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Qingdao in E China’s Shandong province moves towards higher end of home appliance industry

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By Li Rui, People’s Daily
As Zhang returned home from work and stepped through the door of his house, the room was
bathed in a gentle, gradually intensifying glow. When he prepared his supper, all he did was
hitting a button on an intelligent steam oven. As he lied down on the bed, the air conditioner
automatically set the temperature and airflow according to the data collected by his smart pillow,
ensuring a comfortable rest during the night.
What brought this convenience to him was the smart home appliances manufactured by Haier, a
multinational home appliances and consumer electronics company headquartered in Qingdao, east
China's Shandong province, and this scene was exactly an epitome of the thriving intelligent home
appliance industry in the city.
Qingdao is a major hub for advanced manufacturing in the home appliance industry. In recent
years, there has been rapid growth in the number of companies involved in making higher-end,
smarter, and more customized home appliance products and solutions.
Currently, there are over 2,200 such companies in the city, with 52 national-level research and
development innovation centers and 17 national champions in manufacturing.
In a smart factory of Fisher & Paykel in Qingdao, motors were assembled and then shipped to a
washing machine factory of Haier in the city.
Motor, a key component, is like the heart of a washing machine. As a company specialized in the
making of home appliance motors, Fisher & Paykel has been a long-term component supplier for
Haier. It set up a factory in Qingdao in 2015 under the assistance of Haier.
"This batch of motors all come with bar codes, which are their 'identity cards,'" said Wang
Ziqiang, general manager of the washing machine factory of Haier.
"In the past, it cost a lot of time and energy to conduct full-process inspections for the goods from
suppliers upon entering the factory," said Wang.
Relying on Haier's COSMOPlat industrial internet platform, Fisher & Paykel established a smart
factory that enables massive and customized production based on customers' demands, he added.
All production data are visualized and accessible, which marked a digital upgrade of the quality
assurance system, said Wang.
"With the assistance of Haier technicians, our production line has been optimized," said Sun Li,
general manager of Fisher & Paykel Appliances (Qingdao) Co., Ltd.
Through this in-depth collaboration, Fisher & Paykel has reduced quality losses by 30 percent and
increased the number of orders by 30 percent, according to Sun.
"This is an epitome of the synergy between the upstream and downstream sectors of the home
appliance industry in Qingdao, "said an official with the Qingdao Municipal Bureau of Industry
and Information Technology.
As the industry accelerates its clustering, chain owner enterprises play a leading role in connecting
advantageous resources from both ends of the supply chain, driving the overall improvement in
quality and efficiency for all companies along the chain, the offical said.

Control panel, as a key component of smart home appliances, used to be a weak link in the home
appliance industrial chain in Qingdao.
"In the past, there was a lack of control panel manufacturers locally, so home appliance companies
often had to purchase control panels from other places, resulting in high transportation costs and
unstable supply," said Liu Dachuan, director of the Qingdao Municipal Bureau of Industry and
Information Technology.
It was not just the control panel. In 2005, only less than 5 percent of the core components and
electronic devices used in locally manufactured home appliances came from Qingdao suppliers.
To address this issue, Qingdao released an investment guidance catalog for key components of
smart home appliances. The catalog highlights four major product categories and 18 subcategories
as priorities for attracting investment.
Diehl Controls, an outstanding supplier of control systems in the global home appliance industry,
has established Diehl Controls Qingdao subsidiary in the Qingdao Sino-German Ecopark, which
provides control panels and other components for home appliance manufacturers such as Haier.
"Sincerity is the greatest attraction," said Lyu Zhenyu, director of the investment promotion office
of the Qingdao Sino-German Ecopark, explaining the secret to attracting foreign investment.
"We provide full-lifecycle services, from initial planning and site selection to project construction
and operation," Lyu added.
So far, Qingdao has attracted a group of key component manufacturing companies, significantly
increasing the local supporting capability for core components and electronic devices.
In an exhibition hall of a national high-end intelligent home appliance innovation center in
Laoshan district, Qingdao, a number of premium home appliance chips were on display.
In the past, China's domestic chip industry was not yet fully developed. In 2019, Haier, together
with its upstream and downstream partners, jointly established the national high-end intelligent
home appliance innovation center.
The goal of establishing this center is not to build "fast cars," but to build "highways," said Gui
Zhihui, deputy general manager of the national high-end intelligent home appliance innovation
center.
Previously, from chip design, manufacturing, packaging and testing to application, upstream and
downstream enterprises were not well connected. The chip products themselves also lacked
standards that met the needs of the home appliance industry, as well as authoritative testing.
"Many home appliance and chip companies would send their chips to us for testing," said Gui.
"With the data we have collected, we gradually made standards that meet the needs of the home
appliance industry. Along this 'highway,' the entire home appliance industry of Qingdao can move
towards higher-end and more intelligent development."
"By proactively addressing the pain points in the industry, such as high-end scenario chips, the
Qingdao home appliance industry provides users with smarter and more convenient services. We
believe that in the future, your home will understand you better," Liu noted.

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Judge blocks Trump from deporting non-citizens using wartime law

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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.

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China’s new chapter in global innovation

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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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Chinese democracy in action:a village bench meeting shapes national law

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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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