The World Association for Performing Arts (WAPA) was unveiled on Monday in Beijing with a total of 30 institutions from 19 countries having joined the organization.
Initiated by the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in 2019, the international body will focus on strengthening global cultural exchanges, said Wang Ning, head of the NCPA and chairperson of the WAPA.
"The global performing arts industry shares a common destiny, and over the years, the NCPA has been committed to promoting the cultural integration of various countries and fostering people-to-people exchanges between China and foreign countries," Wang said.
The alliance aims to provide an open and multilateral platform for communication, promote the international development of the performing arts, strengthen the integration of technology and performing arts, and facilitate mutual exchanges and prosperity among world civilizations, according to Wang.
"As the initiator of the WAPA, the NCPA will continue to work with global artistic institutions to support the development of performing arts, join hands to weave a spiritual bond of beauty and commonality in the global performing arts," Wang noted.
The alliance will focus on enhancing operational capabilities, promoting ongoing collaboration between institutions, and accelerating the transformation of high-quality results to build a broader platform for mutual exchanges among civilizations.
Cormac Simms, the administrative director of the Royal Opera in the UK, a council member of the WAPA, said the organization will boost international cooperation.
"Theater, music and the performing arts are hugely important, and they could be meaningful for all races," Simms said. "The WAPA promotes cultural diversity and exchanges, which also facilitate international cooperation. Together, we will make progress."
Rory Jeffes, the international engagement advisor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in Australia, said the organization could bridge divides.
"The WAPA is an opportunity for us across the whole world to be able to bridge divides and to share the common humanity that brings us all together," Jeffes told the Global Times.
"It's not about language. It's not about our individual cultures. It's not about anything other than a celebration of what it is that makes it special for us all to be human while sharing this planet together."
Marcelo Lopes, executive director of the Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra, echoed the idea that the organization could bring people together.
"We believe music could pull people together. Putting people onto the same page, so we can understand each other. We can have more tolerance through diversity. That's what we need," Lopes told the Global Times.
Xu Zhong, head of the Shanghai Opera House, said the establishment of WAPA is sure to facilitate a connection between domestic performing arts and international renowned institutions.
"The world's symphony orchestras are paying attention to China and the development of Chinese symphony music. It can be predicted that there will be intensive cooperation upcoming between orchestras. I think this is very gratifying for domestic performing artists," Xu said.
A parallel symphony music forum will also be held until Tuesday, with a focus on expanding the influence of performing arts institutions among a younger demographic.
China announced on Wednesday that, in support of international drug control efforts, the Chinese government will increase its annual drug control donation to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to $2 million starting in 2024. This funding will primarily be designated for the development of the Mekong Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
The announcement was made during the 14th Ministerial Meeting of the MOU on Drug Control in the Greater Mekong Subregion, held in Beijing on Wednesday. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Mekong MOU.
More than 80 people attended the meeting, including delegates from the governments of the six signatory countries, UNODC representatives, and diplomatic envoys in China from relevant countries.
The Mekong MOU, jointly established by Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and the UNODC, aims to address significant drug issues in the region.
During the meeting, the delegates deliberated on and approved a series of collaborative documents, including the Subregional Action Plan (XII), Beijing Declaration, and China's initiative on Jointly Addressing the Synthetic Drug Problem in the Greater Mekong Subregion by Signatories to the 1993 Memorandum of Understanding on Drug Control in the Greater Mekong Subregion ("China's Initiative").
Among these, the Subregional Action Plan is a foundational document of the Mekong MOU. Its revised version provides a more objective assessment of the regional drug situation and is intended to effectively promote regional drug control cooperation.
According to the summary of the 2022 Mekong River joint patrol and law enforcement meeting, law enforcement authorities from China, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand jointly solved a total of 22 cases throughout the year, apprehended 638 criminal suspects, and seized 3.19 tons of drugs. This effectively curbed the rampant trend of various illegal activities in the Mekong River Basin.
The Chinese government will maintain a strong stance on drug control, upholding the international drug control system based on the three UN drug control conventions. Wang Xiaohong, Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security, emphasized the importance of deepening international drug control cooperation.
Heads of delegations from all parties delivered speeches during the meeting, calling for continued collaboration among the mechanism's parties to collectively address drug control challenges.
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, launched the Dubai Economic Leadership Programme, which aims to prepare the next generation of competent Emirati talent to lead Dubai's vital sectors by enriching them with knowledge of the latest economic trends and expertise.
The programme, organised by the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Leadership Development (MBRCLD) in collaboration with strategic international partners prominent in the field of economy, aims to prepare national talent through quality education and targeted activities that help them gain essential future leadership.
Investing in people
In a post published on his official account on X, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said: "Today we launch the 'Dubai Economic Leaders Programme'. Our goal is to prepare Emirati talent who will assume the responsibility to elevate Dubai's economy and its future, fulfil its economic agenda, D33, and ensure sustainable growth.
"I will personally oversee the progression of this year-long programme, which falls under the supervision of the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Leadership Development (MBRCLD). The nomination and application process is open to those who see themselves as part of the future of Dubai and the UAE.
"With a wealth of creative minds across all sectors, Dubai has enough resilience and proactivity to ensure a leading position at the forefront of the world's most diverse and fastest-growing economies," he added.
Promising opportunities
The Dubai Economic Leadership Programme aims to develop quality new themes that help develop promising national competencies, provide the right conditions to nurture leadership skills and support outstanding talent, while also working towards the goals of D33, in terms of doubling Dubai's economic growth over the next decade, and bolstering its position among the world's top three cities.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Leadership Development will open registration in the programme between September and October.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Friday that the relocation of Gaza residents from the north to the south as ordered by the Israeli military is extremely dangerous.
After days of airstrikes, the Israeli military has ordered the Palestinians in Gaza City and its surroundings to move to the south of the territory, said Guterres. "Moving more than 1 million people across a densely populated warzone to a place with no food, water, or accommodation, when the entire territory is under siege, is extremely dangerous - and in some cases, simply not possible."
Hospitals in the south of Gaza are already at capacity and will not be able to accept thousands of new patients from the north. The health system is on the brink of collapse. Morgues are overflowing; 11 healthcare staff have been killed while on duty; and there have been 34 attacks on health facilities in the past few days, he said before walking into a Security Council meeting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The entire territory of Gaza faces a water crisis as infrastructure has been damaged and there is no electricity to power pumps and desalination plants, he added.
Guterres said the situation in Gaza has reached a dangerous new low.
The horrific terror attacks by Hamas on Israel that killed more than 1,200 people and injured thousands more on Saturday were followed by intense Israeli bombardment of Gaza that has already killed 1,800 people and injured thousands more, he noted.
Guterres called for immediate humanitarian access throughout Gaza so that fuel, food and water can be provided to people in need. He called for respect for international humanitarian law and human rights law, and for the protection of civilians. He also called for the immediate release of hostages in Gaza.
"It is imperative that all parties - and those with influence over them - do everything possible to achieve these steps," said Guterres.
The UN chief also warned against hate speech stoked by the conflict - across the Middle East and around the world.
"Dehumanizing language that incites violence is never accepted. I call on all leaders to speak out against Antisemitism, anti-Muslim bigotry and hate speech of all kinds. This is a time for the international community to come together around protecting civilians and finding a lasting solution to this unending cycle of death and destruction," he said.
China has dispatched its special envoy to the Middle East in a bid to bring the latest escalation between Israel and Hamas to an end. Peace activist, writer and teacher KJ Noh said the US response exposed its warmongering nature.
The US has unmasked its true nature by blocking efforts by China and other nations to bring peace to the Middle East, says a peace activist.
Chinese special envoy to the Middle East Zhai Jun said on Monday he had already visited Qatar and Egypt and would now travel to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and other countries in the region "to further strengthen coordination with relevant parties to promote ceasefire, end violence and mitigate the situation."
More than 5,700 civilians have been killed and some 18,000 injured in the besieged Gaza Strip by Israeli Defence Forces bombing since the armed wing of the Hamas movement launched a surprise attack into southern Israel on October 7. The victims include 2,360 children, almost 1,300 women and 300 elderly people.
Last week the US blocked UN Security Council motions moved by Russia and Brazil calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian territories and for civilians to be protected. Washington has also sent two US Navy aircraft carrier strike groups and a seaborne assault flotilla to the region to back up Israel.
Peace campaigner KJ Noh told Sputnik that Washington was directly opposed to Beijing's attempts to broker a peace deal between Israel, Hamas and other states and movements in the region.
"China is using its good offices, scrambling to do shuttle diplomacy to try and de-escalate and find a peaceful resolution," Noh said. "And the United States is saying: 'Don't even dare talk about de-escalation. Nobody mention a ceasefire'."
"It only wants to make sure that whatever Israel does, it does it with a minimum of PR blowback," he added. "And so it's trying to mitigate the PR damage rather than prevent the horrific war crimes and atrocities that are sure to happen and that are already happening."
The writer said this was a "mask-off moment" when the West's true nature was exposed to the nations of the global south.
"The US could plausibly mystify many countries by pretending to be something that it was not," Noh argued. "But when it came out all in favor of Israel's violence and was ignoring the ground realities as well as international law, then at that point you can't keep up the pretence any more."
"Even the quisling leaders of US allies have had to make a conscientious statement because the outrage on the street, the outrage globally is so extraordinary that they cannot but speak up against what the US and Israel are doing," he stressed.
Western media has tried to dismiss China's peace initiatives as an attempt to position itself as a geopolitical rival to the US — a narrative which Noh called "extraordinary".
"The notion that somehow peace is nefarious, that China is being unprincipled in that it's trying to work for peace — China is on the side of peace. That much is clear because that it stands to gain from peace," he said.
"Everybody benefits from peace. It just is because China's model is win-win cooperation," Noh said. "On the other hand, the empire benefits from war. The US is built on more genocide, primitive accumulation and geopolitical oppression and bullying."
China's modernization has been an epic journey over past decades. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), China has become an attractive destination for many foreigners. Many such expats in the country have fulfilled their career aspirations, while some have found love and started families in China.
Why do they choose to live in China? How do expats in China view and interpret China's achievements and persistence as measured from various perspectives? The Global Times interviewed multiple international residents in China from all walks of life, some of whom have made tangible contributions to China's development, to learn about their understanding of the essence of Chinese culture, and gain an insight into how far China has advanced in its pursuit of development and rejuvenation over the last decade. If it were not for appearance, you would easily forget that you are talking to a foreigner.
The fluent Putonghua and the sophisticated understanding of Chinese culture and Chinese society make it more convincing when Forster Asare-Yeboah, a Ghanaian musician, said that he takes it as his career to help build a bridge of communication between China and the world via promoting Chinese-style music.
Dubbed one of the most famous foreigner on Chinese social media platforms, Asare-Yeboah has attracted millions of followers in China - more than 6.6 million as of March 11 on Douyin since 2017, for funny videos showing his daily life in Chengdu and videos of him singing songs infused with Chinese cultural elements.
He impressed Chinese audiences in 2019 when participating in The Rap of China, the first youth rap music reality show in China, with a chant combining English, Chinese, and the Sichuan dialect during the audition. He cooperated with a Chinese rapper later in the competition called Black&Yellow which is themed on the China-Africa friendship.
Before that, he had performed one of his most famous songs Welcome to Chengdu on several Chinese TV shows. A translation of the lyrics reads: "I have seen very many cities and landscapes, from New York to Brazil, [but] I only fell in love with Chengdu."
He, in fact, has never expected to settle down in China when he came to the country for the first time in 2008.
While studying at the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics in Chengdu, a cultural hub in the country's Southwest Sichuan Province, he gradually fell in love with local culture - which, while being slow-paced, is open and comfortable - and realized that the way people see China from outside of China was very different from the reality on the ground.
This is the place Asare-Yeboah thinks he can do some work on.
Chengdu not only has excellent musicians, but also has an inclusive music creation environment. When I heard music made by musicians from Chengdu with its own characteristics and can be accepted by foreigners, I decided to make music in Chengdu, he told the Global Times.
"Maybe I'm doing music, but I'm not just talking about this industry. I feel like every kind of business outside and in China should work on communication because so many things can be done if they really come together to talk and share ideas, because present-day China is not the China from 30 years ago," Asare-Yeboah told the Global Times.
Now he is a rapper, musician, and producer, and has his own studio in Chengdu. He also has a new name: Li Kui, which comes from an ancient martial arts novel about China, to be easier accepted by his Chinese fan base.
As a rapper, he has created Chinese-style songs or remixed some popular ones and posted them on YouTube and Douyin to promote them to a larger audience.
A remix of the Chinese-style song Mang Chung with reworked lyrics combining Chinese and English posted three years ago on his YouTube account has been viewed nearly seven million times so far.
Comical skits and performance videos of him on Douyin have garnered nearly 90 million likes. A song he released in December 2022 containing Peking Opera elements and lyrics written in classic Chinese has gained more than 200,000 likes.
His selection of music video shoot locations also incorporates typical Chinese features or famous scenic spots in China as a strategy to further promote said locations to his audiences. For example, the music video to a song called 11:00, which was inspired by a quarrel between him and his wife before they got married, was filmed at the Qinghai Lake in Northwest China's Qinghai Province, which is China's largest inland salt lake.
As a producer, Asare-Yeboah is scouting for more Chinese talent for the music industry. Nowadays Chinese youth not only understand the foreign market and foreign culture, but also know where they're from. Their music is really good but the biggest problem is the lack of communication, he said.
What Asare-Yeboah is doing now is to try his best, with the connections he has and the experience he has amassed, to find young, talented people and train them to put both cultures together to make something better.
Mostly what I want to do is to find a way to connect the Chinese and African entertainment markets. There are already Chinese people doing business in Africa, but entertainment is still a new market, he said.
There are 56 ethnic groups in China and each group has its unique culture and music. We also have our own culture and music in Africa. I want to combine them together and make great music in the future, he said.
Asare-Yeboah now has lived in China for about 15 years. He is married to a Chengdu local named Zhu Lan and the couple has a daughter who is about four years old.
He said the thing he likes most about Chinese culture is its central focus on family. "It's all about family because no matter what anybody does, the first thing they think about is the family. The biggest change in my life after I came to China is that every time when I think about doing something, I don't just think about myself. I think about the people around me; my wife, my kid, the people I work with, and the people I'm doing business with, because we move together move as a team."
One thing China has really taught me is not to be selfish. That's what I think in China has made me grow up to be a man, he said.
In recent years, Asare-Yeboah witnessed a comeback of Chinese traditional culture, including fashion, dance, and musical instruments, among young Chinese musicians.
His confidence in China and the Chinese musician market's development in the future is consequently growing.
"After all these years of living in Chengdu, I am of the opinion that music in China can be even better because Chengdu people never fail me in music. They always make me feel like Chinese music will always be there because there are always new upcoming artists ready to take Chinese music far beyond China," he said.
At one of Shanghai Hongqiao Airport's terminals, Betty Yu starts bracing herself for the impending journey.
The young mother, ticket in one hand and her four-year-old daughter in another, prays that her young child will remain quiet for the duration of the flight ahead.
After finding their designated seats on the plane, Yu expertly produces several small bags of crackers and chocolates from her backpack, and distributes them to passengers sitting beside the pair. "Here're some snacks for you," she says to them with an apologetic smile, a routine she has performed many times before. "Please forgive me if my daughter makes some noises in the flight," she implores, before finally settling in for takeoff.
Yu is one of many Chinese parents somewhat scared of travel with their underage children amid the growing aversion in the Chinese society toward children as topics of "annoying loud children on the train" have sparked intense debate on Chinese social media platforms.
Lately, "No Kids Zone" signs, which are prevalent in South Korea, have unsurprisedly resonated with Chinese netizens, with similar signs making an appearance in hotels and other establishments in some tourist cities in China, once again stirring up a wave of online debate about whether the signs are an overreaction.
According to media report, in South Korea, there are already over 500 cafés and restaurants that have established child-free zones, prohibiting children under 12 from entering. A local survey also found that 73 percent of Korean adults agreed with the establishment of "No Kids Zone," with only 18 percent opposing it.
While denouncing "naughty children" has become a public opinion paradigm, more and more people have begun to worry that behind the aversion is an element of pedophobia.
Chinese experts have warned against the dangerous trend prevalent among some people, especially online celebrities and influencers, of attempting to attract clicks online by bandying stories of thinly veiled anger toward children and disdain for fertility under the guise of "public morality." They have called for the society to be vigilant about those who purposely create a "carnival of hatred" and tear the society apart by exaggerating the conflicts in the public opinion field, as a more child- and birth-friendly society is the right way to go.
Angel or devil?
"I'm in my pedophobia mood," Li Yu, 23, a white-collar worker from Shanghai, texted her friends as soon as she was onboard of a high-speed train.
It is the summer holiday period, which means more traveling children. Onboard Li's train carriage was a cacophony of children running up and down the aisle intermingled with the sound of cartoons loudly playing on iPads. One was happily and relentlessly reciting ancient poems or singing, expressing her excitement at traveling.
The parents seemed largely unbothered, with some faux-scolding their children, which had little to no effect.
Li put on noise-canceling headphones, hoping to take a nap while listening to music, until her bubble of tranquility was popped by a boy kicking the back of her seat.
But Li was not at her worst luck.
In the clips trending online, there are an entire train carriage filled with children from a summer camp who could not stop yelling; there is a man who met a boy pulling his hairs, and when he protested, half dozens of the boy's adult relatives stood up, ready to attack the man; there is also a young woman who was trying to stop noisy children but was slapped by their parents…
In the chat group, Li's message was soon echoed by her peers.
"I can imagine. Behind those naughty children are some negligent parents. Children's behavior can be seen as a reflection of the parents' own behavior," one said.
"Perhaps the parents have already developed a high tolerance for their children's tantrums and crying, so what may be considered bothersome noise to others doesn't bother the parents much," replied another.
"Pedophobia" seems to have become the general consensus, especially among the young and unmarried.
Such attitudes have prompted an equally intense backlash from the elder generation and those with children, labeling the child-hating subset "selfish" and "immature."
Some young people's aversion to children actually reflects their avoidance and rejection toward fertility issues, which is one of the biggest challenges facing the current low fertility crisis, said sociologist and educationalist Hua Hua, an associate research fellow at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.
For a few people, it's hard to change their child-bearing concept and the way they think about children, let alone requiring them to empathize with children and their families, Hua said.
"Having children is not at all on their mind," she told the Global Times.
Growing conflicts
As the general aversion toward misbehaving children grows, there is an increasing number of news reports of incidents involving naughty children. "When misbehaving child caused chaos in public transportation, unapologetic parents thus resorted to verbal abuse" has become an infuriating and recurring news item.
The high frequency of such news reports creates a feedback loop aimed at child averse social media users, in turn generating clicks to pages and sites dedicated to child-hating topics, further reinforcing negative stereotypical impressions about children and parents, which are rarely countered by positive stories about well-behaved children.
The increasing animosity generated through the proliferation of videos and negative comments circulating online, which further emboldens both the pro- and anti-child sides to be increasingly confrontational, both online and in real life.
The disgust and aversion harbored by some people toward children have affected parents with infants.
A Shanghai resident surnamed Huang, whose son is only one year old, said the growing hatred for children worries her when it comes to her future travels with his son.
"I can't imagine how embarrassed and guilty I would feel, if other passengers blamed me and my son," she told the Global Times.
Huang, nonetheless, said she understands the feeling of the angry passengers who blame the children for being disruptive. "No one likes to a noisy trip," Huang said.
But not all parents are ignorant. Li Hai, the father of an 8-year-old boy with ADHD, often experiences more challenges while on family trips.
"He is often restless in his seat," Li said, further explaining that "sometimes I let him play on the GameBoy. But if he is about to have meltdown, I will take him to the gangway to let him calm down."
"Children have significant individual differences, and as parents, we strive to embrace and accept this diversity. We hope our society could show more tolerance toward children, and this should be a two-way street," he said.
Sadly, the unruly behavior of some children in public places, though not illegal and can be corrected by parents, has been a tool used by some internet influencers or vloggers to stir up antagonism between different social groups, Hua said.
"That has, to some extent, damaged our current social atmosphere that encourages childbirth," Hua told the Global Times.
Hua believes that those people who express a hatred for children only make up a very small proportion of the general public, and loving and caring for children is still the mainstream social inclination in Chinese society. "The quarrels with children and their parents on public transport are just isolated cases hyped up on social media for attention," Hua noted.
World's solutions
For years, the national government in conjunction with local governments in China have worked hard to build a child-friendly environment with the continued improvement in the construction of childbearing support systems and facilities.
"But the so-called aversion to children spread on social media may prevent the public from seeing these efforts, going against to the government's expectation of an increased birthrate," said Hua.
"Population decline is one of the most pressing problems at present, thus a positive social environment for children matters," Hua noted.
Traditionally, China had a cultural foundation of universal marriage and childbearing. However, the lifestyles of young people have undergone significant changes. They prioritize personal oriented goals rather than focusing on having children, said Yuan Xin, vice-president of the China Population Association and a professor of demography at Nankai University in Tianjin.
"The cost of raising children has evolved beyond just economic pressure. These high costs have contributed to a decline in the desire for childbearing," he noted. To tackle the challenges, China has proposed the establishment of 100 pilot projects for building child-friendly cities nationwide by 2025.
As one of the earliest Chinese cities to incorporate "child friendliness" into its urban development concept, Shanghai has built numerous libraries, indoor and outdoor activity spaces, and clinics specializing in childcare over the last decade.
Shanghai is rolling out free nursery and baby care centers at communities for children under 3 years old (under-threes). A local non-profit childcare project, "Baby House," starting in 2022, as an example, is expected to cover more than 85 percent of the under-threes across the city by 2025.
A more child-friendly society requires the support and tolerance of every member of that society, as well as tangible investments.
For instance, developed countries such as Switzerland and Finland have train carriages specially designated for parents and children. These carriages not only provide dedicated spaces for families with children but also include amenities such as playrooms and baby changing facilities.
Every Chinese person likely knows the great philosopher Mencius's advocation: "Love my own young children and extend the same love to the children of others."
A more civilized approach is needed to encourage the creation of spaces in which children are free to explore and express themselves naturally, thus enabling different social groups with diverse needs to coexist harmoniously, analysts said.
Ultimately, children are the creators of our future, and it's the job of us grown-ups to create an enabling environment for this, experts said.
The Embassy of Belgium invited Belgians and friends of Belgium in China to the ambassador's residence to celebrate the country's National Day on July 21, which also marked the 10th anniversary of HM King Philippe's accession to the throne. Departing ambassador Jan Hoogmartens gave a speech that concluded his China chapter for himself and four other Belgian diplomats.
The speech was followed by an artistic showcase by Jehanne de Biolley, a Belgian designer that works in fashion, interior design, fragrance and other artistic mediums, and whose ability to weave her Belgian origins into Chinese culture has been recognized by HM King Philippe. For her achievements, she was granted the title of Knight in the Order of Leopold.
Guests enjoyed classic Belgian delicacies such as fries, a selection of exquisite beers and the delicious waffles as well.
The Zhongshan and Spain Exchange Festival kicked off in South China's Guangdong Province on August 2 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Spain, and the 20th anniversary of the establishment of ties between Guangdong and the Spanish Autonomous Community of Catalonia.
The month-long festival was co-hosted by the Consulate General of Spain in Guangzhou and Foreign Affairs Office of Zhongshan.
A diplomat with the Consul General of Spain in Guangzhou said that cultural exchanges are the foundation, and she hoped that promoting exchanges between the two sides economically and in trade, among other fields, would be achieved through the exchange festival.
The festival hosted a series of activities to launch the "Encuentro conel Prado (Meet the Prado)" exhibition, Spain's merchandise festival, Spain's economic, trade, and tourism promotion, and food festival to further promote exchanges and cooperation between Zhongshan and Spain. Throughout the month of August, citizens in Zhongshan can sample the flavor of Spain.
With groups of people waving goodbye, China's naval hospital ship the Ark Peace sailed from Honiara Harbor on Saturday morning after it successfully concluded its weeklong visit and dispensing medical services to the Solomon Islands.
Similar to its arrival, the shores were filled with crowds bidding farewell, with their sentiments toward the hospital ship evidently profound. For them, the opportunity to receive medical treatment aboard the Ark Peace was a rare one.
The 10,000th patient to receive medical care during the Ark Peace's visit to the Solomon Islands, 8-year-old girl Alaina, and her family expressed their hopes that the hospital ship would return once again.
The hospital ship, on the "Mission Harmony 2023," embarked on a seven-day visit and medical service mission to the Solomon Islands from August 19 to 26. This marked the hospital ship's inaugural visit to the Solomon Islands and the first visit by a Chinese Navy vessel to the country.
Situated in the southwest Pacific, the Solomon Islands established formal diplomatic relations with China in September 2019. In July 2023, both sides officially established a comprehensive strategic partnership featuring mutual respect and common development for a new era.
As the only active ocean-going hospital ship in the Chinese Navy, the Ark Peace has sailed across three oceans and six continents, earning the affection of people from various countries.
Seeing is believing and during the Ark Peace's visit to the Solomon Islands, the Global Times witnessed the ship's appealing charm.
A chance in a lifetime
Since the Ark Peace's arrival, hundreds gathered at the Solomon Ports area as early as 9 am daily to wait for a chance to be seen by medical specialists onboard, according to the Solomon Star News, a local daily newspaper.
Some even arrived at the Ports as early as 6 am, as the floating hospital was viewed as "a chance in a lifetime for many" in the nation, the report said.
Captain Deng Qiang of the hospital ship told the Global Times that to shield patients from the sun and rain and improve the efficiency of medical treatment, the team set up tents and waiting and triage areas on the pier. After registration at the triage area, patients proceeded in an orderly fashion onto the ship for examination and medical treatment under the guidance of staff.
Xi Huijun, Director of Nursing aboard the hospital ship, held a walkie-talkie to monitor the number and flow of patients boarding the ship. "The original plan was to start work at 8:30 am, but to expedite patient diagnosis and treatment, we began pre-consultation and pre-registration work at 7.30 am," she explained.
After boarding, patients were required to first register, after which blood was drawn. Two large boards in this area displayed 45 badges representing the 45 countries and regions visited by the hospital ship. Another electronic screen displayed the ship's global voyages since its first departure from China's Zhoushan port in East China's Zhejiang Province in 2010, with routes spreading out from Zhoushan like vines from a tree.
Deng had visited 32 countries with the hospital ship over seven voyages. During its latest mission, the ship stopped in Kiribati, Tonga, Vanuatu, and the Solomon Islands. The final stop would be Timor-Leste.
Deng recalled the different experiences at each stop, and the local people's love for the Ark Peace remained consistent and growing. "In 2014, when the ship visited Vanuatu, an elderly local resident underwent cataract surgery in one eye. When the ship returned in 2018, the same patient underwent surgery in the other eye."
Local resident Malachi Hi Nai, who was waiting on board for cataract surgery, believed that Chinese doctors and technology were the most advanced, which was why he chose to have the surgery on the hospital ship.
Hi explained that the local people seeking treatment aboard the hospital ship were mainly dealing with chronic illnesses such as gastric problems, as well as ophthalmological and orthopedic conditions. "The weather in South Pacific Island countries is hot, and prolonged sun exposure can lead to eye diseases, so there are many patients seeking ophthalmological services. Additionally, there is a high demand for dental services among the locals," she said.
Political Commissar Ren Junwei of the hospital ship's Maritime Hospital said that demand for medical services among Solomon Islands residents was high. During the seven days of medical service provision, the ship and its medical crew treated 10,310 local patients and conducted 5,825 auxiliary examinations, setting a record for the highest single-station patient reception during the Mission Harmony 2023.
"To meet the local demand for medical services, we not only received patients on the main platform of the hospital ship, but also dispatched seven medical teams for on-site consultations, which is also the most in the countries we have visited this summer," Ren explained.
"We also sent a shipborne medical rescue helicopter to Tulagi Island for on-site consultations. Three expert medical teams went to national referral hospitals to hold joint consultations and conduct surgeries with local medical personnel, engaging in academic exchanges," he said.
Janeth Sau, 30, was among those whose lives were changed by the arrival of the floating hospital.
Sau suffered from pain in her left knee for nine years. When the Global Times saw her, she was lying on a bed in the orthopedics department aboard the hospital ship, ready to receive treatment. Her husband told the Global Times that they had gone to local hospitals many times, but the same medication was always prescribed to no effect. They saw the news of the ships planned arrival to the Solomon Islands in the local media and arrived at the port early to queue up.
Regarding Sau's condition, Tong Wenwen, an orthopedic doctor aboard the hospital ship, told the Global Times that the initial diagnosis was knee joint effusion, commonly seen in knee synovitis. "It will be better to undergo multiple treatments for a complete recovery, but our treatment for the day can greatly alleviate her pain as well," Tong said.
Modern, hi-tech ark
The white-toned behemoth with a striking red cross painted on its side made the Ark Peace a beautiful sight in Honiara Port.
Stepping onto the deck of hospital ship, one will be greeted by a bustling scene from departments of internal medicine, surgery, ophthalmology, to dentistry.
Each department had numerous patients awaiting treatment. If it were not for the occasional sway of the ship and the visible medical equipment, one could have easily forgotten that this is a mobile hospital ship.
The hospital ship exudes a sense of modernity and technology, which is equipped with eight operating rooms, 266 beds, and more than 2,600 pieces of equipment, including magnetically-controlled capsule endoscopes, CT scanners, and X-ray machines. There are more than ten departments, such as the trauma classification area, the pre-op preparation room, and an ICU ward, allowing for over 40 different types of examinations, treatments, and surgeries, including general surgery, orthopedics, obstetrics and gynecology, and otolaryngology.
While in the ICU ward, the Global Times reporters encountered Liu Yaoyang, an ICU doctor aboard the hospital ship. On August 20, there were a total of nine admitted patients, including those who had already undergone surgery and were under observation, as well as those awaiting surgery.
One such patient under Liu's care, Jamie, had undergone cataract surgery in his right eye. He had previously undergone the same surgery in his left eye in the Philippines, costing approximately 8,000 yuan ($1,097). This time, Wu Jinhui, an ophthalmologist aboard the hospital ship, performed the cataract surgery in his right eye.
According to Wu, Jamie's left eye now has a visual acuity of 0.8, and after the surgery, his right eye's visual acuity would recover to 1.0, which was a pleasant surprise to the patient.
Sun Chang, a gastroenterologist aboard the hospital ship, performed seven endoscopic examinations in the outpatient department on August 20. The magnetically-controlled capsule endoscope used in the examinations is a high-tech product independently developed by China, which has been used in 25 countries, including the US and Canada.
Sun explained that its core technology involves precise magnetic control and artificial intelligence.
The patient only needs to swallow a small capsule with water. A comprehensive gastroscopy examination can be completed in about 20 minutes, Sun said. "A strict evaluation needs to be conducted on patients who are qualified for this examination, to ensure that the magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy procedure can safely be performed on them."
Chinese medicine fever
Aboard the hospital ship, there are not only advanced modern facilities but also unique traditional Chinese medicine clinics offering services like cupping and acupuncture, which are highly popular among patients and have sparked a "Chinese medicine fever" in the local area.
On August 22, the Chinese medicine department treated 97 local patients, marking the highest daily outpatient volume since the implementation of the "Mission Harmony 2023."
Atop the Chinese medicine consultation room's seven beds, some patients were seen with "cups" on their backs, some had needles inserted in various acupuncture points on their legs, while other received moxibustion treatment on their feet. A local middle-aged woman told the Global Times that she came to the hospital ship for treatment because she heard that Chinese medicine is famous and effective for foot pain.
"I feel very good. Chinese doctors are very good!" she said, expressing her happiness and relief.
Wang Lina, a Chinese medicine doctor aboard the maritime hospital, said that patients were particularly satisfied with the effectiveness of Chinese medicine treatment. Some patients had come for follow-up treatment and had achieved remarkable results after as few as three visits. Patients also requested treatment for other forms of chronic pain, and expressed their hopes that the hospital ship would stay in the Solomon Islands for longer. "The local volunteers aboard the ship have been inspired by the enthusiasm of the patients and have also requested treatment from us."
In addition to the main platform of the hospital ship, medical teams were dispatched to various communities every day for diagnosis and treatment. One local community strongly requested for Chinese medicine doctors to be dispatched. "As soon as we arrived at the community, we saw a long queue, and we immediately started diagnosis and treatment, using different methods for 80 patients." Although tired, Wang felt extremely gratified when she saw the relieved smiles on the patients' faces.
'Promote borderless peace'
The arrival of the Ark Peace wasn't just a rare opportunity for ordinary individuals, but also provided a unique experience for local officials as well. Apart from local residents, officials from the Solomon Islands also boarded the ship to tour and receive medical treatment.
The types of physical examinations carried out on officials included blood work, liver function, and kidney function. The examination team, led by two chief doctors aboard the ship, Tang Wei and Bian Qi, compiled detailed medical reports in both Chinese and English after examination.
"Once a patient requests it, we can provide one-on-one explanations according to the medical reports and suggest corresponding treatment plans," Tang said.
As an example, Tang mentioned the case of a 38-year-old patient from the Solomon Islands whose fasting blood sugar was as high as 14 during the examination. The individual had noticed elevated blood sugar levels for five years, and had a similar family history, but hadn't received proper guidance and treatment.
"Based on the examination results, I designed a treatment plan involving oral medication combined with insulin reinforcement, along with monitoring and adjustment strategies. The patient was especially pleased with the treatment advice and plan, and expressed hopes for a chance to meet again," Tang said.
When the Ark Peace stopped in Tonga, at the invitation of Tonga Prime Minister, Bian Qi spent nearly an hour conducting a detailed explanation of the prime minister's medical report and held discussions with the prime minister's personal doctor. "Both the prime minister himself and his private doctor gave very high praise to our medical results and recommendations," Bian said.
Chang Le, the director of the ship hospital, said that during the process of offering treatment plans to patients from various countries, they also genuinely felt the high recognition of their comprehensive medical and service capabilities.
"After communicating with national leaders and doctors, they would always express hopes for another opportunity to meet," Chang said.
Ship of Life, Ship of Peace, Ship of Friendship, Ship of Culture - these slogans could be seen in the ship's corridor. Deng, the captain, said he believed that this was the most accurate definition of the Ark Peace.
"As a hospital ship, the Ark Peace carries the duty of saving lives and providing medical care. Wherever it goes, it brings health and hope to local people, planting seeds of friendship in their hearts," Deng said.
The ship's name, "Peace," is what the world needs today. The good-will medical visit is a sure way of achieving peace, Manasseh Sogavare, Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, said while boarding the ship on August 20, according to a report by Solomon Islands Broadcasting.
Biblically, it was an "Ark" that God used to save the world. Thus, the boat saves lives and promotes borderless peace, said Sogavare.
