Editor's Note:

From the 2006 Lebanon-Israel conflict to the escalating tensions in 2024, Zhao Ying, an ethnic Chinese, has experienced it all as she chose to stay in Lebanon while refusing to evacuate twice. Currently, she serves as the president of the China Arab Association for Promoting Cultural and Commercial Exchange. Since arriving in Beirut in 2001 with her Lebanese husband, she has been engaged in tourism, trade, and cultural exchanges between China and Lebanon, with no consideration of leaving.

Despite the labels often attached to Lebanon - "war," "over two years without a president," "nation unable to repay European debt" - Zhao shared her experiences of life in Lebanon over the past 23 years, from which we can glimpse the real Lebanon beyond the headlines and see the Lebanese people who, despite facing misfortunes and tragedies, still hold onto their love for peace.

This story is also part of the Global Times' "Witness to History" series, which features first-hand accounts from individuals who were at the forefront of historic moments. From scholars, politicians, and diplomats, to ordinary citizens, their authentic reflections on the impact of historical moments help reveal a sound future for humanity through the solid forward steps taken in the past and the present.

'Every Lebanese is a politician'

In 2001, when I first arrived in Beirut, once known as the "Little Paris of the Middle East," with my husband, some media outlets described my move as "marrying for love and moving to West Asia." In my view, love requires fate, marriage requires courage, and marrying someone from afar demands "strategy." This includes having the bravery to face the challenges of different cultures, the ability to bear the risks of one's decisions, and the confidence to survive and take root in a foreign land.

Although Lebanon is an Arab country, there are no deserts here. After World War I, Lebanon fell under French mandate. From 1940 onward, Lebanon was successively controlled by the Axis powers of Germany and Italy, and then occupied by British forces. In 1943, Lebanon declared independence, but British and French troops did not completely withdraw until the end of 1946. Even now, although the official language is Arabic, the languages used in Lebanese schools are more often French or English. It is common to find multilingual residents in Lebanon.

Like many ordinary Lebanese families, my husband's family is large. His parents live in a small village in Northern Lebanon, where everyone shares the same last name. During the holidays, all my relatives and friends would gather together at home.

The main religions practiced in Lebanon are Islam and Christianity. Within Islam, there are sects such as Sunni, Shia, and Druze, while Christian denominations include Maronite, Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and others. Additionally, Lebanon has over 100 political parties and more than 40 militia groups. Therefore, even within the same family, relatives may belong to different political sects. Coupled with the tradition of "every Lebanese is a politician," it is common for people to argue passionately about politics one minute and sit down at the dinner table to laugh and enjoy a meal the next.

First Confucius Institute in Middle East

My husband studied Chinese and acupuncture for nine years in China and has been working as a manager and traditional Chinese medicine practitioner at a Chinese medical center in Lebanon since 2001. From 2007 to 2011, he also taught traditional Chinese medicine at Saint Joseph University in Lebanon.

In early 2006, the Confucius Institute in China urgently needed to find partner institutions in Lebanon. At that time, I was managing a language center and promoting Chinese culture through teaching Chinese. Upon hearing about this need from my home country, I immediately set aside the business of the language center and began to help connect the institute with Saint Joseph University in Lebanon, working hard to facilitate the establishment of the Confucius Institute program in the Middle East. Just as we were about to sign the agreement, the Lebanon-Israel conflict broke out.

Looking back on the Lebanon-Israel conflict in the summer of 2006, I still feel a sense of dread; it was my first experience of war. Every day, I could hear Israeli warplanes tearing through the sky, followed by the deafening sound of explosions. Each time, I worried about whether a bomb would fall on my head, and I had no idea how long the war would last.

The conflict lasted for 34 days, and the Chinese Embassy in Lebanon organized the evacuation of Chinese citizens in six batches, but I ultimately chose to stay in Lebanon. The reasons for this decision were twofold: First, the conflict had already shown signs of being geographically limited, with attacks primarily targeting Lebanon's infrastructure and areas inhabited by Shia Muslims, while the Christian neighborhood we were in was relatively safe. Although we faced issues like supply shortages and unstable electricity supply, and often heard the sound of bombing nightly, our lives were not in danger. Second, to maintain our source of income, my husband's clinic had to resume operations, and I was also worried about leaving him behind.

Fortunately, it only lasted a total of 34 days. After the conflict ended, the Confucius Institute at Saint Joseph University in Lebanon was officially established on November 2, 2006, becoming the first Confucius institute in the Middle East. In the first year after its establishment, Chinese became the most popular foreign language course at Saint Joseph University, with the highest number of elective students, second only to Spanish.

In my view, the success and growth of the Confucius Institute program in Lebanon can be attributed to the good development of the education sector and cultural inclusiveness in the country. In Lebanon, which covers just over 10,000 square kilometers, there are 41 universities. This solid educational foundation has made Lebanon a country rich in talent in the Middle East, and the long-standing harmonious coexistence of various religions has fostered a high level of openness and cultural inclusiveness in Lebanon.
Functioning and surviving in war

When people hear about Lebanon, in the recent past, words like "war" and "national bankruptcy" often come to mind. Naturally, they also wonder how this country manages to function and survive.

Lebanese people are known for their entrepreneurial spirit, a trait that can be traced back to the ancient Phoenicians, who mastered shipbuilding and used Lebanese cedarwood to create vessels for trade in the Mediterranean Sea. Interestingly, one of Lebanon's three main pillars of its economy is remittances from the overseas Lebanese community. While Lebanon's population stands at roughly 6 million, there are over 15 million Lebanese people and their descendants living abroad. Despite migrating overseas, these individuals maintain strong ties with their homeland.

Since 2013, China has consistently been Lebanon's largest trading partner. As I have observed, many products on the Lebanese market originate from China, particularly clothing, shoes, bags, electronics, and machinery. In recent years, solar energy products and electric vehicles have also become increasingly popular imports. Lebanon exports products like Baci Perugina chocolate, Elie Saab's fashion, as well as olive soap and skin care products to China.

In 2011, a group of Arab businesses jointly established the China Arab Association for Promoting Cultural and Commercial Exchange, a non-profit and non-governmental organization. I was elected as its president. Since then, I've led delegations of Arab entrepreneurs to participate in events like the China-Arab States Expo and the China International Import Expo in Shanghai, while also assisting Chinese enterprises in expanding their reach and collaborating with partners in the Arab world. This strong trade relationship between China and Lebanon has also facilitated the faster integration of Chinese culture into Lebanese society.

A Lebanese mother once told me she wants her two-year-old daughter to learn Chinese. She said, "Language learning starts from a young age. Her father is doing business with China, and she'll inherit his work someday!"

Furthermore, tourism is one of Lebanon's three major industries, alongside finance and remittances. This is an industry I've been involved in since 2008 when I founded my own travel agency.

Lebanon was once a popular tourist destination in the Middle East, but suffered greatly during the civil war from 1975 to 1990. After the conflict ended, the Lebanese government made revitalizing tourism a key part of its reconstruction plan.

Statistics show that Lebanon's direct tourism receipts totaled $5.4 billion in 2023, accounting for about 25 percent of the country's GDP. However, the recent conflict between Lebanon and Israel has dealt a heavy blow to the Lebanese tourism industry.

Despite its small land area, Lebanon boasts six UNESCO World Heritage sites. Additionally, Beirut's central district showcases the city's transformation over millennia, highlighting its resilience after having been ravaged by six tsunamis.

The National Museum of Lebanon in Beirut houses numerous world-class artifacts that chronicle the evolution of multiple civilizations across this land for thousands of years. Many exhibits document the scars left by war. For instance, in the second floor's last display case, there are numerous rusted and deformed glass and metal artifacts. These were damaged during the Lebanese civil war when the museum was situated in a crossfire zone, leaving its walls breached and allowing rainwater to seep into the basement, submerging the artifacts for years. The museum utilizes this unique approach to remind the world of the importance of peace.
Always prepared for the unexpected

Yet, this place, where people deeply despise war, repeatedly falls victim to it.

The summer of 2024 was supposed to be Beirut's most exciting time since the 2020 Beirut explosion. With over a dozen new restaurants and bars opening, and international musicians scheduled to hold open-air concerts, Beirut seemed poised to reclaim its former glory as the "Little Paris of the Middle East." It was expected to welcome a wave of tourists from around the world who would run along its beaches and shop for clothing and jewelry crafted by Lebanese designers.

However, this hopeful vision was shattered on July 30 when an Israeli airstrike targeted a residential building in Beirut. In response, Lebanon's concert organizers postponed upcoming events, airlines suspended flights, and several embassies issued travel advisories urging their citizens to avoid traveling to Lebanon.

This year, a young Chinese lady nicknamed Shasha came to Lebanon for the first time. She and her Lebanese boyfriend had planned to hold their wedding in a historic church in Beirut in late September, but due to the conflict, they had to move the ceremony to a restaurant in the mountainous region of Faraya in northern Lebanon.

While the South echoed with gunfire, the North celebrated with wedding songs and dances, in Lebanon, everyone does their best to overcome anxiety and fear, holding onto the hope that peace will ultimately prevail.

A man surnamed Gao in Datong, North China's Shanxi Province, used artificial intelligence (AI) technology to fabricate a story about his four-year-old child going missing in order to gain attention on social media. After investigating the case, local police detained him for spreading false information.

Gao posted four videos documenting his search for his child. In the video, he claimed his child accidentally went missing, and expressed deep anxiety and self-blame as a father, saying he planned to travel to Heze, East China's Shandong Province, to find his child.

The video sparked widespread sympathy among netizens. Many expressed support for the 'child-seeking father' and offered assistance in his search.

His video immediately drew the attention of local police.

"Through extensive checks and investigation, we found no recent reports of missing children in our district, confirming that this supposed case was fabricated," said a police officer surnamed Wang who is responsible for the case.

Further investigation by the police revealed that the photo he claimed as "the missing child" was actually an AI-generated image.

When questioned by police, Gao admitted his child was never missing. He used the AI-generated pictures to create a fabricated story and gain public sympathy, so as to increase his social media following and boost his live-stream sales.

Given that Gao spread misinformation online, disrupting public order, police detained him under public security measures.

Xi urges China, US to properly manage differences

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, inspected the cities of Xiaogan and Xianning, central China's Hubei Province, from Monday afternoon to Tuesday morning.

Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar's recent remarks on border issues with China, hinting that further de-escalation will require reciprocal steps from the Chinese side, are primarily a response to domestic pressure, said Chinese analysts. They emphasize that joint efforts from both India and China are needed to overcome the mistrust accumulated over the past few years and implement the resolution on China-India border issues. 

While addressing a press conference in Mumbai on Sunday, Jaishankar said that the disengagement of troops at two places in the border areas is the first step and the next step is de-escalation, which will not happen until India is sure that the same thing is happening on the other side as well, New Delhi Television reported, noting that Jaishankar was "obviously referring to China." 

It is incorrect for Jaishankar to place unilateral blame on China for the border issue, or for the Indian side to suggest that China is seeking concessions from India. Improving relations requires genuine effort and sincerity from both sides, avoiding overreactions and the creation of new issues. Cooperation is essential, and it is unreasonable to place all demands solely on China, Long Xingchun, a professor from the School of International Relations at Sichuan International Studies University, told the Global Times.

Lin Minwang, deputy director at the Center for South Asian Studies at Fudan University, said that in response, Jaishankar's remarks on Sunday showed that, despite the agreements, there's still a lack of mutual trust between the two countries, and Jaishankar's stance serves to address domestic political pressure.

However, from China's perspective, it has consistently maintained equality and mutual respect during negotiations and has always honored agreements, Lin said. 

Chinese Foreign Ministry Lin Jian said at a press conference on October 22 that over a recent period of time, China and India have reached resolutions on issues concerning the border area following close communication through diplomatic and military channels. China commends the progress made and will continue working with India for the sound implementation of these resolutions, he said.

In a significant move to enhance diplomatic relations, India and China are set to complete the military disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) by October 28-29, according to ANI.

The resolutions reached by both sides represent a breakthrough in addressing the border disputes since 2020. However, Jaishankar's remarks indicate that the mistrust accumulated over the past four years will take time and efforts to overcome, Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Monday. 

The resolution, reached by China and India after numerous rounds of negotiations and dialogue, has put bilateral relations back on to the path of normalcy. However, the lasting progress depends on the faithful implementation of the agreement and the gradual strengthening of ties, Qian said. 

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said Wednesday the world soccer governing body is willing to enhance soccer progress in China, highlighting the country's immense potential to become a powerhouse in the sport. 

At a 2025 FIFA Club World Cup promotional event held in Shanghai, Infantino underscored that he looks forward to seeing a greater presence of Chinese soccer in global competitions.

"We are not satisfied with the way football has developed in the last couple of years [in China]. We need to change that," he told the Global Times. "We need to bring China back where China belongs on the top of the world."

He expressed aspirations for China to host the FIFA World Cups at both the club and national team levels in the future, seeing it as a pivotal opportunity to showcase the country's enthusiasm for the sport. 

"I believe China could be a great host for any FIFA World Cup," the 54-year-old added, noting the potential for high-profile soccer events to inspire and cultivate local talent.

Addressing concerns about the current state of Chinese soccer, which has been underachieving for decades, Infantino acknowledged the challenges, but emphasized that hard work and determination are the key to overcoming them. 

"There is no shortcut; the only formula that works is hard work," he told the Global Times. 

He encouraged collaboration between FIFA and the Chinese soccer authority to establish a solid structure and organization to "restore" China's position in world soccer.

Ongoing projects include the soccer for schools program and a talent development scheme aimed at nurturing young players in China. 

"We will support these initiatives, and I am looking forward to discussing further projects with the Chinese Football Association (CFA) leadership," said the Swiss man, who assumed office of FIFA president in February 2016.

Infantino is expected to meet CFA President Song Kai on Thursday to discuss further cooperation between the two bodies. 

He reiterated FIFA's readiness to support Chinese soccer at all levels, from grassroots initiatives to elite competitions. 

"Football is about working together. With collaboration, dedication, and investment, Chinese football can shine on the world stage," he said. 

At Wednesday's event, he also highlighted the potential impact of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, which includes 32 teams from various countries and regions, offering a platform for clubs to demonstrate their capabilities.

"We need to create opportunities for clubs from all over the world to showcase their brands and players, helping them grow and improve," he said. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping said China and Russia have found the right way for neighboring major countries to get along with each other which features non-alliance, non-confrontation and not targeting any third party, during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kazan, Russia on Tuesday.

Xi said during the meeting that China-Russia relations have come a long way, and made a series of pioneering achievements.

Xi said that he expected to have an in-depth discussion with Putin and other world leaders over the future development of the BRICS cooperation mechanism, in a bid to win more opportunities for the Global South.

BRICS cooperation mechanism is a pillar force in promoting equitable and orderly multipolarization of the world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, Xi said.

Observers said cooperation between China and Russia not only plays a vital role in pushing for the development of BRICS, but it is also important in finding political solutions to international crises and helps improve global governance.

China, which has placed BRICS high on its foreign policy agenda, has made a remarkable contribution to push forward the organization's growth. China's economic strength has provided opportunities for members to achieve win-win cooperation, and its upholding of multilateralism plays a crucial role in enhancing the voices of Global South countries, experts said. 

Xi arrived in Russia's Kazan on Tuesday for the 16th BRICS Summit, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Russian officials greeted Xi at the airport. Guards of honor lined up on both sides of a red carpet to salute the Chinese leader, and Russian youths dressed in national costumes welcomed him with traditional courtesy, the report said.

A Russian fighter jet was seen escorting Xi's plane, according to Xinhua.

Global Times reporters saw that Chinese nationals and students who live locally waited to greet Xi outside the airport and the hotel where he stays in Kazan. Some were seen chanting "welcome" in Tatar, the language spoken by Tatars in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan. 

China and Russia have maintained communication and coordinated positions on major international and regional issues, actively cooperating and closely aligning on hot topics such as human rights, global governance and regional conflicts. The China-Russia partnership not only provides strong support for the revitalization and development of both sides but also plays an important role in maintaining the balance of international strategic power, and ensuring regional and global peace and stability, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui told the Global Times. 

China and Russia are pivotal forces in the development of the BRICS organization, serving as key pillars for the organization's growth. Continuous consolidation and strengthening of cooperation between the two nations is essential for BRICS to effectively represent the common interests of its member countries and a broader array of countries amid the complexities of the current international landscape, Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Tuesday, noting that such collaboration is crucial in promoting a multipolar world. 

Furthermore, the partnership between Beijing and Moscow plays a vital role in seeking political solutions to ongoing crises and turmoil. As a result, the impact of their cooperation on stabilizing bilateral relations and improving the global governance is increasingly significant and urgent, said Li. 

China's role in BRICS

BRICS, an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, is literally called "gold bricks" in Chinese, indicating optimism for its great potential and shining future.

This optimistic view features prominently in Xi's engagement with the group. He has consistently placed BRICS high on China's foreign policy agenda. His first appearance on the multilateral stage as China's head of state was at the 2013 BRICS summit in Durban, South Africa, and he visited all other four BRICS countries during the first two years of his presidency, according to Xinhua. 

 China is undoubtedly one of the key drivers of the BRICS development. It was an initial founder of the group and over many years it heavily invested into the group's growth, including jointly launching the New Development Bank with its headquarters located in Shanghai and the recent enlargement of BRICS, Andrey Kortunov, Director General of the Russian International Affairs Council, told the Global Times. 

China remains the top trading partner for most BRICS nations and is by far the strongest economic power within the group, Kortunov said.

In the first quarter of this year, China's imports and exports to BRICS countries increased by more than 11 percent year-on-year, according to Xinhua.

Chinese experts believe that China's commitment to the concept of peaceful development has significantly enhanced the appeal of BRICS for developing countries. They emphasize that Beijing's dedication to true multilateralism and its efforts to amplify the voices and influence of emerging markets and developing nations in international affairs play a crucial role in this dynamic.

China is pursuing the vision of a community with a shared future within the BRICS bloc. It is offering dividends for its development and devising instruments to share its prosperity, Shakeel Ahmad Ramay, CEO of the Asian Institute of Eco-civilization Research and Development in Pakistan, told the Global Times. 

Ramay believes that under a complicated world landscape, BRICS is a ray of opportunity for developing countries who are sharply losing their say in the global system, while rich countries exploit them in the name of openness and trade linkages. The developing world wants to break the shackles of the system and is looking for a fairer and more just system in global dealings.

In this context, the meeting is extremely important because BRICS believes in win-win cooperation and joint actions and promotes building a community with a shared future for mankind, said Ramay.   

China expresses strong indignation and resolute opposition to the erroneous act that violates the one-China principle and interferes in China's internal affairs, and has lodged a solemn representation to the European side, said a spokesperson from the Chinese Mission to the European Union on Friday, in response to the European Parliament (EP) unilaterally passing a resolution related to China's Taiwan region.

The EP, disregarding China's strong opposition, maliciously distorted United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758. This is a distortion of facts, a violation of international law, and a blatant provocation against the post-war international order and established norms of international relations, said the spokesperson, according to the Chinese Mission to the EU.

Over the past few years, the EP has passed multiple resolutions against China, which indicates that it views China through a biased lens, Zhao Junjie, senior research fellow at the Institute of European Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday.

However, the EP holds certain powers, especially focuses on internal European affairs, and although it has adopted a somewhat tough stance on China, its actual influence is limited and does not play a decisive role, Zhao said.

Before the adoption of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, it was already a historical fact and an international consensus that the Taiwan island belongs to China. It serves as an important political premise for the passing of Resolution 2758, said the spokesperson.

The Taiwan question relates to China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and is at the core of China's core interests. The one-China principle is a widely recognized fundamental norm in international relations and serves as the political foundation for China's relations with countries around the world and the European Union. It is a red line that cannot be crossed, said the spokesperson.

China urges the European side to adhere to its political commitments, implement the one-China principle, and exercise caution in its statements and actions regarding the Taiwan question, thereby safeguarding the political foundation of China-EU relations, the spokesperson noted.

We also urge those ignorant politicians to refrain from a futile effort and to abandon the illusion of using the Taiwan question to contain China's development and obstruct China's reunification, said the spokesperson.

China will achieve national reunification and Taiwan island will inevitably return to the embrace of the motherland. This is a historical trend that no one and no force can stop, the spokesperson said.

Despite that the EP has adopted a tough stance on China, the EU is not uniform in its approach. Member states have varying interests and positions, for instance, countries like Hungary and Germany have expressed differing views on issues such as high tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, Zhao noted.

Xi, Mongolian President Khurelsukh exchange congratulations on 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties

Editor's Note:

As this year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Global Times has launched the second volume of its "Wish List" series, which documents ordinary Chinese people's wishes as a window into the changes in and achievements of the Chinese path to modernization.

In this volume, we present five representative stories that capture the aspirations and pursuits of individuals, which reflect the deep connection between national prosperity and people's destinies, illustrating how the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the country prioritize the well-being of the people in their quest for common prosperity, ecological civilization, and social harmony. They also bear witness to how Chinese people have marched forward toward Chinese modernization with high spirits.

This is the third installment of the series. It tells a story of how two residential communities in East China's Fujian Province, with the help of the local government and legislators, utilized the wisdom of whole-process people's democracy to resolve a decade-long neighborhood conflict and live in harmony.

On a day in early October, the Global Times reporter visited two residential communities in Quanzhou city, East China's Fujian Province, where the residents in two compounds once had a decade-long animosity toward each other, due to an ownership dispute on a middle pathway.

However, in Quanzhou, the reporter witnessed the sun shining on the clean and tidy pathway, as residents from both communities warmly greeted each other and engaged in friendly conversations.

It's hard to imagine that a decade ago, these two residential communities had been filled with arguments and insults, leaving the pathway littered with the remnants of their fights: wooden planks, sand, dirty water, and sometimes even feces.

During a fierce quarrel, Chen Jiantong locked a six-meter gate between the communities. Cai Detuan, who lives in the neighboring community, climbed a ladder and smashed the lock. A physical altercation ensued until police arrived and hurriedly separated them.

The disputes lasting 10 years were finally resolved in late 2022, thanks to the efforts of the local government, legislators, and compound residents, who together effectively practiced the concept of whole-process people's democracy to address grass-roots community issues, demonstrating the essence of the people's democracy in China, that is, the people get to discuss their own affairs, to reach the greatest common ground based on the wishes and needs of the entire society.

"We are all very satisfied with the result," Chen told the Global Times downstairs his home. "We had a vivid lesson in whole-process people's democracy and benefited greatly from it."

A decade-long heart knot
At the township-level Fengze subdistrict in downtown Quanzhou, there are two adjacent residential communities that are not enclosed by solid walls. Between them is an approximately 21-meter-long, 7-meter-wide pathway.

The pathway used to be a focal point of conflict between residents of the two neighboring communities, as there was no clear boundary between the two areas due to land designation and construction mistakes. Both sides insisted that the pathway belonged, or at least mostly belonged, to them.

Seventy-year-old Cai is one of the earliest residents there, living in the eastern residential community - a resettlement housing compound constructed in 2010 during the city's urbanization process. Two years later, a high-end residential complex was built to its west in 2012, which had the highest property prices in Quanzhou at that time.

In Cai's memory, this was when all the problems began. The western expensive complex claimed the pathway as their own and locked it. Before that, this pathway was considered as a rightful space of the eastern residential community.

Cai did not hide his past resentment toward his neighbors. "Every time I saw them, I couldn't help but want to say a few harsh words," he said.

Living in the western residential community, non-local Chen felt wronged and angry as well. In 2015, Chen bought a property there, after the developer promised it would be a "gated, high-end residential compound" populated by the affluent. It wasn't until Chen moved in, that he discovered the compound had no solid walls, enabling the "countrymen" of the neighboring community to come and go freely.

"[They] made our compound look less 'decent,'" Chen lamented.

The boundary dispute led to years of grumbles and quarrels. It remained unresolved until in 2021, when candidates for deputies of the district people's congress (also known as the district's legislators) visited the two residential communities to engage with voters. To the candidates, many residents from both sides mentioned their border dispute, and asked for a resolution to this decade-long heart knot.

Lawyer and then candidate Guo Rongfeng took note of their demands. "I give you my word," he said to the residents, "If I were elected, I would definitely try hard to resolve this issue once and for all."

The people get to discuss their own affairs

In November 2021, at the suggestion of Guo and two other newly elected deputies of local district-level people's congress - the legislative body of the district - Fengze subdistrict included the "boundary dispute" case as an annual working project and committed to resolving the issue.

In the past, the local government had repeatedly tried to intervene and resolve the dispute, but each time it had to put it aside because "residents from both communities suspected the government might favor the other side, even when it was not," said Lin Xinzhou, director of the working committee of the standing committee of district-level people's congress at Fengze subdistrict.

One day, when studying the concept of whole-process people's democracy, Lin was attracted by the sentence "the people get to discuss their own affairs." It inspired Lin, who realized that the "border dispute" was a matter concerning the two residential communities themselves, and the involving residents would be more appropriate than the government and the people's congress to take the lead.

"We could encourage the residents to discuss and solve the problem themselves," Lin told the Global Times. "Our role is to provide a platform for democratic consultation and decision-making, along with the help the residents need."

The whole-process people's democracy, which encompasses law-based democratic elections, consultations, decision-making, management, and oversight, became a key to solving this issue. In the early spring of 2022, with the assistance of local government and deputies to the district people's congress, the two residential communities respectively, for the first time, held their house-owner meetings, where all residents voted for their inaugural homeowners' committee.

The two seven-member committees later served as the main body for democratic consultation on this matter. Chen was elected as the head of the homeowners' committee for the western commercial residential complex. And Cai became a member of the homeowners' committee for the eastern resettlement housing community.

The two individuals, who had previously clashed fiercely over the interests of their respective communities, began to sit down calmly in their new roles to engage in consultation on behalf of their neighborhoods.

Over the following seven months, the two homeowners' committees had dozens of discussions and negotiations regarding to various matters. In most cases, deputies for the district people's congress like Lin and Guo were present on-site. But instead of directly participating in the negotiations, they stayed on the sidelines, providing legal and policy advice and sometimes mediating quarrels.

Once during a heated argument at a negotiation, Guo shared with the residents an ancient Chinese story of "Liu Chi Xiang (literally an approximately 2-meter-wide alley)," which tells of two neighbors who moved their respective walls about one meter back for each other, resulting in friendly neighborhood relations.

Finally, later in 2022, a draft of the "boundary dispute settlement agreement" was completed. The resettlement community agreed to give most part of the pathway to the commercial housing community, and to erect a railing wall on the pathway to formally separate the two compounds. In exchange, the commercial housing community granted another piece of shared to the former.

The following steps then went much more smoothly: the two sides publicly announced the draft agreement, respectively held house-owner meetings again, and invited all the residents to vote to approve or reject it. In the end, over 90 percent of residents voted in support, bringing a decade-long neighborhood dispute to a close.

Cai and Chen shook hands in reconciliation after the agreement was approved. "We were very pleased with this result," they told the Global Times.

A vivid example in grass-roots governance

The happy ending of the pathway ownership solution, now widely known as a "Liu Chi Xiang case in the new era" in Quanzhou, becomes a vivid example of the whole-process people's democracy being practiced at the grass-roots level.

"For us, the community environment has improved, neighborly relationships have become harmonious, and our sense of happiness and fulfillment has increased," Chen told the Global Times.

Inspired by whole-process people's democracy, Fengze subdistrict has addressed several grass-roots issues, including the renovation of a dilapidated building and the revitalization of an aging residential community. In May 2013, a district-level practice base for whole-process people's democracy was built there, the first of its kind in Fujian Province.

Today there are tens of thousands of practice bases for whole-process people's democracy at different levels throughout China. These bases serve as a testament to the deepening of people's democracy at the grass-roots level. They reflect public sentiment and opinions, while also gathering the wisdom and collective will of the people.

The concept of the whole-process people's democracy first came to light in 2019, when Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out that Chinese people's democracy is a type of "whole-process democracy," during his inspection tour in Shanghai.

The essence of the people's democracy is that people get to discuss their own affairs, to reach the greatest common ground based on the wishes and needs of the entire society, Xi said.

In contrast to the Western model, where democracy and elections are frequently equated, the people's democracy allows people to discuss their own affairs to reach the greatest common ground. As a result, it has not only gained deep resonance among the Chinese people, but also is being appreciated by more countries globally.

In 2023, the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies conducted a survey in 23 countries across five continents on practice and modern development of democracy in China. Results showed that the value and practice of whole-process people's democracy has won widespread plaudits throughout the international community.

Whole-process people's democracy is the defining feature of socialist democracy; it is democracy in its broadest, most genuine, and most effective form.

Walking on the clean and tidy pathway in the middle of the two communities, seeing smiles on the residents' faces, Lin told the Global Times that the pathway has now not only connected the hearts of the two sides, but has also brought together the practice of whole-process people's democracy, with the voices of grass-roots Chinese residents, as well as their most simple wish for neighborhood harmony.