Commenting on the joint statement of the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the G7 Foreign Ministers' Declaration on Maritime Security and Prosperity, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Canada refuted that such statements are filled with arrogance, prejudice and malicious intentions to suppress and attack China. 

China strongly deplores and opposes this and has lodged solemn representations with the Canadian side, the embassy spokesperson said in a statement published on its website on Friday local time, criticizing that "such statements repeat the same old rhetoric, ignore facts and China's solemn position, grossly interfere in China's internal affairs, and blatantly smear China."

According to the Statement of the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Charlevoix, a city in Quebec, Canada, the Global Affairs Canada released on local time Friday, the G7 members smeared China in several ways over topics involving situations in Ukraine, security and resilience across the so-called "Indo-Pacific" region. 

These G7 foreign minister joint statements clearly carry the intent of fostering internal unity by exaggerating the so-called "threats from China." This once again demonstrates that the G7 is a small clique that creates division, confrontation, and chaos in the world, rather than, as these seven countries claim, a group that brings stability to the world on economic or broader issues, Chinese observers said.

The G7 members hyped in the joint statement their support for Taiwan's meaningful participation in appropriate international organizations while being "concerned by the situations in the East China Sea as well as the South China Sea and continue to oppose strongly unilateral attempts to change the status quo, in particular by force and coercion."  

China firmly safeguards its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and resolutely opposes the G7's misdeeds of harming China's sovereignty, the embassy spokesperson said in the statement. 

Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. The Taiwan question is purely an internal affair of China, which brooks no external interference. The key to upholding peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits lies in abiding by the one-China principle, and firmly opposing the "Taiwan independence" separatism. The Taiwan region's participation in the activities of international organizations must and can only be handled in line with the one-China principle, according to the statement.  

Currently, the situation in the East China Sea and the South China Sea is generally stable. The South China Sea is one of the safest and freest maritime passages in the world. "I want to emphasize that the Asia-Pacific region is a promising land of peace and development, not a chessboard for geopolitical rivalries. The G7 should earnestly respect regional countries' efforts for peace and stability, abandon the Cold War mentality, and stop creating bloc confrontation and fueling tensions in the region," the spokesperson urged.

The G7 members in the statement also baselessly accused China of providing weapons and dual-use components to Russia, calling it a "decisive enabler of Russia's war and of the reconstitution of Russia's armed forces." 

"I want to reiterate that China is not a creator of or a party to the Ukraine crisis, and has never provided weapons to any party of the conflict," the Chinese embassy spokesperson refuted. "On the contrary, the G7 members are constantly pouring fuel on the fire, so it is in no position to scapegoat China."

China rejects the unreasonable accusations made by the G7. While the G7 has abandoned the basic principles of maintaining global strategic stability and undermined the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime, it chose to attack and discredit other countries' nuclear policies. This will only intensify confrontation and create obstacles for the international nuclear disarmament process, the spokesperson remarked.

Slamming the remarks in the statement that "China should not conduct or condone activities aimed at undermining the security and safety of our communities and the integrity of our democratic institutions," the spokesperson noted that China has never interfered in other countries' internal affairs and has no interest in doing so. The label of "interference in other countries' internal affairs" shall never be pinned on China. 

Today, the G7's discussions are no longer confined to economic matters. Originally established as an organization to address economic affairs, it has now shifted its focus to international crises and major political issues, such as the South China Sea, Taiwan, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This reveals that the G7 has effectively become an alliance that sustains its existence — and even strengthens its role—by fabricating external threats. Such an approach is undoubtedly a ticking time bomb for recent global security and prosperity, or in other words, a destabilizing factor, Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Saturday. 

At the same time, we must note that the G7's series of accusations regarding China reflects the views of some elites or establishment factions within Western politics. However, in some Western countries, including the US and Italy, anti-establishment political forces are steadily gaining influence. This suggests that the G7 is undergoing a profound internal rift, he pointed out.

This division was deliberately obscured at the recent G7 foreign ministers' meeting through the amplification of external threats, he said, noting that "no matter how the G7 exaggerates external threats to bolster its existence and functions, it cannot conceal the deepening of its internal divisions, nor the resistance from countries worldwide to its obstruction of global prosperity and creation of global disorder."

China wants to stress to the G7 that a lie even if repeated thousands of times will not become a fact. The world will not be misled by the smearing against China. Suppressing and attacking China is not a "panacea" for resolving G7's internal disagreements. We once again urge the G7 to abandon Cold War mentality and ideological biases, refrain from going against the overwhelming trend of the world and the times, stop the unwarranted and condescending remarks on and gross interference in other countries' affairs, so as to avoid creating confrontation and division within the international community, the Chinese embassy spokesperson stressed.

As the fate of a proposed cease-fire plan to end Russia-Ukraine conflict remains uncertain and the latest battlefield dynamic adds to the complexity of the situation, European leaders presented varying attitudes toward the way and scale of military support for Ukraine in the event of a peace deal after a virtual summit on Saturday.

The differences within Europe, and the divergences between the willingness to support Ukraine and the capacity to do so are very evident when talking about security guarantees and putting forces in Ukraine, Chinese observers said.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared that plans to put a peacekeeping force in Ukraine have now entered an "operational phase", as Britain prepares to host military chiefs from a group of Western countries ready to support a cease-fire, The Independent reported.

Sending the strongest signal yet that a "coalition of the willing" - a group of Western nations that have pledged to help Ukraine - is pressing ahead with the pledge to back a cease-fire deal with troops on the ground, Starmer said allies would be prepared to "help secure Ukraine on the land, at sea and in the sky," according to the report.

Military leaders will meet in London on Thursday "to put strong and robust plans in place to swing in behind a peace deal and guarantee Ukraine's future security," the BBC quoted Starmer as saying.

Starmer's remarks were made at a press conference after a virtual meeting with 29 other world leaders on Saturday, including those from NATO, the European Union, other European countries, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, per the BBC.

The stationing of peacekeeping troops in Ukraine, as proposed by Britain and France as part of a ceasefire agreement with Russia, is a question for Kyiv to decide and not Moscow, French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview, per

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who joined the Saturday meeting, said "active pressure is needed, not just talks," according to the BBC.

Zelensky urged European countries to produce their own weapons as soon as possible and to talk to the US to reach a deal more quickly through "full sanctions, strong pressure, and forcing Russia to make peace."

Starmer said "the world needs actions… not empty words and conditions."

The UK is appearing more active and is trying every diplomatic method to unite more European countries and other allies, said Cui Heng, a scholar at the Shanghai-based China National Institute for SCO International Exchange and Judicial Cooperation.

Cui told the Global Times on Sunday that as the UK's military capacity means it cannot act alone, the convening of a "coalition of the willing" is a way to demonstrate British influence and avoid being marginalized by the US and Russia.

However, significant divisions remain over whether individual European countries are willing to deploy troops to Ukraine to keep the peace, CNN reported.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Saturday reiterated his criticism of the EU's military support for Ukraine, and his opposition to Ukrainian accession to the EU, according to Politico.

A statement from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office said that Meloni, who joined Saturday's virtual summit, does not envisage Italy's participation in a possible military presence in Ukraine, according to CNN.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg program after the summit that Finland was willing to be part of efforts to defend a peace deal, but said: "It is too early to talk about boots on the ground because we don't have a cease-fire, we don't have a peace process. Once we have a clear plan, we start doing the commitments."

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia may send a "small contribution" of peacekeepers to Ukraine if asked, but it was premature to discuss the details before Russia agrees to a cease-fire agreement, the Guardian reported.

Cui Hongjian, professor of the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Sunday that in terms of sending ground troops, many countries will want to wait and see, and they are observing whether NATO will continue to act in accordance with the US' orders or present a more independent stance.

The "coalition of the willing" not only needs to reach a political commitment to support Ukraine, but will also need to address technical issues such as leadership and military command, Cui Hongjian said.

There are differing opinions within the "coalition" regarding the risks of deploying troops. If their coordination works out politically and militarily, they may not fully accept the UK's proposal, otherwise they may lean toward the US plan, Cui Hongjian said.

"The functioning of the 'coalition of the willing' determines whether the West will become further fragmented," the expert said.

Prospects of cease-fire

Russian President Vladimir Putin had said that Russia agrees with the 30-day cease-fire plan proposed by the US and Ukraine in principle but will proceed from the fact that this cessation should be one that would lead to long-term peace and eliminate the original causes of this crisis, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Putin indicated that he might call US President Donald Trump to discuss the issue, adding that Russia will negotiate the next steps to end the conflict and reach acceptable agreements based on the situation "on the ground," Xinhua reported.

Starmer on Saturday said Putin's response to a US-proposed cease-fire in Ukraine is "not good enough" and the Russian president would have to negotiate "sooner or later," said the Guardian in another report.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday called for joint US and European pressure on Russia to accept the proposed cease-fire.

EU chief European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a message on X that Russia had to show "it is willing to support a cease-fire leading to a just and lasting peace."

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday he was "cautiously optimistic" about reaching a truce, but that a lot more work needed to be done.

"Although different parties have shown interest in a cease-fire, the details and procedures to realize it will take a long time and lots of negotiations," Cui Heng said.

Reuters reported Sunday that Russia and Ukraine have continued aerial attacks on each other, inflicting injuries and damage, which Cui Hongjian cited as a factor dragging down the likelihood of a cease-fire.

While the existing cease-fire plan itself is delicate and far from substantive, the developments on the battlefields have added to the complexity, the expert said.

As different parties are engaging in talks in the fast-changing situation, the Chinese Foreign Ministry, in its latest response on Friday, said that we hope relevant parties will reach a fair and durable peace deal that is binding and accepted by all the parties concerned through dialogue and negotiation.

"China stands ready to work with the international community and continues to play a constructive role in resolving the crisis and realizing lasting peace," Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said.

China's first large-scale intelligent forest fire rescue and emergency response training facility, constructed by a research institute under the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), has passed its final acceptance and was officially put into use at the National Southwest Emergency Rescue Center, according to an announcement made by CALT on its WeChat account on Thursday. 

The completion of this significant project not only fills a gap in the field of intelligent forest fire emergency rescue training equipment in China but also marks a new level of technological advancement in the country's forest fire response capabilities.

China's southwestern region is rich in forestry resources and has a high forest coverage rate, making forest fires one of the major challenges in the area. The establishment of this facility will effectively enhance the comprehensive response capabilities of rescue teams and provide a demonstration model for the market promotion of intelligent forest fire simulation training equipment, CALT said. 

The training facility integrates multiple advanced technologies developed by CALT, enabling highly realistic simulations of forest fire scenarios and offering rescue personnel a comprehensive, multi-angle, and practical training environment.

Since 2000, the academy has been developing emergency rescue simulation training equipment. Its previous products have been deployed in training bases of over 100 emergency rescue departments across 15 provinces and cities nationwide. 

CALT said the academy will continue to deepen technological innovation in the field of simulation training equipment, actively participating in national research initiatives and product development in related areas, and contributing further to the modernization of China's emergency management system.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday sent a message to the 38th African Union (AU) Summit, extending warm congratulations to African countries and people.

In the face of the current complex and intertwined international situation, the Global South, represented by China and Africa, has grown significantly, Xi noted.

Over the past year, the AU has united and led African countries in vigorously advancing integration, actively responding to regional and global challenges, and speaking in unison as the "voice of Africa," Xi said.

Noting that these efforts have led to a continuous boost in Africa's international status and influence, he sincerely wishes African countries and people even greater success on the path of independence, self-reliance and development.

Xi said that the year 2024 saw vigorous development of China-Africa relations.

With the successful Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, China and Africa have embarked on a new stage of jointly building an all-weather community with a shared future for the new era, and stayed at the forefront of building a community with a shared future for mankind, Xi noted.

He expressed readiness to work with African leaders to promote the implementation of the six proposals for jointly advancing modernization and 10 partnership actions, so as to bring more tangible results to benefit over 2.8 billion Chinese and African peoples.

Futian district in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province deployed 70 DeepSeek-powered "AI public servants" to assist in administrative governance, ensuring document format corrections with an accuracy rate of over 95 percent. The district also pioneered China's first AI governance framework for government assistance, according to a statement released on its WeChat account on Saturday.

The AI employees were built on the full-size DeepSeek R1 model. They mitigate inefficiencies in conventional administrative workflows. Leveraging a domestically-produced computational power platform for localized sector-specific training, and tailored to the actual business processes of various departments, these personalized intelligent agents are initially deployed across 240 administrative scenarios.

The 70 digital employees were deployed in 11 functional areas, enhancing efficiency across the government service ecosystem, including document processing, public service, emergency management, and business development and investment promotion, among others.

The AI system has reduced the time needed for personalized content generation from five days to just a few minutes. The accuracy rate of document format corrections exceeds 95 percent, cutting audit times by 90 percent, and the error rate remains below 5 percent.

According to the article, with the assistance of these digital employees, the accuracy in processing public service requests has increased from 70 percent to 95 percent. The safety compliance AI assistant has enhanced rehearsal script generation efficiency by 100 times. The AI investment attraction assistant has streamlined corporate analysis and screening, increasing efficiency by 30 percent. The AI task supervision assistant has boosted cross-departmental task delegation efficiency by 80 percent, and the on-time completion rate has increased by 25 percent.

"Compared to humans, AI outperforms humans in both efficiency and accuracy, making it a significant asset in handling government affairs," Xiang Ligang, a telecom expert, told the Global Times on Monday. "In public service, AI's objectivity helps mitigate the high time costs when dealing with the public. When engaging with some emotional citizens, digital employees can accurately extract key information, understand and respond to public needs, and respond swiftly while adhering to legal and regulatory frameworks."

"However, this does not imply that AI services will be devoid of human warmth. One of the standout features of domestically developed models, including DeepSeek, is their focus on training language styles. When faced with the same facts, these models generate responses that are both engaging and contextually appropriate, enhancing user experience. This is a valuable aspect," Xiang said.

The article stated that the Futian district converted raw data into structured, actionable intelligence. It has aggregated 120 million pieces of government data in the past decade, constructing a dedicated knowledge pool covering policies, regulations, service guides, historical cases, and more. By applying text processing techniques compatible with the DeepSeek model, the platform connects the knowledge base to the model through advanced embedding techniques.

Moreover, in terms of institutional innovation, Futian district has introduced China's first regulatory framework for government assistance AI. This framework outlines the full process management for the procurement and use of government assistance robots, establishing ethical guidelines and defining technical standards, application scope, safety management, and regulatory requirements, thus providing institutional support for the legal and compliant operation of intelligent robots in government affairs.

"Although there have not been significant ethical issues arising from the government's integration of AI for smart governance, it's wise to consider regulatory frameworks proactively. This approach will help ensure that any issues emerging during implementation can be addressed in a timely and standardized manner," said Xiang.

China and Australia held the 23rd China-Australia Defense Strategic Dialogue in Beijing on Monday, with the two sides exchanging in-depth views on relations between the two countries, their militaries, regional security and other issues of common concern, according to a statement released by China's Ministry of National Defense.

The dialogue was co-hosted by General Xu Qiling, Deputy Chief of the Joint Staff Department under China's Central Military Commission (CMC), Air Marshal Robert Chipman AO CSC, Vice Chief of the Australian Defense Force, and Hugh Jeffrey, Australian Deputy Secretary of Defense Strategy, Policy and Industry Group.

The two sides agreed to continue strengthening strategic communication in the defense field, properly handle disputes and differences, and carry out exchanges and cooperation, the statement said. 

Australia's defense news platform Defence Connect hyped that this dialogue was held against the backdrop of Australia claiming that an Australian air force patrol aircraft experienced an "unsafe and unprofessional" interaction with a Chinese Air Force aircraft in the South China Sea recently. 

Australia has been hyping up the PLA's expulsion of an Australian warplane. Against such a backdrop, it shows that it is important for timely military communication to avoid misjudgments, Chen Hong, director of the Australian Studies Center at East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Tuesday. 

"This kind of dialogue provides an opportunity for Australia to understand where the boundaries and limits lie, and where China will undoubtedly make a firm response," Chen said. 

In response to the Australian defense ministry's claim that an Australian air force patrol aircraft experienced an "unsafe and unprofessional" interaction with a Chinese Air Force aircraft in the South China Sea on February 11, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular press conference on February 13 that the Australian military aircraft deliberately intruded into China's territorial airspace of Xisha Qundao without China's permission, infringing on China's sovereignty and endangering China's national security.

The Australian statement claimed that on February 11, a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft conducting a routine maritime surveillance patrol in the South China Sea experienced an "unsafe and unprofessional interaction" with a Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force J-16 fighter aircraft.

"The facts are very clear: the Australian military aircraft intruded into China's territorial airspace of Xisha Qundao, violating China's sovereignty and security. It will definitely be met with expulsion by the PLA, which is a justified action of defense and a legitimate right. No country would tolerate foreign military aircraft intruding into its airspace, and every nation would take corresponding measures in response, applying different levels of interception and countermeasures based on the nature of the provocation," Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times in an earlier interview on February 13. 

"The latest China-Australia defense dialogue is aimed at avoiding miscalculations. However, Australia is continuously coordinating with the US to meddle in Asia-Pacific affairs," Song Zhongping, a Chinese mainland military expert, told the Global Times on Tuesday. 

Australia should deeply recognize its own position: it is an Oceanian country, not an Asian country, and it should clearly define its own stance and not follow the US in creating trouble in the Asia-Pacific region, Song said.  

"If Australia wishes to cooperate with countries in the Asia-Pacific region, it is welcome. But if it intends to assist the US in confronting certain countries within the region, this is unacceptable," Song added. 

The China-Australia Defense Strategic Dialogue is a high-level forum between the Chinese People's Liberation Army and the Australian Department of Defence, established in 1997. It was last held in 2019.

A 6.2-magnitude earthquake jolted Tainan City of China's Taiwan, at 12:17 a.m. Tuesday (Beijing Time), according to China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).

The epicenter, with a depth of 14 km, was monitored at 23.24 degrees north latitude and 120.51 degrees east longitude, the CENC said.

The earthquake caused strong tremors across the entire island of Taiwan, with noticeable shaking reported in Quanzhou, Xiamen and Fuzhou in East China's Fujian Province, and Ningbo, Hangzhou in East China's Zhejiang Province, as well as Shanghai also felt the tremors, according to CCTV News on Tuesday.

When asked whether she could confirm the reports that a Chinese worker at a local mining company was killed in northern Afghanistan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Wednesday that "I'm not clear about what you mentioned, but I believe our embassy in Afghanistan will do its best to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and should be following up on the situation."

China's new-generation CH-YH1000 unmanned transport aircraft on Monday completed a full-load taxiing test under full working conditions in Zhanghe Airport in Jingmen, Central China's Hubei Province. This cargo drone has been described as a "pickup truck in the air," and will hopefully provide a new logistics solution to "remote regions that lack free shipping."

The Global Times noted that the CH-YH1000 unmanned transport aircraft adopts a typical transport aircraft design with two engines and a high wing. In order to ensure that the cargo can be conveniently and efficiently delivered to the cabin, it is equipped with an upward-flipping nose door. It is also equipped with a belly hatch, which can be used for special needs such as emergency airdrops, pesticide spraying or firefighting.

Huang Wei from Aerospace CH UAV Co Ltd told the Global Times that the taxiing test is a landmark mission node following the advent of the unmanned transport aircraft. Generally speaking, important mission nodes in aircraft development, including unmanned aerial vehicles, include low-speed and high-speed taxiing, first flight, flights with different mission loads, verification test and demonstration flight.

Huang said that unlike the taxiing and flight tests of manned aircraft, which rely on test pilots, comparable tests of the CH-YH1000 unmanned transport aircraft rely on autonomous program control. The operator only needs to upload relevant instructions to the drone, which can interpret the route information and taxiing runway information by itself and make corresponding actions according to the actual situation. 

As a result, the taxiing test for the drone has very high requirements for the reliability of related control programs and equipment. At present, the control system of the CH-YH1000 unmanned transport aircraft mainly comes from the mature technology of the CH-3D armed reconnaissance drone, which includes a variety of protection measures, so the overall performance is very reliable, according to Huang.

The CH-YH1000 unmanned transport aircraft project was launched in March 2024. Based on the rich experience of the Chinese Academy of Aerospace and Aerodynamics' Aerospace CH UAV Co Ltd with unmanned aircraft, the drone applied many mature technologies and products on the shelf. A prototype of the drone was publicly displayed during the Zhuhai Airshow in November last year, and it has now smoothly completed its taxiing test in a sign of rapid progress.

After the taxiing test, the project team will further optimize and test the unmanned transport aircraft to ensure that its performance is more stable and reliable before conducting the first test flight. 

Huang said that the precautions for drone test flights are slightly different from those for manned aircraft, and more attention is paid to the reliability of the equipment. During the first flight, the drone will place greater emphasis on environmental safety and try to eliminate unfavorable and interfering factors. When other conditions are ripe, the takeoff and landing tests in harsh field environments will be carried out.

Huang explained that the CH-YH1000 unmanned transport aircraft has corresponding defense measures against hacker attacks, including the use of a dedicated radio communication network. 

In recent years, there have been frequent cases of drones being interfered with, an eventuality that Huang said the CH-YH1000 unmanned transport aircraft is also prepared for. One of the protection measures that has been adopted allows the drone to return to the departure airport along the originally set response route if it encounters interference and loses contact with the ground command center.

 "The unmanned transport aircraft we developed is like a 'pickup truck in the air.' We hope to achieve efficient air transportation at only a slightly higher cost than land transportation, meet the logistics needs of remote areas, and solve the problem of high delivery fees and slow delivery time in regions such as Xizang and Xinjiang," Huang said.

He said that in the future, towns and villages with inconvenient land transportation can rely on unmanned transport aircraft to fill the shortfall, improve their express delivery distribution systems, and promote the convenience of online shopping.

In addition, the CH-YH1000 drone relies on sensors to fly autonomously, which means it makes little difference whether it flies during the day or at night. Therefore, this unmanned transport aircraft, with its large transport capacity of 1,000 kilograms, can operate in the second half of the night when there is no civil aviation activity to achieve high-density air transport. It will bring new solutions to fields such as logistics, emergency rescue and military supply, and will strongly promote the development of China's unmanned transport aircraft industry and inject new vitality into the development of the country's low-altitude economy.

Editor's Note:

Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is the most significant traditional holiday in China, symbolizing family reunions and marking a farewell to the old while welcoming the new. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, every Spring Festival, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, has taken time out of his busy schedule to reach out to the grassroots level, engaging in conversations with ordinary people and frontline workers from various sectors.

From preparations for the Chinese New Year to local customs celebrated during this festival, Xi's heartfelt conversations with people across the country reflect his genuine blessings and deep care for the populace. These moments also serve as a microcosm of the continuous development of China's economy and society, as well as the ongoing improvement of living standards for the Chinese people.

The Spring Festival has been successfully inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) list of intangible cultural heritage. As this year's Spring Festival approaches, the Global Times is presenting a two-part series that follows in Xi's footsteps to explore the various festival traditions and the joyful lives of people across the country.

This is the first installment of the series. It focuses on Spring Festival foods and purchases highlighted during Xi's pre-festival inspection tours, which embody the romance of this traditional Chinese festival and reflect Xi's genuine care for the people.

The Spring Festival holds a special place in the hearts of the Chinese people, embodying warmth and family joy. During this festive season, the celebrations of ordinary families resonate deeply with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who genuinely cares about whether the Chinese people can enjoy a prosperous New Year filled with abundance.

"My biggest wish is that all of us will have a happy Lunar New Year. Party committees and governments at all levels should earnestly ensure the supply of electricity, gas, and heating during the festival, ensure that necessities such as 'vegetable baskets,' 'rice bags,' and 'fruit plates' are in ample supply, and strengthen supervision over food safety," Xi said ahead of the 2023 Chinese Lunar New Year, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

"Letting the people of all ethnic groups have a good life," is Xi's aspiration, which is evident in his thoughtful consideration of New Year goods each year. Reflecting on Xi's annual "Spring Festival footsteps," it is evident that no matter where he goes, he always cares about how the people are living and whether they have prepared their festive goods. This "Spring Festival shopping list" reflects a profound commitment to the well-being of the Chinese people and embodies a beautiful vision for the high-quality development of their lives.

'We were greatly inspired'

The Spring Festival is a wonderful moment to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, always bringing new hope to the people. In China, it is not merely a celebration of the changing seasons and the passage of time; it is also a moment brimming with hope for the future.

In February 2015, shortly before the Spring Festival, a group of villagers gathered at the entrance of Liangjiahe village in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province to welcome Xi. The cave dwellings of Liangjiahe were nestled among the mountains and scattered across the valleys of the Loess Plateau.

As Xi walked with the villagers from the entrance into the heart of the village, memories came rushing back. In 1969, Xi, just shy of turning 16, was sent to live in Liangjiahe as an "educated youth." He would spend the next seven of his most formative years living in that rural hamlet. That area was where the Communist revolutionaries, including his father, rose to found New China, according to Xinhua.

During this visit, Xi brought gifts such as dumpling flour, rice, cooking oil, and meat products, as well as couplets and New Year paintings, ensuring that every household received a share. As they reminisced and exchanged pleasantries, his primary concern remained the villagers' well-being, including their food, clothing, and living conditions.

"President Xi asked how we resolved our water issues and how we were living. His questions were so thoughtful; they warmed my heart," recalled villager Liu Jinlian, as reported by Xinhua. Although the cave dwelling still bore the marks of the past, Liu's life had undergone a remarkable transformation. "At that time, we had no worries about food or clothing; life was much better than before," Liu said. "After his visit, the people in the village were greatly inspired to improve our lives."

In pursuit of poverty alleviation, Liangjiahe established a rural cultural tourism company in 2015, merging tourism development with poverty alleviation efforts. Villagers sprang into action - some opened farm stays, while others became shuttle drivers, finding work right at their doorsteps and benefiting from the burgeoning tourism industry.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Liangjiahe has successfully lifted itself out of poverty by focusing on rural tourism, apple cultivation, and village-enterprise processing. The villagers have transitioned from poverty to prosperity. Per capita net yearly income for villagers soared from 7,917 yuan ($1,093) in 2012 to 18,120 yuan in 2021, Xinhua reported.

Villagers now reside in new homes, operate farm stays, and enjoy paved roads and cultural activity squares. With apple demonstration gardens and modern breeding bases, the people of Liangjiahe are steadily realizing their dreams of a better life through hard work.

In his heart, Xi carries the hopes of countless "Liangjiahes." "The essence of governance is livelihood, and the right way to ensure people's livelihoods is to understand the hardships in their lives." - Xi once cited this ancient proverb to underscore the people-centered philosophy in governance, Xinhua reported.
Stable, fresh supply guaranteed

People's ability to joyfully celebrate the Chinese New Year largely depends on their access to goods in the market. This has been a concern for Xi, who has often reflected on it during pre-festival inspections at various consumer venues over the years, including community supermarkets, rural shops, and stores at highway service areas.

On February 4, 2021, he visited a supermarket called Heli Huimin Fresh in Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou Province. At the supermarket, he checked the supply of goods for the Spring Festival holidays and their prices, Xinhua reported.

"When President Xi visited, I was filled with excitement. His warm smile lit up our dining area as he inquired about each dish and its price. Learning that customers could enjoy a hearty meal for around 20 yuan, he praised our affordable pricing, clearly valuing the people's needs," Liu Bing, the technical guidance at the processing department of the supermarket, told the Global Times.

According to Li Dexiang, who works at the supermarket, the store offers 40 essential goods at government-guided prices, typically 10 to 30 percent lower than nearby markets. Items like radishes and cabbages have been staples in the "one-yuan sales area."

"The affordability of produce stems from a decade of government rent subsidies, the establishment of supply bases, and direct sourcing, allowing us to pass savings on to consumers," Li told the Global Times.

This is not the first time Xi has shown concern for the public's festive shopping needs. In February 2024, he visited Tianjin, emphasizing the need for local governments to enhance the supply of essential goods during the holiday season, ensuring abundance, variety, and quality for a worry-free celebration, Xinhua reported.

With the holiday approaching this year, government departments at all levels across China are intensifying their efforts to stabilize prices and secure supplies. Measures include enhancing emergency response and timely monitoring of goods' supply and price changes.
A snack brings smiles

In the vibrant village of Desheng in North China's Hebei Province, villagers believe that a simple snack can bring smiles and prosperity. This festive cake, known as "kai kou xiao," literally translates to "mouth-opening smile" - an apt name for its appearance as golden, fried dough balls with a cracked surface resembling a grinning mouth.

As the Spring Festival approaches, households like that of Liu Guirong, a 65-year-old villager in Desheng, are bustling with frying up these festive treats. For Liu, "kai kou xiao" has transformed from a traditional festive food into a symbol of her village's remarkable journey toward rural revitalization and prosperity.

This transformation began in January 2017 when Xi inspected Desheng village, visiting and chatting with poor families, discussing how they could shake off poverty, Xinhua reported.

During this inspection, Xi sampled the "kai kou xiao" and praised its deliciousness. Liu was among those who prepared the snack that day, and also participated in the discussions in which where Xi helped a villager meticulously calculate household income and expenses. Xi called for more efforts to help the poor develop industries that could grow in a sustainable manner, set up sustainable mechanisms for poverty alleviation, and create ways for them to achieve prosperity, according to Xinhua.

The villagers later embarked on a transformation path. Following the path of "simultaneously focusing on industrial development and infrastructure improvement," they gradually established a thriving rural tourism industry based on homestays, which contributed to the rural revitalization.

The village's economic fortunes have blossomed since 2020. Ye Runbing, the Party secretary of Desheng village, told the Global Times that that the per capita net income of the villagers increased from 5,800 yuan in 2016 to 24,000 yuan in 2024.

The "kai kou xiao," once a simple local delicacy, has blossomed into a village signature dish thanks to the remarkable economic transformation of Desheng village and the recognition it received from Xi. Liu also seized this opportunity and launched her own "kai kou xiao" business in her spare time.

As the Spring Festival approaches, Desheng village gears up for a series of cultural events, which has led to a booming "kai kou xiao" business for local villagers.

"Many tourists come to our village specifically to buy this snack as a New Year's gift to take back home and share with their loved ones," Liu said. With each 0.5-kilogram package selling for 25 yuan, she sells at least 10 kilograms daily.

"Seeing the village come alive, with smiles brightening everyone's faces, fills me with joy," Liu shared. "Today, life in Desheng village is as cheerful as its namesake treat, flourishing more with each passing day," she said.

The bustling scene surrounding the procurement of "kai kou xiao" epitomizes the vibrant atmosphere found in markets across China at this moment. Each small bundle of New Year goods carries with it the hopes and memories of the people, as well as a reflection of the nation's prosperity. This year, as China celebrates the Spring Festival, the country stands confident and resilient, forging ahead on the path toward modernization and a brighter future.