Global respondents believe that exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations inject stability into a turbulent world, and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) has evolved into a broad consensus for addressing global challenges, according to a poll released at a Friday sub-event themed "Cultural Inheritance and Innovation" of the Global Civilizations Dialogue Ministerial Meeting that kick off in Beijing.
The survey, jointly conducted by CGTN and the Renmin University of China, covered 12,302 respondents across 41 countries worldwide, reveals that respondents widely recognize inter-civilization exchanges and mutual learning as a crucial driving force for advancing human civilization and promoting world peace and development.
They positively assess the pivotal role of cultural inheritance and innovation in advancing human modernization. Chinese and international experts hailed the findings, stressing that the GCI offers a vital platform for dialogue and deeper understanding among diverse civilizations.
Fadli Zon, Indonesia's Culture Minister, told the Global Times on Friday that GCI was proposed on at "the right path at the right time," arguing that inter-civilizational dialogue offers the only sustainable way to resolve conflicts, counter misinformation and secure shared prosperity.
"We share the same planet and global village, so it's our responsibility to safeguard this shared home for development, peace, and prosperity," he said.
Roger T. Ames, humanities chair professor at Peking University, echoed that the world is better understood as a mosaic of interwoven civilizations bound by common values and centuries-old exchanges than as a patchwork of isolated nation-states.
"Tolerance of cultural differences is insufficient; instead, these differences become a source of mutual empowerment, driving a more connected, fair, and harmonious global community," Ames said. During the breakout session, Chinese experts unveiled a comprehensive Global Research Program for Inter-Civilization Exchanges and Mutual Learning.
The initiative is designed to build a pluralistic, inclusive forum for sustained dialogue and to embed long-term cooperation mechanisms across cultures.
Under the plan, a worldwide academic network will pool expertise on civilizational studies, an annual global dialogue platform will be launched, and a global fund for peaceful exchange, connectivity, and development will finance joint projects.
Organizers also proposed a global award for contributions to civilizational exchange and connectivity to honor individuals and institutions that advance cross-cultural understanding, aiming to "safeguard the brilliant galaxy of human civilizations."
Media reported that nearly 140 Chinese and foreign guests from over 20 countries and regions attended the plenary. Centering on the GCI, they engaged in lively dialogue on "cultural inheritance" and "cultural innovation" in exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, paid tribute to martyrs who died in a major campaign in the war of resistance against Japanese aggression, when inspecting Yangquan of north China's Shanxi Province on Monday.
At the monument square honoring the martyrs of the Hundred-Regiment Campaign during the war against Japanese aggression, Xi laid a floral basket to pay tribute to the martyrs, and then visited the memorial hall commemorating this major campaign.
During the visit, Xi reviewed the history of the CPC leading both the military and civilians in the courageous fight against Japanese invaders, and learned about local efforts to carry out revolutionary history education and promote the great spirit of resisting aggression.
Premier of the State Council Li Qiang will attend the 17th BRICS Summit upon invitation in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from July 5 to 8.
At the invitation of Prime Minister of Egypt Mostafa Kamal Madbouly, Premier of the State Council Li Qiang will pay an official visit to Egypt from July 9 to 10.
As China began building the supporting infrastructure for its next-generation solar telescope WeHoST (Wide-field and High-resolution Solar Telescope) on Tuesday in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, the Global Times learned from the project's chief scientist on Wednesday that the WeHoST will offer an unprecedented view of solar eruptions with technological breakthrough of "seeing both trees and forest" in solar observations.
Previous solar telescopes face a technology bottleneck: the inability to balance detailed observation with a comprehensive view. But WeHoST will combine both, offering high resolution alongside a large observational field, according to the scientist.
The telescope's 2.5-meter primary mirror will not only achieve higher observational resolution but also expand the field of view to three to four times that of existing equipment, fully covering the entire solar active region, said Ding Mingde, the project's chief director and a professor from School of Astronomy & Space Science under Nanjing University.
Ding told the Global Times on Wednesday that the main purpose of building WeHoST is to observe and study solar eruptive phenomena, scientifically known as solar flares and coronal mass ejections.
Ding said that studying solar eruptions is scientifically important because solar eruptions emit high-energy radiation, affecting the Earth's environment which may further impact human high-tech activities, such as communication and navigation in aerospace, as well as long-distance electricity and oil transmission.
"That's why we need to understand why the sun produces eruptions, when these eruptions occur, and how intense they are, as well as whether these eruptions impact Earth's environment after they occur," Ding said.
WeHoST, a national research instrumentation project, is led by Nanjing University in collaboration with the Nanjing Institute of Astronomical Optics and Technology and the Yunnan Observatories, both under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinhua reported.
Construction of the telescope officially began in 2022. Upon completion, it will be the world's largest axisymmetric solar telescope, according to Xinhua.
The supporting infrastructure for WeHoST is situated at an altitude of 4,700 meters on an unnamed mountain in Daocheng county in Southwest China's Sichuan. Ding said the location is the result of a 10-year survey conducted by the Yunnan Observatories with selection criteria such as low population density, high altitude, good air quality with favorable humidity, and a high amount of sunlight.
"We plan to complete the construction of the entire telescope infrastructure, including the observatory and its dome by 2026 and then begin WeHoST's installation and trial observations in 2027," Ding said.
To address the technical challenges of the telescope, especially the issue of heat dissipation, Ding said a dual approach was adopted: on one hand, special optical cables are used at the focal point to block heat from entering; on the other hand, over 200 air tubes are evenly distributed at the back of the primary mirror to blow cool air and lower the temperature.
The research team also deployed ground-layer adaptive optics and speckle interferometry techniques to overcome the problem of unstable airflows and produce high-resolution images, Ding said.
Regarding international cooperation, Ding said that WeHoST is the only large solar telescope located in the Eastern Hemisphere, while telescopes in Europe and the US are situated in the Western Hemisphere. The geographical difference creates a complementary observation opportunity.
"For example, if we collaborate with Europe and the US, with each telescope observing for eight hours, 24-hour continuous observation can be achieved, which we refer to as 'round-the-clock observation,'" Ding said, adding that such global cooperation is highly beneficial for studying solar eruptions.
China continues to strengthen the positive momentum in its fight against drug trafficking, while a series of anti-drug publicity campaigns were held nationwide on Thursday to mark the 38th International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
China's immigration enforcement agencies nationwide have solved a total of 205 drug-related cases in border and port areas, arrested 262 criminal suspects and seized 2.42 tons of various drugs as of June 25, according to CCTV News on Thursday.
Among these cases, 38 involved seizures of over 10 kilograms of drugs, further consolidating the positive momentum in the ongoing fight against drug trafficking at border and port locations, according to the report.
Drug-related criminal cases in China have generally declined over the past decade, with the country's people's courts concluding 9,343 first-instance cases from January to May 2025, marking a 29.31 percent decrease year-on-year, according to the Supreme People's Court (SPC).
Since early 2024, the China Coast Guard (CCG) has seized 12.6 tons of methamphetamine, heroin, ketamine, cocaine, marijuana and other drugs, arrested 78 suspects, and dismantled five major cross-border trafficking gangs, according to CCG's official WeChat account on Thursday.
In particular, a total of 8.8 tons of drugs were seized in the first half of this year, a record high in the history of drug seizures by the CCG.
Drug abuse harms not only physical and mental health, but also disrupts economies, undermines international order due to its transnational nature and fuels related crimes, posing serious threats to national security and social stability, Li Wei, a researcher and security expert at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times.
In recent years, China's strict anti-drug enforcement has led to a steady decline in domestic drug-related crimes, but has yet to be fully eliminated, the expert noted. The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking underscores the pressing need for greater awareness and stronger action against drug trafficking, Li said.
"Extensive publicity is needed to make ordinary people aware of the dangers of drugs. Reducing the number of drug users will, in turn, help curb smuggling and trafficking. Anti-drug efforts still remain urgent and vital," he added.
The SPC also noted that new types of drug crimes are rapidly increasing in the country, surpassing traditional drug offenses, with a clear trend toward younger users and offenders.
Li said the trend toward younger drug users may be closely linked to teenagers' limited awareness of drug risks, starting anti-drug education from childhood is crucial.
An anti-drug campaign themed "Preventing Drug Abuse among Teenagers" was launched at the waiting hall of Beijing Railway Station on Thursday. By popularizing anti-drug knowledge, explaining the dangers of drugs and displaying common types of drugs to passing passengers, the campaign further enhanced passengers' awareness of identifying, preventing and rejecting drugs, according to CCTV.
An additional awareness event was also held on Thursday at the Beijing Capital International Airport on Thursday under the theme "Prevent Drug Abuse, Safeguard Health." The event featured video screenings, detection dog demonstrations, interactive games, and quizzes to promote public participation in drug prevention, people.cn reported.
In recent days, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Southwest China's Sichuan Province organized basketball tournaments and knowledge contests to promote anti-drug awareness in a way that resonates with the public, China Media Group reported on Thursday.
Li also highlighted China's joint anti-drug operations with neighboring countries such as Thailand, Myanmar and Laos, noting the benefits to both sides' anti-drug efforts.
A themed awareness campaign was held by local authorities from China and Vietnam on Wednesday, bringing together over 300 women and residents from the border area to promote anti-drug education, build a drug-free border, and enhance people-to-people exchanges, People.cn reported.
The Chinese and US economic and trade teams have recently further confirmed the details on the framework for implementing the Geneva trade talks consensus. China will review and approve compliant export applications for controlled items in accordance with the law and regulations. The US will correspondingly remove a series of restrictive measures taken against China, China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said in a statement on Friday.
MOFCOM's statement came in response to an inquiry about claims by some US officials and media reports that China and the US have reached a supplementary understanding on the framework for implementing the Geneva trade talks consensus and that China will accelerate its rare-earth exports approval process regarding shipments to the US, while the US will cancel relevant restrictive measures against China accordingly.
After trade talks in London from June 9 to 10, the Chinese and US teams maintained close communication, MOFCOM added.
It is hoped that the US will meet China halfway, and further leverage the role of the China-US economic and trade consultation mechanism in accordance with the important consensus and requirements reached by the two heads of state in their phone talks on June 5, continuously enhance consensus, reduce misunderstandings, strengthen cooperation, and jointly promote the healthy, stable and sustainable development of China-US economic and trade relations, MOFCOM said.
The current progress between China and the US reflects efforts to turn consensus into concrete actions, and such practical measures provide important support for all parties, including US businesses, by helping to stabilize supply chains and strengthen development resilience, a Chinese expert said.
However, concrete actions and sincerity are needed from the US in order to implement the consensus and deliver results, the expert said, urging the US to meet China halfway.
Widespread response
News of the latest progress in China-US trade issues has drawn widespread attention in recent days, following early reports from certain Western media outlets.
The US and China finalized a trade understanding reached last month in Geneva, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claimed, Bloomberg reported on Thursday.
The China deal, which Lutnick claimed had been signed two days ago, codifies the terms laid out in trade talks between Beijing and Washington, including a commitment from China to deliver rare earths, according to the report.
Earlier on Thursday, US President Donald Trump said the US had signed a deal with China on Wednesday, without providing additional details, Reuters reported.
Global markets responded immediately on Friday afternoon after MOFCOM revealed further details on China-US trade progress, as the world closely watches how the trade situation develops between the two largest economies.
The S&P 500 rose to a new record on Friday, the culmination of an improbable turnaround for US stocks this year as they overcame trade turmoil and geopolitics to reclaim the record set in February, the CNBC reported, noting that Friday's gain was driven by hope that trade deals with China and other countries are coming soon.
European stocks also rose on Friday, led by automakers, as signs of easing trade tensions between Beijing and Washington raised hopes of a de-escalation in the US-led tariff war, Reuters reported.
The new progress in China-US trade issues reflects the high level of market attention on the future of trade relations between the world's two largest economies, experts said.
"The latest developments in China-US trade issues demonstrate a move toward implementing agreed-upon goals. These tangible steps offer crucial support to all stakeholders, including American companies, by contributing to supply chain stability and greater resilience in development," Zhou Mi, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Friday.
"The further implementation of the consensus reached by the leaders of both countries also underscores the Chinese government's consistent stance—resolving economic and trade issues through multilateral rules and honoring commitments with concrete actions," he added.
It also demonstrates a full consideration of business needs and respect for fundamental market principles, Zhou said, noting that such practical measures provide important support for all parties, including US companies, by helping stabilize supply chains and enhance development resilience.
More sincerity needed
In contrast, the US has yet to turn the consensus into concrete action, Zhou said, noting that instead of easing restrictions, it continues to send signals that undermine China-US economic cooperation and trust, disrupting both markets.
In order to further implement the consensus between the two sides, concrete actions are necessary, Zhou said, urging the US to meet China halfway.
Commenting on the latest progress, Huo Jianguo, a vice chairman of the China Society for World Trade Organization Studies in Beijing, told the Global Times on Friday that "the outcome of the London talks serves as a test of both sides' sincerity and credibility. Whether the two countries can truly move toward each other hinges on their actions to follow through on the consensus and commitments reached."
"The US side pledged to ease restrictions, and I believe this presents a key opportunity for the administration to demonstrate genuine intent for cooperation," Huo said, adding that if this round of cooperation progresses smoothly, it will lay a solid foundation for future negotiations and help build a more robust framework of mutual trust between China and the US — a development that would also benefit the US and the world.
The trade disputes initiated by the US administration have already taken a toll on its own economy and had broader global impacts.
The US economy posted its first contraction in three years, data from US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) showed on Thursday (US time). Real GDP decreased at an annual rate of 0.5 percent in the first quarter, a downward revision of 0.3 percentage point from the previous estimate, according to the third estimate released by the US BEA on Thursday.
According to Reuters, the data contracted "a bit faster than previously thought in the first quarter amid tepid consumer spending, underscoring the distortions" caused by the US administration's aggressive tariffs on imported goods.
In a press conference by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) on Friday, the council's spokesperson Wang Linjie revealed the latest global economic and trade friction index, which stood at 131 in April, continued to rise.
On April 2, the US government implemented "reciprocal tariffs" citing issues such as trade deficits and non-tariff barriers, along with multiple restrictive measures introduced that month, which were the main reasons for the continued rise in the global trade friction index in April, Wang noted.
Despite the headwinds, China continues to be an attractive market for US businesses, as demonstrated on several key international occasions on which American industry representatives have shown strong support through their participation.
During the recently concluded Summer Davos in North China's Tianjin, US business representatives and experts expressed confidence in the Chinese market, underscoring the strong appeal of China's economy.
Moreover, at the upcoming third China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE), which is scheduled from July 16 to 20 in Beijing, the number of US exhibitors is expected to increase by 15 percent compared to the previous event, maintaining their position as the largest group of overseas exhibitors, according to the CCPIT on Friday.
China-US relations have weathered many storms, but they continue to move forward, said the CCPIT spokesperson, noting that the business communities of both countries, in particular, form a community of shared interests that stands together through challenges.
As of Saturday, the vast majority of Chinese nationals in Iran have been safely evacuated, with the remaining few having avoided high-risk areas, said the Chinese Embassy in Iran as reported by the Xinhua News Agency on Sunday evening.
The embassy said it has been closely communicating and cooperating with the Chinese Foreign Ministry and embassies in neighboring countries including Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Iraq to assist the evacuation since the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Iran.
The Chinese Embassy in Iran has constantly issued security advisories and self-protection information, proactively contacted Chinese nationals and Chinese enterprises to offer risk avoidance guidance, and maintained close communication with relevant Iranian authorities to provide security protection and facilitate customs clearance for them, said Fu Lihua, minister-counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Iran, Xinhua reported.
According to Fu, the embassy has arranged vehicles to transport Chinese nationals from Tehran and surrounding areas via land border crossings. The embassy staff have been on call day and night to answer assistance calls, assess the number of personnel, maintain contact with Chinese nationals, provide evacuation route guidance, and dispatch personnel to the Bajgiran border crossing between Iran and Turkmenistan to assist with customs clearance.
Fu said that as the situation deteriorated rapidly, the desire among Chinese citizens in Iran to evacuate grew stronger. The embassy quickly organized a total of 17 buses in four batches to evacuate Chinese nationals via land border crossings, and set up working groups at the Astara border crossing between Iran and Azerbaijan, where outbound personnel are concentrated.
The second temporary flight which departed from Turkmenistan and carried 119 Chinese nationals evacuated from Iran has arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport on Sunday morning, Xinhua reported
During his meeting with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) on Monday, Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China remains committed to advancing the Healthy China initiative and firmly supports the WHO's leadership and coordinating role in global health governance, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
Liu expressed China's willingness to continue supporting the WHO and called on the organization to uphold an impartial stance and safeguard the scientific rigor and seriousness of COVID-19 origin-tracing research, Xinhua reported. China stands ready to work with the WHO to promote the building of a global community of health for all, Liu said, per Xinhua.
Tedros welcomed Liu's attendance at the WHA and expressed his gratitude for China's strong support for the WHO and global health cause, saying that the WHO is willing to deepen cooperation with China in relevant areas, Xinhua said.
China's State Council Information Office issued a white paper on April 30 titled "COVID-19 Prevention, Control and Origins Tracing: China's Actions and Stance."
The Chinese government is releasing this white paper to present a systematic overview of China's key achievements in tracing the origins of SARS-CoV-2, to attest to its contribution to international cooperation in the response to the global pandemic, to advance scientific endeavors and foster global collaboration in this critical domain, and to expose the mismanaged pandemic response in the US, the white paper said.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry slammed on April 23 the US smearing China by rehashing the "lab leak" theory on its website.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that rehashing the "lab leak" theory on the relevant website and smearing China with unsubstantiated accusations is just another ploy the US is using for political manipulation under the pretext of COVID origins-tracing. China firmly opposes it.
China's consistent position toward the WHO is, without doubt, aligned with the vision of building a "global community of health for all," Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Tuesday.
In contrast, the US statements and positions tend to reflect a politicized approach, viewing global health issues through the lens of great-power competition, Li said, noting that its attitude toward the WHO is one of selective engagement, and it is a clear example of political maneuvering.
US President Donald Trump ordered in January that the US will leave the WHO, saying the global health agency had mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic and other international health crises, according to a Reuters report.
The US side said the WHO had failed to act independently from the "inappropriate political influence of WHO member states" and required "unfairly onerous payments" from the US that were disproportionate to the sums provided by other, larger countries, such as China, Reuters said.
In terms of financial support for the WHO, China has demonstrated the responsibility of a major country and set an example of matching words with actions. In contrast, the US has clearly fallen short, offering empty rhetoric without substantial actions, Li said.
The WHA, the highest decision-making body of the WHO, decided on Monday not to include in its agenda a proposal on Taiwan's participation as an observer, according to the Xinhua News Agency. Following the decision, a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry released a statement on Monday, saying that this marks the ninth consecutive year that the WHA has rejected such Taiwan-related proposals.
