Foreign
Respecting science and defending justice are what people want in COVID-19 origin tracing

As of July 19 (Beijing time), 55 countries had sent letters to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), expressing their support for the WHO’s report on a joint study with China on the tracing of COVID-19 origins and calling on the international community to respect science and resist political manipulation in the COVID-19 origin tracing.
The voices of justice from these countries, in stark contrast to the attempt of the U.S. and a small number of countries to resort to political manipulation, oppose science, and distort facts in the origin tracing, have fully demonstrated that the international community generally sides with justice and the truth.
For some time, a handful of countries led by the U.S. have become increasingly bold-faced in stigmatizing acts of other countries regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, labeling the virus, and politicizing the COVID-19 origin tracing.
While turning a blind eye to the results of the cooperation among scientists from many countries and hyping up the theory that the virus escaped from a Chinese lab, these countries openly made intelligence agencies lead the virus origin tracing and exhausted all means to defame China.
As a result of the unhealthy trend, some scientists who researched into the virus origins in the spirit of science and made objective and fair remarks on the topic have been subjected to political pressure, verbal abuse and even threats for no reason, which is a betrayal of the spirit of science as well as a blasphemy against civilization.
Foreign scientists and experts have concluded that the “lab-leak” theory has no scientific basis at all and remarked that they have no doubt about the natural origin of the novel coronavirus, which are consistent with the results of WHO’s report on a joint study with China and are indisputably scientific and authoritative.
The reason why the U.S. determines to stand opposite the majority of countries and spread the “lab leak” theory is that it wants to scapegoat China for its incompetence in handling the pandemic, thus smearing China and containing its development.
The ulterior motive of the U.S. has become quite clear for many people in the international community who have fair and objective stance on relevant issues.
Vincent Racaniello, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the Columbia University in the City of New York, said in an interview that the former U.S. administration wanted to hype up the issue of COVID-19 origins study because it meant to politicize the issue and was “not thinking about the science”.
Helga Zepp-LaRouche, President of the Schiller Institute, a U.S. think tank, noted that to accuse China of making the novel coronavirus is a malicious effort and an old trick by the West to smear China.
By bending their efforts to political manipulation, the U.S. and a small number of other countries have hampered international cooperation in virus origin tracing, undermined global unity in fighting the pandemic, and sullied fairness and justice.
More and more people have stepped up to support science and facts and safeguard fairness and justice.
In February 2020, 24 medical experts issued a joint statement on The Lancet, a weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal, to condemn conspiracy theories related to the novel coronavirus and support China. Recently, they published a joint statement again on the medical journal, in which they refuted the “lab leak” theory and stressed that more recent, peer-reviewed studies strongly suggest that COVID-19 has a natural origin.
Massimo Galli, head of the Infectious Diseases Unit at the University of Milan-affiliated Luigi Sacco Hospital in Milan, Italy, said at a committee for social affairs of the Chamber of Deputies of the country that the coronavirus is an unknown virus with no signs of genome engineering inside.
Virus origin tracing is a long-term task. An increasing number of scientific researches have shown that the epidemic broke out in many places across the world. Considering the reality, the WHO-led next stage of virus origin tracing investigations should be carried out in different regions with a global vision.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) of the U.S. recently published a new study which analyzed more than 24,000 stored blood samples contributed by participants across all 50 states during the first three months of 2020, and concluded that the virus that causes COVID-19 was present in the U.S. as far back as December 2019, weeks before the first officially reported cases on January 19, 2020. However, the U.S. government requested the NIH to terminate the study using the excuse that it has distracted virus origin tracing in China and is detrimental to the national security of the U.S.
While trying to hold China responsible for the pandemic out of political motives, the U.S. seems hesitant to have WHO experts investigate the virus origins in its own territory. Such an anti-science act deserves inquires from the international community.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, China has taken a scientific, professional, serious and responsible attitude in tracing the origin of the virus. It has taken the lead in working with the WHO in global origin tracing, and made positive contributions to the work.
No matter how certain countries engage in various kinds of political manipulation and try to stir up trouble in the international arena, they can neither change the fact that they have responded poorly to the pandemic nor the authoritative conclusions reached by the China-WHO joint expert group and the general trend of respecting science and upholding justice in the international community.
In the face of scientific evidence, facts, truth and justice, any attempt to politicize the virus origin tracing and lay the blame for the virus on others will only arouse strong indignation and opposition among more and more countries and will only end in failure.
(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy.)
By Zhong Sheng
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.
Foreign
Chinese modernization: blueprint for global progress

By He Yin, People’s Daily
At China’s recent annual “two sessions,” Chinese modernization once again captured global attention. International observers are closely following a range of new measures designed not only to accelerate Chinese domestic transformation but also to unlock fresh opportunities for global development.
They believe that Chinese modernization, built on a foundation of openness and cooperation, will continue to yield global benefits with each new milestone.
Today, China stands as a formidable force in the global economy – accounting for around 18 percent of the global economy and nearly 30 percent of world manufacturing output. Year after year, the nation has contributed about 30 percent to global economic growth. With import and export records with almost all countries and regions designated in the United Nations Statistics Division, the country is a major trading partner for more than 150 countries and regions. In 2024, its exports to over 160 countries and regions saw growth.
Often hailed as the “world’s largest developing country,”the “second-largest economy,””world’s factory,””global market,” and “innovation powerhouse,” China is increasingly viewed as a beacon of stability and progress.
In recent years, high-profile events such as the seventh China International Import Expo – where intended deals exceeded $80 billion – and the establishment of over 1.239 million foreign-invested enterprises have reinforced the nation’s reputation as a vast, dynamic market.
Meanwhile, policies encouraging Chinese companies to “go global” have seen a steady stream of new technologies, goods, and services permeate international markets, knitting the country ever tighter into global value chains and bolstering its commitment to win-win cooperation.
The influence of Chinese modernization is evident far beyond its borders. In the Central African Republic, President Faustin-Archange Touadera has repeatedly screened China’s political documentary Carry the Reform Through to the End for cabinet discussions, while officialsin Uzbekistan are adapting China’s poverty-reduction experience to suit their national context. These moves challenge the assumption that modernization must follow Western models, suggesting that China’s alternative pathway offers a viable route to development.
Beyond economic growth, Chinese modernization is increasingly celebrated for its potential to foster win-win cooperation and shared prosperity.
Under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), for example, Kazakhstan secured its first maritime access and Laos launched its first modern railway. Support from the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund has propelled over 160 projects, benefiting more than 30 million people. Moreover, China has given all the least developed countries with which it has diplomatic relations zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines, signaling its commitment to an open and inclusive global economy.
China’s modernization agenda also tackles global challenges head on. In response to global environmental risks, China advocates for building a community of all life on the Earth. To bridge the digital and AI divide, it has launched the AI Capacity-Building Action Plan for Good and for All to ensure that technological advancements benefit every corner of the globe.
On the security front, China continues to promote dialogue and reconciliation in conflict zones while engaging in multilateral security collaborations, reinforcing its reputation as a nation committed to peace and stability.
By proposing initiatives such as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilizations Initiative, China is not just charting its own course toward modernization but championing an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization – one that seeks to ensure that no nation is left behind on the path to prosperity.
The global appeal of Chinese modernization is far from accidental. Decades of reform and opening up have accelerated its development while enabling the country to contribute to global governance. On the international stage, it has taken on a leadership role – actively shaping global norms, building a community with a shared future for mankind, and advancing world peace and development. By sharing its successful experiences and technological advancements, the country seeks to help other developing countries chart their own courses toward progress.
With over 1.4 billion people engaged in this modernization journey – a number that surpasses the total population of all developed countries combined – China’s approach is redefining the global modernization landscape. For China, modernization is not solely a national endeavor but a blueprint for global progress – a vision that promises a more inclusive future for all.
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