Foreign
Grass-root rural soccer tournament attracts international attention

By Su Bin, People’s Daily
In Rongjiang county, southwest China’s Guizhou province, villager Yang Zhenjiang, standing in a soccer arena where games of the Village Super League (VSL), a grass-root rural village soccer tournament, are played, showed his photo collection on his phone.
Most of the over 100 photos were passionate foreign soccer players passing, scoring, hugging and dancing.
“They are from Brazil. Former Brazilian soccer star Ricardo Kaka also came to Rongjiang once. The influence of the VSL just got bigger,” Yang said.
The VSL, whose appellation was inspired by the Premier League and the Chinese Super League, has been viral across China in recent years. It originated in Rongjiang, a small county nestling deep in the mountains of Guizhou province.
On Oct. 3, Brazil’s Sao Paulo Higher Bridge Football Team made its debut at the inaugural “Belt and Road” friendly matcheshosted by the Guizhou VSL. In the following 25 days, athletes of the team competed in games, tasted local food and experienced local folk customs, embracing up-close the vitality of China’s development, the hospitality of the Chinese people and the profoundness of the Chinese culture.
In August this year, head coach ofHigher Bridge Football TeamEleazar Villavicencio and team manager Yang Shengjun paid a visit to Rongjiang county. There, they saw the huge potential and broad prospects of China’s soccer market.
“Rongjiang is a promising land of soccer. The people here are passionate about soccer, which is similar toBrazil,” Yang said.
At 7:00 pm on Oct. 3, the Higher Bridge Football Team stepped onto the field, amid the cheers by over 30,000 spectators. On both sides of the tunnel, cheering squads consisting of local residents, wearing ethnic costumes and silver headpieces, performed ethnic dance to welcome the Brazilian players.
“The vibe was great,”Eleazar recalled.
The game was fierce. In the 84th minute, player Ferreira’s follow-up shot sealed the victory for the Brazilian team. Brazilian players made samba moves to celebrate the goal. The spectators also cheered for them. Finally, the Brazilian team won the game at 1:0.
As the game ended, spectacular fireworks lit up the sky outside the stadium while festive music filled the arena. The spectators poured into the center of the pitch, forming a circle around the Brazilian players, and everyone joined in dancing with arms around each other’s shoulders. The Brazilian players showed off their unique samba moves as everyone shared the joy and friendship that soccer brought.
At this moment, soccer became a bridge between the peoples of both nations, and a witness to the reinforced friendship between China and Brazil.
From Oct. 3 to 6, the Brazilian team played three games, scoring eight goals in total. It showcased the unique charm of Brazilian soccer and presented a soccer feast to the spectators.
The inaugural “Belt and Road” friendly matches held in Rongjiang county, was joined by 10 foreign teams. Through soccer, the VSL has become not just an arena for athletic competition, but also a platform for cross-cultural exchange.
Soccer in Rongjiang extends far beyond the VSL. In the 1990s, locals spontaneously organized matches on open-air fields. Today, Rongjiang county boasts 14 standard soccer pitches, 35 registered teams, 14 national-level youth specialist soccer schools,and 41 county-level specialist soccer schools.
“After Eleazar returned to Brazil, we’ve maintained contact and decided to establish a youth training club in Rongjiang, using Brazilian coaching methods here,” said Yang.
He added that with the imminent launch of the Rongjiang youth training club, a group of young Brazilian players will stay in Rongjiang to join games and serve as soccer coaches in primary and secondary schools.
“We hope more children can use their soccer skills as a pathway out of the mountains, to open up more possibilities for their future,”said Yang.
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.
Foreign
Chinese democracy in action:a village bench meeting shapes national law

By Wei Zhezhe, Liu Botong, People’s Daily
In a modest corner of Jiangmen, south China’s Guangdong province, residents of Weidong village are experiencing firsthand a form of democracy that starts at the grassroots level and reverberates all the way to Beijing.
Wu Tengxin, a local villager who relies on a scooter for daily mobility after contracting polio, recalls a time when the village’s public spaces were ill-equipped for people with disabilities. Now, thanks to a simple suggestion made during a meeting, his everyday life has changed.
In November 2022, a team from a local legislative outreach office – a branch of China’sNational People’s Congress (NPC) – visited Weidong village and set up a “bench-style meeting.” Residents, including the elderly and those with disabilities, gathered to voice their concerns about inadequate accessibility.
Amid the conversation, Wu offered a straightforward proposal: “I hope rural accessible facilities can be improved to make mobility easier for people with disabilities and the elderly.” His words were relayed verbatim to lawmakers.
The response was swift. On June 28, 2023, at the third session of the 14th NPC Standing Committee, legislators passed a law on building a barrier-free living environment. The law stipulates that improvements”shall align with social and economic development levels, coordinate urban and rural progress, and gradually narrow the gap in infrastructure between urban and rural areas.”
Today, Wu observes that the village’s main roads and public squares have been upgraded with accessibility features that make getting around considerably easier.
This episode illustrates what Chinese officials call “whole-process people’s democracy” – a system where citizen input is woven into every stage of policy development.
Jilie Ziri, head of Abuluoha village in Butuo county, southwest China’s Sichuan province, remarked that for young generations in China, democracy has become a lived experience. “Villagers are the masters of village affairs,” he said, emphasizing how active villager participation has injected new vitality into local governance.
Experts point to consultative democracy as a cornerstone of this process. Tao Kaiyuan, vice chairman of the Central Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy and vice president of the Supreme People’s Court, underscores the important role of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, whose members hail from every stratum of society and bring a wealth of expertise and connections.
Their regular forums, field research, and public consultations have created robust channels for citizens to contribute ideas and forge consensus.”This approach gathers collective wisdom and transforms public voices into policy,” Tao said.
Another crucial manifestation is the effectiveness of China’s political party system. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, Chinese democratic parties actively fulfill their duties, offering recommendations that often translate into concrete policy decisions. This integrated approach demonstrates the unique strengths of China’s political system and the advantages of whole-process people’s democracy.
Tao emphasized that whole-process people’s democracyhas evolved into an efficient and dynamic democratic practice – one that not only reflects the essence of socialist democracy but also presents a pioneering model of political civilization, contributing Chinese wisdom and solutions to global governance and democratic development.
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