Foreign
Virtual power plants make energy use greener

By Ding Yiting, People’s Daily
In recent years, China’s power load has continued to grow, and extreme weathers have become more frequent, making it more difficult to ensure power supply during peak periods.
In response to the continuous growth in power load and other challenges, many regions in China are actively promoting the construction of virtual power plants to strengthen power supply during peak periods.
With no towering chimneys or plant buildings, and consuming no coal or other fuels, virtual power plants are invisible and intangible, yet possess some of the attributes of physical power plants, such as peak shaving and frequency regulation services.
Yang Kun, Executive President of the China Electricity Council, introduced that a virtual power plant is a smart energy system that aggregates distributed energy sources, power users, energy storage, and electric vehicles. Through coordinated optimization and control, it not only meets the energy demands of users, but also participates in the operation of power system and electricity market transactions.
At 20:00 on July 24, peak load approached in Hefei, capital of east China’s Anhui province. Chen Lu, who works for the State Grid Hefei Power Supply Company’s Power Dispatch and Control Center, issued instructions of load adjustment to 25 electric vehicle battery swapping stations of an auto manufacturer through a virtual power plant. In just one minute, the power grid saw its load reduce by 13,000 kilowatts, equivalent to the electricity load of over 2,000 households.
“After receiving the instructions, the battery swapping stations experienced a decrease in their average power output, which led to a slight increase of approximately 5 minutes in the charging time for each battery. However, this didn’t affect the time it would take for car owners to swap their batteries at these stations,” said an executive of the auto manufacturer.
Companies joining peak shaving services can receive certain benefits. So far, Hefei’s virtual power plants have been connected to various types of loads, including photovoltaic power stations, electric vehicle charging and swapping stations, energy storage stations, and air conditioning systems of buildings, with a total capacity exceeding 240,000 kilowatts.
In recent years, China has generally experienced an ample power supply but tightness during peak periods, which not always lasted long. Studies showed that for most provinces, the total duration when the power load exceeds 95 percent of the maximum load is only dozens of hours each year.
According to calculations, it could take several hundred billion yuan to build power plants and supporting grids in an attempt to ensure power supply in peak periods, but an alternative approach using virtual power plants could significantly reduce the cost to only 10 percent to 20 percent of what would be required for traditional power plants, said Sun Siyang, a researcher with the Energy Development Research Institute, China Southern Power Grid.
He believes that virtual power plants not only help gather decentralized demand-side resources, which eases supply-demand contradictions, but also save investment in traditional power plants and grids, allowing participating users to obtain certain incentives.
Apart from tapping into the potential of power load on the demand side, virtual power plants also improve the utilization efficiency of new energy from the supply side.
In Quzhou, east China’s Zhejiang province, photovoltaic power generation accounts for over 40 percent of the province’s total installed capacity. However, the reliance of photovoltaic power generation on weather conditions once posed a challenge to the stable operation of the power grid.
Recently, a “hydro-photovoltaic-storage” intelligent and flexible system was launched in the city, with over 300 hydropower stations, photovoltaic power stations and energy storage stations connected to a large virtual power plant. When there is excess power generated by photovoltaic systems, it is stored for later use. Conversely, when the capacity of photovoltaic power generation is insufficient, the stored power is utilized to fill the gap.
“In the past, dispatchers could only passively adjust resources after load fluctuations occurred based on their experience. Now through virtual power plants and technologies like big data and artificial intelligence, they can control hydropower, photovoltaic power and energy storage in an integrated manner, so as to predict and generate dispatching strategies in advance, preparing before problems arise,” said Wu Chang, who is in charge of grid operation models at State Grid Quzhou Power Supply Company.
At present, China is accelerating the development of new energy. By the first half of this year, the installed capacities of wind power and photovoltaic power reached 389 million kilowatts and 470 million kilowatts, accounting for about 32 percent of China’s total installed capacity.
As the proportion of new energy continues to increase, its intermittency, randomness, and volatility make grid regulation more difficult, and the balancing and security issues of the power system become more prominent.
Distributed photovoltaics developed rapidly, accounting for more than half of the newly installed photovoltaic capacity in the first half of the year, said Sun, adding these distributed new energy sources have been directly integrated into the distribution network, and when the scale reaches a certain level, they will pose certain challenges to the safe and stable operation of the grid.
He noted virtual power plants can help the grid absorb more fluctuating new energy sources, thereby enhancing the real-time balancing and security of power supply of the power system, and promoting green energy use.
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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