Shanghai's software and information services report rapid growth
上海软件信息服务增长迅速
2025-07-08
| The revenue of Shanghai's software and information services industry surged 20 percent year on year in the first five months, positioning the city as the fastest-growing hub among China's top four software and information services regions, with the other three being Beijing, and Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces, local officials said on Monday.
Shanghai has revealed 17 policies in four categories to fuel this momentum. They include awards for software and information services generating record-high revenue, encouraging research and applications in artificial intelligence, supporting digital and AI tech to empower traditional industries and cut costs from talent finding to fundraising for high-tech firms, according to the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Information. Between January and May this year, Shanghai's software and information services industry generated a revenue exceeding 690 billion yuan (US$95.8 billion), a 20.4 percent year-on-year increase, much higher than the national level of 14 percent. The chip design and industrial security sectors grew rapidly, along with China's broader long-term strategy of achieving self-reliance in software development, a goal that has gained increased urgency amidst strict technology bans imposed by the United States on Chinese tech industries. Also in the first half, Shanghai saw 98 fundraising projects in software and information services industry, accounting for 16 percent of the national level, according to the commission. |
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| 来源: Shanghai Daily |
Hong Kong is the king of the mountain in new global share listings
香港登顶全球新股上市之王
2025-07-08
| The bulls are stampeding in Hong Kong, with initial public offerings in the city in the first half leading the world in money raised. Many analysts are predicting the trend will extend to the rest of the year.
"Hong Kong has regained the crown jewel in IPOs," said Molly Bao, eastern region partner of the Capital Market Services Group at Deloitte China. A total of 42 IPOs on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange raised HK$106.7 billion (US$13.5 billion) in the first half, according to the London Stock Exchange Group. The Nasdaq in New York ranked second with new listings of US$8.85 billion, while the New York Stock Exchange came in third with US$7.52 billion. By contrast, fundraising from IPOs on the London exchange slumped to a three-decade low, and some companies in continental Europe, like medical technology firm Brainlab, drug company Stada and car-parts seller Autodoc, have delayed share sales amid trade and geopolitical uncertainties. Closer to home, Chinese mainland stock exchanges didn't share in Hong Kong's IPO glory. The three main markets hosted about 50 new companies with listings totaling 33.6 billion yuan (US$4.7 billion). Still, prospects look brighter going forward. The Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges accepted 150 IPO applications in June alone, and the STAR Market has resumed listings for startup companies with great potential but no profits yet. Hong Kong's half-year achievement surpassed total funds raised in new share sales for the whole of 2024, with PricewaterhouseCoopers forecasting up to 100 IPOs in Hong Kong this year and total fundraising of more than US$25.5 billion. Deloitte's Bao attributed Hong Kong's milestone to the rise of mainland technology companies hungry for capital to expand, Hong Kong measures streamlining applications and Beijing's support for second listings. Among the 200 active IPO applicants in the pipeline to be listed in Hong Kong are some 40 are already trading on mainland stock exchanges. "Measures encouraging leading Chinese companies to list in Hong Kong together with improved market valuations, liquidity and capital absorption capacity have all added momentum to Hong Kong's IPO market," Bao said. Centerpiece of first-half activity was the Hong Kong listing of China's world-leading battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), which was already listed in Shenzhen. The IPO raised a record US$4.6 billion. It was not only the largest sale but also one of the fastest, executed in just 128 days with investors from 15 countries involved. The shares surged 25 percent by the end of June. Robin Zeng, chairman and chief executive of CATL, said Hong Kong's status as an international financial center has enabled the company to expand its capacity, supplier network and talent pool, while also finding international partners to achieve its goal of moving beyond just a battery maker to become a "zero-carbon technology company." Worthy of mention, US underwriters of the IPO, including Bank of America, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, participated even amid US-China trade tensions. Fang Xinghai, former vice chairman of China Securities Regulatory Commission and current vice president of the China Society for Finance and Banking, said intermarket links, like the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect, are strengthening capital market synchronization. The market-connect mechanisms have driven a flow of funds from mainland investors into the Hong Kong market. Those flows hit a record in the second quarter. Besides CATL, 92 percent of IPOs on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in the first half came from mainland companies, which raised UK$97.6 billion, a sixfold increase from a year earlier, according to Deloitte. Technology and biomed companies have been the stars in the wave of Hong Kong IPOs. For instance, Jiangsu Province-based drugmaker Hengrui Pharmaceuticals' US$1.3 billion IPO marked a five-year-high for a Hong Kong pharmaceutical debut. Another notable first share sale was Unisound AI Technology, which provides conversational products used across various industry sectors. The company raised US$26 million in its June debut. Other AI-related firms, including SenseTime, humanoid robot-maker UBTech and automotive chip vendor Horizon Robotics, have also chosen to list in Hong Kong. Why is Hong Kong so especially attractive for high-tech firms? For one thing, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in May officially launched its Technology Enterprise Channel (TECH), which provides specialized guidelines for technology and biotechnology companies. It also simplified requirements for firms with complex share structures. The emergence of China's AI star DeepSeek and its powerful, low-cost chatbot model has underpinned investor enthusiasm for breakthrough technology companies since January, helping the Hang Seng Index to a 20 percent surge this year, one of Asia's best-performing equity markets. Chinese technology companies already listed in Hong Kong have basked in the market's glow. Xiaomi shares in the first half soared 68 percent on sales of electric vehicles and the introduction of a new SUV premium model to rival Tesla. Automotive chip vendor Horizon Robotics surged 75 percent. Hong Kong has made great strides in re-establishing its credentials as a global capital market after several years of lassitude. It recently passed legislation setting up a mechanism for stablecoins – cryptocurrencies pegged to real-world assets like the US dollar – to be traded by licensed firms in the city. US-China trade tensions have bolstered Hong Kong as the go-to market for Chinese companies seeking to delist from US exchanges, amid noises from the Trump administration that the US may crack down on China listings. Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan said the city offers an ideal platform for companies that want to sidestep geopolitical and trade risks in favor of raising money for growth and development. Consumer goods companies have also benefited from the Hong Kong market aura. Among the top five Hong Kong IPOs in the first half, two came from the food industry: condiment maker Haitian Flavoring & Food and bubble-tea chain Mixue Group. Other teahouse chains have also been IPO success stories, including Good Me, Hu Shang A Yi and Green Tea. "It's an ideal destination for restaurants and food companies," said Sindy Wong, director of Tourism and Hospitality at InvestHK. "They can not only use the city to raise capital but also as a springboard to overseas expansion." Deloitte's Bao said Hong Kong may well capture the global IPO crown for the whole of 2025. "As Hong Kong's listing regime continues to evolve and attract a new wave of IPO candidates, the city's capital market gains depth and dynamism," she said. "At the same time, new policy initiatives such as TECH are set to facilitate listings by more biotech and specialist tech companies, further fuelling growth in fundraising volumes." Financial Secretary Chan is equally optimistic for the coming month, saying, "Investors are bullish on the Hong Kong bourse going into the second half." But Hong Kong can't rest on its laurels. Some Chinese mainland companies still see brighter prospects overseas. Despite veiled threats from the Trump administration, 36 China companies sold shares in the US in the first half, up 57 percent in volume and 28 percent in fundraising from a year earlier. |
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| 来源: Shanghai Daily |
维吾尔木卡姆艺术：保存新疆音乐灵魂
2025-07-04
| The 87-year-old artist Aisaiti Mohetaer taps a dap drum as his students play rawap lutes under poplar trees in Hami, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
The music builds as villagers clap, and some begin to dance. For Mohetaer, a third-generation Muqam artist, passing on the tradition is his duty and daily life. The Uygur Muqam, literally means "classic music," is an elaborate combination of music, dance and poetry. It represents one of China's most treasured cultural traditions. In 2005, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognized it as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. It was added to UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008, making it the first cultural heritage from Xinjiang to receive such honors. Muqam developed over centuries through the cultural exchanges of the ancient Silk Road. Historical records trace its early musical forms to as far back as 123 BC, over 2,100 years ago. The art reached its formal structure in the 16th century during the Yarkant Kingdom. Queen Amanni Shahan, consort of Abdurashit Khan, is credited with compiling and refining the melodies into what became the Twelve Muqam. Each suite in the Twelve Muqam can last more than two hours. Together, they stretch across nearly 24 hours of performance. The 87-year-old artist Aisaiti Mohetaer taps a dap drum as his students play rawap lutes under poplar trees in Hami, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The music builds as villagers clap, and some begin to dance. For Mohetaer, a third-generation Muqam artist, passing on the tradition is his duty and daily life. The Uygur Muqam, literally means "classic music," is an elaborate combination of music, dance and poetry. It represents one of China's most treasured cultural traditions. In 2005, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognized it as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. It was added to UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008, making it the first cultural heritage from Xinjiang to receive such honors. Muqam developed over centuries through the cultural exchanges of the ancient Silk Road. Historical records trace its early musical forms to as far back as 123 BC, over 2,100 years ago. The art reached its formal structure in the 16th century during the Yarkant Kingdom. Queen Amanni Shahan, consort of Abdurashit Khan, is credited with compiling and refining the melodies into what became the Twelve Muqam. Each suite in the Twelve Muqam can last more than two hours. Together, they stretch across nearly 24 hours of performance. By the mid-20th century, the Muqam tradition faced extinction. As older masters passed away, fewer people remembered the full repertoire. In the 1940s, only one known musician could perform all Twelve Muqam suites. Recognizing the urgency, the Chinese government launched a rescue project in the 1950s. Engineers recorded the musicians' performances. These recordings became the foundation for archiving and studying the tradition. In 2010, Xinjiang introduced the Regulations on Preserving Uygur Muqam, a rare law specifically written to safeguard an intangible cultural heritage. The legislation ensures funding for preservation efforts, restricts commercial misuse and mandates cultural education programs. "It enters a new epoch," Ma Yingsheng, an official from Xinjiang's intangible heritage office, told Xinhua news agency. "Protection has legal force." Today, a number of cultural centers across Xinjiang teach Muqam. Universities offer undergraduate degrees in the art. Primary and secondary schools introduce simplified forms of Muqam to children. The Xinjiang Muqam Art Troupe tours internationally and performs more than 100 shows each year. Mohetaer, one of more than 200 state-recognized heritage inheritors, has trained over 400 students. He receives an annual government subsidy and teaches from a small studio built by his village. "Young people are key," he told Xinhua. "I teach many 30-year-olds. They must keep this alive." By the mid-20th century, the Muqam tradition faced extinction. As older masters passed away, fewer people remembered the full repertoire. In the 1940s, only one known musician could perform all Twelve Muqam suites. Recognizing the urgency, the Chinese government launched a rescue project in the 1950s. Engineers recorded the musicians' performances. These recordings became the foundation for archiving and studying the tradition. In 2010, Xinjiang introduced the Regulations on Preserving Uygur Muqam, a rare law specifically written to safeguard an intangible cultural heritage. The legislation ensures funding for preservation efforts, restricts commercial misuse and mandates cultural education programs. "It enters a new epoch," Ma Yingsheng, an official from Xinjiang's intangible heritage office, told Xinhua news agency. "Protection has legal force." Today, a number of cultural centers across Xinjiang teach Muqam. Universities offer undergraduate degrees in the art. Primary and secondary schools introduce simplified forms of Muqam to children. The Xinjiang Muqam Art Troupe tours internationally and performs more than 100 shows each year. Mohetaer, one of more than 200 state-recognized heritage inheritors, has trained over 400 students. He receives an annual government subsidy and teaches from a small studio built by his village. "Young people are key," he told Xinhua. "I teach many 30-year-olds. They must keep this alive." |
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| 来源: Shanghai Daily |
5本治愈心灵的回忆录，帮你重整生活
2025-07-04
| For those jetting off somewhere hot, life will still be messy when you get back from the beach. These five memoirs have carried me through some tough times and showed me that our struggles, however isolating they seem, are shared. None of these books are recent releases, but at least one will be new to you, and their insights feel more relevant than ever.
Each offers a different window into the landscapes of suffering and survival, written by people brave enough to map their pain so the rest of us might understand ours. ‘Shoot the Damn Dog’ by Sally Brampton The first mental health memoir I read. Sally Brampton founded Elle UK but behind the glossy exterior was a woman battling severe depression and alcoholism. Her account is unflinchingly honest about what it feels like to live inside a depressed mind. Brampton doesn't romanticize mental illness or offer false hope. She writes about depression like someone clawing at the walls of their existence. Brampton died by suicide years after publication. I was in the bath when I heard the news and cried like a baby. I reread her book to remind me why I'd connected with her words. Her brutal honesty about the fight for her life continues to help people feel less alone in theirs. Why to pack: Perfect for anyone drowning in their own mind. ‘Hunger’ by Roxane Gay I hate my body. If you've ever been at war with yours, this is the most honest thing you'll read about that particular hell. Gay's memoir chronicles how childhood sexual trauma led to extreme weight gain and what it's like to live in a larger body. This isn't just for people who've suffered similar trauma. I live with a severe eating disorder and find this book incredibly powerful. Gay writes brutally, with short, devastating sentences that tell it like it is. Gay doesn't apologize for her size or promise transformation. Instead, she offers something harder: the truth about surviving in a body that feels like both protection and a prison. Why to pack: Essential reading for anyone carrying trauma in a body of any size. ‘Man's Search for Meaning’ by Viktor Frankl This book is on every therapist's bookshelf for good reason. For me, it was my mom who recommended it, but she's a therapist. Double whammy. Frankl's central insight is that we cannot choose what happens to us, but we can choose how to respond. This might sound like greeting card philosophy, but Frankl earned the right to say it through unthinkably hard experiences. There's a reason this slim book has sold over 16 million copies and been named one of the most influential books in America. Frankl's therapy focuses on finding meaning rather than pursuing happiness. In our culture of toxic positivity, this feels revolutionary. Sometimes the question isn't "How can I be happy?" but "How can I make this suffering worthwhile?" Why to pack: When life feels unbearably cruel, Frankl shows the way forward. ‘A Million Little Pieces’ by James Frey The world was sold on this book being a memoir until it turned out to have fictional elements. The addiction narrative hits like a freight train regardless of what's "true." Frey's account of rock-bottom addiction and treatment is visceral in ways that stay with you. He doesn't glorify addiction or make recovery read easy. This is about the daily grind of choosing sobriety when every cell screams for relief. Frey refuses to make himself sympathetic. He's often unlikeable, sometimes cruel, frequently self-pitying. But that honesty makes his recovery feel real. The controversy misses the point: Frey captured something essential about addiction that resonates regardless of embellishment. Why to pack: The unvarnished truth about rock bottom and climbing back. ‘Tuesdays with Morrie’ by Mitch Albom Words from a dying man that are neither morbid nor manipulative. Albom reconnects with his former professor Morrie Schwartz, who is dying from a motor neurone disease. What begins as a courtesy visit becomes Tuesday conversations about love, work, death and what makes life worth living. I must have bought 10 copies of this book because I've given it away to at least nine friends. Each one has fallen in love with Morrie. I challenge you not to. Albom arrives as a successful but spiritually empty workaholic and leaves understanding something fundamental about human connection. The conversations are grounded in the reality of a deteriorating body and a sharp mind grappling with mortality. Why to pack: A gentle reminder of what matters. These books don't offer easy answers or quick fixes. What they provide is more valuable: proof that others have walked through similar darkness. While you've got sand between your toes and a pina colada in one hand, hold one of these books in the other. Sometimes choosing deeper reading over our usual romance or spy thriller gives us something extra. The knowledge we're not alone in whatever else we're packing. |
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| 来源: Shanghai Daily |
上海新增三条直飞中亚和蒙古航班
2025-07-04
| Shanghai's air network is expanding with three new international routes launching on Thursday and Friday, connecting the city to Ulaanbaatar, Tashkent, and Almaty.
The new links are expected to boost business, tourism, and cultural exchanges with Central Asia and Mongolia. Shanghai – Ulaanbaatar The first route began early Thursday, with Mongolian Airlines Flight OM265 arriving at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. The route is the first direct passenger flight between Shanghai and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's capital. The airline will operate the Boeing 737 service twice a week. Departures from Shanghai are scheduled for 1:10am every Thursday and Sunday, arriving in Ulaanbaatar at 5am local time. Return flights leave Ulaanbaatar at 8:40pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays, reaching Shanghai by 12:10am the next day. Shanghai – Tashkent From Friday, Uzbekistan's airline, Qanot Sharq, will fly between Shanghai and Tashkent twice weekly using Airbus A321 aircraft. The outbound flight leaves at 6:40am on Tuesdays and Fridays, landing at 11:50am local time. Return flights are scheduled for Monday at 7pm and Thursday at 6:50pm, arriving in Shanghai the next day at 5am. Shanghai – Almaty Also on Friday, China Eastern Airlines will launch flights to Almaty, Kazakhstan. The route will run three times a week using Airbus A321 aircraft. Flights depart from Shanghai at 4:05pm every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, landing at 7:35pm local time. Return flights leave Almaty at 8:50pm the same days and arrive in Shanghai the next morning around 6am All three cities are key stops along the ancient Silk Road. The new routes connect Shanghai to previously unserved areas under China's Belt and Road Initiative. Shanghai Airport Authority said the city is working to build a major international hub and improve access to Central Asian regions. China has mutual visa-free agreements with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, allowing easier travel for tourists and business visitors. Travelers can explore traditional Mongolian sports in Ulaanbaatar during July's Naadam Festival. In Tashkent, visitors can enjoy historical markets and local architecture. In Almaty, tourists can reach nearby mountains within 30 minutes for outdoor sports year-round. |
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| 来源: Shanghai Daily |
Vietnam trade pact shows Trump is serious about 'America First' policy
越南贸易协定显示特朗普非常关注“美国优先”政策
2025-07-03
| The Trump administration announced a new "trade agreement" with Vietnam. Instead of imposing 46 percent tariffs on goods from Hanoi, the US will charge a 20 percent duty on all imports from the country, while Vietnam will go zero-free on all imports from the US.
Not only that, but the US will levy a 40 percent tariff on all goods from Vietnam that are rerouted from China, a significant measure given that a large portion of Vietnamese exports are repackaged goods in supply chains integrated with its northern neighbor. We have long known that the Trump administration has sought to suppress this, which was a key motivation behind its heavy-handed tariff assault on Hanoi in the first place. Let's be honest: This contract is disastrous for Vietnam, threatening to destroy its export model from an early stage, without the benefit of China's vast capacity. Vietnam is an emerging economy that has joined the value chain with a cheap and plentiful labor force as its key asset. As China has become more expensive for the cheapest commodities and has progressed into producing more specialized components, international corporations have outsourced various phases of assembly to the Southeast Asian country to save costs. For example, most Apple iPhone suppliers are based in China, producing physical components, but portions of assembly have been outsourced to Vietnam. This is not an "exodus" from China, since many Chinese companies have outsourced production to Vietnam to avoid tariffs. While one might expect US strategists to see value in an economically stronger Vietnam as part of a larger regional vision to contain Beijing, and thus have attempted to cultivate stronger relationships with Hanoi, the reality is that Trump's protectionist "America First" worldview interprets trade as a zero-sum game, so the fact that China sees Vietnam as a "loophole" is unacceptable. For Trump, there are only "winners" and "losers" in trade, so a Vietnam that prospers compared with the US and China is out of the question; it's all for America or nothing. In such an event, the White House has concluded that it is preferable to crush Vietnam's trade rather than allow it to be a mutual beneficiary. As a result, the United States has pushed Hanoi, a developing country, to agree to one-sided economic arrangements. Vietnam is required to entirely open itself to the American market, but this privilege is not returned, and Vietnamese enterprises will suffer a 20 percent tariff on all exports, plus a 40 percent levy if they are from China. While Vietnam has endeavored to create a close strategic partnership with the United States, with China in mind, this "trade deal" can only be defined as punishing for its economic development and strategy, as it will now have to seek elsewhere and not rely on America. It is an absurdly self-defeating move against US firms looking to save costs, but it will undoubtedly cause them to reconsider expanding into Vietnam. When Trump says "America First," he must be taken seriously. This isn't an "anyone but China" strategy, which many US strategists tolerated and Biden adopted; rather, it's a "I want manufacturing back to the United States" attitude. I had assumed that, given its strategic importance, the US would back down on substantial tariffs against Vietnam and instead offer them a favorable arrangement, keeping China in mind. Instead, it appears that the US president is dead serious about maintaining harsh tariffs on all countries and effectively demanding one-sided capitulation in exchange for little, if any, relief. Even the United Kingdom, which is at the top of the list and poses no trade danger to America, wasn't completely off the hook. Thus, Vietnam, a strategically important country for US interests, has been effectively pushed into submission. Ironically, this will not reduce their reliance on China, but rather highlight the long-term relevance of the Chinese economy as a haven. Hanoi now faces some difficult considerations in restructuring its economic development strategy. Its role as a haven for businesses leaving China in search of access to the United States is no longer relevant. Trump is not only building a wall along the border, but also surrounding all of the United States' ports of entry. |
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| 来源: Shanghai Daily |
上海地铁对携带充电宝无限制
2025-07-01
| Shanghai Metro passengers can still carry power banks even after China's aviation authority banned devices without a clear 3C (China Compulsory Certification) label on domestic flights last month.
"There are no particular rules for carrying power banks in metro stations," a spokesperson told Shanghai Daily. According to the Metro rules, commuters are prohibited from bringing flammable, explosive, toxic, harmful, radioactive, or corrosive substances, as well as items with strong or irritating odors, poorly packaged sharp or fragile items, and inflatable balloons. The clarification follows a new regulation from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, which banned power banks without clear 3C labels, or those from recalled batches, from domestic flights starting June 28. The civil aviation ruling comes after a string of safety incidents. According to the Xinhua News Agency, 15 power bank-related fires or incidents have been reported on flights in China so far this year. These include a fire on a Busan Air plane in January and another on a Hong Kong Airlines flight in March, both caused by power banks stored in overhead compartments. Meanwhile, China's rail network has not followed suit. A representative from 12306, the official train ticketing platform, told state broadcaster CCTV that passengers can carry power banks under 100Wh without needing to show 3C labels or brand names. Major power bank manufacturers have issued large-scale recalls. Anker Innovations is recalling 710,000 units in China and 1.158 million units in the United States, citing defective battery cells supplied by APEX (Wuxi) Co, Ltd, whose 3C certification has reportedly been suspended or revoked. Romoss, another leading brand, has recalled 490,000 units in China for the same reason. Several other brands, including Ugreen and Baseus, have also been affected. APEX (Wuxi) is a wholly owned subsidiary of APEX and Wuxi Industrial Development Group, which is mainly engaged in the production and sales of consumer lithium-ion batteries and their components. |
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| 来源: Shanghai Daily |
特朗普称美国将在下周与伊朗会谈
2025-06-26
| US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the United States will hold talks with Iran next week.
"We're going to talk to them next week, with Iran. We may sign an agreement," Trump said during a press conference in The Hague following the NATO summit. Earlier on Wednesday, Trump said that a ceasefire between Iran and Israel is going "very good." "I think it's (going) very good. Israel came back yesterday," Trump told reporters at the NATO summit in The Hague, referring to his Tuesday warning to Israel to halt airstrikes on Iran. On June 13, Israel launched major airstrikes on different areas in Iran, including nuclear and military sites, killing senior commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians. Iran responded by launching several waves of missile and drone attacks on Israel, inflicting casualties and heavy damage. On Saturday, the US Air Force bombed three Iranian nuclear sites of Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. In retaliation, Iran on Monday attacked the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar with missiles. Following Iran's attack, Trump announced that a ceasefire between Iran and Israel would begin around 0400 GMT on Tuesday. Both sides later confirmed the start of the ceasefire. |
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| 来源: Shanghai Daily |
中国南方洪水，超过8万人被疏散
2025-06-25
| Continuous heavy rainfall and upstream inflows have triggered severe flooding in two counties of Guizhou Province in southwest China, prompting mass evacuations.
As of 2:30pm Tuesday, 48,900 residents were temporarily evacuated in Rongjiang County and 32,000 in Congjiang County. The flood control emergency response has been escalated to Level I, the highest, in both counties. Rongjiang, a county known for Cun Chao — a rural football league covering over 100 village teams and drawing numerous fans across the country, saw heavy rainstorms from 8 pm Monday, with a venue at the Duliu River exceeding the warning level by 6.68 meters as of 2 pm Tuesday. The football field at the Cun Chao stadium was submerged under three meters of water. Long Tian, a resident near the stadium, recalled that when he woke up at 8am Tuesday, the water downstairs was already thigh-deep. "The water rose very quickly, so I stayed on the third floor waiting for rescue. By the afternoon, I had been transferred to safety," Long said. Rescue teams, including firefighters and volunteers, deployed boats and other equipment for the rescue work in the two counties. As of 4 pm Tuesday, the provincial emergency department had allocated disaster relief items, including 30,000 bottles of drinking water and 10,000 bowls of instant noodles, to the two counties via high-speed rail and road transport. Also in Guizhou, rain-triggered landslides caused the collapse of part of a bridge on an expressway in the county of Sandu. No casualties have been reported so far. |
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| 来源: Shanghai Daily |
Labubu玩偶：中国软实力浪潮下的怪兽IP热潮
2025-06-25
| Small, fuzzy and baring sharp teeth, Chinese toymaker Pop Mart's Labubu monster dolls have taken over the world, drawing excited crowds at international stores and adorning the handbags of celebrities such as Rihanna and Cher.
Beijing-based Pop Mart is part of a rising tide of Chinese cultural exports gaining traction abroad, furry ambassadors of a "cool" China. Labubus, which typically sell for around US$40, are released in limited quantities and sold in "blind boxes," meaning buyers don't know the exact model they will receive. The dolls are "a bit quirky and ugly and very inclusive, so people can relate", interior designer Lucy Shitova told AFP at a Pop Mart store in London, where in-person sales of Labubus have been suspended over fears that fans could turn violent in their quest for the toys. "Now everything goes viral... because of social media. And yes, it's cool. It's different." "It has been hard for the world's consumers to perceive China as a brand-creating nation," the University of Maryland's Fan Yang told AFP. Pop Mart has bucked the trend, spawning copycats dubbed by social media users as "lafufus" and detailed YouTube videos on how to verify a doll's authenticity. Brands such as designer womenswear label Shushu/Tong, Shanghai-based Marchen and Beijing-based handbag maker Songmont have also gained recognition abroad over the past few years. "It might just be a matter of time before even more Chinese brands become globally recognizable," Yang said. TikTok effect Through viral exports like Labubu, China is "undergoing a soft-power shift where its products and image are increasingly cool among young Westerners", said Allison Malmsten, an analyst at China-based Daxue Consulting. Malmsten said she believed social media could boost China's global image "similar to that of Japan in the 80s to 2010s with Pokemon and Nintendo." Video app TikTok — designed by China's ByteDance — paved the way for Labubu's ascent when it became the first Chinese-branded product to be indispensable for young people internationally. Joshua Kurlantzick from the Council on Foreign Relations told AFP that "TikTok probably played a role in changing consumers' minds about China." A conduit for Chinese social media memes and fashion trends, TikTok hosts over 1.7 million videos about Labubu. Labubumania Cultural exports can "improve the image of China as a place that has companies that can produce globally attractive goods or services," CFR's Kurlantzick told AFP. While plush toys alone might not translate into actual power, the United States' chaotic global image under the Trump presidency could benefit perceptions of China, the University of Maryland's Yang said. "The connection many make between the seeming decline of US soft power and the potential rise in China's global image may reflect how deeply intertwined the two countries are in the minds of people whose lives are impacted by both simultaneously," she told AFP. At the very least, Labubu's charms appear to be promoting interest in China among the younger generation. "It's like a virus. Everyone just wants it," Kazakhstani mother-of-three Anelya Batalova told AFP at Pop Mart's theme park in Beijing. Qatari Maryam Hammadi, 11, posed for photos in front of a giant Labubu statue. "In our country, they love Labubu," she said. "So, when they realize that the origin of Labubu is in China, they'd like to come to see the different types of Labubu in China." |
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| 来源: Shanghai Daily |
