying for materials. In implementing rare-earth export controls in early April, the Chinese government has discovered a powerful tool for inflicting pain on American businesses. Mr Trump's erratic tariff theatrics have handed the Communist Party of China (CPC) a propaganda win (though standing up to Mr Trump is not as politically popular in China as many outsiders believe) and, more importantly, a strategic advantage. For the many Global South governments that are sceptical of the Western development model, China's resilience in the face of US pressure lends credence to President Xi Jinping's claim that the world is undergoing "great changes not seen in a century". From the Chinese government's perspective, the Trump administration's determination to decouple the two economies at any cost is the culmination of American efforts to stifle China's rise. While China does not want a trade war or to decouple, it is willing to risk a trade war that the United States may lose, and it would rather decouple than kowtow to Mr Trump. That is why Chinese leaders, businesspeople, and entrepreneurs have focused on building resilience and self-reliance, which means, first and foremost, reducing dependence on US markets and technology. While nothing can compare to US consumer demand and technological innovation, Chinese firms now view their chances of competing in the US and accessing its high-tech products as close to zero, and operate accordingly. Huawei's remarkable comeback following US sanctions and restrictions is illustrative. Now ByteDance is facing similar pressure, as Mr Trump tries to force it to sell TikTok, its video-sharing app, to American buyers. Of course, Mr Trump's tariffs sting, and China's leaders know it. They could hit China's low-value-added light manufacturing -- such as apparel and footwear -- particularly hard. But shrinking exports might end up benefiting China by accelerating industrial consolidation, forcing laggards out of the game, and improving efficiency. True, unemployment could rise. But in a country where factories are already highly automated, the political fallout is likely to be muted. Perhaps more importantly, China has withstood worse. For example, market-oriented reforms and restructuring led to more than 76 million workers being laid off between 1992 and 2002. A new wave of layoffs is unlikely to shake the CPC's grip on power. The longer-term impact of Mr Trump's tariff policies is more profound. Just as the crackdown on Huawei and ZTE turbocharged China's tech ambitions, renewed geoeconomic restrictions have only made it easier for CPC leaders to rally the public against perceived foreign humiliation. The brief pause in tariffs, which merely provides exporters with a window to rush out goods rather than laying the foundation for a détente, has not changed this sentiment. Given that Mr Trump's tariff shock coincides with the final year of China's 14th Five-Year Plan, policymakers have tried to prop up domestic consumption and support small businesses with fiscal and monetary stimulus. But these measures will not fix the economy's structural flaws -- namely, the low household consumption rate. Such a rebalancing will likely take years. In the meantime, as the external environment deteriorates, the CPC leadership -- dominated by members with engineering backgrounds -- and the country's industrialists will continue to pour resources into advanced technology, especially AI-powered advanced manufacturing ecosystems, in the hopes of avoiding a productivity slump. China's high-stakes bet on developing domestic technology, first made when Mr Trump began his trade war in 2018, is not a guaranteed win. But as the US tries to back China into a corner, few see another way out. ©2025 Project Syndicate Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Senior Fellow for China Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, is Adjunct Assistant Professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and the author of 'Can BRICS De-dollarize the Global Financial System?' (Cambridge University Press, 2022) and 'Sovereign Funds: How the Communist Party of China Finances Its Global Ambitions' (Harvard University Press, 2023).
