Foreign
How a made-in-China refrigerator reduces carbon footprint

By Lin Lili, People’s Daily
A “smart” refrigerator made in China has recently been granted an online product carbon footprint certificate from the China Quality Certification Center, the first of its kind issued by the center.
The refrigerator, made by Qingdao Haier Special Freezer Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Chinese home appliance giant Haier, can automatically adjust energy consumption based on the food volume it stores.
The certificate tracks the carbon emissions of the refrigerator across different stages, including raw material sourcing, production, distribution, usage, and disposal.
Refrigerants are an essential raw material for refrigerators. In the past, freon was commonly used as a refrigerant, but when released into the atmosphere, it causes ozone depletion.
“We are focusing on low-carbon alternatives for insulation materials in refrigeration equipment, and collaborating with suppliers to promote the use of environmentally friendly refrigerants and other new technologies to reduce fluorine emissions,” said an executive with the company.
According to the executive, this frost-free refrigerator prioritizes the use of renewable, recyclable, and eco-friendly materials with minimal environmental impact. It exceeds Chinese national standards by being over 90 percent recyclable.
“Insulation foaming is one of the most critical processes in refrigerator manufacturing. We adopted innovative foaming technology to fill the space between the inner and outer walls of the refrigerator, significantly improving insulation performance and energy efficiency,” said Hou Tingyi, an executive with the company.
Around Hou, many refrigerators are being manufactured on the production line. “Look, each of the refrigerators has five material injection guns working on its back simultaneously. We use a cutting-edge high-precision flexible injection technology that allows for multi-point injection, an upgrade from the previous single-point injection method. This technology can help reduce the use of foam material by 5 percent, increase the refrigerator’s volume by 15 percent, and cut energy consumption by 3 percent,” said Hou.
In the distribution phase, the company has been able to reduce carbon emissions more efficiently across the entire process of warehousing, transportation and delivery by adopting new technologies such as smart warehousing, intelligent logistics, and eco-friendly packaging.
In the warehousing stage, unmanned operations have reportedly been implemented in multiple Chinese smart warehouses, which allow for automatic reception and dispatching of large items. The warehouses do not even need lighting, thus saving electricity.
In the transportation stage, an intelligent logistics system can automatically optimize delivery routes, while using new energy vehicles to reduce carbon emissions.
In the delivery stage, with a primary focus on biodegradable or recyclable green packaging materials, the company used reusable packaging while reducing the use of cardboard boxes to minimize the consumption of packaging materials.
Overall, by adopting reusable packaging materials, the company has reduced foam plastic usage by 32 percent and cardboard material usage by 83 percent.
More than 80 percent of a refrigerator’s total carbon emissions come from its operational phase. How can carbon emissions be reduced during this phase? This challenge tests the product’s design and technology.
It is learned that this smart refrigerator is equipped with multi-dimensional sensors that can detect changes in internal and external conditions. Based on data collected by the sensors, energy consumption can be reduced through an intelligent algorithm.
“We have accumulated refrigerator manufacturing data in the past 40 years and built a big database and energy-saving models. By using different parameter combinations based on the refrigerator’s load, we dynamically match the most suitable cooling conditions, which saves about 15 percent more energy than single-mode refrigerators,” said Chen Jianquan, an executive with the company.
A refrigerator’s service life is typically 10 to 15 years. When the refrigerator reaches the end of its life cycle, users can submit recycling or trade-in requests through different channels, such as the official app or mini-programs. Within 48 hours of placing an order, service personnel will collect the old refrigerator.
“The dismantled raw materials will re-enter the industrial chain in a new form,” said Li Xiuqing, general manager of the company’s home appliance recycling division. For example, plastic goes through dozens of processes, including cleaning, sorting, granulation, and modification. The purity of the recycled new material can reach 99.9 percent, enabling high-value applications across sectors such as home appliances, automobiles, and everyday chemicals.
According to statistics, an old refrigerator with a volume of around 220 liters can yield about nine kilograms of plastic, 38.6 kilograms of iron, 0.6 kilograms of aluminum, and 1.4 kilograms of copper when dismantled. Recycling 10,000 refrigerators can reduce carbon emissions by 65 tons.
Foreign
Trump begins mass layoffs at Voice of America

The Trump administration has initiated sweeping layoffs at Voice of America (VOA) and other U.S.-funded international broadcasters, effectively dismantling institutions long seen as critical for American influence abroad.
On Sunday, contractors working for VOA received an email notification that their employment would be terminated by the end of March. “You must cease all work immediately and are not permitted to access any agency buildings or systems,” the email read, according to multiple staff members who confirmed the development.
The move, which comes just a day after all employees were placed on administrative leave, disproportionately affects non-English-language services, where contractors make up a significant portion of the workforce. Many of these contractors are not U.S. citizens and may now face visa issues, further complicating their status in the country.
While most full-time staff remain employed for now, they have been told not to work, leaving VOA and its sister organizations in a state of uncertainty. Some services, unable to produce new programming, have resorted to playing music.
VOA, founded during World War II, has been a critical tool for U.S. public diplomacy, broadcasting in 49 languages to audiences in countries where press freedom is restricted. However, President Trump signed an executive order on Friday targeting its parent organization, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), as part of broader federal budget cuts.
The cuts extend beyond VOA, affecting other U.S.-funded media entities such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, Radio Farda (which broadcasts in Persian to Iran), and Alhurra, an Arabic-language network launched after the 2003 Iraq invasion. The administration argues that taxpayers should not fund what it calls “radical propaganda,” despite VOA’s longstanding editorial independence.
Liam Scott, a VOA journalist covering press freedom and disinformation, expressed concern over the decision. “I’ve covered press freedom for a long time, and I’ve never seen something like what’s happened in the U.S. over the past couple of months,” he wrote on social media.
The move has drawn international attention, particularly from China and Russia, which have been expanding their own state-funded media efforts. The Chinese state-run *Global Times* reacted with an editorial declaring that “the monopoly of information held by traditional Western media is being shattered.”
Trump’s administration has pursued aggressive cuts across federal agencies, including eliminating most foreign aid and significantly reducing the Department of Education. With input from tech billionaire Elon Musk, Trump has focused on reducing government size to facilitate tax cuts.
As the global media landscape shifts, the dismantling of U.S.-funded broadcasters leaves a vacuum that could be filled by rival state-controlled networks. Whether Congress or legal challenges will intervene remains to be seen, but for now, the future of America’s international broadcasting efforts hangs in the balance.
Foreign
Judge blocks Trump from deporting non-citizens using wartime law

A federal judge has temporarily halted the Trump administration’s attempt to deport migrants allegedly linked to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua under a wartime law.
US District Judge James Boasberg issued a restraining order preventing the administration from using the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to expel undocumented migrants accused of gang ties. The order initially protected five individuals challenging the deportation but was later expanded to all affected noncitizens in US custody.
Boasberg also directed that any planes carrying these migrants be returned to the United States. “Any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned,” he ruled. The restraining order will remain in effect for 14 days or until further court action.
The Trump administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act, citing Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization that has “unlawfully infiltrated the United States” and is engaging in hostile actions. However, civil rights groups, including the ACLU, argue that the gang’s activities do not meet the legal definition of an invasion.
The Justice Department has appealed the ruling, while the case continues in court.
Foreign
China’s new chapter in global innovation

By Gu Yekai, Liu Yiqing, People’s Daily
At a smart construction project site managed by China State Construction Engineering Corporation, a quiet technological revolution is underway. Amid cranes and concrete, engineers are deploying advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems that could fundamentally reshape the construction industry.
Li Fengjian, an AI specialistwith Xianyuan Technology, detailed how the company’s latest intelligent system – built on a large model – adapts to complex construction environments.”Engineering machinery equipped with intelligent agents can adjust its operations automatically in response to weather conditions,” Li explained, adding that a spatiotemporal sensing network further enhances the system, providing real-time tracking of both personnel and materials throughout the construction site.
In February this year, Xianyuan Technology rapidly integrated its self-developed model with DeepSeek-R1, effectively blending a general-purpose framework with industry-specific models. This integration, Li noted, has produced a solution capable of delivering expert-level performance in challenging, dynamic environments. The firm is based in the Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Center, aburgeoning AI incubator that now hosts over 200 innovative enterprises.
China’s technological transformation extends well beyond the construction sector. Overthe past three decades, the country has evolved from its initial forays into internet connectivity to becoming a key player in global digital innovation.
Here, a steady stream of technological innovations are emerging, from the early days of emails and web browsing to the cutting-edge technologies represented by DeepSeek and the dynamic evolution of social media.
Wu Jianping, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and headof the Zhongguancun Laboratory, pointed out that while China had introduced only one internet standard before 2005, it now contributes to over 200 worldwide. Such strides illustrate the country’s concerted push toward high-level technological self-reliance – a journey marked by both persistence and determination.
Beyond the digital realm, China is makingsignificant inroads in aerospace, new energy, and other high-tech sectors. It has transitioned from being a follower to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with global leaders, and in some areas, even taking the lead. Wu attributed these achievements to a dynamic ecosystem of policy reforms and talent cultivation that encourages creativity and technical expertise at every level.
Amid intensifying international competition, collaborative research and the integration of new technologies with traditional industries are central to China’s high-quality economic development.
Mei Linhai, a researcher at China’s State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Intelligence, remarked that the age of AI calls for continuous exploration. “In this era, everyone is an innovator. Only by persistently pushing the boundaries can we remain at the forefront of both technological and industrial development,” Mei observed.
In the field of general-purpose AI, Mei emphasized that independent innovation is paramount. He advocates for a self-driven industrial ecosystem that leveragesbreakthrough technologies to boost productivity and unlock new possibilities, Mei said.
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