At least 16 people were killed and around 50 to 60 more injured in a mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, U.S., CNN reported, citing law enforcement sources.

ABC News has put the death toll at more than 10, also citing unnamed law enforcement sources.

The Maine State Police and a county sheriff had previously reported that there had been an active shooter on Wednesday night but did not provide details.

Editor's Note:

Since 2012, China has witnessed an extraordinary economic transition, with historic achievements in all aspects of the economy from its size to quality. Such an unparalleled feat does not just happen, especially during a tumultuous period in the global geo-economic landscape and a tough phase in China's economic transformation and upgrading process. It was Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era that guided the country in overcoming various risks and challenges, and in keeping the China economic miracle alive.

As China embarked on the quest to become a great modern socialist country amid global changes unseen in a century, Xi's economic thought has been and will continue to be the guiding principle for development in China for years to come, and have great significance for the world. What is Xi's economic thought? What does it mean for China and the world? To answer these questions, the Global Times has launched this special coverage on Xi's major economic speeches and policies, and how they are put into practice to boost development in China and around the world.

Inside a bright white building at the Suzhou Industrial Park in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province, the tidy, futuristic environment exudes a palpable sense of exquisite technology. On the walls of the lobby, the atrium as well as the research and development (R&D) workshop, inspirational slogans offer more clues about the significance of the place: "Innovation-driven, Self-reliance, and self-fortification" and "Climbing the peak of technology."

The building is home to the Suzhou HYC Technology Co, founded in 2005. The company prides itself as the world's leading manufacturer of flat panel display touch detection equipment and one of the most competitive semiconductor testing equipment providers in China, according to the China Media Group.

Success in R&D over the years has propelled the private company to be the first firm listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's new Science and Technology Innovation Board, or the STAR market, a NASDAQ-style board for tech firms. That has also positioned the company at the forefront of China's drive for tech self-reliance and self-fortification.

On July 5, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the company during an inspection tour of Jiangsu, where he visited Suzhou and Nanjing, the provincial capital, and toured other facilities including an industrial park, business enterprises, a historic and cultural block, and a science lab, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, urged Jiangsu to take the lead in advancing Chinese modernization, pointing out that the key to Chinese modernization lies in the modernization of science and technology.

The president's inspection tour not only reflected the high hopes for Jiangsu's bigger role in the pursuit of Chinese modernization but also further highlighted Chinese path to modernization, in which technological innovation and high-quality development are of paramount importance, business insiders and analysts said.

Such a personal focus is crucial in leading the country toward tackling major technological and development bottlenecks, amid an increasingly complex and severe international geopolitical environment, they noted.

Encouragement for breakthroughs

Xi's focus on breakthroughs in core technologies such as semiconductor testing was on vivid display during his visit to the Suzhou HYC.

"The president stopped at the semiconductor testing area for a relatively longer period, asking me about the performance of the equipment, the progress of research and development, including making detailed inquiries, and the yield rate of the chips was tested," Chen Wenyuan, chairman of the Suzhou HYC Technology Co, told the Global Times.

Chen said that he briefed him about some domestic high-end requirements. "Both the hardware and software systems are developed by us independently. At present, this can solve some domestic high-end requirements for digital chip testing," Chen said. "The president gave me the impression that he is very amiable and approachable. During the visit, he encouraged us to climb to peak of technology on numerous occasions."

Encouraging companies and researchers to develop technologies was a general theme of Xi's inspection tour in Jiangsu. At the Suzhou Industrial Park, Xi emphasized the crucial role of hi-tech parks in achieving self-reliance and self-strength in science and technology.

As the US and some of its allies continue to step up technological crackdowns on China, including restrictions on chip exports among other high-tech components to China, in an attempt to contain the world's second-largest economy, achieving self-reliance and self-fortification has become a top priority for China. This has also become a major focus in Xi's major speeches and inspection tours.

On Tuesday, a meeting of the central commission for deepening overall reform stressed the need to be prepared to deal with worst-case and extreme-case scenarios to promptly improve national security systems and mechanisms. While presiding over the meeting, Xi stressed that it is important to advance the reform of the remuneration system for university teachers and research personnel as a pivotal boost toward the development of education, science and technology, and talent.

At the meeting, various documents, including those establishing new systems for a higher-level open economy to build a new development paradigm and reform of the remuneration system in higher education institutions and research institutes, were examined and approved.

In Nanjing, Xi visited the Purple Mountain Laboratories, where he inspected a 6G comprehensive lab, among others, to learn about efforts being made toward major sci-tech breakthroughs. While inspecting the NARI Group Corporation, Xi learned about the enterprise's efforts in developing core technologies, ensuring grid security and power supply, and promoting energy transition.

"The goal of Xi's inspection tour in Jiangsu was to clearly emphasize innovation-driven development," Cong Yi, a professor at the Tianjin University of Finance and Economics, told the Global Times, noting that the report to the 20th CPC National Congress underscored the importance of high-quality development.

"An important connotation of high-quality development is innovation. In the face of increasingly fierce international competition, it is very important for us to achieve innovation-driven development," Cong said, adding that Jiangsu offers a great example in pursuing innovation-driven, high-quality development.
High hopes for economic powerhouse

The president's trip to the economic and technological powerhouse came just four months after he participated in a deliberation with deputies from a Jiangsu Province delegation at the first session of the 14th National People's Congress during the two sessions in March, where he stressed that high-quality development is of top priority in building China into a modern socialist country in all respects.

This reflected the great importance attached to and high hopes for Jiangsu's bigger leading role in advancing Chinese modernization, thanks to its strength in various aspects, including innovation and manufacturing.

During the inspection tour, Xi lauded the strengths of Jiangsu's solid industrial foundation, rich scientific and educational resources, sound business environment, and huge market share. He urged the province to continue to play an exemplary role in promoting reform, innovation, and high-quality development, as well as in contributing to China's efforts in fostering a new pattern of development.

In 2022, Jiangsu's total R&D investment reached 370 billion yuan, up 60 percent from 2017, contributing more than 12 percent of China's total, according to local official data. Jiangsu's R&D spending accounted for more than 3 percent of its GDP for the first time, on par with that of innovative countries and regions. There are more than 37,000 high-tech firms in the province.

Located in the Yangtze River Delta region, Jiangsu is one of the most developed provinces in China in terms of manufacturing, and also a leader in the country's sci-tech innovation and industrial upgrading, and has seen fruitful outcomes in a variety of aspects, Tian Yun, a Beijing-based economist, told the Global Times.

The Suzhou Industrial Park is an embodiment of the province's strengths in the high-tech and manufacturing sectors. Established in 1994, the park, which covers an area of 278 square kilometers, is home to 2,489 nationally grown high-tech enterprises, according to official data.

The output value of high-tech industries at the park accounts for 74.8 percent of the total output value of industries above a designated size, and in comprehensives when evaluated among other national economic development zones, the park has ranked first for seven consecutive years.

"Our success so far would be impossible without the support of the complete supply chains of the Suzhou Industrial Park, the city of Suzhou, and the Yangtze River Delta," Chen said.
Local entrepreneurship, global cooperation

Such complete supply chains and overall economic and technological strength inspire great entrepreneurship among the locals, including those in completely different sectors apart from the high-tech industry. And such, entrepreneurship is vibrant in every corner of Suzhou.

Not far from the Suzhou Industrial Park sits the Pingjiang Historic and Cultural Block, known for its rich history spanning over 2,500 years. Different from the futuristic features at the industrial park, Pingjiang possesses an artistic and harmonious atmosphere paired with the ubiquitous sights of street art and residents tending to their plants and pets.

During his trip to Suzhou, Xi also visited the area, noting that the fine embodiment of traditional Chinese culture in qualities such as resilience, patience, and perseverance, have become an integral part of the Chinese national spirit.

Zhang Yingying, head of the Niujiaqiang Community in the Pingjiang sub-district, vividly recalls the scene of the president's visit. "He told us that this place is filled with historical sites, scenic spots, and culture, and living here is truly fortunate. The words resonated deeply with the crowd… and I, too, was among the crowd, and my eyes welled up with tears as I pondered the profound meaning behind the residents' overwhelming happiness," Zhang told the Global Times.

Having moved to this particular community in 2008, Zhang has since witnessed the implementation of various livelihood projects aimed at improving the quality of life for the residents, from the installation of modern toilets to solving the problem of clothes drying, and organizing once chaotic electrical wires.

Zhang said that in recent years, the community has experienced a surge in entrepreneurial spirit, with more and more individuals willing to start businesses, open guesthouses, and establish trendy cafes, breathing new life into its historic streets.

During the visit, Xi also said that Suzhou has excelled in blending tradition with modernity, simultaneously promoting historical and cultural inheritance and boosting high-tech innovation and high-quality development.

This also resonates deeply with Lu Jianying, an inheritor of the Suzhou embroidery tradition, a form of intangible cultural heritage. A third-generation inheritor from a family of embroiderers, Lu began practicing embroidery at a very young age and has been involved in the craft for decades. She owns an embroidery shop in the Pingjiang Historic and Cultural Block.

Xi visited the shop and showed interest in the traditional art, which dates back over 2,000 years, according to Xinhua.

Lu recalled that the president keenly examined the showcased works and listened intently to the introduction. "Upon hearing his words, I felt a warm feeling in my heart, a feeling of artistic recognition," Lu told the Global Times, noting that she plans to collaborate with her daughter to better promote Suzhou embroidery with the help of the internet and cultural and creative products.

Suzhou has another calling card - a major hub for international cooperation. The Suzhou Industrial Park, specifically, which is a major cooperation project between China and Singapore, is known as "a major window for China's reform and opening up" and "a successful example of international cooperation."

As of June 2023, the park had attracted 104 Fortune 500 companies carrying out 174 projects, with the total investment in foreign capital reaching $40 billion, according to official data. At the end of 2022, the park hosted more than 200 R&D facilities from multinational companies, according to official data.

During his visit to the park, Xi emphasized expanding international cooperation to build world-class hi-tech parks that are open and driven by innovation.

For many companies like the Suzhou HYC, even as they continue to pursue independent technological innovation, global cooperation is still an integral part.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized the fifth in a series of events titled "Diplomatic Envoys' Visits to State-owned Enterprises - a visit to China Railway Group," on July 25. 
Nearly 100 people from embassies and international organization agencies in China were present at the event, including 12 ambassadors from such countries as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Lebanon, Somalia, Moldova, Switzerland, Samoa and Suriname, 12 chargé d'affaires ad interim, and one representative of an international organization in China.

The event was supported by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council.

Chairman of the Board of Directors of China Railway Group Chen Yun and president of the group Chen Wenjian introduced the commitment of the group to promoting high-quality development and relevant projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). 

The diplomatic envoys said that China has made remarkable achievements in the fields of infrastructure construction such as railway, highway and rail transit, and expressed their hopes to deepen cooperation with China in relevant fields in the future, and jointly build the BRI.

"I've traveled on the high-speed train from Beijing to Shanghai and the speed is incredible. It's very comfortable and convenient. You don't need to go through boarding procedures, you don't need to go through any other procedures, "said a diplomat from the Embassy of Honduras in China. 

"When I arrived in Shanghai it was right in the center of the city and I was able to take the subway, which was very convenient," he added.

It has been front-page news in the Solomon Islands these days that a Chinese naval hospital ship docked at the port of Honiara for the first time.

The ship, known as the Ark Peace, arrived at the Pacific Island country on August 19 to a huge warm welcome. Its mission is to offer free medical services to local people until August 27.

At the dock's waiting area, the Global Times reporters in Honiara saw people waiting in order to board the ship. After they boarded the ship, they would first register, undergo triage and examination, and then top medical experts from major naval hospitals in China would provide them with treatment plans. The patients would receive medication, medical equipment, and even undergo surgery on board.

On the first day alone, the hospital received nearly 1,000 patients.

Traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis and treatment, which is unfamiliar to the islanders, was also popular. People gave thumbs-up when they experienced acupuncture and cupping treatment.

"It's just overwhelming to come on board, and to see our people receiving that kind of assistance is just moving," Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Manasseh Sogavare told the Global Times during his time aboard the Ark Peace on Sunday.

"From this visit, you can sense love and sympathy," Sogavare remarked, noting that the doctors and the ship have brought hope to many who might not have access to such services locally.

Living in one of the least developed countries in the region, the people suffer from a lack of medical care. The Ark Peace brought advanced medical services to the people of the country, which shows that China, as a great country, is committed to delivering peace and love to the international community, Sogavare said.
Setting sail in early July, the Ark Peace was on its humanitarian medical mission, Mission Harmony 2023, to Kiribati, Tonga, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and East Timor. This marks the first time a Chinese naval vessel has visited Kiribati and the Solomon Islands.

According to the original plan, the hospital ship docks at one port in each country, providing weeklong medical services free of charge to local people, personnel from Chinese institutions stationed in the country and other overseas Chinese.

The hospital ship has 126 medical staffers and boasts 26 clinical departments and seven auxiliary departments. It is capable of carrying out more than 40 kinds of examinations, treatments, and operations in general surgery, orthopedics, obstetrics, gynecology and other disciplines.

The ship is the first standard ocean-going maritime hospital independently designed and built by China. Since its entry into active service in 2008, the hospital ship has visited 43 countries and regions, providing medical services for more than 250,000 patients and performing more than 1,500 surgeries on voyages covering over 260,000 nautical miles.

Exchanges and professional seminars with relevant countries will also be conducted as part of this mission. On Tuesday, a small squad from the Ark Peace visited Honiara's Chung Wah School.

"Chung Wah" means "China" in Cantonese, one of the many dialects of the Chinese language, as the school was founded by the Chinese community about 80 years ago and is still under the support of local Chinese community.

The students, waving small national flags of China and the Solomon Islands, joyfully experienced traditional Chinese culture, such as martial arts, Chinese songs and cupping therapy from traditional Chinese medicine. "The girls from the Ark Peace are so pretty and the guys are handsome. The performance was so beautiful," Unity Arumae, a 6th-grade student, told the Global Times with excitement after the event, saying that she has learned about China more.

The Solomon Islands is located in the southwest of the Pacific Ocean, with a land area of 28,400 square kilometers and a population of about 720,000. It was one of the main battlefields in the Pacific region of World War II. The famous Battle of Guadalcanal took place here.

In September 2019, China and the Solomon Islands officially established diplomatic relations. In just four years, the relationship between the two countries has brought profound benefits to the people of the Solomon Islands.

In addition to the medical services that the Ark Peace provided to the country, eight members of the Chinese medical team, selected from Guizhou Medical University and its affiliated hospitals by Southwest China's Guizhou Province, have also been stationed in the Solomon Islands for two years.

The WWF and the China International Contractors Association jointly held a conference on Monday in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, to help promote wildlife protection and crack down on illegal wildlife trade. Eighty representatives including officials from the Chinese Embassy in Kenya and the Kenya Wildlife Service attended the conference.
It comes after recent reports of Chinese customs seizing illegal wildlife products sourced from endangered species, such as ivory. It also comes at a time of blossoming international tourism in the post-COVID-19 era.

Kenya is an important habitat for famous African species such as elephants and rhinos. However, the animals are threatened by rampant poaching and global illegal trade, with some populations on the brink of extinction.

With the resumption of international travel, it is not uncommon for Chinese nationals and overseas Chinese to purchase endangered wildlife products such as ivory in Africa and illegally transport them back to China. In a recent case, customs authorities in Taiyuan, North China's Shanxi Province, discovered and seized 118 items of illegal wildlife products, including 114 ivory products and four red coral products, during inspection of inbound parcels on August 30.

In Beijing, the customs authorities seized 7,800 items of endangered wildlife and their products during entry inspection in the first five months this year, according to media reports.

The illegal trade of these endangered species not only poses a threat to local ecosystems but also has a negative impact on China's image as a responsible major country in biodiversity conservation.

As a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), China has always strictly complied with international conventions.

At the end of 2017, China announced a comprehensive ban on the commercial processing and sale of ivory, making an important contribution to the protection of wild elephants and demonstrating its role as a major country. In November 2018, in response to international concerns, the State Council indefinitely extended the trade ban to rhino horns and tiger bone, reaffirming the continued implementation of three strict prohibitions - namely, the prohibition of imports and exports, buying and selling, and transportation of rhinos and their products, as well as the prohibition of using rhino horn and tiger bone in medicine.

"This year marks the 50th anniversary of the signature of the CITES and it is also the 42nd anniversary of China's signature to join the convention. China has been making active contributions to sustainable development as well as wildlife and biodiversity protection," Zhang Xianfeng, an official from the Chinese Embassy in Kenya, told the conference on Monday. Zhang stressed that China always emphasizes close cooperation with Kenya in implementing the CITES obligations.

"We are pleased to see that China has taken a leading role in efforts to protect endangered species and global biodiversity. However, illegal wildlife trade will undermine global conservation efforts. It is like an out-of-control machine, with consumption as its engine, and each of us holds the key to shutting it down. When people stop buying endangered wildlife products such as ivory, the bloody chain of profit will be broken," WWF China's Chief Program Officer Zhou Fei told the conference.

Editor's Note:

Chinese people believe that letters are as valuable as gold. For thousands of years, letters, across mountains and oceans, have been delivering writers' sentiments and conveyed friendship and expectations.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, has managed to find time to reply to some letters from different parts of society and the world despite his busy work schedule.

Through his letters, Xi has corresponded with international friends from all walks of life on numerous occasions, part of a series of excellent stories of China's international exchanges in the new era. The letters have also added vivid color to the diplomacy between China and other countries.

The Global Times traced and contacted some of the recipients of Xi's letters, to hear the inspiring stories behind the letters and their communication with the president.

In this installment, the Global Times spoke with Chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation and a Flying tiger veteran who is 102 years old. Through the interviews, they not only shared their excitement of receiving the letter from Xi, but also illustrated some stories between the Flying Tiger and China, as well as why it is necessary to pass the spirit behind these stories.

A recent letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping has once again emphasized the historical significance of the Flying Tigers and the enduring wartime friendship between the US and China. This historical perspective provides valuable insights into the lasting impact of this era on contemporary China-US relations.

Furthermore, the indomitable spirit of the Flying Tigers is poised to continue inspiring future generations. It serves as a testament to the unwavering determination of those who are committed to preserving and sharing these remarkable stories. They are resolute in their mission to ensure that the legacy of the Flying Tigers lives on, never to be forgotten.

Xi recently replied to a letter from Chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation Jeffrey Greene and Flying Tigers veterans Harry Moyer and Mel McMullen.

In his reply on September 12, Xi said he hopes that the spirit of Flying Tigers will be carried on from generation to generation between the Chinese and American peoples.

"I was heartened by the great enthusiasm of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation and the veterans of Flying Tigers in letting more Chinese and Americans learn about the stories of the Flying Tigers over the years. Inspired by this, a growing number of young Americans have joined the Flying Tigers Friendship Schools and Youth Leadership Program, and nearly 500 Flying Tigers veterans and several hundred of their family members have visited China. I wish to pay tribute to you for all this," Xi wrote.

Salute from China

In a thorough zoom interview with Global Times recently, Greene said that it was a "flabbergasted moment" when he heard back from Xi within only two weeks. "We are extraordinarily humbled that President Xi thought enough of the Flying Tigers. It shows his words, his belief that China never forgets its old friends."

"Having my name on a letter of the Chinese president is pretty impressive. It was very humbling to other two writers knowing that president of China is reaching out to them and also to their family members. They are so touched," Greene said.

In his letter, Xi said that "in the past, our two peoples fought the Japanese fascists together, and forged a deep friendship that withstood the test of blood and fire. In the future, the two major countries shoulder even more important responsibility for world peace, stability and development."

"We therefore should, and we must, respect each other, coexist in peace and pursue win-win cooperation," he said.

Noting that "in growing China-US relations, the hope lies in the people, the foundation lies among the people, and the future lies with the youth," Xi said that "a sound and steady development of the relationship in the new era requires the input and support of a new generation of Flying Tigers."

Recently, Greene, Moyer and McMullen jointly wrote a letter to Xi, in which they detailed the efforts of the foundation and Flying Tigers veterans in helping promote China-US friendly exchanges, and expressed their willingness to inherit and carry forward the precious spirit of China-US cooperation.

Following Greene's initial decision to write the letter, Harry Moyer joined in and was shocked as well when received Xi's reply in a quick manner. "To me, it was almost 'Earth Shattering' that he answered so quickly and so positively - his words clearly demonstrate that China indeed remembers its old friends," Moyer told the Global Times.

Never to be forgotten

The friendship between the Flying Tigers veterans and the Chinese people has been inherited by the Chinese government and public over the years.

The Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco held a celebration marking the 102nd birthday of Flying Tigers veteran Harry Moyer on October 30, 2022. Video shows that Consul General of China in San Francisco Zhang Jianmin was playing the harmonica with Moyer's friends and singing "Happy Birthday."

In China, the story of the Flying Tigers is widely known and has become a fundamental part of many Chinese people's understanding of the US.

In 1941, a group of volunteer US pilots, later known as the Flying Tigers, came to China, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Chinese people to fight invading Japanese troops. They flew over the Himalayas, helping to ship strategic supplies to break through the Japanese blockade.

During their time in China, the Flying Tigers collectively achieved remarkable feats during their service, downing over 2,600 Japanese military aircraft, sinking or damaging 44 enemy ships, and contributing to the demise of more than 60,000 Japanese soldiers.

Moyer joined the US Army Air Force following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He is one of the few remaining WWII pilots and the only one believed to still be licensed to fly solo.

Moyer's squadron joined the 23rd Fighter Group of the 14th Air Force in China in 1944 and was primarily responsible for protecting Chinese airfields and the B-29 bombers tasked with counter-attacks on Japan.

"We, who were the pilots, the air crewmen who manned the bombers and transports, the ground crewmen who worked night and day to keep our aircraft flying and combat ready, were all young men, and the time we spent in helping the Chinese people defend their homeland and battling a tough and dangerous enemy was in many ways the biggest single experience of our lives," Moyer recalled.

"I was impressed with the remarkable determination of the Chinese people in their determination to resist the brutal military aggression of Imperial Japan. They suffered so much and they sacrificed so much in their resistance. Our memories of China and friendships made among her people has been in so many ways remained the defining experience of our lives," he said.

Founded in 1998, the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation is an American civil friendship group aimed at promoting the study and commemoration of China-US historical aviation events. It is a nongovernmental US organization aimed at rekindling the spirit of cooperation between the two peoples and enhancing their friendship and understanding.

According to Greene, the foundation has received more than 1,000 photos provided by Flying Tigers veterans, which have been exhibited in three naval museums around the US. It has also brought 500 veterans and their family members to 25 cities around China, receiving a warm welcome from local Chinese communities.

Meanwhile, Greene's organization has enlisted the participation of three schools in the US and three in China for the Flying Tigers Friendship School and Youth Leadership Program. This initiative facilitates student exchanges between both countries through online classes and summer camps that have covered about 15,000 students in the two countries in total, according to Greene.

Greene said that many Americans know a few about what happened in China during the World War II. "They watch Top Gun and Band of Brothers, knowing about the European theatre, the Normandy, the Pearl Harbor… but there is not much work about the stories in China, such as the Nanjing Massacre," Greene said.

"So that is the mission of my foundation, both in the US and in China is to get people to scratch their heads and say, 'tell me more,'" he said.

Passing on the spirit

The history is fading into the distance with aging veterans gradually diminishing in number, but the story of the Flying Tigers remains vividly alive. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of individuals and organizations, such as Greene and his organization, the spirit of the Flying Tigers is poised to be carried forward by the next generation of young people in both China and the US.

Soon, with Greene's foundation, Flying Tigers veterans Moyer, who will turn 103 and McMullen, who will turn 99, will embark on a journey to China during which they will help to pass on the spirit of these heroic flyers to the next generation.

"If the youth remember it, they can use that memory," Greene said. "With the shared American and Chinese legacy of the Flying Tigers, the next generation of young people can do so much. We can do so much for relations between our countries. So much."

"It is so important to China and the US to have common, strong, calm and interest, which is also important to the whole world, because the relationship between China and the US is the most important relationship on the planet. And when it works, it will work for people of the two countries, and for the rest of the world," Greene said.

Before this reply letter to the Flying Tigers, Xi also replied to a letter from the US-China Youth and Student Exchange Association and friends from all walks of life in the northwestern US state of Washington, as well as a letter from John Easterbrook, grandson of the late US General Joseph Stilwell.

In his replies, Xi expressed the hope that the peoples of both countries would strengthen communication, enhance understanding and expand cooperation, injecting new vitality into the development of bilateral relations.

Moyer said that because of the scope of our World War II cooperation and ultimate success as close allies, both countries can draw strength and inspiration by remembering what our cooperation and solidarity achieved during the darkest years of the war.

"We must keep the bond between the US and China alive, as it was forged in blood and honor," he said.

Editor's Note:

The recent escalation of conflict between Palestine and Israel is unusually intense in terms of casualties. Despite being the most important third party in resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the US vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have called for "humanitarian pauses" to deliver lifesaving aid to millions in Gaza. Allowing the conflict to escalate in this manner will lead to more innocent civilian deaths and injuries. During a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv on October 12, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, "You may be strong enough on your own to defend yourself, but as long as America exists, you will never, ever have to. We will always be there by your side." US President Joe Biden also promised unprecedented military assistance to Israel. In recent years, the US has faced international criticism for sidelining Palestinians' right to statehood and showing biased support for Israel. When will the US become a true peace mediator?

Pure lip service

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is currently the most complex and urgent international political issue facing the international community. The essence of the conflict lies in how Jews and Palestinians can achieve a just and lasting peace based on the "two-state solution." After World War II, Zionist organizations gradually sought support from the US to replace British presence in the region. On November 29, 1947, the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 181 on the partition of Palestine, deciding to establish an Arab state and a Jewish state in the region. On May 14, 1948, Israel was officially established based on this resolution, and the US, under President Harry Truman, quickly became the first country to recognize Israeli sovereignty. Since the early 1950s, the US, along with the UK and France, has issued declarations assuming security obligations toward Israel, and the military and economic assistance provided by the US to Israel has been continuous.

During the third Arab-Israeli war in 1967, Israel not only occupied all the Arab territories as stipulated in Resolution 181, but also captured the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt, the Golan Heights of Syria, and other Arab territories. Faced with the new battlefield situation and Israel's occupation of East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) passed Resolution 242 on November 22, 1967, urging Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories in exchange for peace and recognition of borders. The principle of "land for peace" embodied in Resolution 242 has become an internationally recognized approach to addressing the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. During the same period, as the rivalry between the US and the Soviet Union intensified, Israel, which held an increasingly strategic position in the Middle East, became a trump card for the US to contain Soviet expansion in the region.

After the fourth Arab-Israeli war in 1973, Egypt, burdened by its long-term involvement in the war, hoped to achieve peace with Israel. Israel also realized that simply occupying Egyptian territory and implementing defensive measures would not effectively solve its own security issues, so it began to explore the possibility of peace with Egypt. Subsequently, the US intervened in the peace process between Egypt and Israel, with then Secretary of State Henry Kissinger shuttling between Arab countries and Israel, conveying messages and successfully easing hostilities between the warring parties.

In March 1977, then US president Jimmy Carter said, "There has to be a homeland provided for the Palestinian refugees who have suffered for many, many years." However, such remarks were quickly met with strong opposition from Jewish groups in the US. In 1978, Carter hosted the Camp David peace negotiations between Egypt and Israel, which led to the normalization of relations between Israel and the first Arab country. The Camp David Accords included a call for relevant parties to engage in discussions on Palestinian autonomy in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

For a long time, the international community has advocated for the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. However, the US has repeatedly disregarded the rights of the Palestinians. In November 1988, during the 19th extraordinary session of the Palestinian National Council, the establishment of the State of Palestine was declared, but its borders were not determined. On November 26 that same year, then US Secretary of State George Shultz issued a statement stating that the Reagan administration refused to grant a visa to Yasser Arafat, the chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), who was expected to attend a United Nations conference. This move by the US drew condemnation from many countries.

After the end of the Cold War, the US organized several peace negotiations on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, but has since been unable to effectively resolve the differences between Palestine and Israel. The Roadmap for Peace in the Middle East launched in 2003 openly supports the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. The plan was proposed by former US president George W. Bush and was determined through joint consultations by the US, Russia, the United Nations, and the EU, with the aim of resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in three stages. The biggest difference between the Roadmap plan and previous plans was that it explicitly proposes the concept of two states "living side by side."

However, an article published in the Foreign Policy on October 19 argues that the "United States has long maintained that it supports a two-state solution to the conflict. But the reality is that little more than lip service has been paid to this goal, and with each passing crisis, Washington grows more and more aligned with Israel."

At the United Nations level, the US has continuously obstructed the efforts of Palestine to seek statehood. On November 29, 2012, on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution upgrading Palestine's status at the UN to "non-member observer state" status. However, at the Security Council level, the United States has consistently vetoed Palestine's bid for full UN membership.

Ignoring Palestinians' right to life and of return

Since the end of the Cold War, especially after the Oslo Accords in 1993, the US has continued to dominate Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations and still considers Israel as its main ally in the Middle East. The cooperation between the two countries includes enhancing Israel's military early warning capabilities, joint counter-terrorism efforts, intelligence sharing, and the prevention of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. However, due to the US neglecting the concerns of the Palestinians and failing to address their demands on issues such as the status of Jerusalem, the delineation of the West Bank border, and the right of return for refugees, the negotiations have repeatedly failed.

The stagnation of the Palestinian-Israeli peace process has had a negative impact on the internal Palestinian sentiment, leading to new factional disputes. In the new century, the US has championed Western political values such as "democracy" and "free elections" and exerted pressure on the Palestinian Authority to hold open elections. After the 2006 Palestinian Legislative Council elections, Hamas was widely supported and formed the government. However, the US and Israel, claiming that "terrorist organizations cannot join the government," jointly intervened in Palestinian internal affairs, leading to political instability in Palestine.

Furthermore, the US has tacitly allowed or even condoned Israel's unilateral blockade of the Gaza Strip, resulting in the continuous deterioration of the local economy and living conditions, ultimately leading to the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"Washington traditionally shields its ally Israel from any Security Council action." After the US recently vetoed a humanitarian aid resolution at the UN Security Council, Reuters made this comment. For nearly half a century, the US has used its position as a permanent member of the Security Council to block numerous resolutions condemning Israel.

On December 6, 2017, then US president Donald Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and stated that the American Embassy would be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. His "new approach to conflict between Israel and the Palestinians" has further intensified tensions in the region. The fundamental cause of the latest round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict lies in the US abandoning its mediation efforts, thwarting hopes for peace between the two sides. Throughout previous Middle East peace negotiations, the US' bias and indulgence toward Israel have undermined the Palestinians' confidence in Palestinian-Israeli peace. After the failure of then Secretary of State John Kerry's mediation attempt in 2014, the US gave up on restructuring Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Since then, neither the Trump nor Biden administration has initiated new peace dialogues.

Eroding basis for dialogue

In 2020, the "Deal of the Century" and the Arab-Israeli Abraham Accords promoted by Trump fundamentally eroded the basis for dialogue between Palestine and Israel. In the "Deal of the Century," mainly drafted by Trump's adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, the US shifted its view of the Palestine-Israel issue to an economic development problem and proposed the construction of various "industrial zones" to relocate Palestinians to the Negev Desert in exchange for economic development opportunities, compromising their demands for an independent state, territorial boundaries, clarification on the status of Jerusalem, and the right of return for refugees. The US no longer regarded the Palestinian issue as the core of the Middle Eastern problem, no longer adhered to the principle of "land for peace," and no longer considered East Jerusalem to be the future capital of the Palestinian state, which was met with Palestinian displeasure.

On issues such as Jewish settlements in the West Bank, the US also condones and tolerates Israel's occupation of Palestinian land, undermining the foundation of peace talks between Israel and Palestine. The so-called Abraham Accords limits the scope of the Palestinian capital to small towns in the suburbs of East Jerusalem and does not grant the right of return to Palestinian refugees to their previous land.

For a long time, the majority of Arab countries have adhered to the principle of "solving the Palestinian-Israeli issue first before discussing Arab-Israeli relations" in their development of relations with Israel, in order to promote lasting peace in the entire Middle Eastern region. However, the US hopes to reconstruct its Middle East alliance strategy by adjusting Israel's relations with Arab countries, especially with Gulf Arab countries, in order to strategically contain hostile countries in the region such as Iran and Syria. Therefore, against the backdrop of the unresolved Palestinian-Israeli issue, the US is eager to promote the normalization process of Arab-Israeli relations, gradually "economizing" and marginalizing the Palestinian issue.

In September 2020, the US brokered the signing of the Abraham Accords among Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Israel. Although this move has led to the normalization of relations between some Arab countries and Israel, it has also sparked strong anger among the Palestinian people due to further marginalization of the Palestinian issue. In recent years, as rumors of the normalization of relations between countries like Saudi Arabia and Israel driven by the US increased, feelings of being "abandoned" and "forgotten" among the Palestinian people only grew stronger, and it was only a matter of time before intense resistance against Israel erupted.

Amid the escalating crisis in the current conflict, the US has not only failed to reflect on its own Middle East policy but also continues to smear the resistance of the Palestinian people, turning a blind eye to Israel's illegal expansion into occupied territories. Following the outbreak of the current round of conflicts between Israel and Palestine, the US President, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense have visited Israel, dispatched aircraft carrier strike groups to the Middle East, provided various military supplies to Israel, and vetoed relevant resolutions by the UNSC, allowing the conflict to escalate. In resolving the Palestinian-Israeli issue, the US should shoulder its due responsibility instead of treating the conflict like a tool in domestic political power struggles, let alone using it as an opportunity to attack other countries in the region. The US should cooperate with the international community to expedite a peaceful resolution to the conflict, rather than exploiting it for personal gain.

On the morning of September 7, while I was attending the 7th Meeting of the China-Australia High-level Dialogue in the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in western Beijing, a young colleague of mine texted me a short message saying "Australian PM Anthony Albanese confirms visit to China 'later this year.'" 

Later that same day, in response to a question, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a routine press conference, "China welcomes Prime Minister Albanese to visit China at the invitation of Premier Li Qiang and stands ready to work with Australia to make sound preparations for the visit."

To people who have been keeping a watchful and hopeful eye on the development of the bilateral ties, this is really good news.

Back in December 2017, when I participated in, as a member of the Chinese delegation, the 4th Meeting of the China-Australia High-level Dialogue held in Melbourne, I also attended an event to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the establishment of China-Australia diplomatic relations. I still keep in my souvenir collection a pin that the Australian side made to mark the special occasion.

Then and there, it never occurred to me that bilateral ties would be put on a twisty and bumpy road in the next few years. Some overseas media outlets even said that bilateral ties had reached their lowest point since the establishment of the diplomatic relations in 1972. I don't think this is totally an exaggeration.

Until before May 2022, China-Australia relations were severely damaged due to the unwise and shortsighted China policies adopted by the previous Australian government. Bilateral trade suffered even more significantly. 

Fortunately, with the joint efforts the two sides made in the past year, bilateral ties began to be warming up by the end of 2022. The resumption of the 7th edition of the high-level dialogue after a three-year hiatus － being held in each country in turn since its initial launch in 2014 till 2019 － indicated that bilateral ties have bottomed out. The latest dialogue was held to put into concrete actions items mentioned in the China-Australia Foreign and Strategic Dialogue Joint Outcomes Statement that the two sides issued after Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese foreign minister, held the sixth round of China-Australia Foreign and Strategic Dialogue with visiting Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on December 21, 2022 in Beijing. 

The highly anticipated announcement of Albanese's scheduled China visit is timely and far more significant. It is an explicit signal that China-Australia relations are on their way to get back on the right track.

As one of the participants, I was not supposed to write about, in whichever capacity, who said what during the one-day, close-door high-level dialogue, which was conducted by "36 representatives from various sectors of the two countries for in-depth and constructive discussions on a wide range of issues concerning China-Australia relations in a candid, friendly and warm atmosphere," as Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at the routine press briefing. 

But as a longtime observer of China-Australia relations, I would very much like to contribute for the betterment of bilateral ties by putting down my suggestions for the people-to-people exchanges.

First of all, a sound bilateral relationship is the foundation and prerequisite to boost people-to-people exchanges. To further advance bilateral exchanges in education, culture, tourism, media and art, and to consolidate the popular support for the bilateral relations in the respective country, we have to further improve the current status of bilateral ties. The two sides need to have more communications to reduce biases, to look at each other's development in a more positive perspective, to understand each other's political intentions more actively and to keep discarding the Cold War mentality. They need to establish more mutual trusts, continuously increase reciprocal inclusiveness, decrease or even get rid of misunderstandings and build up more links between the two countries.

Above all, mutual respect is the key to the improvement of the China-Australia relations. 

Mutual respect, as I understand, is not just about respecting each other's economic power and the benefits that one side has brought to the other side. More importantly and significantly, it is about respecting each other's sovereignty, core interests and grave concerns, respecting different political systems, different histories and cultures, and managing properly the divergences.

China has always been showing its willingness to deepen bilateral ties with Australia in each and every sector. China's good will and the great efforts it has made in this regard should be cherished and respected, but should by no means be taken for granted.

Just as Mao Ning told the September 7 press briefing, "China always believes that a sound and stable China-Australia relationship is in the fundamental interests of the peoples of both countries, and conducive to peace, stability and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific and the wider world."

Both sides should make greater efforts to maintain the encouraging development momentum of the bilateral ties and work harder to push forward the much expected people-to-people exchanges.

Warships from the US, South Korea and Canada drilled on September 14 in the Yellow Sea, one day before the three countries steamed for Incheon to help reenact an amphibious landing during the 1950-53 Korean War, Stars and Stripes reported on September 15. This is the first large-scale exercises that the US navy participated in the Yellow Sea off the coast of northern China in 10 years.

The US is changing its 10-year low-key manner in the Yellow Sea, demonstrating that it is integrating all the forces it can use in the Northeast Asia region, the East China Sea, the Taiwan Straits and the South China Sea into a unified chain to contain China under its framework of Indo-Pacific Strategy.

The US and its allies have been quite proactive around China's surrounding waters lately. Through multiple joint military exercises, the US is further escalating tensions in China's surrounding areas. They often claimed the events were carried out under the name of responding to continuing tension with North Korea, but the trilateral leaders' summit at Camp David among the US, South Korea and Japan in late August has already made it clear that Northeast Asia is an important part of US Indo-Pacific Strategy to contain China. The US, Japan and South Korea are moving closer to forming a trilateral alliance and further accelerating NATO-ization of the region. The gates of hell have been opened.

Since President Joe Biden took office, the US has been deepening its Indo-Pacific Strategy in Northeast Asia, strengthening the trilateral relationship among the US, Japan and South Korea, and the regional dynamics in Northeast Asia have been undergoing rapid changes. The most important trend against the backdrop is the emergence of camp politics in Northeast Asia. Confrontation and antagonism between North and South Korea has deepened. Ties between North and South Korea become increasingly tense. And it is growingly difficult to restart dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang. Mutual hostility is intensifying.

Veteran US diplomat Henry Kissinger famously stated, "To be an enemy of America can be dangerous, but to be a friend is fatal." Traditional US political and diplomatic elites repeatedly advocate that the most important foundation of US global hegemony is the alliance system, yet in reality, there have often been scenarios in US diplomatic history where the interests of allies are disregarded in favor of Washington's own interests. This shows that the alliance system only serves to maximize US' own interests. 

Since South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol took office, deepening the US-South Korea alliance has become the cornerstone of his foreign policy, indicating that South Korea is fully swinging to the US. Under the joint influence of the Biden and Yoon administrations, the US-South Korea alliance has been deeply integrated into the US Indo-Pacific Strategy. The US has gradually made South Korea accept the perception that "China is a threat" through a series of means, incorporating US global interests into South Korea's national interests. South Korea has thus shifted from striking partial "balance" to becoming a complete follower.

Faced with low approval ratings, the Yoon administration has hyped up a pro-US, anti-China, anti-North Korea atmosphere at home. It has done in the hope of rallying the public through inciting national sentiment or creating external friction to boost public support and lift ratings. This is dangerous and will jeopardize the stability in the Northeast region. 

As can be seen, with the US intensifying the implementation of the Indo-Pacific Strategy and the strengthening of the trilateral relationship among the US, Japan and South Korea, the camp politics in Northeast Asia is becoming increasingly obvious. It should be said that the current stage is an extremely severe period for the security situation in Northeast Asia since the end of the Cold War. However, despite the continuous fermentation and accumulation of negative factors, the overall situation in Northeast Asia is still controllable, and the possibility of a serious conflict breaking out in the short term is not high. The most important thing is that China has always been an important force in maintaining peace and stability in the region.

According to Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the operator of the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, the first round of dumping the nuclear-contaminated water into the sea has recently been completed. TEPCO said it had released 7,800 tons of "treated" water with 1.244 trillion becquerels of tritium as planned. 

Like before, all data available this time come from TEPCO's sole source with no reference to other radioactive particles apart from tritium, nor any endorsement from any independent third parties. This ongoing self-willed practice continues to raise more questions and concerns from people living in Pacific Rim countries, about the scientific rationality of the discharge as well as the credibility of TEPCO's operation.

The Japanese authority preferred to use the term "treated water" to create the impression that the heavily contaminated water with a huge amount of radioactive particles has been dealt with properly. The only figure of tritium concentration seems low and safe judging by certain "criteria." Yet, as already has been revealed by many reports, the contaminated water contains, even after being treated, various radioactive particles such as carbon-14, iodine-129, caesium-137, among others. Exposure to these particles will have a grave impact on the cells and organs in human bodies. Without data on all the nuclides released into the sea, the result of the detection from the Japanese side has too many defects and cannot be considered scientific.  

What is more worrisome is how the data are collected and processed. Ever since the day the Japanese government made the decision to discharge the contaminated water, all the data that should help the public to make the judgment come from one single provider, TEPCO. This is the very company that is liable for the whole mess and one that doesn't enjoy a high reputation at home and abroad due to its dishonorable history of concealing accidents, delaying response and violating its commitments. 

Even on the website of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which was said to participate in the monitoring of the discharge, the data published so far are all from TEPCO. There is no trace of any independent engagement from the international community at all. Due to the nature of the dumping, which definitely affects the whole globe, a multi-parties participation in the monitoring and supervision of this operation is imperative. Without this, the whole process could hardly be deemed as scientific.

Furthermore, the discharge of the nuclear-contaminated water is so far said to continue for at least 30 years. During such a long process, the potential risk of accidents will increase as the discharge facilities age with time. Neither TEPCO nor the Japanese government has provided any preparedness plan which should be a common practice in a long-term plan. Leaving it be and non-action is neither scientific nor responsible. In the case of this dumping operation, time won't heal but only aggravate the damage. Therefore, an independent and transparent mechanism must be established to monitor the marine ecosystem over a long period of time right from this moment.

Due to all these reasons, it is understandable and reasonable that people from neighboring countries have great concerns about the behavior that will affect the food they are eating, the environment they are living in and the way they are making a living. No one has offered them the full picture. No one has shown them the real undertone. Maybe no one dares to. So they have the right to question, to protest, and to take measures such as limiting the import of Fukushima seafood to counteract the severe impact. Even the US government, although praising Japan for its discharge by lip service, has banned the import of seafood from coastal regions in Japan that are most likely contaminated by the discharge since early this year.Using this kind of "praise" as a pretence of "support from the world" is cheating.

Disregarding the anger from those directly affected and blaming it as irrational to distort the narrative, as what the Japanese prime minister has done recently, is morally wrong. The best way to calm the wrath and concerns over the discharge is to immediately stop dumping contaminated water. As China and other stakeholders have pointed out, if the nuclear-contaminated water is truly safe, Japan wouldn't have to discharge it into the sea -  and certainly shouldn't if it's not.