Foreign
Have confidence in coming year, live better life

By Su Di
Chinese President Xi Jinping visited primary-level officials and residents in Tianjin ahead of the Spring Festival. He said that everyone should have confidence in the coming year and live a better life.
Xi’s sincere words and care inspired hundreds of millions of people to embrace a better tomorrow in the new journey with confidence and vigor.
In the past year, there were both sunny and stormy days. Particularly, some regions in China have been hit by natural disasters such as floods, typhoons, earthquakes, landslides, snow and ice storms, which have adversely affected people’s life and work.
In the face of difficulties, the army quickly arrived for the people, primary-level Party members and officials stayed at their posts day and night, volunteers stepped forward against the odds, and disaster-stricken people actively joined self-rescue efforts. Countless people, hand in hand, have weathered the storm together and achieved significant victories in disaster relief.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, noted that a country is prosperous only when its people live in peace, saying that the CPC Central Committee as well as Party committees and governments at all levels are concerned about everyone’s safety and well-being at all times. He also expressed the hope for villagers to rebuild their homes and create a happy life with their own hands.
Party committees and governments at all levels must do an even better job in making meticulous arrangements for people’s life and work in the disaster-affected areas, Xi said.
Officials and the general public should be united as one, and thus achieve major triumphs in their fight against the disasters and create a new life.
The more arduous the journey, the more precious the arrival. Over the past year, China has experienced trials and tribulations, but it also witnessed beautiful scenery and achieved significant accomplishments.
China has seen its economy continuously rebound and improve, as well as a bumper harvest in twenty consecutive years. New breakthroughs in scientific and technological innovation have been achieved, and the formation of new productive forces has accelerated. China’s high-level opening up has been continuously expanded, and the growth of residents’ income has outpaced its economic growth.
China not only developed itself but also actively embraced the world.
The China-Central Asia Summit and the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation were successfully held, and the Chengdu Universiade and the Hangzhou Asian Games presented spectacular moments.
The hard-won achievements were made against the backdrop of increasing unfavorable factors in the international political and economic environment, as well as the overlapping cyclical and structural problems at home. The Chinese people have created new opportunities, won the strategic initiative, and greatly boosted their confidence and determination in overcoming crises, tackling challenges, and responding to changing situations.
In front of difficulties and challenges, confidence is more precious than gold.
As the Spring Festival approaches, Pan Na, who lives in a mountainous village in Tianjin’s Jizhou district has been kept busy. Her B&B hotel has been fully booked, and she can’t rest during the Spring Festival holiday. However, she feels content.
Thanks to low-interest loan policies, improved infrastructure such as nearby scenic spots, ski resorts, and vehicle charging piles, and enhanced transportation due to the coordinated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, villagers like Pan have benefited from rural tourism. They are filled with confidence and anticipation for the coming new year.
In the new era, China boasts vast opportunities and potential. The future belongs to those who strive and take concrete actions. With unwavering confidence and a determined spirit, the country will continue to overcome obstacles and challenges. The efforts made by the country will converge into a mighty force propelling the nation towards a happier and brighter future.
The goal of advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization is inspiring and simple. Ultimately, it is about delivering a better life for the people.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and is a crucial year for achieving the goals and tasks outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan. With an untiring spirit, unremitting efforts and joint endeavor, the Chinese people will surely be able to cultivate the flowers of happiness and nurture a vibrant China that is full of hope.
Noticing the coming lunar year is the Year of the Dragon, Xi said that in Chinese culture, the dragon has multiple connotations, such as courage and endeavor, infinite vitality, good luck, etc., and carries people’s good wishes for and visions of the future.
In the new year, the Chinese people are embarking on a journey towards a better future.
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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