China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) on Friday criticized the European Commission (EC)'s rejection of price offers from Chinese electric vehicle (EV) producers, saying the move shows the EC's lack of sincerity in addressing the dispute through dialogue and stressing China's firm determination to safeguard firms' rights and interests.
"The EC ignored the Chinese industry's sincerity and efforts, and without further communication, said it would reject the Chinese industry's proposal of flexible solution. The Chinese side is deeply disappointed with this," a spokesperson for the MOFCOM said.
The remarks came after the EC, the executive body of the EU, said on Thursday that it had received offers from Chinese EV makers for minimum import prices into the EU market and had rejected all of them, according to Reuters.
The EC's rejection of relevant proposal without thorough evaluation not only undermines the confidence of the Chinese industry in continuing cooperation, but is also inconsistent with the expectations of some EU member states, and is inconsistent with the EC's public statement that it hopes to resolve this case through dialogue, the MOFCOM spokesperson said.
The spokesperson also pointed out that China has made great efforts, including proposing flexible solutions, while the EC lacked sincerity in meeting China halfway.
"If the consultations fail to reach consensus in the end, the responsibility lies entirely with the European side," the spokesperson said. "China has the greatest sincerity to properly resolve differences through dialogue and consultation, as well as the greatest determination to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises."
The MOFCOM has announced that Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao will visit Europe and hold talks with EC Executive Vice President and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis on September 19 to discuss the EU's anti-subsidy case against China's EVs.
Experts also noted that the Chinese industry's proposal is another example of the Chinese side's commitment to properly resolving the dispute through dialogue and consultation. However, China will firmly safeguard its interests, if the EC refuses to meet China halfway.
The EC should strengthen dialogue and communication with China, show the same sincerity as China in the process, and actively seek solutions that are consistent with WTO rules and acceptable to both parties, Wang Yiwei, a professor at the School of International Relations at Renmin University of China, told the Global Times.
"Both parties are in negotiations, and it would be best if a mutually acceptable outcome can be reached. However, if it touches on China's core interests, no concessions will be made," Wang Yiwei said.
The Embassy of Pakistan in China celebrated the 78th Independence Day of Pakistan in Beijing on August 14. Activities were hosted at the embassy. The friendship between China and Pakistan was also celebrated at an award ceremony. In the early morning, officials and members of the Pakistani community participated in a flag-hoisting ceremony to celebrate the 78th Independence Day of Pakistan. Holding the national flag, Pakistani children smiled in the morning sunlight.
Messages from the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, as well as Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, were extended to those in attendance.
In his keynote speech, Pakistan's Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi said, "This day marks a celebration of our nation's enduring spirit, a testament to the sacrifices and unwavering resolve of our founding fathers, who paved the path for our freedom. As we unfurl our national flag today, let us reflect on the progress we have made and renew our commitment toward a prosperous and peaceful country."
The ambassador also stressed the importance of Pakistan-China friendship.
"Here in China, we are privileged to witness the blossoming of a friendship that has grown alongside our nation's journey. The bond between Pakistan and China, characterized by mutual respect and a shared vision, is unparalleled in inter-state relations," he said.
Moreover, the Embassy of Pakistan in China hosted a Pakistan Civil Award Investiture Ceremony. Two representatives who contributed to the bilateral ties were awarded - Sha Zukang, former permanent representative of China to the UN in Geneva, who also served as president of the China-Pakistan Friendship Association, and Nong Rong, deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the CPC Central Committee and Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, who also served as the Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan.
Ambassador Hashmi, on behalf of the President of Pakistan, conferred the prestigious "Hilal-e-Quaid-i-Azam" award.
In his remarks, the Ambassador extended heartfelt congratulations and paid a rich tribute to the contributions made by the two dignitaries. He highlighted the significant impact of their efforts on bilateral relations and beyond.
In a video interview with China Central Television on Monday, China's men's table tennis world champion, Fan Zhendong, said that he has been harmed by "fan culture," which also undermined Team China's solidarity.
Fan was frank about the harm toxic fandom has brought. He said that some behaviors of out-of-control fans has made it difficult for athletes to train and that the hostile environment they have created has impacted athletes.
"Fans over-focus on a lot of things off the court, creating a lot of pressure for us," said the player. As a result, he felt that it was not okay to lose a match, but it also seemed to him that things were still not right even if he won a match.
After the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, some netizens speculated that Fan might retire. In response, Fan said, "I feel really tired after this season, and I need to take a good rest. So far, I haven't thought about the next Olympic Games yet. Leave it to time to see what the future holds," he said.
On Saturday, China's Table Tennis Association issued a statement, saying the organization stands firmly with authorities in cracking down on illegal behavior in fan circles.
Regulating the illegal behavior of fans in sports can create a more inclusive environment for training and the lives of athletes, while fans can return to an appropriate, rational and positive culture, forming a benign online environment, as many netizens commented.
The original children's play Black Eyes on the Plateau successfully premiered recently at the Nanluo Theater in Beijing.
Set in the black-necked crane nature reserve in the Yushu Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Northwest China's Qinghai Province, the play follows the touching story of a Beijing boy named Xia Tian and his young companions from the region getting to know each other while forming deep bonds of friendship. Yushu is the home of Sanjiangyuan, or Source of the Three Rivers, which contains the headwaters of the Yellow, Yangtze and Lancang rivers.
"Sanjiangyuan is truly a treasure, I had no idea that the water I drink every day comes from there. The scenery is so beautiful, and I want to help protect Sanjiangyuan in the future," one excited child in the audience said.
Chinese Commerce Ministry (MOFCOM) on Sunday blasted the US' sanctions on Chinese companies over their alleged involvement in Russia-Ukraine conflict as a typical example of long-arm jurisdiction and unilateral sanctions, vowing "necessary measures" to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.
On Friday (US time), the US imposed sanctions on more than 400 entities and individuals for allegedly supporting Russia in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, including Chinese companies, Reuters reported, citing the US State Department.
It said the Biden administration's sanctions include measures against companies in China allegedly involved in shipping machine tools and microelectronics to Russia. Meanwhile, the US also added 42 companies in China on its Entity List, forcing suppliers to obtain licenses before shipping to targeted companies, according to the report.
China firmly opposes the sanctions, a MOFCOM spokesperson said in a statement published on the ministry's website.
The practice is a typical example of long-arm jurisdiction and unilateral sanctions, which disrupts international trade norms and rules, impedes normal trade between countries, and impacts the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains, said the spokesperson.
"We urge the US to immediately halt these misguided actions, and will take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies," the spokesperson said.
To strengthen the supervision and management of soccer activities, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) has appointed 41 individuals as social soccer supervisors, an initiative that aims to enhance transparency and promote healthy development of the soccer industry.
The first batch of supervisors consist of 21 social representatives, 10 fan representatives, and 10 media representatives, who are drawn from national media, fan organizations and representatives from disciplinary inspection and supervision departments.
Wang Dazhao, a soccer commentator from Beijing, told Global Times that while the intention behind establishing supervisors is good, its effectiveness remains uncertain. He said that the development of Chinese soccer largely depends on high-level directives and instructions, which are not easily influenced by social supervision.
The primary duties of these supervisors include attending briefings by the CFA on key soccer tasks, providing feedback and suggestions, and participating in the supervision of professional leagues, youth matches and referee assignments.
Their supervision work focuses on ensuring that soccer industry professionals abide by the law, maintain integrity and fulfill their responsibilities. Social supervisors are expected to report their findings to the CFA, highlight issues and suggest improvements.
Many fans have expressed a positive attitude toward the establishment of supervisors, seeing it as a crucial step toward the healthy development of Chinese soccer.
"As ordinary fans who love soccer, we are well aware of the problems and shortcomings in the current domestic soccer industry. Having more channels for supervision and feedback through the supervisor system to make the industry more transparent and fairer is a good thing," Zhao Yuting, a soccer fan, told Global Times.
During the selection process, media personnel had to obtain the approval from their organizations, while fan representatives were chosen from officially registered fan organizations approved by local soccer associations and sports administrative departments.
Despite the relatively cumbersome selection process, Wang said it is unlikely to reverse the decline in Chinese soccer.
"In recent years, the overall level of Chinese soccer has declined, including the quality and behavior of fans. It will likely require additional measures to improve the situation," Wang said.
"Drafting standards and regulations is relatively easy; the challenge lies in whether the implementation mechanisms are strict, reasonable, effective and fair," Wang said.
"In the CFA's appointment of supervisors and the handling of 'fake gambling and match-fixing' issues, while the regulations are detailed and clear, the key is practical implementation."
Soccer commentator Fu Yayu also posted on social media that the role of social supervisors is more symbolic than practical, as it lacks effective mechanisms and channels.
Despite many questioning voices, many fans like Zhao still choose to support this measure.
"For a long time, we have witnessed some opaque and unfair practices in the soccer industry, which have affected the enjoyment and credibility of the games. I hope supervisors can play a role in advocating for civilized behavior, creating a healthy and positive soccer culture," Zhao said.
"Good supervisors will help build a positive soccer culture. When that culture is in place, the level of Chinese soccer will naturally improve," Zhao added.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni kicked off her five-day visit to China on Saturday, with multiple business participants as well as observers of the two countries expressing their high expectations for the visit, highlighting the importance of enhancing bilateral cooperation, especially in areas such as new energy products, new energy vehicles and other green technologies.
This marks Meloni's first visit to China since she took office, and she is the first European leader to visit China since the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China concluded.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang held a welcome ceremony for Meloni on Sunday afternoon at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China Central Television reported, and the two sides held talks after the welcome ceremony.
The two sides also witnessed the signing of multiple bilateral cooperation documents covering industry, education and environmental protection.
Amid a volatile political landscape in Europe and the US, Meloni's visit serves a good opportunity to inject stability, promote cooperation and resolve differences, not only between China and Italy, but China and Europe as a whole, experts said.
However, the experts caution that the Italian government needs to demonstrate enough sincerity in cooperating with China after Italy's withdrawal from the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and effectively manage differences, particularly in tariff talks on China-made electric vehicles (EVs).
Experts noted that during this trip, Meloni aims to enhance Italy's cooperation with China and clear away misunderstandings over its withdrawal from the BRI last year.
Expectations for the visit
Premier Li attended the opening ceremony of the 7th meeting of the China-Italy entrepreneurs committee with Meloni on Sunday, calling for enhanced economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, Xinhua reported. Li called on China and Italy to tap new opportunities for cooperation in line with the general trend and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation.
Meloni said Italy and China should strengthen comprehensive strategic partnership, give full play to complementary advantages and strengthen economic and trade cooperation, per Xinhua.
Italy had expressed its intention to strengthen cooperation with China despite not renewing the BRI agreement, and had proposed some alternative plans. Cui Hongjian, a professor with the Academy of Regional and Global Governance with Beijing Foreign Studies University, believes Meloni will discuss those alternative plans during the visit.
"We are pleased to participate in various activities organized during the prime minister's mission to China. These include, among the many, meetings with high-level government representatives, locally based Italian business associations, and a video conference with the Italian industry association to connect Italian companies not yet in China," Massimo Bagnasco, CEO of China Europe Carbon Neutral Technology, told the Global Times on Sunday.
This visit follows several high-level missions from Italy. Just a few weeks ago, the Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso visited China. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani also visited China in September 2023. Those visits are the evidence of the close ties and deep attention both countries pay to their bilateral relations, Bagnasco noted.
Bagnasco said he hopes the visit will confirm the guidelines for framework cooperation in certain sectors and establish a roadmap for further implementation by relevant companies. These expectations pertain to both investment and trade, he said, noting that green technologies, related to climate change, will be a sector where the two countries can achieve great synergies.
Irene Pivetti, former president of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, told the Global Times on Sunday that [the visit will see a] restart of a planned global cooperation. "This cooperation will be probably developed in further steps, but will essentially be summarized in industrial, technological and cultural cooperation," Pivetti said.
"What will be new in this planned global cooperation between China and Italy is that it will be accompanied by a much more constant and deep dialogue than before, and a mutual research of common goals to reach," Pivetti noted.
Fan Xianwei, secretary-general of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Italy, said that Meloni's visit to China will also bring new opportunities for China-Italy cooperation, which is the common expectation of the two peoples. Chinese enterprises expect that the Prime Minister's visit will advocate economic globalization and create a good, fair and just business environment and investment environment.
These industry players also highlighted the importance of enhancing cooperation with China, refuting the allegations of "overcapacity" and EU's recent protectionist move including its decision to impose provisional additional tariffs on Chinese EVs.
"The Chinese market is very important, not just for its size but also because it serves as a unique testing ground for the latest go-to-market solutions. Italian innovative strategies and solutions, combined with China's strong development in technology and supply chains, can be mutually beneficial if developed under the correct frameworks and fair principles," Bagnasco said.
Italy has never used barbaric terms such as "decoupling" from China, like other countries, as if we should keep distance from a millennial friend… Italian entrepreneurs want to do business with China, even big business, if possible, Pivetti noted.
"Accusing China of 'overcapacity' when the country makes use of more EVs than its internal production is nonsense," Pivetti said, adding that tariff policies are deemed to fail when instrumentally used to unbalance a competitive market when talking about EU's decision on China-made EVs.
While initial voting results among EU members indicate that Italy is more inclined to impose tariffs on Chinese EVs, Meloni's trip could work on finding a reasonable solution that is acceptable to both sides. If so, it would send a crucial positive signal for the silent majority within the EU who have not yet cast their votes, Cui said.
"Meloni's visit is also expected to stabilize and promote China-Europe relations," Cui noted, as relations between China and the EU have become tense due to issues such as the imposition of tariffs on Chinese EVs.
Coming ahead of the US presidential election, Meloni's China trip is also seen as bracing for a "worst-case scenario" - that a November change in US president could upend Washington's diplomatic and trade ties with Europe.
"They must get ready, minimize losses and impacts in the event of such an outcome," Cui noted. This includes enhancing resilience against the US and strengthening unity within the EU to avoid possible "divisive tactics" used by former US president Donald Trump during his first term, and boosting cooperation with China.
The British asset management conglomerate Schroders vowed on Monday to conduct a comprehensive investigation following an online allegation regarding one of its senior executives in China.
News of a female industry professional confessing to multiple extramarital affairs with male counterparts has spread widely on Chinese social media platforms. Among those implicated are several public fund professionals, including Yu Tao, deputy general manager of Schroder Fund Management (China) Company Limited (Schroders Fund Management).
In responding to the online allegations, an employee with Schroders told the Global Times on Monday that the company is investigating the situation, and declined to make further comment on the issue.
Public information indicates that Yu, aged 46, holds a PhD in Finance from the University of Manchester in the UK. He has previously served as assistant general manager at Franklin Templeton Fund Management Limited. Yu joined Schroders in 2022 and was appointed deputy general manager of Schroders Fund Management in November 2023, according to media reports.
Founded in 1804, Schroders is one of the oldest British asset management companies with a global presence across equities, fixed income and multi-asset. In 1994, Schroders established its representative office in Shanghai, becoming one of the earliest foreign asset management companies to enter the Chinese mainland market.
In a twist worthy of a Hollywood screenplay, the US team recently edged out Chinese team by a mere two points in the 2024 International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), ending China's decade reign.
Each team has six representatives, and there are six problems, each worth 7 points, with a total of 252 points. The US and China are ahead of third-place South Korea by 20 points, reflecting the competitive edge of the two countries, as well as their consistent performance in math.
But here's the kicker: A quick glance at the US roster reveals a plot twist - at least four of the six team members are highly likely of Chinese descent as they have Chinese surnames.
This unexpected "Chinese vs Chinese-American" showdown adds a layer of intrigue to the competition.
Visit any top US high school, and you'll find honor rolls peppered with many Asian surnames, a testament to the academic prowess of immigrant families.
This reflects the traditional cultural background that emphasizes education, especially among immigrant families like those in the Chinese community.
This is why China rose so quickly after its reform and opening-up began at the end of 1970s. The reforms unleashed a traditional spirit among Chinese people that values education, hard work and commitment to study.
The IMO, a cerebral gladiatorial arena where nations pit their brightest young minds against fiendishly tricky math problems, has impressively grown from seven countries to over 100 countries and regions. The IMO has become a significant proxy battlefield for global talent potential and primary education.
This mathematical tug-of-war mirrors the broader US-China rivalry.
China's educational system, turbo-charged by the country's economic reforms, has produced a formidable talent pipeline.
The US, meanwhile, relies on its ability to attract global brainpower, with Chinese-Americans often leading the charge.
A friend recently joked after visiting Silicon Valley, "The fierce competition that politicians talk about between the US and China is really between Chinese nationals and Chinese-Americans."
The US is the largest importer and beneficiary of global talent. A central aspect of its international talent strategy is an open approach that attracts individuals worldwide. Consequently, incorporating diverse global talent is now a fundamental principle of US immigration law.
About one-third of the researchers and engineers working in Silicon Valley are international immigrants. Since the first Nobel Prize was presented in 1901, 34 percent of all winners from the US were immigrants.
This talent tussle offers a crucial lesson for China: While it boasts world-class primary education and cutting-edge technologies, its next challenge is to become a talent magnet, attracting international brains - including overseas Chinese - to fuel its future growth.
American companies leverage global talent to secure top positions in high technology, while Chinese companies often rely on local talent to push forward. The difference now is that many Chinese companies that have gone international have gained the strength to attract global talent. They are establishing talent hubs one after another and are resiliently advancing their layout of worldwide talent and R&D centers despite the constraints imposed by the US.
Leveraging global talent to enhance China's development and openness through cooperative mutual benefit is another challenge for the country, especially for Chinese companies stepping on the world stage.
