Latest news with #Miao
The Print
17 hours ago
- Politics
- The Print
Chinese admiral sacked as Xi's purge of military brass continues, another CMC top dog still missing
Admiral Miao was the director of the CMC's political work department and was suspended from office, as announced by the Chinese Ministry of National Defence in November last year. At the time, he was 'suspected of serious violations of discipline'. The case surrounding Miao comes even as Second Vice Chairman of the CMC and Politburo member General He Weidong continues to remain missing since March. New Delhi: Admiral Miao Hua, a member of China's powerful Central Military Commission (CMC) which oversees armed forces operations, is suspected of 'legal violations', indicating charges against him are more serious than previously reported, and has been removed from the National People's Congress. However, in its latest statement, the political work department said it has been decided to remove Miao from China's top legislature—the National People's Congress—last month for 'suspected serious violations of discipline and law', the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported Friday. The political work department is responsible for ideological control and the management of personnel within the People's Liberation Army (PLA). According to the SCMP, the type of charges reported against Miao is more severe than what was first announced in November. Apart from this, no further details on the case have been reported till date. The news regarding Miao comes as another member of the CMC—He Weidong—continues to remain out of view of the public for almost three months. The missing General and Miao's downfall comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping continues his anti-graft drive amongst the top echelons of the PLA. A number of senior military officials, including two former ministers of defence, have been removed from their positions in recent years as a part of the anti-corruption drive. Miao was the seventh member of the all-powerful CMC to be removed from his post since Xi assumed power in 2012. In fact, one of Miao's predecessors, General Zhang Yang died by suicide in 2017, amidst an investigation into his ties with two disgraced former military individuals during Xi's anti-corruption drive at the time. Miao was the second CMC member to be removed from his position following the dismissal of Li Shangfu, the former minister of defence in 2023, since the current term of office for the leadership began in 2022. The CMC oversees the armed forces in China, in a change from other systems, where the role usually lies with the minister of defence. The minister of defence represents the PLA externally. The chairman of the CMC is President Xi, while there are two vice-chairpersons and other members of the powerful body. Xi has consistently pushed for ideological loyalty to the Communist Party amongst the senior leadership of the Chinese military. Miao remains a CMC member, however, his name no longer appears in the English website of the organisation. His career was shaped by Xi, with Miao becoming the youngest admiral in the PLA. He Weidong, the Second Vice Chairman of the CMC, missed a study session of the Politburo organised by President Xi in the end of April. His last public appearance is reported to have been on 11 March. Miao and He Weidong are the latest members of the CMC to come under the anti-corruption net. In June 2024, Li was expelled from the Communist Party and charged with graft. Li, a former head of the Rocket Force, was appointed Minister of Defence by Xi and held the post for roughly seven months before disappearing. His predecessor Wei Fenghe, who was also a commander in the Rocket Force was also expelled from the Communist Party on the same day as Li. (Edited by Ajeet Tiwari) Also Read: India helps China locate missing fishing vessel that capsized in Indian Ocean
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Echoes of Tagore in Hills of Hunan: A journey through China's new village dream
Changsha (Hunan province, China): "I shall consider myself fortunate if, through this visit, China comes nearer to India and India to China – for no political or commercial purpose, but for disinterested human love and for nothing else," Asia's first Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore said a century ago. He first visited China in April 1924. About a fortnight before his 164th birth anniversary on May 7, a media delegation from Bengal was invited by the Chinese Consulate in Kolkata to observe China's poverty alleviation initiatives. It is also 75 years of Indo-Chinese diplomatic relations. Bullet trains (zipping at 310 kmph) from Changsha to ancient Fenghuang town, via the state-of-the-art Aizhai bridge, took us to Shibadong, the model village showcasing China's "targeted poverty alleviation campaign." Shibadong, which translates to "18 caves," is nestled in the highlands of the Wuling mountains. It is not very far from Shaoshan, the village where Mao Zedong, the founder of the People's Republic of China, was born on December 26, 1893. Cut to Nov 2013. Around 130 households (over 60% of Miao populace in Shibadong) were living below poverty line. That is when President Xi stepped in. He walked to the modest dwelling of 72-year-old matriarch Shi Basan, who has now become synonymous with the transformation narrative. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like People Born 1940-1975 With No Life Insurance Could Be Eligible For This Reassured Get Quote Undo "I didn't recognise the General Secretary. He said I was his elder sister and that he was here to serve us. The General Secretary (Xi) checked if there was enough food, if we grew fruits, and if the livestock (pigs) was well fed. He went to the bedroom, turned over the quilt to see how much rice was in store…" Shi said. The President realised villagers were leaving every other day, looking for greener pastures (jobs). That is when he introduced the "targeted poverty alleviation" programme. The delegation visited Xiaqi village in Xianbaishi town where former boat-dwelling fishing communities have transformed into successful tea cultivators. The town is in the Fujian province, which has been President Xi Jinping 's working zone as a young CPC leader. "Actually, every village, town, and city in China is the President's working area," said Consul Zhang Zizhong, who led the media team. (The TOI correspondent was in China at the invitation of the Chinese govt)
Borneo Post
23-05-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
China offers global consumers fresh shopping experiences
Phan poses for a photo in Miao ethnic costumes at the Fenghuang ancient town in Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province on Sept 2, 2024. – Xinhua photo TIANJIN (May 24): Mok Jin Jin, a Malaysian student at Nankai University in north China's Tianjin Municipality, has observed a shift in his family's lifestyle since they received a Chinese-made blender. His mother now frequently tries new healthy breakfast beverages like soy milk, milkshakes and freshly made juices. She particularly appreciates the one-button self-cleaning function, which saves her time and effort. Not long ago, Mok purchased the blender through a Chinese e-commerce platform as a gift for his family. 'Chinese-made products excel in performance and design. They not only improve the living quality but also fulfill consumers' expectations of modern consumption,' Mok said. The notion that Chinese products were 'cheap and low-quality' was for long a common stereotype. However, in recent years, China has made significant strides in technological innovation and industrial upgrades, resulting in a remarkable improvement in the competitiveness of Chinese products. At the same time, China's increasingly diverse consumer market has provided foreign consumers with a more international, fashionable and multifaceted shopping experience. 'International brands are ubiquitous in China's major cities, and global products are easily accessible through online shopping platforms. 'This has made shopping in China extremely convenient,' Mok said. He was also pleasantly surprised to find several Malaysian food brands available in Chinese supermarkets and on e-commerce platforms. 'It's wonderful to be able to enjoy familiar tastes while abroad,' he said. Phan Dinh Thang, a Vietnamese student studying Chinese at Nankai University, echoed this sentiment. 'Shopping in China feels like 'global shopping' with an incredibly wide range of options,' he said. As more Vietnamese people learn Chinese, they find it easier to purchase quality products on Chinese e-commerce platforms. Thanks to China's robust supply chain system and efficient logistics network, goods shipped from China to Vietnam not only arrive quickly but are also cost-effective and often more affordable than local options in Vietnam. 'This has made 'Chinese shopping' a new trend in Vietnam and highlights the increasingly close consumer ties between China and Vietnam,' Phan explained. With China continuously optimising its international consumption environment, such as offering visa exemptions for some countries, enhancing departure tax refund policies and expanding international credit card payment channels – making shopping trips to China a new trend in cross-border tourism. Maltseva Varvara, a Russian visitor, shared her experience: 'The best thing about shopping in China is how fast, convenient and hassle-free it is.' After linking her international credit card to Alipay, Varvara found it easy to pay as she simply needed to scan via her phone by using a quick tap on its screen. 'The recent improvements in the departure tax refund policy have made shopping and traveling in China even more convenient and welcoming.' Some overseas consumers have formed 'shopping groups' and flown long distances to China to purchase popular products. According to data from China's Ministry of Commerce, the number of foreign visitors to Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Tianjin and southwest China's Chongqing in 2024 was nearly double the figure of the previous year. These five cities are home to almost 70 per cent of China's tax refund stores, while their imports of consumer goods accounted for over half of China's total last year. Foreign consumption in China has seen a noticeable increase. The National Immigration Administration reported that, since the implementation of a 240-hour visa-free transit policy, the number of foreign visitors has grown by 40.2 per cent year on year, with 71.3 per cent of them entering visa-free. The recent signing of a visa exemption agreement between China and Malaysia has made travel for Malaysian tourists more convenient. 'It's much easier for my friends and family to visit China now, and they get to experience firsthand the increasingly convenient living environment and vibrant consumer market here,' Mok said. China's Vice Commerce Minister Sheng Qiuping recently stated that China will continue to improve its international consumption environment, increase the supply of high-quality products, and create more diversified consumption scenarios to boost inbound consumption. Li Wei, dean of the Honor College of Tianjin Foreign Studies University, said that China is fostering an open, inclusive and diverse consumption environment that appeals to foreign visitors. 'This offers more opportunities for global consumers and businesses.' – Xinhua China consumer Made in China shopping Xinhua
West Australian
18-05-2025
- West Australian
Kaleidoscope of cultures in rural China
When most people think of the southwestern Chinese province of Guizhou, what comes to mind is the cultural richness of its people. Ethnic groups like the Miao and the Dong, who wear striking traditional clothes and big silver headdresses, are some of China's most interesting minzhu — ethnic groups. What makes a trip to Guizhou most interesting is that the local tribes, instead of succumbing to modernity and abandoning their colourful traditions and ways of dressing, have decided to embrace tourism and turn their ethnic diversity and traditions into an asset, using their folklore, song and music to entertain visitors and earn a living. One of the best places to experience Miao and Dong culture is Qiangdongnan, the area surrounding the city of Kaili. Compact and filled with delicious food at its many street markets, Kaili is the best centre to base yourself and take day trips to the surrounding villages nestled along the slopes of Guizhou's rolling hills. Some are certainly more commercialised than others, where, on the contrary, travellers are free to roam and experience a more authentic face of Guizhou's country life. Follow our expert recommendations to understand what places you should visit based on your expectations. The village of Langde is one of the most popular in Kaili. It's also among the most commercialised (and has a RMB50/$10.70 entry fee) as it has pretty much given itself up to tourism, but it still makes for a charming day trip. Twice a day, the local members of the Long Skirt Miao ethnic group put up a welcoming ceremony followed by a traditional singing and dancing show. At 11am and 4pm daily, Langde's villagers clad in their traditional dress come together on the terraces at the front of the village. You can note how the silver jewellery and headdress ornaments change, according to the women's decade: the youngest have a round silver crown, often topped by a set of bull-like horns. Men in a single file play their traditional lusheng reed pipes, singing greetings and offering the visitors cattle horns filled with rice wine. They then all usher the visitor to the main square where they perform a one-hour-long singing and dancing show which, although kind of touristy, allows one to experience Miao folklore easily. Tucked 35km east of Kaili in the undulating greenery of Leigong Mountain, Xijiang is the biggest Miao settlement in China, with roughly 1200 wooden stilted homes cascading next to each other from contiguous hills. The location is idyllic, and for this reason, is another very popular tourist spot — there's an RMB90 ($19.30) entry fee, scheduled traditional dance and singing performances, and plenty of upmarket accommodation. This car-free village feels very touristy, but the setting is stunning and the surrounding countryside offers hiking opportunities through farmland and quiet forests. To find some peace from the snap-happy Chinese domestic tourists posing in Miao garb (a China-wide phenomenon called lu pai ) pretty much on every corner, get outside town on hiking paths that weave through rice paddies, sidestepping farmers and water buffalo, and enjoy the quiet of the surrounding hills. For something more challenging, a 50-minute trail goes past terraced fields to Kaijue Miao Village. If visiting Langde left you with the sour taste of overtourism in your mouth, you can have a much more authentic experience in the nearby village of Jidao, a real living Miao village with very little tourism set on a river bend 2km north of Upper Langde on the way back to Kaili. Drive or walk past the bridge and take a right, continuing to the upper part of the village, where you'll find Miao wooden dwellings set around a central square where locals go on with their daily farming chores. If you're lucky, you'll catch Miao women in ethnic garb laying crops to dry in the sun, and if you can speak Mandarin, the locals here are genuinely interested in meeting visitors who seldom come this way. The hill-hanging village of Nansha is about 18km from Kaili, accessible from the main road through a big Wind & Rain bridge (a traditional Miao structure, usually covered) and then by walking uphill for about 600m. The village's most ancient wooden homes and old centre are tucked down an alley on the south-eastern corner of the main square. Walking towards the deep end of the village beyond a silversmith workshop, the road follows the hill's crest up to an attractive wooden and stone church that testifies to the arrival of Christian missionaries in Guizhou during the Qing Dynasty. Back in Kaili city proper, for a more hands-on approach to the world of Miao costumes and embroidery, one should visit the Xiu Li Tao Fei Ti Shiji, a traditional street market along Feihong Lu and its perpendicular alleys. It's filled with ethnic embroidery, traditional clothes, woven textiles and even original Miao headdresses, all for sale at decent prices. It takes place daily in a leafy and green area on the city's south side, but it happens on weekends when the action is in full swing and more sellers come from the surrounding villages.
The Star
17-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Asean media gain insight into Huaihua's economic development
Hundreds of people including senior officials from Huiahua city attend the opening ceremony of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Economic and Trade Expo. - Photo: Vientiane Times/ANN HUAIHUA, (China): The 2025 Asean Mainstream Media Tour kicked off on May 8 in the economic boomtown of Huaihua in Hunan province, with representatives from mainstream media outlets in the Asean nations of the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia participating in a five-day in-depth visit to the region. Huaihua is experiencing significant economic growth, particularly in its international trade and port-related industries. The city is actively integrating into the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, attracting trade with Asean countries, Europe, and the United States. Huaihua's economy is also being boosted by the development of its International Land Port and the growth of industries like luggage manufacturing and agricultural processing. Organised to enhance mutual understanding and cooperation between China and Asean countries, the media tour included a wide range of activities highlighting Huaihua's growing economic, cultural, and logistical significance. A key feature of the programme was the 2nd Hunan (Huaihua) Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Economic and Trade Expo, held under the theme 'Sharing Opportunities, Winning the Future'. The Expo convened all 14 RCEP member countries along with delegations from over 20 Chinese provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities. Taking place both online and offline, the event aimed to foster integrated platforms for production, supply, and sales. Asean media representatives also visited the Huaihua International Land Port, a major hub facilitating inland logistics. The itinerary included tours of the planning exhibition hall, customs supervision zone, Luggage and Leather Goods Industrial Park, and nearby enterprises. These underscore Huaihua's transformation from a traditional logistics hub into a manufacturing-driven economic centre, aligned with the model: 'Asean resources, Huaihua manufacturing, RCEP markets.' Beyond economic developments, the tour also provided cultural and historical insights. Journalists explored Zhijiang, Xinhuang, and Xupu counties, home to industries such as agricultural product processing, traditional Chinese medicine, and new materials. Huaihua, known for having the highest number of traditional villages in Hunan province, also stands out for its rich ethnic diversity, particularly of the Miao and Yao communities. As part of the cultural segment, the delegation visited the Wuxi Intangible Cultural Heritage Park, Longxi Ancient Town, the Memorial Hall of the Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and the Simeng Bishui Danxia Scenic Area in Xupu. These visits provided close-up experiences of traditional Chinese craftsmanship, including Miao silver jewellery, Chenhe Mulian Opera, and Nuo Opera, illustrating the dynamic integration of culture and tourism in the region. The 2025 Asean Mainstream Media Tour aimed to strengthen people-to-people exchanges and deepen Asean-China relations by offering firsthand insights into Huaihua's strategic development, cultural vitality, and regional connectivity. - Vientiane Times/ANN
