After a humiliating 7:0 defeat to Japan last week on away soil, the Chinese national soccer team will take on a crucial match at home as they host Saudi Arabia in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province on Tuesday. 

This match not only represents a key moment for Team China's quest to qualify for the next round in the World Cup Asian qualifiers, but also serves as a critical opportunity for the team to recover from the embarrassing defeat to Japan on September 5. 

While China's loss to world No.18 Japan, a team that has risen to the ranks of global soccer elites, wasn't entirely unexpected, the manner of the defeat was shocking. Frequent errors, lack of tactical coherence and a glaring absence of physicality were observed by fans, leaving those who spent their passion on the team massively dismayed. 

The performance on the pitch was characterized by lethargy and defeatism, with Chinese players struggling even to maintain basic levels of intensity. In the aftermath, fans and commentators alike condemned the team for their lack of tenacity, labeling the performance "spiritless."

Losing to Japan, a team that has long surpassed China in soccer strength in the past two decades, isn't an unforgivable offense. However, the real blow for Chinese fans was witnessing a team that seemed to have no fight left in them. 

A defeat like this naturally stings, but what stung even more was the sense that the players had mentally checked out before the game was even over. The absence of any visible desire to compete or respond to adversity was a bitter pill to swallow.

For the Chinese team, however, one loss - even as devastating as a 7-0 blowout - does not spell an end to their World Cup qualification campaign. 

The reality is that Team China currently trails far behind Asian powerhouses like Japan and Australia in terms of overall strength. But they still have chances to secure valuable points against other teams like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Indonesia. 

This makes the upcoming match against Saudi Arabia pivotal. A strong showing could help mitigate the damage done by the Japan defeat and restore some belief to a team and fanbase.

In the days following the match against Japan, senior officials of the Chinese Football Association, along with head coach Branko Ivankovic, captain Wu Lei and vice-captain Wang Dalei, held serious discussions with the team after their return to Dalian from Japan. 

The message was clear: They must regroup and show resilience. The national team cannot afford another display of weakness and disorganization. Players were urged to give everything they have to restore pride and faith in Chinese soccer, especially following a series of high-profile corruption cases that have marred the dignity of the sport in China. 

The objective for this next match is simple: mentally rebound and fight with everything they've got. Chinese fans, for all the frustration they've endured over the years, have always been emotionally invested in their national team. 

Many supporters, despite witnessing countless defeats, have learned to temper their expectations for the national team. Yet, even the most disillusioned fan hopes to see a team that at least fights with determination and pride. The fans' desire for the team isn't for victory, but for a display of grit and competitive spirit, qualities sorely lacking in their last outing.

The loss to Japan has exposed numerous flaws with Team China, particularly in areas like concentration and tactical execution. These are not issues that can be solved overnight, and the progress of Chinese soccer still has a long way ahead to close the gap with Asia's elite teams.

Many Chinese fans expressed online that they are not expecting immediate tactical brilliance or sudden technical improvements during the match against Saudi Arabia. Instead, the hope is for a performance that reflects courage and determination, and a refusal to back down from being lag behind during the match. 

The 7-0 loss to Japan was an undeniable low point, but it can also be a turning point if the team responds with resilience and determination. The upcoming match against Saudi Arabia is a chance for the Chinese national team to prove they can rebound from adversity, if they understand that every qualifier match is an opportunity to restore faith.

Chinese soccer has arrived at a crucial juncture. The team needs to rise from the ashes of their defeat and fight for their future. Anything less than a display of heart and effort will not only disappoint the fans but set Chinese soccer back further. The time has come for the team to confront its shortcomings and find the courage to rise stronger. The future of the team - and the dreams of millions of fans - depends on it.

Boasting elements like stone bridges, winding rivers and elegant above-water architecture, ancient towns are highlights to the landscape of China's Jiangnan. Jiangnan is a geographic area that is commonly known as the south of the mighty Yangtze River.

Built with a touch of garden aesthetics, these towns are popular touristic destinations. Comparing to renowned sites like the Zhouzhuang Town in Jiangsu Province, the Puyuan Fashion Resort, opened to public in 2023, is an emerging spot that shows how an old rural town can sustain people's modern and fashionable lifestyles.

Old yet fashionable

Puyuan is located in Tongxiang, East China's Zhejiang Province. Its history dates back to the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), and the town is one of the stops where the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal flows through.

To promote the protection of the ancient canal culture heritage, in 2016, a renovation project was carried out in Puyuan, covering an area of approximately 858,000 square meters.

In order to preserve the traditional look of the town's above-water architectures, the renovation project followed the concept of "repairing old buildings by keeping their old aesthetics while also integrating new cultural and commercial elements into the town," Yao Jie, a manager of the resort, told the Global Times.

Nine well-preserved ancient bridges, including the Zong'an Bridge and the Dayou Bridge are distributed along the "H"-shaped river system of the Puyuan Fashion Resort. Many of those bridges date back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Some of those bridges connect to inns. For instance, an owner of the Xianzi Beach Inn told the Global Times that the inn is not the biggest one in the resort, but it can offer an "authentic taste of Puyuan" as guests can see the green and clear river flowing beneath their feet just by opening their bedroom's window.

Wooden boats and shuttle buses are always available in the resort. Boats take visitors underneath the bridges' arches to arrive at notable scenic spots in the ancient town. Two popular local destinations are the Meijing Theater, founded in 1947 and offering performances of the traditional Yue Opera, and the Xiangyun Taoist Temple, a symbol of the Taoist philosophy's development in the region, built in the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368).

The ancient town's time-honored locations are mixed with new buildings including modern hotels, performance plazas, and a visitor center that boasts a T-stage venue for fashion shows.

Puyuan, where the resort is located, is one of China's most dynamic centers for fashion production, especially in the cashmere and knitwear sectors. Around 700 million sweaters made in Puyuan are sold worldwide every year.

Relying on the Town's solid foundation in the clothing industry, the resort has found its niche character of promoting shows and exhibitions that connect to the international market.

One of its strategies is to collaborate with the entertainment industry. It has invited highly popular reality shows such as Funny Team 2024 to film at the resort. In the show, Chinese stars such as Na Ying and Huang Zitao run around the resort, taking audiences on a visual journey around Puyuan's beautiful scenic spots.

In 2023, the resort organized a successful campaign in collaboration with the Chinese version of the fashion magazine Gentlemen's Quarterly, also known as GQ. By having superstars such as Fei Xiang (also known as Kris Phillips, is a Chinese-American pop icon and musical singer) posting photos of the resort, the fashion title of the ancient town was accentuated.

"There are many ancient towns in China, and we need to give them unique themes to make them stand out. This is the creative strategy we need to promote Chinese ancient towns," Xiao Junfu, a marketer of the touristic industry, told the Global Times.
Niche interests

Other than Puyuan, the Wuzhen Town and Xitang Town, two ancient water towns nestled in Jiaxing, East China's Zhejiang Province, have also embarked on a journey of remarkable transformation.

Wuzhen Town, whose roots trace back over 1,000 years, found a way to bridge the gap between past and future. Its once quiet canals, lined with Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1368-1644) buildings, became the stage for a new kind of digital dialogue: the town's transformation began with its establishment as the permanent home of the World Internet Conference, cementing its role as a digital pioneer.

But it was the birth of the Wuzhen Theatre Festival in 2013 that truly brought Wuzhen's spirit into full bloom. The event integrated Wuzhen's historical landscape with cutting-edge theater, making the town a beacon of artistic and cultural exchange.

A few kilometers away, Xitang Town embarked on its own revival journey. Originally created back in the Spring and Autumn Period (770BC-476BC), the town still thrives nowadays thanks to its own unique cultural initiatives. For example, the Xitang Hanfu Culture Week showcases not only the town's past but also its deep connection to Chinese tradition. During the week, people dress in elegant Hanfu attire strolling through the streets, bringing the past vividly to life as workshops and parades make the town a living museum of ancient fashion.

The Xitang Ancient Town Protection Regulations of Jiaxing City released in 2023, further promote the construction of an ecological cultural tourism zone and the integration of ancient town culture and tourism, while continuing to protect the cultural heritage and traditional architecture of the ancient town.

Together, the Wuzhen and Xitang water towns breathe a new life, exemplary for the cultivation of a new cultural ecology in historical towns, one that honors the past while embracing the future.

Chinese scientists have demonstrated their brain-computer interface (BCI) systems are successful and effective in rehabilitation, and have the potential to bridge biological and artificial intelligence.

In a video revealed by the China Central Television (CCTV) on Saturday, a young man surnamed Bai was trying to control his wheelchair by his mind.

What Bai needed to do was to focus his attention and imagine the movements. "The system is quite sensitive," he told CCTV.

In December 2023, a wireless minimally invasive BCI system developed by the Tsinghua team, also known as NEO, was implanted into the brain of Bai, 35, who had been paralyzed for years following a car accident.

Bai can now control a computer with his own thoughts and brain signals. He is also able to control a wheelchair with his mind. These prove that signal control of BCIs has been successful, Hong Bo from the School of Medicine with Tsinghua University who leads the research, told the Global Times.
Another patient, surnamed Yang, 54, who has been paralyzed for 14 years, also received the implantation surgery of the Tsinghua team's BCI system in 2023. He is now able to proficiently use his mind to control the exoskeleton glove. His hands have also regained some of its grabbing function, Hong said.

These all prove the effectiveness of our BCI system. Looking ahead, the team will, subject to regulatory approval, further expand the scale of medical clinical trials on the path to providing a commercially viable service to benefit the greatest number of patients, he noted.

BCI refers to the technology that establishes a direct connection pathway between the human brain's nerves and electronic or mechanical devices, to achieve information interaction and functional integration between the nervous system and external devices.

Many view the BCI technology as holding the key to an "era of neuroscience." According to reports of 21jingji.com, the global BCI market is expected to reach $3.3 billion by 2027, with an annual compound growth rate of about 14 percent in seven years.

Chinese scientists have achieved breakthroughs in domestic research and development in BCI technology in recent years and actively applying the technology in rehabilitation, epilepsy, and depression treatment. Research in technology in China has now reached a crucial stage, transitioning from the laboratory to the market. Industry observers noted that this shift is expected to play a significant role in driving economic development and creating new competitive advantages in the future.

The BCI technology encountered controversies in safety and ethics after Elon Musk said in January 2024 that his BCI company, Neuralink, had successfully completed the first human brain implantation surgery of its invasive BCI device. Concerns increased after the company revealed in May that a number of the implant's connective threads retracted from the brain a few weeks after the surgery, causing a reduction in the signals the device could capture.

In previous interviews, Hong told the Global Times that compared with Neuralink's invasive technology, his team's wireless semi-invasive BCI technology offers higher levels of safety and a longer product lifespan.

"I hope that the two recipients of our implants can achieve observable neurological repair within six months to one year," Hong said.

At the Tianjin Huanhu Hospital, the clinical research on a wearable robotic finger, also known as the Lingxi Finger, developed by a neuroengineering team from Tianjin University has also been ongoing for over half a year. A patient surnamed Qiao, who lost the ability to grip with his left hand due to acute cerebral infarction, is participating in the clinical research.

The Lingxi Finger is a non-invasive BCI rehabilitation system developed by the Medical School at Tianjin University. By putting a BCI cap on the patient's head, the system can help the patient to actively control machine fingers worn on his hand by reading his brainwave information. Research data has confirmed that this system can greatly accelerate the recovery progress of patients, according to the university.

Chinese scientists are also exploring the most cutting edge area of BCI technology.
The Global Times learned from the university that a team from the Haihe Laboratory of Brain-Computer Interaction and Human-Machine Integration, led by Tianjin University and their collaborators from the Southern University of Science and Technology have successfully developed an open-source brain-on-a-chip (BOC) interface system, MetaBOC, which enables a "lab-grown brain" to conduct unmanned control of robots to perform tasks such as obstacle avoidance, tracking, and grasping.

BOC is formed by coupling a lab-grown brain with electrode chips. As an emerging branch of brain-computer interface, the BOC interface refers to a technology that enables bidirectional interaction between a lab-grown brain and external devices through encoding and decoding techniques and stimulation feedback.

BOC interface system technology is widely believed to play a revolutionary role in the development of cutting-edge technologies such as hybrid intelligence and brain-like computing.

Li Xiaohong, a professor at the Medical School at Tianjin University and the head of the on-chip BCI team said, a lab-grown brain has the advantages of low power consumption and fast learning speed. Moreover, the brain-on-a-chip interface system represents a transformative approach to bridging biological and artificial intelligence.

MetaBOC is also the world's first full-chain, open-source brain-on-a-chip interface system designed to enable closed-loop interaction between a lab-grown brain and external devices. Li showed the Global Times MetaBOC's efficacy in performing intelligent control tasks, such as robotic obstacle avoidance, in both virtual environments and real-world scenarios.

Li said MetaBOC represented a significant advancement in the field of BOC technology, offering a versatile platform for exploring the computational mechanisms of biological intelligence.

At a forum in April in Beijing, Gao Xiaorong from the Tsinghua Laboratory of Brain and Intelligence said, "The interaction between AI and BCI is bidirectional. A certain part of the development of BCI, especially in terms of algorithms, is aided by advancements in AI technology, allowing BCI developers to extract brainwave information. At the same time, BCI technologies can also promote the development of AI. For example, the uniqueness of brainwave information will further enhance the operational capabilities of AI and even influence its evolutionary direction."

At the forum, the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology also called on national colleges, institutes, and companies to cooperate to promote a combination of the two fields and accelerate the research and development of core technologies and products.

China's top 500 enterprises have moved ahead steadily, setting new records for revenue growth, rapid innovation-driven advancement and ongoing structural optimization, despite a complex and volatile global economic climate, an industry ranking report showed on Wednesday.

The 2024 list of the top 500 Chinese enterprises has been released by the China Enterprise Confederation and the China Enterprise Directors Association, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

The total revenue of the 500 companies reached 110.07 trillion yuan ($15.45 trillion) last year, up 1.58 percent year-on-year to a record high, per the report.

Their net profits totaled 4.51 trillion yuan last year, up 5.01 percent from one year earlier.

Experts attribute the growth to technological innovation driven by new quality productive forces, accelerated optimization of enterprise structures, and the deep integration of the real economy and the digital economy -- driving forces that will anchor China's steady economic growth amid rising global uncertainties.

According to the report, the average research and development (R&D) intensity of these top companies increased for the seventh consecutive year, with total R&D investment accounting for 1.9 percent of their total revenue, the highest level since 2002.

Moreover, innovation output rose, with these enterprises holding 2.03 million valid patents in 2024, up 7.66 percent year-on-year, underscoring a steady boost in innovation capabilities.

These figures show that the leading domestic companies are on an upward trajectory not only in financial performance but also in structural improvement and technological innovation, Li Jin, chief researcher at the China Enterprise Research Institute in Beijing, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

"China has accelerated the restructuring of state-owned enterprises in recent years to optimize the distribution of state-owned capital and speed up the shift toward emerging and future industries," Li said.

The report also pointed to a rising number of advanced manufacturing and modern services enterprises among the top 500. The number of companies in sectors like new-energy equipment, power storage batteries, communication equipment and semiconductor manufacturing have increased to 31, up by 18, during the past five years.

Li further highlighted the record-high technology investment by China's private enterprises over the years, with various emerging sectors showing steady growth, thanks to the government's push for new quality productive forces.

Despite rising global violability, Chinese firms' steady growth reflects the resilience and vitality of the Chinese economy and will contribute to the country's continued healthy growth, experts said.

In the early morning light of Jingmen, Central China's Hubei Province, the city hums with the rhythmic sound of tennis balls colliding rackets.
Residents come out of their homes to watch those on the court without a single complaint about the noise. In this small city with a population of approximately 600,000, there are more than 340 high-standard tennis courts and over 100,000 tennis enthusiasts.

"Hubei's success in tennis isn't just a coincidence or a discipline, but it's a tradition and an inheritance," Luo Le, a sports industry scholar at the Beijing University of Chemical Technology told the Global Times.

The accessibility of tennis courts - within a 15-minute walk - may explain why Hubei has nurtured so many tennis prodigies.
Rising star

August 3 is a day that many Chinese tennis fans will never forget. Zheng Qinwen, nicknamed "Queen Wen," a 21-year-old Chinese tennis player from Hubei, clinched China's first-ever gold medal in women's singles tennis at the Paris 2024 Olympics. She also became the first Asian player to reach the top of the podium in women's singles tennis at the Olympics.

Zheng follows in the footsteps of another legendary Hubei tennis player, Li Na. With two Grand Slam titles and a personal best world ranking of No.2 in women's tennis, Li transformed tennis from a niche sport to a mainstream passion in China, achieving unprecedented success for an Asian player.

The emergence of Li and Zheng as world champions begs the question: Why are tennis talent emerging from Hubei?

The region's deep-rooted passion for the sport dates back to the 1920s when tennis became part of the Hubei Provincial Games, which took the lead in including women in competitions, as reported by CCTV news.

With excellent infrastructure and a legacy of accomplished players returning as coaches, Hubei has become a breeding ground for tennis talent.

Names like Li Ting, Zhu Benqiang and Pan Bing are all synonymous with Hubei's tennis legacy. After retiring, Pan served as the head coach of the Hubei Provincial Tennis Team and the Chinese Women's National Tennis Team, contributing to the growth of future champions.

"Many outstanding players from Hubei returned as coaches. Along with well-established infrastructure, these are the main reasons for Hubei's success," Liu Mingyi, chief expert at the China Youth Sports and Physical Education Integration Public Policy Research Center and professor at Wuhan Sports University told the Global Times.

Liu noted that even 20 years ago, when tennis wasn't as popular, Wuhan in Hubei already boasted many tennis courts, including those at the Xinhua Road Stadium and Wuhan Sports University. "There were even indoor courts for training when weather was not good. The infrastructure was already very well-developed back then," Liu added.

He also highlighted the standardization and systematization of coaching in Hubei as key factors in the region's tennis success.

One of the most influential figures in this system is Yu Liqiao, who has shaped multiple generations of players since 1973, including both Li and Zheng. Under Yu's rigorous training, these athletes grew into world-class competitors. In Li's autobiography My Life, she recalls the intense training under Yu's guidance, which, though harsh, was emblematic of the times and also crucial to her success.

Zheng, who also trained under Yu, was later advanced to Potter's Wheel, where she honed her skills under top coaches, including Carlos Rodriguez. While there, she got the chance to have international tennis exchanges.

After the match, Zheng also reflected on the importance of "passing the torch."

"If today's victory can inspire more children to dream of playing tennis, then everything is worth it. I hope that in 10 or 20 years, you can stand on this stage," Zheng said.
Nurturing potential

Indeed, aside from tennis, many regions in China have developed distinctive features in the sports field, with regional characteristics remaining quite evident, especially based on economic and natural conditions. Each region utilizes its strengths, taking advantage of its training system and resources.

Looking back at each Olympic Games, many sports have formed "champion systems" in some specific Chinese provinces, such as table tennis in Northeast China's Liaoning Province, diving in the South China's Guangdong Province, and swimming in East China's Zhejiang Province.

"Local governments discover and nurture young talent, providing them

with training platforms and placing them in environments with suitable economic and training conditions. This is a comprehensive training system," Liu noted.

Having produced legends like Ma Lin, Ma Long, and Liu Shiwen, Liaoning Province is renowned for its dominance in table tennis. The city of Anshan, recognized by the General Administration of Sport of China, has become a crucial hub for table tennis, with a dedicated training center and the highest number of registered coaches in the country.

In Guangdong, particularly in Zhanjiang, the "Hometown of Diving," in proximity to the sea, offers an unparalleled environment for water sports.

It was here that Quan Hongchan, who was discovered at a rural elementary school by coach Chen Huaming, began her journey in diving. She then entered Zhanjiang Sports School at the age of 7 to start diving training.

Once talented individuals are identified, the school recommends them to higher-level teams. Chen recommended Quan to the Guangdong provincial diving team by sending video footage. She went on to win gold in the women's 10m platform event at the Paris 2024 Olympics, showcasing the success of Guangdong's comprehensive training system.

China widely organizes various sports events based on this talent identification and regional training system.

"The development of sports is indeed complex, not just limited to basic education facilities. It requires frequent competitions, guarantees, and a comprehensive training environment," Liu said.

"Now the system for training young athletes has changed as it combines the state-sponsored and market-oriented systems."

Following the opening of the International Forum on Cave Temple Conservation held in Dunhuang, Northwest China's Gansu Province on Monday, more countries are seeking cooperation with the Dunhuang Academy, which boasts rich experience in relic restoration and protection with the strong support of multiple disciplines as well as world-class digitization technology. 

At the forum, experts in the preservation and research of grotto temples from 16 countries are engaging in discussions and exchanges in three sub-forums to further promote ­cultural exchanges along the Silk Road. 

During the event, the Dunhuang Academy and the heritage and museum organizations of countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), including Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka and Cambodia, held a ceremony to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

In addition, the event also launched a book presentation ceremony for a training course for Afghan senior professionals on archaeology and cultural artifact conservation. 

Guan Qiang, deputy head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA), noted at the opening ceremony that the millennium-old Mogao Caves were located at a strategic point on the ancient Silk Road and therefore served not only as a transit point for trade between the East and West but also as a junction for religion, culture, and knowledge. 

"The Mogao Caves and other cultural treasures like India's Ajanta Caves and Cambodia's Angkor Wat are the prominent outcomes of the continuous exchanges and mutual learning in human civilization," he said. 

The level of protection and utilization of grotto temples has significantly improved, and their cultural influence has been increasingly enhanced, he noted.

Shahbaz Khan, director of the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, said at the opening ceremony that the training for Afghanistan and collaboration with Dunhuang Academy is commendable and aligns with the vision of shared prosperity and cultural exchange. 

"These efforts, whether in China or globally, showcase human ingenuity and the deep bond between culture and nature," he said.

Delegations from different countries told the Global Times that the protectors of the Mogao Caves share "universal values" in relics protection that they can all learn from.

Shakirdjan Pidaev, director of the Institute of Art Studies of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, told the Global Times on Monday that he expects more joint excavations with Chinese archaeological teams.

The Palace Museum in Beijing is fighting ticket scalping in order to provide an orderly visit experience for tourists, as it recently disclosed that during some peak hours of visit, 99 percent of ticket buyers turned out to be ticket scalpers. 

This UNESCO World Heritage site revealed to the public its anti-scalping measures and its back-end system to ensure fair chance of acquiring a ticket for the first time.

In response to the overwhelming demand, the Palace Museum plans to maintain reception capacity at 40,000 people on weekdays, the number of tickets will be increased by about 25 percent to improve accessibility for visitors during the summer.

This initiative, announced by the museum's Information Technology Department, aims to enhance accessibility during the busy summer months and will be extended to future peak periods, such as the National Day and May Day holidays. 

Additionally, the museum will continue to offer free admission to underprivileged groups, including minors, people with disabilities, active military personnel, and firefighters, ensuring these communities have access to the attraction.

With the summer vacation season in full swing, Chinese families nationwide are eager to explore the country's top cultural landmarks. 

However, many travelers are struggling to secure tickets to the Palace Museum. Recent reports indicate that scalpers have been reselling tickets for as much as 1,100 yuan ($154), with some walk-in reservations skyrocketing to 1,600 yuan. 

In stark contrast, tickets sold through the museum's official booking system are priced at just 60 yuan for the summer season.

To uphold fairness and protect consumer rights, the Palace Museum is implementing measures to isolate ticket inventory for travel agencies and individual visitors, thus preventing travel agencies from monopolizing tickets intended for the general public. 

A timed ticket release strategy will also be introduced to further combat automated ticket grabs, allowing tickets to be sold in batches at fixed intervals during high-demand periods.

To thwart scalpers, the museum's risk control engine operates at high speed every day. During the summer season, over 99 percent of ticket requests come in within a single peak hour. 

Market authorities have made it clear that using software to quickly purchase tickets for resale is a criminal offense, and emphasized their commitment to ongoing efforts to ensure fair access for all museum visitors.

The Wenhua Tower, a historical building in the heart of the Yingshan county, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, has recently been taken down after being one of the county's most iconic cultural landmarks for the past 18 years. 

The tower was an archaized building established 2006. It was a nine-story and 56-meter-high building characterized by ancient Chinese architecture's octagonal aesthetics. The design included four pavilions that represent the county's history birth from the unification of four different ancient counties such as Langchi and Suian ever since the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1279-1368) Dynasties.  

In 2023, the Wenhua Tower was added to the conservation list of the Yingshan's first batch of historical buildings. Although it was not an architectural relic, urban planner Chen Yilan, told the Global Times that taking down the tower is a "regretful fact" since it embodies "local cultural and historical characteristics." 

The Wenhua Tower was taken down because it can "no longer be maintained and reinforced," Li Xiaohong, the director of Yingshan County Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau, told the media. 

Since 2014, the tower, a centerpiece of the local Cuiping Mountain cultural park, has been closed to the public. A ground settlement issue was causing the architecture a severe one-side leaning problem. Pillars that support the tower's main structure were cracked. 

In April this year, the building was evaluated as a "Grade D dangerous structure," Chen told the Global Times that the classification refers to a "property or a building the load-bearing structure of which is likely to collapse at any moment, and poses a serious safety risk to people." 

"The tower's problems emerged following the 2008 earthquake in Wenchuan and in surrounding areas in Sichuan," said Li.

"Immediate assessments and well-organized plans for conservation" might have been missed in saving the tower, architectural expert Zheng Huaxin, told the Global Times, adding that a thorough examination on the architecture should have been carried out when the structure's leaning issue was first observed. 

"Adding it to the historical building list should be a mean for the locals to reinforce its condition," Zheng told the Global Times, adding that in an architect's eye, the tower "is the heart of the local community and carries great significance for the local people." 

Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived here Thursday for an official visit to Belarus at the invitation of Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko.

During the visit, Li will hold talks with Golovchenko on bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields.

NBA legend Jerry West passed away on Wednesday at the age of 86. Widely recognized as the silhouette in the NBA's official logo, West earned the nickname "The Logo." He was a legendary player for the Los Angeles Lakers and had connections with China and Yao Ming.

While playing for the Lakers, he helped the team reach the playoffs every year, made it to the Finals nine times, and won one championship. He was named to the All-NBA First Team 12 times. During his playing career, West became the third player in NBA history to score 25,000 points.

In 1969, he became the only player from a losing team to win the NBA Finals MVP, a great story in NBA history.

West was inducted into the Hall of Fame three times: as a player in 1979; as a member of the 1960 US Olympic team in 2010; and this April as a contributor to the sport of basketball. He made significant contributions to the development of the game.

West's role in NBA management helped expand the league's presence in China. He openly expressed his love for China and offered encouragement and guidance to the young generation of Chinese players aspiring to join the NBA.

"When I first went to China, I saw countless fans surrounding us. When I walked down the street, people recognized me as Jerry West! I never thought Chinese fans would love basketball and care about the NBA so much!" West said during a China-themed NBA game.

West also highly praised Yao Ming, one of the most famous Chinese athletes. In 2002, when Yao was entering the NBA draft, West, then the president of basketball operations for the Memphis Grizzlies, said, "For someone with Yao's height and build to be able to shoot and have a keen sense of the game, he is a genius player."

"Yao Ming is not only an excellent player but also a very outstanding person. He respects basketball and every player. You hope to have an international player like him in the NBA; he is a great ambassador!" West noted in 2014.

Jerry West had a great reputation among Chinese basketball fans, with many viewing him as an idol.

Chinese netizen @poppy100m mourned on social media: "The founder of the 'Showtime' era in the '80s, farewell to the legend."

@Lebron_s: "West's eye for talent was truly great. Every player he favored was outstanding. Let's all remember him."