Table of contents for Vol.69/No.2 in Beijing Review

Since ancient times, the relationship between China and Japan has been an extremely close one. The two countries are often said to be “separated only by a thread of water as thin as the belt around a robe.” This relationship has had positive aspects, such as cultural and interpersonal exchange, but has also involved wars and invasions. Needless to say, historical processes have always had positive and negative aspects. However, this ancient relationship has at times been in serious trouble, especially during World War II (WWII), with Japan’s invasion of China. The relations between the two nations quickly deteriorated with the outbreak of the September 18 Incident in 1931, the beginning of the 14-year-long War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and were aggravated when the Lugouqiao Incident on the night…

China’s space program is moving forward quickly, thanks to a clear national strategy and a fast-growing commercial sector. What started as a careful, government-led project has become a lively mix of scientific research, new technology, affordable launch services and bold missions to other planets. With a permanent space station in low-Earth orbit, continuing missions to the moon and Mars, reusable rockets in the works and busy launch centers in Hainan and Gansu provinces, China is catching up in a field that used to be led by the United States. By combining long-term planning with quick action, China is changing both its own path and the global space landscape. From low-Earth orbit to deep space China’s Tiangong space station is now the center of the country’s human spaceflight goals and shows…

In early 1986, Jean-Michel Dumont arrived in Beijing for the first time, unable to speak the language and with little understanding of what lay ahead. His trip had a clear purpose. Dumont’s brother, the China expert in the family, was planning to establish a public relations (PR) company in Beijing, and Dumont came to help find a suitable office for the venture. The PR company that his brother opened later helped some very famous foreign brands to operate in the Chinese market. Before China entered his life, the young man, from a small town near Paris, had spent five years in Brazil, working for a travel agency that developed tourism links between France and countries in Latin America. It was, as he remembers, a carefree and liberating period. Fresh out…

Golden Friendship, Shared Brilliance: A Special Exhibition Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Chinese-Thai Diplomatic Relations is currently underway within the Hall of Literary Brilliance (Wenhua Dian) inside the Palace Museum in Beijing. Jointly organized with the Fine Arts Department of Thailand’s Ministry of Culture, the exhibition will showcase more than 240 cultural treasures from both countries until February 24. The Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, housed China’s royal family from the 15th century to the early 20th century. China and Thailand have a long history of cultural exchange, dating back to the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 25). Comments to weiyao@cicgamericas.com…

Longest Expressway Tunnel The 22.13-km Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the world’s longest expressway tunnel, officially opened to traffic on December 26, 2025. Traversing the central Tianshan Mountain range in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the tunnel slashes what was once a several-hour mountain drive to just 20 minutes. As a vital artery linking city clusters in north and south Xinjiang, the G0711 Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, including the tunnel, entered operation on the same day. Subway Breakthrough China’s first subway line passing through a karst spring area began operation on December 27, 2025, in Jinan City of Shandong Province. It is an engineering breakthrough that balances urban transit demands with the protection of natural water resources. The subway line 4 runs beneath one of Jinan’s busiest transport corridors, reducing travel time and easing road…

On a crisp evening in December 2025, 76-year-old Wang Yulin lay awake in a new bed in Wuhan, Hubei Province, his mind alive with a feeling that had grown rare in his later years: a profound joy. “I was so happy I couldn’t sleep all night,” he told local news portal Hbwh.wenming.cn. Earlier that day, Wang and 19 other vulnerable seniors had received the keys to a newly opened, state-ofthe-art senior care center. For them, this was far more than a change of address; it was a transition from uncertainty to security, from isolation to community, marking the start of a chapter defined by dignity. This modern facility, equipped with medicalgrade elevators, fully accessible floors and intelligent emergency systems, represents more than just a comfortable residence. It is a tangible…

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stunned the world when she declared publicly in the Japanese legislature that the Chinese mainland’s “use of force on Taiwan” could constitute a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan that would allow Japanese military intervention in “collective defense.” Words matter. Especially when they are words with legal force, uttered in an official capacity. These words are legal terms of art that authorize the aggressive use of the military according to Clause 4 of Japan’s Peace and Security Act of 2015. Applied to Taiwan, it allows expeditionary military force against China. Since Japan acknowledges the one-China policy in the 1972 Sino-Japanese Joint Communiqué, this would constitute a violation of international law. In fact, it would be a war of aggression. Alternatively, if we adhere to the legal fiction…

Fuzhou, capital of Fujian Province, welcomed its first downtown duty-free store on December 18, 2025. The new facility features a multifaceted model, selling duty-free and taxed domestic and international products, and online and physical channels to meet consumer needs. Liu Fanghao, an official at Fuzhou Customs, told the Fuzhou Evening News newspaper it is the city’s fourth duty-free store and the first in the central business district. “It enhances the city’s ability to build an international consumption hub and its appeal to international visitors,” he said. The store is located in Gulou District and covers nearly 1,000 square meters. It features two main zones: a duty-free zone and a taxed goods zone. Travelers scheduled to leave China from Fuzhou by air within 60 days can shop in the duty-free area.…

More than a decade ago, when Wang Mian, a lecturer at Tsinghua University in Beijing, went to the United States as a visiting scholar, she took her daughter with her. The young girl was then just beginning to learn Chinese characters and, wanting to keep her entertained during the trip, Wang took along the Chinese translation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (the first novel in author J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, published in the U.S. as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone). The decision marked the beginning of their journey into the wizarding world. “While we were in the U.S., it was Saint Patrick’s Day and we went to watch the parade. The street was bustling with noise and excitement, but my daughter was so engaged with the…

Cambridge Dictionary’s 2025 Word of the Year is “parasocial,” describing one-sided emotional connections, often through social media, with celebrities, influencers or even AI personalities. This “social-but-not-truly-social” trend reveals a paradox: While some young people invest deeply in these curated relationships, they may avoid forming real-life bonds. Supporters see parasocial ties as loweffort social enrichment and a natural evolution in a digital age. Critics warn they cannot replace genuine human contact and may weaken personal development and community cohesion. Feng Shangyue (Gmw.cn): Parasocial relationships are now a mainstream social reality. Moving young people from the virtual to the real world requires more than advice—it demands diagnosing the deeper needs that virtual connections fulfill. For Gen Zs, academic and life pressures create stress. Real friendship, with its demands for time and responsibility, feels…

ETF Market The combined scale of China’s exchange-traded funds (ETFs) had hit a record 6.02 trillion yuan ($856 billion), up more than 2.2 trillion yuan ($314 billion) from the end of 2024, Shanghai Securities News reported on December 27, 2025, citing data from Choice, a financial information provider. China introduced its first ETF in 2004. The market has expanded rapidly in recent years, with total ETF assets exceeding 4 trillion yuan ($571 billion) in April 2025 and topping 5 trillion yuan ($714 billion) in August. Large ETFs have grown rapidly, with the number of funds managing over 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) increasing to more than 120, up from just 66 at the end of 2024. In addition to strong asset growth, ETF product offerings continued to increase. The number…

In Zhushan County, Hubei Province, young couples are discussing a new incentive: housing subsidies for families with children. According to the local authority, families with a second child born between June 2021 and June 2026, that buy new commercial housing in the county, qualify for a 25-square-meter subsidy. Those with a third child receive an additional 50 square meters—and the subsidies can be combined. A three-child family could thus obtain up to 75 square meters in support. With local housing prices at 4,000-5,000 yuan ($571-$714) per square meter, the benefit may exceed 300,000 yuan ($42,810). This tangible financial incentive directly addresses the pressing concerns of high childrearing costs and immense parenting pressures, representing a local attempt to explore pathways for encouraging childbirth. Meanwhile, in Beijing, another form of support is…

The Chinese equivalent of Cambridge Dictionary’s Word of the Year was announced in December 2025. Near the top of language magazine Yaowen Jiaozi’s list of defining phrases was “embodied intelligence” (jushen zhineng in Chinese). This term, which refers to AI that exists in a physical space (think: robots, autonomous vehicles and drones), tells you exactly where the national conversation and investment are headed in China. The “intelligence” part of that equation achieved world-class status in 2025. The year started with Chinese AI startup DeepSeek releasing foundational models. The year ended with open-source models from Chinese developers accounting for roughly 17 percent of global downloads, surpassing the U.S. share of 15.8 percent for the first time. But what is more remarkable than these software triumphs is the national drive to embed…

Every November, as temperatures drop across much of China, Li Yongyuan and her husband pack their bags in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, and head south—to Mengding Town in Lincang, a city in neighboring Yunnan Province. Here, they settle in for several months of gentle warmth, a “snowbird” rhythm they have kept for five years. So fond are they of this borderland haven that they have bought a home here, joining a growing community of retirees who migrate each winter from colder regions to Mengding’s sunny embrace. What calls them back, season after season, is a combination of a year-round temperate climate, with an average annual temperature of 21.7 degrees Celsius, and a low cost of living. Just steps from their residence lies a lively farmers’ market, where each morning vendors lay…

The latest season of Workplace Newcomers—a Chinese reality program tracking young people’s transition from education to employment—came to a close on November 30, 2025. Having previously featured professions ranging from forensic science to commercial aviation, this time the series turned to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), following 12 apprentices as they navigated professional practice. Ayizuremu Semaiti, known on the show as Ayi, was the youngest participant and the only one without postgraduate training. The 22-year-old from Kashgar, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is an undergraduate majoring in clinical TCM at the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine in Guangdong Province, south China. Initially, she faced online scrutiny for her perceived limited clinical experience and visible lack of confidence. But by the season’s finale, viewers began to recognize the determined young woman who had…