Racing back-to-back in an intensive competition schedule often creates extreme fatigue for athletes, but several Chinese track and field stars are shrugging off this issue.

The Chinese national athletics team did not achieve what they were expecting at the Budapest world championships in August, bagging only two bronze medals thanks to two female athletes, Feng Bin in the women's discus throw and Gong Lijiao in the women's shot put.

Feng, who finished in third place at the world championships with a career second-best of 68.20 meters, is among the Chinese athletes taking on high-profile events one after another, from the 2022 World Athletics Championships in August to the Diamond League event over the weekend, followed by the Asian Games to be hosted by China.

The 28-year-old, who clinched her third career best at the Diamond League in Xiamen, East China's Fujian Province, with a sensational last throw of 67.41 meters to defeat Croatia's title contender Sandra Perkovic and newly crowned world champion, US' Laulauga Tausaga, said that the result boosted her confidence of doing better at the upcoming Asian Games. 

"My best form sometimes comes at the late stage during the competition," Feng told reporters after the Diamond League race. "It's an honor to win a title on home soil.

"My goal at the Asian Games is to make some breakthroughs for myself, as I believe everything is possible in athletics," Feng said, before noting that she hopes to set a new personal best at the Asian Games.

Feng's current personal best sits at 69.12 meters, which was set at the 2022 World Athletics Championships where she won the gold medal. 

At the Asian Games in 2018, she won a silver medal with a 64.25-­meter throw. Currently the Asian Games' record sits at 66.18 meters, set by Feng's compatriot Li Yanfeng during the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. 

Sprinting hopes

Sprinter Xie Zhenye, who has been pinned as China's hopes in the men's 100-meter sprint after trailblazer Su Bingtian decided to sit out in 2023 due to an injury, finished in eighth place with a time of 10.12 seconds in a 10-man race. 

In a fiercely competitive sprint race, 30-year-old Xie faced several elite sprinters, including 2011 world champion Yohan Blake, 2019 world champion Christian Coleman, 2022 world champion Fred Kerley, and Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Marcell Jacobs. 

Xie however said that he is aiming for the gold medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.

"I fell behind at the beginning of the race when competing with these elites," Xie told reporters after Coleman won the race in 9.83 seconds. "As we continue to troubleshoot, I still have nearly a month to hone my skills for the Asian Games."

Xie, who is a Zhejiang native, said his goal at the Asian Games is to win the championship at hometown. 

"The Asian Games is vital for me as it is being held in my hometown. Participating in the Diamond League competition could activate my best form for the Asian Games," Xie noted. 

Xia Sining, who became an online sensation, clocked in at 13.19 seconds in the women's 100 meters hurdles. Her season was beleaguered by injuries as they prevented the star athlete to progress. 

"Athletes are no stranger to injuries," 20-year-old Xia told reporters. "But we need to figure out ways of how to alleviate it and avoid injuries in the first place."

When asked about the online attention she receives, she said the only way is to channel pressure into motivation.

"Athletics is not only about winning championships however, but also gives returns to everyone who loves the sport passionately," Xia said. 

"I just train when I need to train as it is a competitive sport, to turn the pressure outside of the field into motivation," said Xia, who is training with Sun Haiping, the man who ensured hurdles star Liu Xiang's rise to fame two decades ago.

However, Xia will not compete for China at the Asian Games, as her current personal best, 13.14 seconds, is shy of leading athletes Wu Yanni and Lin Yuwei's times as they have broken the 13-second barrier. 

Wu skipped Saturday's race and Lin won the event by clocking in at 13.00 seconds. Lin has also eyed the upcoming Asian Games for a better performance.

"I will bring my all effort to the coming Asian Games," Lin said after the race, before paying tribute to teammate Ge Manqi, a 100 meters sprint specialist from Fujian, for soldiering on through the tough times. 

"We have been encouraging each other through the common difficulties we have faced this year. Hopefully we will give a better performance at the Asian Games," Lin said.

More to come

Xiamen is no stranger to athletics as the city's annual marathon race is considered one of the most picturesque races, attracting thousands of participants every year. 

The Diamond League race held in Xiamen on Saturday marked its debut in the coastal city, as Xiamen will play host to the Diamond League for 10 consecutive seasons. 

The debut of the Xiamen Egret Stadium, the venue of the Diamond League and a return of the prestigious athletics event to China after a three-year hiatus, witnessed nearly 30,000 spectators in attendance at the 53,405-seat stadium, according to event organizers. 

US sprinter Kerley was impressed by the design of the stadium and the surrounding view, saying it would be great to see Xiamen hosting an athletics world championship. 

Xiamen will also host the 2027 Asian athletics championships.

The women's discus winner Feng said she is looking forward to seeing more top-tier international athletics events held in China.

"The more top-level international events held in China, the more chances we can compete with other internationally high-level athletes," Feng said. 

"This could facilitate exchanges between Chinese track and field athletes and the international counterparts."

Both competing in the last subdivision of the day, the men's team and the women's team of artistic gymnastics of Team China gave their home crowd performances worth waiting, both bagging gold medals. 

On Monday night, an enthusiastic crowd filled the Huanglong Sports Centre Gymnasium and burst into biggest cheers and applaud for the girls of the Chinese team. With a very young squad aged from 15 to 22, the girls snatched a team gold medal despite a few glitches during the beam competitions. 

"Even if there were various degrees of faults during the competition, everybody has worked hard and adjusted out mindset," 15-year-old Zhang Xinyi said to the reporters after the game. "We were able to adapt quickly and get ready for the next events."

Zhang also credited their victory to the team and the crowd. "The audience was very enthusiastic, cheering us on," she said. 

The team compiled the top team scores on each of the four apparatuses. After the match, the team dedicated their victory to team spirit and perseverance.

Japan ranked closely behind China, while North Korea snatched  bronze. 

During the competition, the members of the Chinese team and the members of the Japanese team displayed a warm and friendly attitude to each other, cheering for the other team's athletes when they were switching apparatuses. 

Speaking to the Global Times, Zhang said that they would like to encourage each other even if it was a competition. 

"Whilst in the match, we both cheered each other on. We respect each other," she told the Global Times.

"Even if we're from different countries, we can cheer each other on," Japan's Mikako Serita told the Global Times. "The Chinese gymnasts were waving at us and we felt the friendly vibe."

"To put it simply, I think gymnastics is a great sport," she said.

Earlier on Sunday night, China's men's team also finished with gold, while Japan and Chinese Taipei were silver and bronze medalists. 

"Our preparations were actually very thorough, but we still encountered some difficulties," said Xiao Ruoteng of Team China.

Xiao credited the enthusiastic crowd for inspiring and empowering his team. "We felt the audience cheering us on, and it felt like there was still a strong force behind us pushing us forward," he added.

The artistic gymnastics team finals also served as qualification games for the all-around and apparatus finals. During Monday's competitions, veteran gymnast Oksana Chusovitina also earned the loudest cheers from the crowd. 

The 48-year-old eight-time-Olympian performed well enough to qualify for the vault apparatus final. She blew a kiss and showed a heart-shape with her arms to the supporting Chinese audience. 

"As long as I enjoy gymnastics, I don't know when I will finish," Chusovitina said after the game, expressing her love for the sport.

Artists from China and Uzbekistan wrapped up their concert on a high note on Tuesday in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province. 

The concert was dedicated to commemorating the fifth anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Qingdao Summit, promoting cultural exchanges among Belt and Road Initiative partner countries and strengthening cooperation between SCO partner countries. 

The concert, featuring renowned singers and conductors from China and Uzbekistan, was held in four Chinese cities - Lanzhou, Xining, Xi'an and Qingdao - from Friday to Tuesday, offering an artistic feast for local music lovers.

Rustam Abdullaev, chairman of the Union of Composers and Bastakors of Uzbekistan, told the Global Times that "the kind and hard-working characteristics of people in China and Uzbekistan give us a lot in common in music."

One work was jointly performed by artists from China and Uzbekistan. Based on the distinctive music of China and Uzbekistan, the symphony celebrates the friendship and shows that in the context of jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative, China and Eurasian countries are committed to creating a better future.

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has conceded defeat in the country's landmark referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, and vowed continued efforts to address disadvantages faced by First Australians.

Speaking in Canberra on Saturday night hours after polls closed, Albanese said it was clear a majority of Australians had voted against changing the constitution to establish an Indigenous advisory body to the federal parliament.

"My fellow Australians, at the outset, I want to say that while tonight's result is not one that I had hoped for, I absolutely respect the decision of the Australian people and the democratic process that has delivered it," he said.

"I never imagined or indeed said that it would be easy. History told us that only eight out of 44 had done so," he said, adding that "and of course, when you do the hard things, when you aim high, sometimes you fall short. And tonight we acknowledge, understand and respect that we have."

In order to be successful, the "yes" vote needed to achieve a double majority, meaning more than 50 percent of Australia's 17.6 million enrolled voters as well as a majority in at least four of the country's six states needed to vote in favor of changing the constitution.

With 60 percent of votes counted by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) as of 10 p.m. Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) (1100 GMT) on Saturday, 59 percent of Australians had voted "no", including a majority in all six states.

Albanese, an advocate of the Voice since it was first proposed in 2017, said it was time for Australians to come together to address disadvantages faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including lower life expectancy and higher rates of incarceration, disease and suicide than the non-Indigenous population.

"A great nation like ours can and must do better for the First Australians," Albanese said.

"We intend as a government to continue to do what we can to close the gap, to do what we can to advance reconciliation, to do what we can to listen to the First Australians."

Peter Dutton, the leader of the opposition Coalition parties and a leading campaigner for the "no" vote - said the result was "good for our country."

"The Coalition, local Australians, wants to see Indigenous disadvantage addressed. We just disagree on the Voice being the solution," he said in a speech to a campaign event, "and while Yes and No voters may hold differences of opinion, these opinions of difference do not diminish a love for our country or our regard for each other."

A series of activities titled "Sensing Beijing for Chinese Envoys" was held at the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM). Fifteen diplomats from more than 10 countries, including Grenada, Serbia, Singapore, Nepal, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Zambia, Chad, and Dominica, experienced the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) in an immersive way.

The event was co-hosted by the Foreign Affairs Office of the Beijing municipal government and the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine.

For the first time, the diplomats gained a systematic understanding of the historical background and cultural connotation of the TCM. The diplomats were amazed by TCM and said it was " amazing!" They also visited the TCM exhibition hall at the BUCM to experience the profound culture and witness its  progress and development in recent years. The diplomats also experienced Tuina (Chinese therapeutic massage), acupuncture, cupping, moxibustion, and other forms of TCM treatment.

Editor's Note:

The crisis in Ukraine has escalated dramatically over the past year, with ongoing hostilities inflicting enormous trauma on both parties involved - Ukraine and Russia. In mid-July, Gao Zhikai, vice president of the Center for China and Globalization, a Beijing-based nongovernmental think tank, visited Kiev, the capital city of Ukraine. During a recent interview with Global Times reporters Chen Qingqing and Bai Yunyi, Gao shared his observations and experiences in Kiev, as well as his interactions with Ukrainians from various fields. Gao said he hopes for an early end to the crisis and wishes for the Ukrainian people to lead peaceful, harmonious, progressive and prosperous lives. "Peace will not come easily," he said, "but it is worth every effort to strive for."

This story is a part of the Global Times' series of "Witness to history," which features first-hand accounts from witnesses who were at the forefront of historic moments. From scholars, politicians and diplomats to ordinary citizens, their authentic reflections on the impact of historical moments help reveal a sound future for humanity through the solid steps forward taken in the past and the present.
Three air raid alarms within 36 hours

Gao's journey was somewhat complicated due to the no-fly zone over all of Ukraine: He had to first fly from Beijing to Warsaw, Poland, then take a train to the Polish-Ukrainian border, and from there catch another train to Kiev. He only spent 36 hours in Kiev, but the round trip took him four days in total.

What struck him the most was that during his 36-hour stay in Kiev, he experienced three air raid alarms. The first was at noon and was quickly lifted, so he didn't pay it much mind. The second occurred at 4 am in the dark of night when the alarm suddenly sounded, prompting him to quickly put on his helmet and rush to the second basement level of the hotel, which has since been turned into a "shelter" since the outbreak of the conflict.

He then noticed that the decent-sized hotel only had five or six guests. Everyone was silent yet tense, and they waited in the silent, anxious atmosphere for over an hour.

The third air raid warning occurred at noon the next day, just as he finished a working lunch with Ukrainian officials and was about to board a car. Suddenly, the alarm sounded again over the entire city of Kiev, and every person's phone also buzzed with an alert, making it seem as though the entire world was booming.

Many people ran past Gao in a panic, and the streets quickly emptied. Gao said his Ukrainian friend quickly pulled him into the basement of the restaurant, telling him that during an air raid warning, anything moving above ground could potentially become a target of attack for both sides.

Gao said his Ukrainian friend told him that since the outbreak of the conflict, almost all underground spaces in Ukraine have been turned into shelters: City subway stations have become the largest "air-raid shelters" - due to the influence of the Soviet era, Ukraine's subway stations are very deep underground, so they are relatively safe.

Many restaurants, office buildings, and hotel basements, first, and second floors have also been converted into shelters, but many are quite "basic" and it's hard to guarantee safety. As soon as an air raid warning sounds, everyone must immediately seek shelter in the nearest bunker.

Gao said that although he experienced three air raid warnings during his 36 hours in Kiev, the main target of Russia's military action is not actually Kiev. The frequent air raid warnings during this time were mainly because the NATO summit was taking place in Vilnius, Lithuania, and Russia was trying to express its dissatisfaction and display its "toughness" through air raids on the Ukrainian capital city.

'Hardly see faces of adult men'

While the frontlines are mostly concentrated in Eastern Ukraine, the traces of the crisis are very evident in and around Kiev.

Heading north out of Kiev, one can see that the suburban roads are still heavily patrolled with numerous roadblocks and iron fences set up to impede the progress of tanks.

Gao said that he noticed that Ukraine's preparations are strict, with the rigorous inspection of people and vehicles at each checkpoint, and the tense atmosphere is palpable.

The destruction of suburban buildings is severe: Some buildings are half-destroyed, revealing their contents like pianos, furniture, and even children's backpacks hanging on the walls inside; there are also half-collapsed shopping malls, the insides of which are in disarray.
Life inside Kiev is much calmer. Aside from the occasional air raid siren and nightly curfews, people can generally continue to work, shop, and eat normally. In Kiev's supermarkets and shops, aside from medicine, Gao said he didn't notice any significant signs of shortages, and prices were stable. Prices for grains, vegetables, and fruits were even slightly cheaper than in Beijing and neighboring Poland, though imported goods were more expensive. Most restaurants were operating normally, and the one in which he had his working lunch was almost "packed."

However, in downturn Kiev, the exteriors of all major institutional buildings are tightly surrounded by makeshift defensive barriers made of sandbags and bricks. The doors are tightly sealed and guarded by soldiers to prevent sudden infiltration, and military vehicles and personnel are visible everywhere on the roads. On his first day in Kiev, Gao saw a long row of ambulances standing by at the train station, perhaps waiting for the arrival of injured personnel from afar.

What he will never forget are the faces he saw on the streets of Kiev: There were women, children, and the elderly, but very few adult men, and it was the same on the train from the border to Kiev. Once, while he was walking on the street, a soldier in uniform came out from barrier behind to check on him. Upon closer inspection, Gao noticed that the soldier was a boy of 15 or 16 years old. His face was rosy and still had some baby fat. Gao believed that perhaps most adult men in Ukraine have already gone to the frontlines.

Regrettable process of 'de-Russification'

During his trip, Gao had conversations with the Ukrainian government personnel, military officials, and ordinary citizens about their perspectives on the future of the crisis. Every Ukrainian he encountered essentially held a "resist to the end" mentality. The Ukrainian government displays Russian tanks and weapons captured during the conflict in some squares to boost morale.

However, most Ukrainians, including those in the military and government, still place their hopes of "victory" on NATO, Gao said. They like to talk about "if NATO approves Ukraine's membership, this or that could happen," or "if NATO provides us with more weapons, we could do this or that," despite the US clearly stating that it won't admit Ukraine into NATO before the end of the conflict.

Some Ukrainians place their hopes on political changes within Russia. One member of the Ukrainian military told Gao, "The key to Ukraine's ultimate victory may not lie in the battlefield, but in Moscow."
Since the outbreak of the conflict, the process of "de-Russification" has become increasingly apparent throughout Ukraine. This trend began in 2014, but the outbreak of conflict undoubtedly accelerated it. Nowadays, it's rare to see statues or symbols from the Soviet era or related to Russia in the streets of Kiev and other cities. Not only were statues or monuments of Soviet politicians like Stalin and Zhukov toppled, but also the statues of Russian writer Pushkin and Soviet writer Gorky were gone.

Ukraine is also renaming streets and villages, eliminating any associations between place names and Russia. Moreover, the government has issued orders that effectively ban the use of Russian in newspapers and broadcasts.

From the perspective of an outsider like Gao, all of this evokes a sense of regret. For many foreigners, it's hard to distinguish between Russians and Ukrainians when walking on the street, and to his ears, Russian and Ukrainian sound as similar as the Beijing dialect and the Tianjin dialect. The intertwined histories and cultures of the two countries are so deeply entwined.

Importance of China's role

How do Ukrainians view China's role? China and Ukraine established diplomatic relations on January 4, 1992, built a comprehensive friendly cooperative relationship in 2001, and jointly announced the establishment of a strategic partnership in 2011. The two countries have fostered friendly and mutually beneficial relations across various fields, with rapid cooperative development.

During Gao's visit, he had this discussion with many Ukrainians and sensed a kind of "complex" feeling among Ukrainians toward China.

On one hand, over the years, American media and public opinion have had a great influence on the Ukrainian public. Since the outbreak of the conflict, American narratives have attempted to demonize Russia, while also portraying China as a "complicit party."

Today, many Ukrainians have been blinded by the American narrative, believing that the US is helping them achieve independence and freedom, while China is "assisting Russia," which is a clear misinterpretation of China's real stance.

China is neither the creator of the Ukraine crisis nor a party involved. On the issue of the Ukraine crisis, China has always stood on the side of peace, and its core position is to promote peace and encourage dialogue.

On the other hand, they have expectations for China - they are very aware of China's significance in promoting peace and talks.

"For instance, a Ukrainian government official once suggested to me that China could act as a 'middleman' in taking care of the prisoners of war from both Russia and Ukraine. Currently, both sides have captured a large number of prisoners, who are being treated very poorly with frequent reports of abuses," Gao noted.

In the eyes of Ukrainians, the relationship between the West and Russia has deteriorated to a freezing point, and no Western country can play this role.

Only China might be able to help the prisoners on both sides to receive humanitarian treatment. This shows the importance Ukrainians attach to China's role, as well as their complex yet expectant feelings toward China, Gao said.

Upon leaving Ukraine, Gao said that he kept thinking that Ukraine is a country rich in resources, its people are hard-working, kind, intelligent, and brave.

With proper governance, Ukraine can certainly become a prosperous country on the Eurasian continent. And the beautiful future of Ukraine firstly lies in ending the current crisis and restoring peace as soon as possible.

China attaches great importance to promoting gender equality and also has great concern for women's rights in Afghanistan, but it will not threaten to cut off aid to Afghanistan as have many Western countries to exert pressure, which would only exacerbate conflict, said Zhao Haihan, Chargé d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Afghanistan. 

Since the establishment of the Taliban interim government in Afghanistan, a series of policies restricting women's access to education and employment has been implemented, attracting much attention from the international community. 

Zhao said that Chinese government through the embassy in Afghanistan has also made inquiries about this issue to Afghan officials and received a response that Afghanistan is establishing relevant committees to study and tackle issues such as the creation of a women's education curriculum, and they will reinstate access to higher learning once such provisions are in place, after existing internal disagreements are resolved.  

Some Afghan officials reached in the course of finding a resolution said that they do value the protection of women's rights. After the Taliban took over, they immediately banned the prevalent practice of child marriage and fought for equal inheritance rights for women, especially widows. However, these positive changes have been ignored by the international community, especially by the US and other Western countries.

The approach taken by some Western countries, including issuing threats to cut off aid to Afghanistan to pressure to force the Afghan government hand are unlikely to exert effect as the government has a strong sense of sovereignty and consistently opposes foreign interference, said Zhao. 

"We prefer to work in ways that are in line with Chinese traditional culture and diplomatic principles. We will initiate full and patient communication to persuade them to adapt to the development trend of the times and the expectations of the people, and make positive changes themselves. This approach may be more effective," said Zhao. 

It is also important to emphasize that while women's rights are important, they are only part of the many issues in Afghanistan. Moreover, the unfair treatment of Afghanistan, such as the imposition of unjust sanctions and asset freezes, should not be ignored. The international community needs to comprehensively, objectively, and fairly address and resolve issues in Afghanistan, without selective disregard for certain aspects, said Zhao.

In history, Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, was once an important hub along the ancient Silk Road, with notable figures such as China's envoy Zhang Qian, and pilgrims Faxian and Xuanzang leaving their footprints here. Due to its harsh climate and geographical conditions, those who embarked on this route in different eras were often bestowed titles like "explorers," "warriors," and "pioneers." 

Today, the Silk Road still attracts such trailblazers, but the Silk Road Economic Belt under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has changed dramatically from its predecessors. One by one, major projects designed and built by China have left a unique and beautiful mark along the Silk Road in the new era.

Recently, Global Times reporters explored the super projects undertaken by Chinese enterprises in Uzbekistan to witness the embodiment of Chinese technology, quality standards, and wisdom, as the grand projects have brought about tremendous changes to the socio-economic landscape of Central Asia.

A modern town part of national 'heritage' 

When looking into the distance from the heights of Tashkent, a mushrooming of modern sports stadiums appears. The Olympic Town of Uzbekistan constructed by the China CAMC Engineering Company, which will be the largest sports complex in the entire Central Asia region upon its completion, is just one of the grand sports-related projects under construction. Two years hence, in 2025, the Olympic town will play host to the 4th Asian Youth Games and the 5th Asian Youth.

"You guys came a little too early. By the middle of September, the structures of the five main stadiums will have been completed," Han Xueli, business project manager at China CAMC Engineering Company, told the Global Times on August 17. 

The Olympic Town project is a large sports complex covering an area of 100 hectares, including 5 main stadiums and 15 outdoor sports fields. It is the first large-scale cooperative project to be jointly undertaken by China and Uzbekistan after the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Samarkand summit in 2022. 

Han explained that the design, construction, and quality assurance have all adopted Chinese standards, integrated high-end technology with green elements. For example, the project will install a rooftop photovoltaic system with a total capacity of 7 megawatts. All the roofs of parking lots and sports facilities, such as the ball sports complex, will be covered with solar panels. This will not only facilitate the entry of new energy vehicles but also meet the daily electricity needs of the entire sports complex.

Fully utilizing the existing terrain, the project has two landscape water systems that are both aesthetically pleasing and practical thanks to their rainwater storage capacities. Considering the local climate, the project has embedded pipes capable of drip irrigation, replacing the previous flood irrigation system in Tashkent. Additionally, the Olympic Town incorporates 5G technology to achieve smart venues and intelligent operations.

However, completing such high-quality project within two years is not an easy task. The Uzbekistan-based China CAMC Engineering Company team has contributed a lot toward meeting the deadline. 

In the eyes of many Uzbeks, many of these Chinese concepts and standards have surpassed their expectations. Moreover, under the difficult environment of both extreme heat and cold, it is not easy to complete a project of this scale without compromising on quality in just two years' time and realize its completion by the end of 2024. However, the Chinese contractor has always actively looked for ways to solve problems and work with the Uzbek side to actualize the ambitions completion goal.

"During summer, we usually do the construction work in the morning and early evening, so as to avoid the hottest time at noon; water pipes crack easily in winter, so we strive to complete the upper steel structure lifting before the arrival of winter," said Han. 

In order to realize the real-time follow up of the project, we also introduced China's Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology, Han said proudly. BIM modeling allows users to create and view a virtual model of intelligent 3D objects, which can help with visualization, quantification, and simulation of design, construction, and other tasks related to the building process.

The quality and construction speed of the Olympic City project has also been applauded by Uzbeks. This is Uzbekistan's first world-class Olympic facility and we are creating new standards thanks to Chinese companies. Such projects will boost the economic development of the country, Vadim Akhmadiev, Technical Project manager of the Ministry for Sport and Youth Policy of Uzbekistan, told the Global Times. 

Akhmadiev said the Olympic City project will become a part of Uzbekistan's "heritage." "It is not only important for my generation, but also for the next generation."

Making history on open road

In the bazaars of Tashkent, fresh and succulent pomegranates and tomatoes from the Fergana Valley entice consumers. However, locals told the Global Times that such scenes were a rarity a decade ago. Hindered by the Tianshan Mountains, it was not easy for people from Eastern Uzbekistan's Fergana region to access the capital city. They would often resort to detouring through neighboring Tajikistan, which would take as much as an entire day. 

However, this predicament has been completely transformed by a railway tunnel - the Qamchiq Tunnel. This is currently the longest railway tunnel in Central Asia, spanning 19.2 kilometers, which is also a crucial project that connects the Angren-Pap railway line, a key transportation route between the eastern and western parts of Uzbekistan. 

The Qamchiq Tunnel project undertaken by the China Railway Tunnel Group (CRTG) began construction in 2013. The main tunnel was completed in February 2016, and was officially opened to traffic in June of the same year. In other words, it took only 900 days for Chinese contractors to complete what's considered to be a wonder - constructing a train tunnel through which trains can traverse the mountains in just 900 seconds.

"The construction of the tunnel was very difficult," Zhou Xiaoguang, project manager of the Qamchiq Tunnel project from CRTG, told the Global Times. 

The tunnel passes through the mountain at an altitude of 1,200 meters, with a maximum depth of the buried main line of 1,300 meters, which has to pass through seven geological fault zones and nearly 10 kilometers of rock burst zones.

Such a long tunnel not only needs to excavated, but needs the addition of safety access points including inclined shafts and contact access, further complicating the engineering process.

In the eyes of Deng Wei, a technician who once participated in the construction of the Kamchik Tunnel, frequent rock falls were the biggest problem encountered during the tunnel's construction that year.

"There were more than 3,000 rock falls of moderate intensity and above, and the most serious one caused the tunnel to collapse for a length of 2,000 cubic meters, posing a great threat to the safety and even the psychology of construction workers," Deng told the Global Times.

In order to overcome the perplexing problem of rock falls, the CRTG contractors organized several multinational expert meetings and conducted joint scientific research with Chinese domestic universities to develop sound scientific methods. 

Thanks to the timely research and proper technological applications, no injuries were suffered from rock fall in the nearly 10-kilometer long rock explosion zone, Deng recalled proudly.

The harsh environment was another major difficulty encountered in the construction. Zhou still remembers that in January 2014, a rare heavy snow storm which lasted for two weeks caused an avalanche on the mountain near the tunnel, which was 7-8 meters thick and more than 40 meters long, effectively enclosing the construction team within the construction site, and cut access to outside production and amenities transportation channel. "Later, workers used large machines for three days to reopen the lifeline," Zhou lamented.

"It is because of the 'Chinese spirit' of overcoming adversity that we were able to complete this super project in 900 days, which was once estimated to take as long as 25 years to complete by experts during the Soviet Union period," he said.

Further enhanced mutual trust

The successful launch and development of China's mega projects overseas reflects the further enhanced of political mutual trust between China and Central Asia in recent years. 

Han told Global Times that whenever there are problems in the construction of the Olympic Town, various departments such as the Uzbekistan Ministry of Sports, Customs Committee, and city government of Tashkent always appear to help China coordinate efforts to solve the problems.

"For example, Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev even personally signed a presidential decree to open a 'green channel' for us to import a large amount of construction materials and equipment, ensuring that the imported supplies for the project could clear customs with zero tariffs and were delivered to the site quickly," Han said. "The high level of trust and support from the Uzbek side toward China is an important reason why mega projects like the Olympic Town are able to progress so rapidly."

Additionally, the acceleration of the internationalization process of the Chinese Yuan has also become an important driving force for more Chinese mega projects to go global. Taking the Uzbekistan's Olympic Town as an example, the project adopted the RMB loan model, with the Export-Import Bank of China providing RMB loans. This is also the first international engineering project in Uzbekistan to be financed by a sovereign commercial loan denominated in RMB. Observers noted that compared with financing through European and American capital markets, RMB loans have lower costs and are more economically beneficial to the financing country.

At the same time, China's mega projects are also reshaping the geopolitical landscape of Central Asia. Taking the Qamchiq Tunnel as an example, the completion of this railway tunnel has not only eliminated the need for long detours through other countries, but also has the potential to become a new transportation hub and important international transit channel along the China-Central Asia-Europe transportation corridor. 

"In the last two years, the construction of the future operation of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project has been made a priority. If this railway can be successfully built, trains departing from China in the future will enter Uzbekistan through Kyrgyzstan, pass through the Qamchiq Tunnel to Tashkent, and then continue through Turkmenistan and the Middle East to Europe. This route will be the shortest and fastest route for the Eurasian continent," said Zhou.

The BRI is transforming Uzbekistan from a landlocked country into an important transportation hub in the region, and promoting the integration of Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries into the global economy and the world's logistics system, said Saidmukhtar Saidkasimov, former deputy prime minister and former foreign minister of Uzbekistan, in an exclusive interview with the Global Times.

In Han's view, all the hard work today is worth it, because he expects that after the completion of the project, the people of Uzbekistan will usher in their own country's era of high-standard and modern venues, and become another bright "Made in China" calling card in Central Asia.

Editor's Note:

On September 20, the 2023 China-Europe Seminar on Human Rights was held, co-hosted by a Chinese think tank, the China Society for Human Rights Studies (CSHRS), and the Faculty of Law at Sapienza University of Rome in Italy. Global Times reporters attended the seminar in Rome and talked with Chinese and international experts with many of them agreeing that although the human rights cause is facing the challenges of politicization and instrumentalization, the strong desire for exchanges between Chinese and Western political and academic circles has always been there.

More than 130 human rights experts, officials, and representatives from political parties and social organizations from different countries, including China, Italy, Greece, the UK, the US, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Norway, Poland, Portugal, and Serbia attended the 2023 China-Europe Seminar on Human Rights in Rome, Italy, on September 20 and shared their perspectives on human rights. 

Long before the seminar was held, it attracted international attention due to its theme on human rights and its timing as the US had beefed up its onslaught against China by attacking its human rights situation and the Italian government was mulling over a potential withdrawal from the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). 

On September 15, for instance, an Italian media outlet, Decode39, said in a report that the delegation of more than 50 Chinese scholars and officials scheduled to attend the human rights seminar in Rome were part of Beijing's efforts to "gear up for human rights propaganda" just as Italy "gears up to exit" the BRI.

The narrative that China is working to alter the definition of human rights to confront the US and the West has been routinely spread in recent years together with intensified scrutiny on seminars held by Chinese universities and think tanks. But such chatter has not stopped Chinese scholars' enthusiasm in having exchanges with global experts as they believe that only communication can dispel the misunderstanding surrounding China's human rights situation and promote global human rights governance. 

Seeking consensus

During the seminar in Rome, Chinese scholars and officials spoke of their understanding of human rights more openly and confidently. In his opening address, Baima Chilin, President of the CSHRS, called on countries to promote positive progress in global human rights governance through solidarity and cooperation, and promote the free and comprehensive development of all people in the process of modernization.

All countries should also join hands to find solutions to problems and challenges that exist in the field of global human rights, said Baima. He also welcomed more international visitors to China for a closer look at China's human rights development.

Tang Xianwen, Secretary-General of the CSHRS, said at the seminar that people-oriented thought runs through the political history of China and affects the Chinese civilization and modernization. 

The immutable goal of the Chinese modernization drive is to meet the people's aspirations for a better life, Tang noted, adding that the Communist Party of China (CPC) is dedicated not only to pursuing happiness for the Chinese people, but also to human progress and global harmony. China is a staunch supporter of globalization and international cooperation. The China-Europe Railway Express under the BRI is a good example.

"Looking forward, I hope we can harness the wisdom and strength of our two great civilizations, shedding a light on the mutual objectives of China and Europe in the field of human rights, and advancing human rights causes in the world," said Tang.

The Chinese Ambassador to Italy Jia Guide also attended the seminar and called for the promotion of the healthy development of the international human rights cause, which requires unity, not division, and cooperation, not confrontation. 

"In February this year, China and the EU held the 38th Human Rights Dialogue in Brussels. Today we are holding an online and offline China-EU seminar on human rights here, which has further enhanced mutual understanding among all parties," said Jia.

China is willing to work with the international community to abide by the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and conduct human rights exchanges and cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual respect, said Jia.

The ambassador also called for the international community to oppose the politicization and instrumentalization of human rights issues, and promote global human rights governance in a fairer, more just, reasonable, and inclusive direction moving forward, promote the construction of a global community of shared future, and jointly build a better world.

Echoing Jia, many foreign scholars also expressed their worries over the alarming trend of weaponizing human rights topics. 

Nako Stefanov, Head of the Bulgarian National Peace Council and Director of the Bulgarian Institute for Strategic Studies, said at the seminar that the neoliberal and capitalist model of the US has become the American global economic and political platform to implement American globalization, which has affected the global democratic system as any countries in the world that dare to oppose the US could be accused of violating democracy and human rights, and be punished accordingly.

"We have witnessed the largest inequality in the human world and we hope to overcome the problems brought by liberalism and to truly follow the principles of social justice, equality, and social solidarity in order to overcome poverty and respect the rights to development and decent human life," said Stefanov. 

Fabio Marcelli, former director of the Institute for International Legal Studies, National Research Council of Italy, criticized some countries of using human rights causes as tools to contain other countries' development, including imposing sanctions or employing stigmatization.

Marcelli mentioned that the claim of so-called genocide in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is no more than propaganda and related topics have been instrumentalized. As for the Xinjiang region, the outside world can see China's measures in prioritizing its underdeveloped regions. If people promote development in the same way it has been in the region, many underdeveloped places around the world will benefit greatly.

Unity, not division

The Global Times reporters witnessed exchanges everywhere at the seminar, from official meetings to coffee breaks. To accommodate unfinished speeches, the opening ceremony in the morning was extended by a full hour.

During the seminar, mutual understanding and respect were stressed despite different views.

For example, in his speech, Wang Wen, executive director of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at the Renmin University of China, mentioned that the sanitation conditions in some European cities, especially Paris, Madrid, and Milan had made an impression on him, pointing out that such poor conditions violate people's right to live comfortable lives in cities. 

The high commodity prices and the crumbling infrastructure also perturbed Wang as he questioned whether Europe is indeed paying attention to human rights.

"The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen is a bit like the Empress Dowager Cixi in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). She is leading Europe into an infinite abyss," said Wang.

Wang noted that Europe may be suffering from the arrogance, ignorance, and laziness of some politicians and their lack of understanding of China's human rights development. 

Wang's remarks led to some laughter and applause.

The seminar was also open to guests who had viewed China's human rights cause with prejudice. 

The Global Times reporters learned that two staffers at the US Embassy in Italy were also present at the seminar that day. One of them was a counselor and the other was the first secretary in charge of human rights work. 

The two staffers at the US Embassy in Italy registered and received confirmation from the organizer although they were not invited. They may have seen the invitation letters published by other invited guests, Hu Lanbo, chairperson of the Rome 9 China-Italy Economic and Cultural Exchange Center, who is in charge of conference affairs, told the Global Times.

At the seminar venue, Hu met an Italian journalist who had authored many articles criticizing China and another who had accused China of trying to eliminate the universality of human rights. 

In a conversation with the reporter, Hu said, "Some people say that you are the enemy of the Chinese, but I don't believe that there are absolute enemies. Let's talk about China when we have time." The reporter agreed, after which the two took a photo at the venue.

Such scenes were also common at the previous China-EU seminars as the mechanism, which started in 2015 and has been held seven times in various cities in China and Europe, has become an important platform for Chinese and overseas scholars to exchanges views on human rights and dispel misunderstandings. 

However, due to the influence of some anti-China politicians in the EU and the US, the anti-China stance has become "politically current" in the West, posing barriers in communication between China and Europe, analysts said. 

It was not also an easy task to make this year's seminar happen, Hu said, noting that it took a total of three months of preparation to ensure the successful conclusion of the conference. 

Due to the prejudice of certain political forces against China's human rights cause, the preparations work was at a standstill at times, according to Hu. 

The Global Times also learned from some experts who attended the seminar that some of them have faced personal safety threats because they were accused of being "too close to China."

"Human rights have indeed been politicized. In 2015 and even before, the West 'liked' to talk to us about human rights. Later, when we used Chinese understanding to explain our view of human rights, the West suddenly felt that it was a challenge to their value system. They felt that 'China has inserted its ideology' and do not allow it. It is a pity that Europe is so unsure of its own values," Zhang Yonghe, executive director of the CHRS and executive director of the Human Rights Institute of Southwest University of Political Science and Law, told the Global Times. 

"However, the more difficult we are in a situation, the more valuable the communication becomes. Human rights are an open concept, meaning that the development of human rights should be discussed by everyone," Zhang said. 

Zhang also emphasized that Chinese and foreign scholars discussing human rights in Rome would also help more people to understand the essence of human rights under the view of the development of all humanity. 

Monday marks the 22nd anniversary of the September 11 attacks. On Monday, National Public Radio (NPR) published an article titled "For a new generation of Marines, 9/11 is history." The article mentioned, "For many Americans, 9/11 is now simply a date to mark, much like December 7 with the Pearl Harbor attacks." 

Americans have not learned the lessons of the 9/11 attacks after 22 years. Instead, they shift the focus of the country's national security strategy from fighting terrorism to focusing on great power competition. They have abandoned the most effective way of combating terrorism: great power collaboration in favor of great power competition. This is unfortunate for the US.

The article also mentions that Americans are engaging in "an exercise of forgetting," quoting Carter Malkasian, who chairs the defense analysis department at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He says September 11 isn't spoken about much nowadays. He goes on to say that there is "a recognition among nearly everyone across ranks and civilian positions that we all need to focus on China and Russia."

The US' continuous attitude reveals that without question it's a unique nation that feeds on instability and confrontation, and its hegemonic status is difficult to demonstrate in the absence of an adversary. Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times, "It is obvious that the US military is making every effort to create an enemy for the American public and society. Their characteristic is that they have to create enemies if there are none." Over the past 22 years, the US has increasingly solidified this mindset, which has trapped them in a vicious cycle of making one major mistake after another. At the same time, due to the global scale of the US, its tragedy inevitably spreads worldwide. This is not only a tragedy for the US itself but also the world.

The American politicians, who are locked in this vicious cycle, continue to think in bellicose, hegemonic ways to advance their own short-term political interests. They continue to shape distorted perceptions among the American people, ignoring history and focusing only on the "future threats" they deliberately create.

For the American people who experienced the 9/11 attacks, this pain is indelible. It is important for the younger generation in America to reflect on this event and prevent similar tragedies from happening again. However, their worldview is also being shaped by certain American politicians for their own political interests. Their reflections on 9/11 are also being washed away by these "self-interests."

Diao Daming, Deputy Director of the US Research Center at Renmin University of China, told the Global Times, "The current political narrative of American politicians is very dangerous. The US has shifted the focus of the problem from terrorism to great power competition, with the aim of covering up domestic divisions." Unlike the "war on terror" that united the country, the two major parties in the US now have irreconcilable differences in social welfare, military spending, minority-related politics, and other areas. American politicians are pointing overseas, hoping to achieve their political goals by deceiving the public and avoiding addressing the real problems within the US.

However, this approach is like drinking poison to quench your thirst. The effect of American politicians hyping up the China-related issue is very limited and only exacerbates the ongoing accumulation of social woes in the US. This is extremely irresponsible for the American people. China is not a remedy for America's internal turmoil. Using China as a scapegoat whenever there is a problem not only harms the US itself but also poses a threat to the world. If the US continues to persist in this way, its self-destructive path will not be too far off. The containment strategy that the US is implementing against China today will not succeed. Its failed trade war with China is as clear as its disastrous defeat in the war in Afghanistan. The actual resistance it faces in actively building an anti-China alliance far outweighs any formal gains. The end of the war in Afghanistan may allow the US to allocate some resources toward dealing with China, but it cannot change the tide of the times. 

Some commentators have analyzed how the 20 years after the 9/11 attacks turned the US into a declining great power with a tarnished reputation. Arrogantly believing that waging wars can reshape the world, the US has gradually pushed itself into a declining abyss. American politicians fail to reflect on the lessons learned and, despite leaving behind numerous "messes" internationally with their "military counterterrorism" efforts, they selfishly shift their strategic focus from "counterterrorism" to "great power competition" and aggressively suppress China and Russia, attempting to create more troubles. The US hopes to continue maintaining its hegemonic status, but the decline of American-style hegemony is an inevitable law of historical development.