China-US exchanges in various fields got off to a good start in 2024. On the first day of the New Year, leaders of the two countries exchanged congratulatory letters on the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Then the 17th China-US Defense Policy Coordination Talks were held in Washington from January 8 to 9. On Tuesday, Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, visited the US and was invited to deliver a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations and engaged in communication with the US side. Meanwhile, the Peking University Table Tennis Team's visit to the US and the University of Virginia Table Tennis Team's visit to China replayed the classic scene in the history of China-US relations, where the small ball pushes the big ball.

The simultaneous exchanges at the military, diplomatic and civilian fields are remarkable in this period as China-US relations are stabilizing and rebounding. The resumption and closeness of exchanges is what the Chinese and US societies as well as the international community anticipate. If China-US relations are stable, the world situation will not be in chaos; if China-US relations are unstable, the rest of the world will become concerned.

The perceptions, policies and actions of the US toward China in recent years have once brought China-US relations to a low ebb and created huge risks and potential dangers for the world. The serious consequences of the US' short-sighted policies have forced it to engage in rational reflection, and the concerns and expectations of the international community have formed a synergy that has prompted the US to make certain adjustments in its relations with China. After the San Francisco meeting, the US has shown more enthusiasm than before in implementing the important consensus of the two heads of state, and we hope that this is the result of the US drawing the lessons from the twists and turns in China-US relations in the past year, and that it will not make the same mistakes again.

Signs of relaxation in China-US relations also emerged at the beginning of 2023, but were quickly disrupted by the US sensationalizing the "balloon incident." Many actual actions by the US on issues concerning Taiwan Straits, the South China Sea, and high-tech exports to China not only failed to implement the consensus reached by the leaders and the commitments of US President Joe Biden but some instead went in the completely opposite direction, creating one vortex after another in bilateral relations. This year, China-US relations need to break free from these whirlpools.

Regarding China-US relations, China has consistently emphasized mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation. The US should genuinely meet China halfway. As long as the US continues to categorize China as a "competitor" or even a "threat," all of its policies toward China will ultimately push China in that direction, and the US' gestures of easing tensions, as well as communication and exchanges, may be seen by China as mere tactical maneuvers or expedient measures without sincerity, or even with malicious intent. The US needs to work together with China to rebuild the basic political mutual trust; otherwise, it will be impossible to achieve a healthy, stable and sustained development of bilateral relations.

The US, on the one hand, is pushing for what it calls intense competition with China, while on the other hand, it is concerned that this competition might spiral out of control into conflict and confrontation. This in itself is contradictory. If the US seeks communication and exchanges solely for the purpose of competing with China "safely" without concerns, the effectiveness of such communication and exchanges will be limited. It is even less likely to guarantee that the competition initiated by the US will always stay within the "guardrails" envisioned by the US. The US should abandon this unrealistic idea as soon as possible.

In this round of communication, China has expressed its sincere desire for strengthened cooperation with the US and goodwill for peaceful coexistence. However, China has also reiterated its unwavering determination not to compromise or concede on the Taiwan question. The US must acknowledge and respect China's major concerns. On issues related to China's core interests, especially the Taiwan question, which is at the very core of China's core interests, the US must exercise caution and not cross red lines. This is a prerequisite for the correct handling of China-US relations. Without this foundation, meaningful discussions become impossible.

Witnessed by 150 scientists from eight countries, the International PlateauPlus Association (PlateauPlus) was established Thursday in Beijing, during the PlateauPlus Workshop held by the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research (ITP) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

PlateauPlus is a platform proposed by Chinese scientists that aims to unite top research institutions and scientists from more than 20 countries across the globe where giant plateaus are located. It is designated to serve as an international platform for mega plateau research and to develop a new model of interdisciplinary and cross-regional global cooperation in Earth system science, read a statement the ITPCAS sent to the Global Times.

The association will focus on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Iranian Plateau in Asia, the Colorado Plateau and Columbia Plateau in North America, the Altiplano Plateau in South America, the East African Plateau in Africa and the Alps in Europe. It will conduct research on the formation and evolution of plateaus, environmental effects, biodiversity changes and human adaptation. It will also decipher the coupling mechanism between plateau uplift and surface environmental changes, and reveal the changes in plateau habitability and human social evolution, according to the ITPCAS.

Mega plateaus have significant impacts on the environment, biodiversity, and human survival. Previously, the ITPCAS mainly focused on studying the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, which has also attracted many foreign scientists. However, besides the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, other mega plateaus around the world also have a tremendous impact on these aspects. So it's a good idea to unite scientists all around the world to jointly examine all these mega plateaus and find out what factors have played a vital role or how these plateaus affect each other in shaping the current environmental landscape, rivers as well as human migration and adaptation, Ding Lin, an ITP researcher and Academician of the CAS and one of the initiators of PlateauPlus, told the Global Times.

"Although aspects of the orographic development of the Tibetan region are still actively debated, collaboration across disciplines and testing ideas within the rigor of mathematical models are honing our understanding of the highly complex natural processes inherent to the Tibetan geo/ecosystem. If humans are ever going to manage our planet in a responsible and informed way, then the lessons we have learned from Tibetan Plateau research must be applied more widely to other orographically complex systems. These lessons are not just those relating to the science itself, but how we do the research, how we improve our methodologies, how we nurture international collaboration and integrate local knowledge with broader global perspectives," said Robert Spicer, emeritus professor of Earth Sciences at The Open University in the UK.

"We now have a magnificent toolbox of methodologies and ideas that can be used to investigate other plateaus worldwide, so it is time to explore and integrate plateau system research globally," Spicer said. He noted that as a world leader in science, China is very attractive for foreign scientists.

During the two-day PlateauPlus Workshop, global scientists discussed the formation and evolution of plateaus, environmental effects, biodiversity changes, and human adaptation.

Ding said that in the future the ITPCAS will host workshops in different countries, fostering a truly global perspective.

Field excursions in various global mega plateaus will be a crucial part of the journey, offering hands-on experience and deeper insights. A key focus will be engaging more and more local institutions, especially from regions like East Africa and South America, which are currently underrepresented, according to Ding.

Strengthening these connections is essential for a more comprehensive understanding and inclusive approach to the research, he noted.

Chinese investment in Thailand is set to remain at a high level, reflecting a host of positive factors, after China became Thailand's largest foreign investor in 2023, Chinese and Thai analysts said on Wednesday.

Since December, at least 14 A-share listed companies have announced that they are setting up branches, building new plants, expanding existing facilities or increasing their capital in Thailand, amid an accelerated inflows of Chinese investment into Thailand, according to media reports.

ZYNP Corp, a combustion engine component maker from Central China's Henan Province, said in a stock filing on Wednesday that it is investing 210 million yuan ($29.56 million) to build a production base in Thailand.

Circuit Fabology Microelectronics Equipment Co, a printed circuit board (PCB) company based in East China's Anhui Province, announced on Wednesday that it is investing 100 million yuan in Thailand to set up a branch, buy land and build a plant.

Xu Genluo, vice president of Thailand-based Amata Corp, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the Chinese business community demonstrated an unprecedented passion to invest in Thailand last year and groups after groups of business delegations visited his industrial park.

Chinese and Thai analysts told the Global Times that rising Chinese investment is being driven by the new-energy vehicle (NEV) and electronics industries, with incentives by the Thai government. The world economic landscape, facing anti-globalization headwinds, has helped push this trend.

As the two sides work toward a China-Thailand Community with a Shared Future for Enhanced Stability, Prosperity and Sustainability, along with continued and accelerated growth in China-ASEAN trade and investment, Chinese companies' investment in Thailand will continue to surge, they predicted.

Lei Xiaohua, an ASEAN expert at the Guangxi Academy of Social Sciences in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the Thai government has made economic development its top goal and regards attracting investment from China as one of the most important tools for economic development.

Chinese investors are also being attracted by Thailand's relatively complete supply chains and low-cost advantages, and the benefits and convenience brought by the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership trade pact that took effect on January 1, 2022, Lei said.

In a move that will boost people-to-people exchanges and commercial ties, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced on Tuesday that Thailand and China will permanently exempt each other's citizens from visa requirements, starting from March, China Media Group reported.

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that mutual visa exemptions serve the fundamental interests of both peoples, and the government departments responsible for the matter are in close communication on the specifics.

Boosted by the news, searches for the keyword "Bangkok" on Chinese travel platform Mafengwo surged by 200 percent as of Tuesday noon.

Huang Bin, head of the Chinese Department at the Bangkok-based Kasikorn Research Center, told the Global Times on Wednesday that almost all Chinese NEV brands invested in Thailand in 2023 due to incentives offered by the Thai government. Policies such as the EV3.5 program offer subsidies for the purchase of NEVs and aim to promote Thailand as the regional hub for these vehicles. For foreign investors, support policies include zero tariffs for imported used machine tools.

A reshaping of the global semiconductor supply chain also brought a large number of electronics firms, PCB companies in particular, to invest in Thailand, Huang said.

Huang predicted that the mutual visa exemption policy will boost bilateral trade and investment, though in a gradual fashion.

As China became Thailand's largest source of investment last year, the trend is expected to be maintained in 2024, the expert said.

China emerged as the largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) applications, contributing 24 percent of FDI by value, with total investment pledges of 97.4 billion baht ($2.84 billion) for 264 projects in the first nine months of 2023, according to The Thailand Board of Investment.

In 2024, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia will be the highlight for Chinese overseas direct investment, Lei said.

As a cold wave swept across northern China, the Chinese capital welcomed its first snow of the winter on Sunday evening. Traffic in Beijing has also been affected by the snowfall, with heavy congestion during the morning rush hour on Monday.

Following the snowfall, Beijing was covered in a silver-white coat, presenting picturesque scenes at Beihai Park, the watchtowers and the Shenwu Gate of the Forbidden City. The snow covered the buildings of the Forbidden City, making the red walls and golden tiles appear more vibrant, creating a striking contrast with the pristine white snow, resulting in a beautiful and magnificent sight. Coincidentally, the Forbidden City is closed on Mondays, presenting a serene and peaceful atmosphere after the closure.

Different from the Forbidden City, the Universal Studios theme park is bustling as usual.  Many visitors wearing wizard robes headed straight to the Harry Potter's Wizarding World area, checking in at the silver-clad Hogsmeade Village, as if they have "traveled" into the classic snow scenes from the movies.

Netizens were amazed by the snowy scenes and expressed optimism for a prosperous year with auspicious snowfall. Many netizens from the southern regions expressed their envy, saying, "Beijing has already seen the first snow, while in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, we still need to use electric fans. Southerners who have never seen snow are eager to personally experience it!"

Also enjoying the first snow was the star giant panda Meng Lan, "the 3rd Prince of Xizhimen," who once went viral for "breaking through" the enclosure at the Beijing Zoo. On the snowy day, Meng Lan rolled and happily frolicked in powedery snow. Visitors couldn't help but chuckle at the adorable sight.

From 7 pm on Sunday to 6 am on Monday, the average snowfall in Beijing was 5.1 millimeters, with the urban area averaging 5.8 millimeters. The highest snowfall occurred in Pupuwa, Fangshan district reaching 9.8 millimeters. According to Beijing Public Transport Group, as of 6 am, a total of 172 bus routes had been adjusted due to the snowy weather, including 157 routes that had been suspended, nine routes with adjusted sections, and six routes with detours and skipped stops.

The Beijing Capital International Airport plans to operate 1,100 flights and transport approximately 150,000 passengers on Monday. As of 7 am, 84 flights had been executed and 59 flights had been canceled. At 6 am, the airport initiated targeted de-icing operations, and a total of 22 flights had been de-iced. The overall operation of Beijing Capital International Airport remains normal.

Affected by a strong cold air mass, the meteorological department in East China's Shandong Province issued a blue warning for cold wave and a yellow warning for road icing on Saturday, and continued to issue a yellow warning for strong winds at sea on Sunday. Under the influence of the cold wave, there was also moderate to heavy snow and local blizzards in the northwest and central regions of Shandong. In addition, the city of Yulin in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province experienced significant rain and snow and a drop in temperatures on Sunday. Several local meteorological monitoring stations recorded snowfall at the level of heavy snow, and the average temperature dropped by 6 C to 8 C.

In Zhengzhou and Xinxiang, Central China's Henan Province, primary and secondary schools, as well as kindergartens, had half-day off on Monday.

On Sunday, a significant drop in temperatures occurred across most parts of Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, with the lowest temperatures expected to reach -25 C to -30 C in some areas from December 10 to December 15. To cope with the cold weather, various measures had been taken to strengthen water and heating supply and other livelihood guarantees. In Fujin city, the local heating company has increased the frequency of inspections on heating equipment such as pipelines and valves to ensure the quality of heating.

To ensure the safety of passengers, the railway departments had suspended 112 passenger trains heading to Beijing, Xiamen, Chengdu, Taiyuan, among other routes, with some trains experiencing delays.

Researchers from the Institute of Process Engineering (IPE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have proposed a new "nano-micro composite" delivery concept for vaccines and developed a single-dose, dry-powder, inhalable vaccine platform. The vaccine made in the laboratory based on the technology is effective in blocking respiratory viral infection and transmission in animal test, showing great promise for combating future emerging and epidemic infectious diseases. This study was published in Nature on Wednesday. 

In recent years, researchers have made significant progress in developing vaccines for infectious respiratory diseases. However, most of these vaccines are administered through intramuscular injection, which primarily induces a humoral immune response and relies on blood antibodies to neutralize the virus. This approach fails to trigger a mucosal immune response and establish a robust immune barrier in the respiratory tract, according to a release from the research group.

The current liquid form of vaccines requires to be stored in strict low-temperature, and the two- or three-dose vaccination schedule also impacts the overall vaccination rate.

In confronting these problems, professor Wei Wei and professor Ma Guanghui from the State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering at IPE, in cross-disciplinary collaboration with professor Wang Hengliang and professor Zhu Li from the State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, have developed a new vaccine platform.

This platform combines biodegradable microspheres with protein nanoparticles. The surface of these nanoparticles can simultaneously display multiple antigens, thus inducing a broad-spectrum immune response and expanding the range of vaccine protection. The platform also allows for the quick and convenient development of other respiratory virus vaccines due to the flexibility of antigen presentation.

The platform's unique nano-micro composite structure enables an efficient immune response in the lungs by facilitating high-performance delivery. Once antigen-nanoparticles are released, they can be efficiently taken up by antigen-presenting cells. 

Moreover, this dry powder vaccine significantly reduces storage and transportation costs, making it suitable for areas with limited refrigeration facilities, thus improving immunization rates.

The sustained release of antigens in the vaccine induces long-lasting humoral, cellular, and mucosal immunity with just a single inhalation

In cooperation with professor He Zhanlong of the Institute of Medical Biology of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, the researchers developed a model of airborne protection, close contact protection, and airborne transmission blocking, which demonstrated that an inhaled vaccine is highly effective in preventing the virus infection and transmission.

"The components of this nano-micro system used natural proteins and approved polymer materials, and the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine have been systematically studied in non-human primates, indicating its great potential for clinical translation," professor Wei said.

President Xi Jinping on Monday met with Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) John Lee, who is on a duty visit to Beijing.

During the meeting, Xi heard a report from Lee on Hong Kong's current situation and the HKSAR government's work.

"The audience here in Chengdu is incredibly enthusiastic, and I deeply enjoyed the game. Every time we scored or made a good defensive play, the audience gave us big rounds of applause and cheers," basketball player Yu Ai-Che from the Chinese Taipei team told the Global Times on Monday evening after the competition against the Chinese team at the 31st FISU World University Games in Chengdu.

In Monday's Men's basketball competition, the Chinese Taipei team defeated the mainland team with a score of 97:84. Both teams had previously suffered two consecutive defeats by Lithuania and Brazil in the earlier group stage, which meant they had no chance of advancing to the top eight.

"The atmosphere in Chengdu is fantastic, and I'm extremely grateful to the audience. They continually cheered and clapped for our team throughout the game. I've played in the mainland when I was in high school, and I definitely want to play with mainland players again to improve both our techniques," said Yu Ai-Che after the competition.

In addition to the audience's passionate support for both teams from the first period to the last, the Global Times also noted that during the halftime break of the match, the panda-shaped mascot Rongbao and the entire audience sang the song "A Family Who Loves Each Other" together. The Taiwan island's folk song "Maiden of Alisan" resonated with the people present. The two teams also exchanged gifts before the start of the match.

Mainland player Zhang Ning said that he gave plush toys of Rongbao to his friends from the island of Taiwan, just as he would bring back souvenirs for his family.

Chinese golfer Li Linqiang triumphed in the final of the Guotai Cup Men's Professional Match Play on August 26, while Thailand's Dussavi Soopimjit claimed her title in the women's match in Guiyang, Southwest China's Guizhou Province.

The initial lineup for the match consisted of 72 players, 32 men and 40 women. The tournament boasted a total prize fund of 800,000 yuan ($109,692). All professional players who advanced to the formal matches shared the prize money, with 100,000 yuan awarded to the men's champion and 60,000 yuan to the women's champion.

After a fierce competition with Liu Enhua, Li Linqiang clinched the final match over 18 holes, leading by just one hole.

"This is the first match play event I've participated in since turning professional. I felt a rush of excitement today, particularly during the opening holes against Liu. The pressure mounted in the latter stages, but I'm elated to have pulled through," Li remarked after the match.

Zhang Xiaoning, chairman of the China Golf Association, mentioned that this match play event represents an effort by the China Golf Association to create new opportunities for players. "Furthermore, this is the inaugural instance of a professional event being held in Guizhou. Through engagement with the local community, we aim to invigorate the growth of golf in Southwest China."

The Chinese delegation made an impressive start on the first day of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, on Sunday, clinching an astounding 20 gold medals across various sports, including rowing, shooting, wushu and swimming. 

In the rowing events, local Hangzhou girl Zou Jiaqi took the first gold medal of the Hangzhou Asian Games to start a Chinese gold rush at the Fuyang Water Sports Centre. Zou and her doubles partner Qiu Xiuping rowed a strong race in the lightweight women's double sculls final to finish nearly 10 seconds ahead of Uzbekistan, to the delight of the watching crowds both in the grandstands and on the banks of the course.

Qiu said that she was extremely excited when she saw the national flag and heard the national anthem as they rowed past the finish line. 

Zou told media that she wanted to tell her parents she was happy to see they were at the event. 

Speaking of their next goal, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the pair did not hide that they are reaching for the top podium. 

"Since we walked off the Hangzhou podium, Paris has become our goal," Qiu said. "We will restart from zero, completing every training session wholeheartedly. We hope to go to the top in Paris."

Later in the morning, Zhang Liang equaled the record of Li Jianxin by winning his fourth Asian Games gold medal in rowing. China won a further four of the five finals on the penultimate day of the rowing regatta. The men's pair was won by Lam San-tung and Wong Wai-chun, also marking China's Team Hong Kong's first gold medal of the ongoing Hangzhou Games.

China's six gold medals take their all-time Asian Games rowing total to 104, including 98 golds. The spectators at the event said that the Chinese rowers demonstrated their impeccable technique and stamina and that their remarkable performance set the tone for the rest of the day.

The Chinese wushu team displayed their agility, strength, and grace, captivating the audience with their breathtaking routines and clinching two gold medals in the men's Changquan final and women's Taijiquan and Taijijian all-round.

Winning the men's Changquan title, 34-year-old veteran Sun Peiyuan achieved his third consecutive Asian Games championships. He told the Global Times that he was excited after winning the title, despite enduring injuries during preparation for the Games. 

"I feel that all the efforts of me and the team, every point of hard work has been rewarded. I have lived up to the expectations of my country and my family," Sun said.

The shooting range also witnessed China's prowess as the country's shooters claimed a gold medal each in the 10 meters air rifle women's team event and 10 meters air rifle women's final. In the 10 meters air rifle women's final, China's 17-year-old Huang Yuting won with a 252.7 ring and set a new Asian Games record.

Powered by world champions such as butterfly queen Zhang Yufei, men's individual medley specialist Wang Shun as well as prodigy Pan Zhanle, the Chinese swim team secured seven gold medals in all seven competitions on the first day.

China's butterfly specialist Zhang eased to victory in the women's 200 meters butterfly with an Asian Games record of 2:05.57. 

Wang, who lit the Asian Games cauldron on Saturday night, was crowned the men's 200 meters individual medley champion after setting a new Asian record of 1:54.62 on Sunday. 

Freestyle prodigy Pan Zhanle smashed the men's 100 meters freestyle Asian record with a sensational 46.97 seconds, becoming the first swimmer in Asia to break the 47-second barrier. 

Distance swimmer Li Bingjie topped the women's 1,500 meters freestyle with a new Asian Games record of 15:51.18, while female breaststroke specialist Tang Qianting claimed the women's 50 meters breaststroke with 29.96 seconds.

Local favorite backstroker Xu Jiayu brought the tally to six as he won the men's 100 meters final with an impressive 52.23 seconds, also a new Asian Games record. 

The night culminated with Chinese female swimming quartet Yang Junxuan, Cheng Yujie, Wu Qingfeng and Zhang Yufei winning the women's 4x100 meters freestyle relay with an Asian Games record of 3:33.96.

Sunday was also the concluding day of the Hangzhou Asian Games's Modern Pentathlon competitions, with the Chinese team collecting gold medals in the women's individual and women's team final.

The Hangzhou Games are scheduled to end on October 8. As the Asian Games continue, all eyes will be on the Chinese delegation as they strive to maintain their dominance and add to their impressive medal tally. The athletes' exceptional performances on the first day have undoubtedly inspired their teammates and instilled a sense of confidence in the entire delegation.