Foreign
China completes phased goals of battle for pollution prevention and control

China has overfulfilled the nine eco-environmental binding indicators outlined in its 13th Five-Year Plan and the phased goals of the battle for pollution prevention and control, Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu told a press conference on Aug. 18.
Across-the-board improvements have been achieved in China’s eco-environment, the minister added.
Chinese cities at and above the prefecture level enjoyed good air quality on 87 percent of days in 2020, 5.8 percentage points higher than that in 2015, and 2.5 percentage points higher than the target set in the 13th Five-Year Plan.
In these cities, the average concentration of PM2.5 dropped to 37 micrograms per cubic meter, down by 28.8 percent from 2015, and surpassing the goal in the 13th Five-Year Plan by 10.8 percentage points.
The proportion of surface water with fairly good quality increased from 66 percent in 2015 to 83.4 percent in 2020, exceeding the target set in the 13th Five-Year Plan by 13.4 percentage points, while the proportion of surface water below Grade V, the lowest level, decreased from 9.7 percent in 2015 to 0.6 percent in 2020, 4.4 percentage points lower than what’s required in the 13th Five-Year Plan.
Over 90 percent of the polluted farmland can be utilized safely and over 90 percent of the contaminated land is able to be used safely as required by the 13th Five-Year Plan.
In 2020, 23.04 percent of China’s territory was covered by forests, and national nature reserves and natural protected areas with various functions and types accounted for 18 percent of the country’s land mass.
On top of that, carbon dioxide emission per unit of GDP reduced by 18.8 percent compared with that in 2015, achieving the 13th Five-Year Plan goal.
Huang said 89.5 percent of Chinese citizens were satisfied with China’s eco-environment in 2020, up 10.7 percentage points compared with that in 2017, according to a survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics. It indicated strong public recognition of the phased achievements of the battle for pollution prevention and control, he added.
China’s eco-environment kept getting better in the first half of 2021. The average concentration of PM2.5 went down by 2.9 percent from a year ago, and the proportion of excellent surface water was up 1.1 percentage points year on year.
China started barring all solid waste imports at the end of 2020 as scheduled, and won broad admiration both at home and abroad, said Huang, adding that the time when China was like a dumping site for developed countries has gone forever.
According to him, China’s imports of solid waste dropped from 42.27 million metric tons in 2017 to 8.79 million metric tons last year, and were completely banned starting from the very first day of 2021.
The country launched a special law enforcement campaign to fight illegal imports of solid waste. From 2017 to 2020, it made over 2,300 inspections into relevant enterprises and ordered more than 1,100 punishments. Besides, to overhaul the waste plastic processing and other relevant industries, the country has straightened out 194 distribution centers and shut down over 8,800 small, poorly-managed, and heavily-polluting enterprises.
While banning the imports of foreign waste, the Chinese government has been working to improve the country’s recycling system of solid waste. It supported domestic enterprises of solid waste recycling and reutilization, and accelerated garbage sorting in both rural and urban areas, so as to constantly improve the recycling rate of renewable resources.
The government also made national quality standards on raw materials of regenerated steel, iron and copper, and guided enterprises to import qualified and high-spec renewable feedstock.
Last year, China recycled 370 million metric tons of renewable resources, 110 million metric tons more than the 2016 level, or a rise of 42 percent. Recycling efforts are injecting new impetus into the country’s economic and social development.
By Wan Yu, People’s Daily
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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