China's Ministry of Education (MOE) on Thursday published a list of 184 primary and secondary school artificial intelligence (AI) education bases across the country including North China's Beijing, Tianjin, and East China's Shanghai, Shandong and Jiangsu provinces, and South China's Guangdong Province, aiming to promote AI education systematically nationwide.

The publicity period lasts from Thursday to January 17. Anyone who has objections can submit relevant information during this period, according to the ministry.

In May 2023, the MOE issued an action plan for deepening the reform of the basic education curriculum, in which it required teaching equipment and usage to be improved, and a group of characteristic high-level science and AI education primary and secondary school bases to be selected.

In Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and a few provinces, there are six schools on the list. Some schools started AI education in recent years in the face of the rapid development of AI technology, as a way to encourage more students to gain more knowledge in this sector, and inspire their creative capability to learn how to analyze data and identify patterns based on AI algorithms.

One example is Wenzhou No 22 Senior Middle School in East China's Zhejiang Province , which was founded in 2002. The school has always been at the forefront of information technology in the country, and has been awarded the title of one of the first "100 digital campus demonstration schools" in China.

"AI education has been explored in our school for nearly five years," Ding Die, vice principal of Wenzhou No 22 Senior Middle School, told the Global Times on Thursday.

The school has integrated the curriculum standards related to AI in the fields of information technology and general technology, and has incorporated the course content and practical applications into the school's AI education space. The space integrates the fields of design, teaching, and operation, and is equipped with 3D printers, laser engraving machines, high-end computers and other equipment, according to Ding.

Ding said that the schools will continue improving the relevant AI courses and popularize them among students. The school will also strengthen the connection between students and AI projects in universities, to make students' career planning clearer during their learning process.

Shanghai Luwan Senior High School has also been conducting AI education practice and exploration in recent years. This initiative to establish primary and secondary school AI education bases is highly beneficial to the public, and will be welcomed by parents and students, Zhang Xiaojun, a teacher who tutors students in science and tech classes from this school, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Due to the lack of equipment and teacher resources in some schools, students have limited space to learn more in this sector. With a nationwide drive to build AI bases, students will have the opportunity to delve into real technical content, participating in and gaining knowledge in this field, according to Zhang.

In the school, students are categorized into general courses, advanced courses, and high-level courses specifically designed for a few students. Every student can have access to some basic AI content, such as graphic programming, and using AI to solve practical problems. For advanced courses, they will study specific projects, such as autonomous driving, intelligent logistics, and drone programming, Zhang said.

Zhang said that systematic training and an incentive mechanism will be beneficial to cultivating more teachers in this sector. Ding, the vice principal, also echoed the opinion that it will encourage teachers to take every opportunity to train in AI teaching.

China will carry out further training sessions to boost the scientific competence of primary and secondary school teachers, said a circular jointly issued by the general offices of the MOE, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the China Association for Science and Technology in July 2023. More than 3,500 teaching staff and science counsellors in primary and secondary schools have participated in the training sessions, which started from mid-July, according to the authorities.

China has purchased more than 400 million tons of grain in 2023, meanwhile a total of 120 million tons of autumn grain has been purchased by the nation's major grain producers so far, reaching the highest level in recent years. Autumn grain purchase was faster than that of last year, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Tuesday.

India's Enforcement Directorate, the country's financial crime-fighting agency, reportedly conducted probes across 19 locations against what it described as "potential violations of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act" by Chinese-owned companies, reported India Today, in another unscrupulous move targeting Chinese companies.

India's heightened scrutiny of Chinese companies, fueled by purely political motives, is tarnishing the country's image and transforming it into what resembles more of a "graveyard for foreign companies," Chinese experts warned.

The Enforcement Directorate alleged that the corresponding Chinese-owned fintech companies, collaborating with local non-banking financial companies and payment gateways, engaged in unethical lending practices, India Today reported on Tuesday.

The agency seized 13 million rupees ($1.6 million) in cash and several incriminating documents, the report said.

Indian authorities, exercising their right to investigate companies within the country, have increasingly concentrated on Chinese businesses, especially in the past three years, where major companies like Chinese smartphone makers Xiaomi and Vivo have frequently become targets, leading observers to believe in the existence of strong political motives behind these actions, Chinese experts said.

The latest move is  only making the country less favorable for international investors, especially those from China, that have played an important role in creating jobs, paying taxes and contributing to the industry chain's development, Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

India's discriminatory sanctions targeting Chinese companies and their employees include routine financial and tax audits, fines and abrupt spikes in import tariffs, while disregarding these companies' contributions to the local economy, an India-based industry veteran told the Global Times in a recent interview.

The probe came just about a week after the same government department arrested three senior employees working for Vivo's India unit under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in late December.

On December 30, only a few days after the arrest, an Indian trial court ordered the immediate release of the three arrested.

 "The phenomenon of politicizing judicial tools in India is already evident," Qian said, noting that it will have a significant impact on India's touted investment environment, and also affect bilateral economic and trade relations.

Since the border conflict between China and India in June 2020, there has been a noticeable escalation in Indian authorities' hostility toward Chinese companies, including the prohibition of more than 200 Chinese apps, initiating investigations related to taxation and anti-money laundering concerning Chinese businesses, and intensifying the examination of Chinese investments.

If India continues down this path, it will only add another negative aspect to its reputation as a "foreign enterprise graveyard," Qian noted.

Walking through the bustling Huaqiangbei commercial area in Shenzhen city, South China's Guangdong Province, the largest electronics retail market in China, one is immediately impressed by its international atmosphere. Foreign faces busily pass by, and English logos adorn almost every big tower, showcasing various products from LED to mobile phones, all made in China for the world.

The scenes at Huaqiangbei are a symbol of the city's vibrant trade. Despite global headwinds, Shenzhen, an epitome of China's manufacturing and commerce, remains resilient.

Fueled by an industrial upgrade on the back of government support, Shenzhen has experienced a sustained economy-wide transformation. Notably, the city's exports have shifted from labor-intensive sectors to high-value products including electronic devices and electric vehicles (EVs).

The shift has boosted Shenzhen's economy, which remains on an upward trajectory, driven by the high-end products generated in the city, industry experts said.

Global competitiveness

Mohamed, a Yemeni businessperson who frequently visits the city to meet local business partners and place orders, kicked off a "pilgrimage" at the Huaqiangbei commercial area to restock his electronics store in Yemen.

In an interview with the Global Times, he said that he has been coming here for many years, rating the products for their cost-effectiveness and high quality.

Despite global inflation and the extension of the supply chain to neighboring Asian countries in the past several years, Mohamed is impressed with the competitiveness of Chinese products. He said that there is nowhere else to find better products than Shenzhen. Mohamed's sentiments are not isolated. Numerous high-tech enterprises, which originated and flourished in Shenzhen, are collectively bolstering the city's industrial prowess, building up the city's competitiveness.

At a local production line of the domestic mobile phone maker Honor, the production of a mobile phone takes only 28.5 seconds, with 75 percent of the work being done by automated tools, the Global Times learned from the company.

Honor's exports experienced significant growth, achieving a 200 percent increase in its overseas markets in 2023.

Attaching great importance to product innovation, the company has invested 10 percent of its revenue in research and development (R&D) every year since it was spun off in November 2020. Its R&D investment intensity now ranks among the top six in the country, Song Yiwen, president of Honor's supply chain management department, told the Global Times.

BYD, the EV manufacturing giant based in Shenzhen, also achieved notable results outside of China in 2023.

The car-maker secured the title of the top-selling new-energy vehicle in Brazil for several months in 2023 and became cumulative sales champions in Thailand, Singapore and Colombia from January to October 2023, BYD told the Global Times.

While consistently exporting high-quality products to overseas markets, BYD has built core technological advantages in new energy areas such as batteries, motors, and electronic controls.

In the warehouse of MBE International, a Shenzhen-based logistics company, workers are using forklifts to neatly arrange goods from all over the country. Most of these goods are high-value-added electromechanical products that will be shipped to overseas markets. 

Tang Lingli, general manager of the logistics company, with over 20 years of experience in the industry, has been a witness of how industry transformation has brought about changes to foreign trade.

About 20 years ago, Shenzhen's logistics facilities were not well-developed, and the volume of goods handled was so restricted that handling 1,000 tons of goods in a month was considered to be a great feat, Tang recalled.

Nowadays, MBE International's monthly shipping volume reaching 16,000 tons is the norm, and the value of transported goods has significantly increased, she said.

"From shoes, clothing, and bags to electronic products, we have witnessed high-quality development and transformation and upgrading of Shenzhen's foreign trade," Tang said.

Advanced technology

The Shenzhen Bureau of Commerce told the Global Times that the city is robustly supporting emerging sectors such as advanced technology and high-end manufacturing. 

"Shenzhen is actively accelerating its global product outreach, encouraging traditional industries to increase investments in technology," the bureau said.

The goal is to improve the quality and tech features of exported goods, boost the competitiveness of exported goods like electronic products, and increase overall export volume to strengthen Shenzhen's position in exports, according to the local commerce bureau.

Latest data the Global Times obtained from Shenzhen Customs shows that Shenzhen's import and export volume from January to November amounted to 3.51 trillion yuan ($489 billion), showing a year-on-year growth of 6.3 percent. This growth rate places Shenzhen at the forefront among the top 10 major foreign trade hubs in the country.

Specifically, the city's exports have surged by 13.6 percent during the period. It is anticipated that Shenzhen is positioned to secure its 31st consecutive first-place finish in terms of annual exports in the Chinese mainland.

The electronic information industry has remained Shenzhen's pillar industry. Exports of electromechanical products, mainly computer communications and other electronic equipment, account for over 70 percent of the total exports, according to media reports.

Looking forward, foreign trade in 2024 is expected to be better than last year because the year 2023 experienced the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the first quarter, Li Chang'an, a professor at the Academy of China Open Economy Studies of the University of International Business and Economics, told Global Times on Wednesday.

The upgrading and transformation of industries have been pivotal in boosting exports, and this year they will play an even more critical role in driving the nation's foreign trade growth, Li said.

Seventeen Chinese departments, including the National Data Administration (NDA), have introduced a "Data Element X" plan for 2024-2026, aiming to achieve an annual growth rate of over 20 percent in the data industry by the end of 2026.

The plan aims to unlock the multiplier effects of data, fostering advancements in large models and internet-connected vehicles across 12 industries. This initiative is designed to facilitate the transformation of China's advantage in basic data resources into new economic strengths.

By the end of 2026, it is anticipated that data elements will significantly impact economic development. The plan envisions the creation of more than 300 typical application scenarios, with the data industry's annual growth rate exceeding 20 percent and the size of data transactions doubling, as stated on the NDA's official WeChat account on Thursday.

Data elements are poised to play a pivotal role in shaping new business formats and emerging as a key driver for economic growth, as outlined in the plan.

The objective of the plan is to maximize the impact of data, unlocking its value to benefit 12 industries and fields, including industrial manufacturing, agriculture, commerce, transportation, financial services, technology, culture and tourism, healthcare, emergency management, weather services, urban governance, and green carbon.

Furthermore, the plan aims to bolster the development and training of large-scale artificial intelligence models by leveraging scientific data. It also seeks to foster innovation in intelligent connected vehicles by dismantling data barriers among automotive companies, third-party platforms, and transportation enterprises. Additionally, the plan advocates for diverse forms of social capital to invest in the data industry and supports data businesses in their endeavors to go public and raise funds.

By advancing data utilization, China aims to enhance resource allocation and stimulate the emergence of new industries, patterns, and growth drivers, said Shen Zhulin, deputy head of the NDA, during a press conference introducing the plan in December.

"Data, as a new production factor, has rapidly integrated into the processes of production, consumption, circulation, distribution, and social service management, emerging as a crucial driving force for high-quality economic and social development," Shen said.

He highlighted that there is still room for improvement in terms of the quality of data supply, circulation mechanisms, and the potential of data application, emphasizing that addressing these areas will be a primary focus of this initiative.

With the unveiling of the plan, data elements are set to be deeply integrated into the real economy, daily life, economic transformation and upgrading, and the establishment of a digital China, according to analysts.

China's data industry has witnessed rapid growth in recent years. In 2022, the country's data transaction market size surged by 42.0 percent compared to the previous year, reaching 87.68 billion yuan ($12.27 billion). This constituted 13.4 percent of the global market and 66.5 percent of the Asian data market.

The NDA, inaugurated in October, plays a key role in advancing the planning and development of a Digital China, the digital economy, and a digital society. It is tasked with fostering the construction of data infrastructure and coordinating the integration, sharing, development, and application of data resources.

Chinese police have offered a reward between 100,000 to 500,000 yuan ($13,958 to $69,793) for information related to each of the 10 key ringleaders from the telecom scam criminal syndicates based in the Kokang region of northern Myanmar, Capitalnews, the WeChat account run by Beijing Daily, reported on Sunday. The police have also vowed to decisively crack down on fraud targeting Chinese citizens.

In response to the grim situation of telecom fraud in northern Myanmar affecting China, Chinese public security departments have successively announced the pursuit of key figures in several telecom fraud criminal syndicate which created a strong deterrent.

Capitalnews learned from China’s Ministry of Public Security that local public security departments in localities including Northeast China’s Liaoning Province, East China’s Fujian Province and Southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality have put 10 key figures including Bai Suocheng, Wei Huairen and Liu Zhengxiang from the telecom scam criminal syndicate in the Kokang region of northern Myanmar on the wanted lists.

For a long time, various criminal syndicates from the Kokang region in northern Myanmar have organized and established criminal dens targeting Chinese citizens. They openly protect these criminal activities with arms, causing extremely serious harm.

In November of this year, Chinese public security authority publicly announced cash reward for four key figures of a family criminal syndicate led by Ming Xuechang. With strong cooperation from all parties in Myanmar, the chief criminal Ming Xuechang committed suicide in fear of crime, and three other individuals including Ming Guoping, Ming Julan and Ming Zhenzhen were apprehended and are being investigated for their criminal activities. They will be severely punished according to the laws.

At the same time, public security authorities in Liaoning, Fujian, Chongqing, and other places found during their investigations that three family criminal syndicates led by Bai Suocheng, Wei Huairen and Liu Zhengxiang, and another criminal syndicate led by Xu Laofa have long been engaged in telecom fraudulent activities targeting Chinese citizens, with huge amounts involved.

Despite highly pressured crackdown by the public security authorities, they have not restrained themselves from the crimes and continued to be involved in serious violent crimes such as intentional homicide, intentional injury and illegal detention. Their criminal facts are clear and there is abundant evidence for their crimes.

To effectively crack down on the telecom fraud related to northern Myanmar and protect the safety of Chinese people’s lives and properties and their legitimate rights and interests, the Dalian City Public Security Bureau in Liaoning has decided to publicly reward anyone who brings information of the whereabouts of Bai Suocheng, Bai Yingcang (also known as Li Yunchen), and Bai Yinglan (also known as Li Mengna). The Quanzhou City Public Security Bureau in Fujian has decided to publicly reward anyone who brings information related to Wei Huairen, Wei Rong (also known as Chen Rong), and Wei Qingsong (also known as Yang Song). The Longyan City Public Security Bureau in Fujian Province has put Liu Zhengxiang, Liu Jiguang (also known as Li Huaguang), and Liu Zhengmao on the wanted list. The Chongqing Municipality Public Security Bureau has put Xu Laofa (also known as Xu Faqi) on the wanted list.

According to Capitalnews, Bai Suocheng was former director of Kokang in Shan State, Myanmar. Besides, Wei Huairen, Liu Zhengxiang and Xu Laofa are all officials in the Kokang region.

The Chinese public security authorities urge the 10 criminal suspects to recognize the situation, stop their criminal activities, and surrender voluntarily to seek lenient punishment. At the same time, Chinese police also hope that all sectors of society and the public will actively report and assist in the capture and arrest of the criminal suspects. For those who provide effective clues and assist in the arrest, the public security authorities will give rewards between 100,000 and 500,000 yuan.

China's food safety governance has made positive progress with a decrease of 11 percent in the number of foodborne disease outbreaks and a 33.9 percent reduction in the number of related deaths since the beginning of the period covered by the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), officials from the National Health Commission (NHC) revealed at an event in Beijing on Tuesday during Food Safety Awareness Week.

Cao Xuetao, an official from the NHC, noted at the event that China has implemented a national food safety risk monitoring program, and conducted in-depth analysis of risk monitoring database information. This guides local authorities to release risk warning information and advises the public on rational food procurement and storage.

Li Ning, director of the National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, said at the event that in recent years the NHC has established three major monitoring systems: the national foodborne disease monitoring and reporting system, the foodborne disease outbreak monitoring system and the foodborne disease molecular traceability network. These systems play a role in risk monitoring, assessment, and early warning, effectively preventing systemic risks.

In the next step, the commission will guide local authorities to strengthen risk monitoring and assessment and it plans to build a nationwide reporting network for foodborne disease cases in secondary and above public medical institutions by the end of next year, according to Li.

With the help of big data, cloud computing, and other information technologies, the network will improve the multi-point triggered monitoring and early warning model, making regional risk warnings more sensitive and efficient.

Foodborne diseases are a significant global public health issue. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that up to 600 million people worldwide fall ill and 420,000 die each year due to consuming contaminated food. To address the challenges posed by foodborne diseases, the WHO recommends that countries strengthen monitoring and early warning systems for foodborne diseases, according to Li.

Li said that according to the foodborne disease monitoring network, from 2010 to 2022, a total of 46,430 foodborne disease outbreaks were reported nationwide (an average of 3,572 per year, among which 1,024 cases were due to mushroom poisoning), with 330,870 cases of illness (an average of 25,452 per year) and 1,679 deaths (an average of 129 per year, among which 70 were caused by mushroom poisoning).

The main places for foodborne disease outbreaks in China were households (50 percent) and catering service establishments (46.3 percent). However, catering service establishments contributed the highest number of illness cases, accounting for about 70 percent of the total, according to Li.

Li noted that people should avoid consuming or picking wild mushrooms, as the main cause of foodborne disease outbreaks in households is the consumption of wild poisonous mushrooms and contamination by pathogenic bacteria.

In terms of catering service establishments, attention should focus on preventing bacterial foodborne diseases, while school cafeterias should pay special attention to the contamination of rice with Bacillus cereus. Nearly 70 percent of Bacillus cereus outbreaks in China are caused by rice and other grain products.

The world's most advanced and China's first domestically developed ocean drilling vessel will commence its maiden voyage on Friday in South China's Guangdong Province, which marks an important step in China's deep-sea exploration capability, China Geological Survey said on Monday.

The vessel, which was developed by China Geological Survey and more than 150 research institutes and companies, was officially named "Mengxiang (Dream)" on Monday. 

Weighing about 33,000 tons, the ship can travel 15,000 nautical miles and operate for 120 days without returning to ports, CCTV News reported. It has the capability of operating in unlimited navigational areas worldwide and the ability to drill as deep as 11,000 meters in the sea.

Possessing deepest drilling depth in the world, the ship has the world's largest shipboard laboratory with more than 3,000 square meters, including nine major laboratories covering marine science, microbiology, and paleomagnetism. It integrates key technologies such as digital twinning to achieve comprehensive monitoring of drilling and mining operations and intelligent collaboration in scientific experiments.

Currently undergoing preparations at the dock in Nansha district of the city of Guangzhou, "Mengxiang" will set sail on Friday to complete its first trial voyage mission according to an official schedule. With construction beginning on November 30 2021, it is expected to be fully completed in 2024.

After completion, the ship will provide equipment support for the industrialization of natural gas hydrate exploration and exploitation, further enhancing China's energy self-sufficiency capability, according to officials from China Geological Survey.

China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Wednesday held a flag-raising ceremony and a reception to celebrate the 24th anniversary of its return to the motherland, the SAR government announced Wednesday.  

Ho Iat-seng, chief executive of the Macao SAR, called for further efforts to open up new development paths for the region during the reception. The Macao SAR government "had united the collective efforts of people from all walks of life, to improve continuously the legal framework and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security," said a release by the Macao SAR government. 

The SAR had comprehensively and accurately upheld the "one country, two systems" policy, to safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests, Ho noted.

The region has continuously improved and maintained its legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security over the past 24 years, which has effectively maintained long-term prosperity and stability and laid a solid security buffer for the successful practice of "one country, two systems" in the region, China's Ministry of State Security said in an article published on Wednesday.

The Law on Safeguarding National Security consists of 15 articles, which stipulate seven criminal acts and their corresponding punishments, including treason, secession, subversion against the Chinese central government, and theft of state secrets. It explicitly grants and regulates the rights of law enforcement agencies to conduct investigations and handle such cases, effectively enhancing Macao SAR's capability to combat activities that endanger national security, the ministry said.

The law has filled the legislative vacuum with regard to safeguarding national security in the SAR and has become the backbone and core of the region's national security legal system, reads the article. 

In May, the legislative assembly of the Macao SAR passed a bill containing amendments to the Law on Safeguarding National Security, in response to the new requirements of the overall national security concept and the emerging new challenges in safeguarding national security.

The Macao SAR government has made efforts to optimize related legislation and law enforcement mechanisms in order to support the national security system. Ensuring the principle of "patriots administering Macao" is a guarantee for the successful implementation of the "one country, two systems" policy, according to the ministry.

People mourn victims after an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on Dec. 12, 2023. The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip announced on Tuesday that the Palestinian death toll in the Palestinian enclave has exceeded 18,400 since the eruption of the Hamas-Israel conflict on Oct. 7.(Photo: Xinhua)