China's Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) said that the number of aged care meal assistance centers nationwide reached 75,000 in 2024. In 2025, the country intends to introduce a professional qualification framework for aged care workers to enhance the skills of those working in the sector.

At a national conference on civil affairs held in Beijing from Monday to Tuesday, Minister of Civil Affairs Lu Zhiyuan said that in 2024, notable advancements were achieved in aged care services and welfare. The central government allocated 300 million yuan ($41.1 million) in allocated funds to support the development of senior meal assistance programs in various regions.

Developing aged care meal assistance services is a key element of China's strategy to actively address population aging. It is also a major public welfare project aimed at supporting home- and community-based aged care and improving the wellbeing of elderly adults. 

In October 2023, the MCA and 11 other departments jointly issued an action plan to promote the development of meal services for seniors. Since the issuance of this action plan, the MCA has provided guidance to local civil affairs departments to refine policies based on local conditions, explore effective models for meal assistance, and consistently enhance service coverage and quality.

Lu said that as of the end of October 2024, there were 75,000 aged care meal assistance centers nationwide. Provinces such as Hebei, Zhejiang, and Shandong each had over 6,000 centers, greatly improving access to meal assistance services for seniors.

Lu also said that nationwide civil affairs departments had initiated measures to enhance fundamental home- and community-based aged care services. These efforts included the construction of 358,000 family aged care beds and the provision of 668,000 in-home care services.

By the end of October 2024, the number of aged care institutions and facilities had grown to 404,000, with nursing care beds accounting for 62.2 percent of the total, surpassing the targets outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). 

Looking ahead to 2025, Lu said that the MCA will promote legislative advancements in aged care services, refine the spatial distribution of aged care facilities, and strengthen the three-tier aged care service network at the county (district), township (subdistrict), and village (community) levels. 

Efforts will also prioritize the sustainable and robust growth of aged care meal assistance services by formulating supportive policies, fostering large-scale, chain-operated, and branded aged care service providers, and expanding the supply of affordable aged care services, said Lu.

Additionally, the MCA plans to bolster the professional workforce in aged care, implement the aged care professional qualification system, and reinforce discipline, behavior standards, and ethical practices among aged care workers.

Efforts will also expedite the creation of mechanisms to execute the national strategy for addressing population aging, and deepen the reform and development of aged care in the new era. These initiatives aim to ensure the well-being, societal contribution, and rights of senior citizens are fully safeguarded, Lu said.

China is stepping up aged care initiatives as the country addresses the complexities of an aging population. Official statistics show that 297 million Chinese people were aged 60 or above by the end of 2023, accounting for 21.1 percent of the total population, according to Xinhua News Agency. 

The conference also said that the MCA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, provided one-time living allowances to certain disadvantaged groups, according to CCTV News.

As of the end of October 2024, aid was delivered 709,000 times to homeless, vagrant, and other temporarily distressed individuals. A three-year initiative to improve the quality of care services for left-behind and disadvantaged children in rural areas, as well as a care and protection program for migrant children, has been launched. 

As of the end of November 2024, the two subsidy programs for persons with disabilities benefited 11.93 million disadvantaged individuals with disabilities and 16.19 million people with severe disabilities.

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) completed five engine tests on Thursday in Beijing and Laiyuan, North China's Hebei Province, providing a solid foundation for the smooth implementation of this year's major aerospace projects, Science and Technology Daily reported on Friday.

The test run is a vital step in the rocket engine development process, consisting of dozens of different types of missions, and will be carried out throughout various stages before and after the development of the engine, according to the report.

An upper-stage hydrogen-oxygen engine ignited at 11:21 am Thursday at the 101 Institute of the Sixth Academy of CASC, operating for about 100 seconds followed by a regular power-off. This signifies that this new type of engine smoothly completed the ground calibration test run before delivery, said the report.

Xia Wei, a professional from CASC, told CCTV News that the test assessed the overall coordination and obtained performance parameters of the engine, after analysis of the data, the test was deemed a great success.

Three other tests were also conducted, involving the rocket's main propulsion engine, upper-stage engine, and attitude-orbit control engine. In addition to the above-mentioned trial, a liquid-oxygen methane engine test run was also performed on a vertical dual-station test stand of the high-thrust hydrogen-oxygen rocket engine located in Laiyuan.

All of the above-mentioned tests met with remarkable success, making it possible to achieve five test runs in a single day, said the report.

Xia said in 2025, they will conduct research and testing of multiple engines for deep space exploration, heavy rockets, and other types of engines, contributing to the smooth implementation of China's major space projects, according to CCTV news.

Responding to US claims that Hong Kong's bounties on some activists overseas constitute "transnational repression," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated on Friday that the so-called "pro-democracy activists" fled overseas to engage in activities to undermine China and disrupt Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR). Their actions interfere with Hong Kong's development and stability, endanger national security, harm China's core interests, and challenge the foundation of "one country, two systems." 

Mao emphasized that the Hong Kong police's law enforcement under the National Security Law is a legitimate move to uphold the rule of law and address public concerns, a necessary measure to defend China's national sovereignty and security, as well as a legitimate action to ensure the long-term stability and prosperity of Hong Kong. The extraterritorial application of the Law on Safeguarding National Security is in strict compliance with international law and the common practices of countries and regions across the world.

Mao added that the US misuses the concept of "national security" to impose illegal extraterritorial jurisdiction, and baselessly criticizes Hong Kong police's law enforcement, undermining the rule of law and revealing its own hypocrisy and double standards. 

China expresses strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition, Mao said, reiterating that Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal matters. 

She urged the US to respect China's sovereignty and Hong Kong's rule of law and to cease supporting anti-China and anti-Hong Kong personnel.

In 2024, China's industrial landscape has witnessed a series of exciting "firsts" and groundbreaking achievements which reflect the robust momentum of China's manufacturing sector and underscore the country's commitment to high-end, intelligent, and sustainable manufacturing practices.

In a latest development, China debuted a prototype of the fastest high-speed train in the world, Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday.

A prototype of the CR450 bullet train that will run at 400 kilometers per hour debuted in Beijing on Sunday, said the country's railway operator. The CR450 is capable of running at 450 kilometers per hour in tests, highlighting China's cutting-edge advancements in rail technology.

In other sectors, China's homegrown wide-body C929 aircraft gets first intended user in November, marking a new breakthrough in the large aircraft industry. 

China's first domestically built large cruise ship has also started commercial operations in January, setting sail for a new era in cruise tourism. 

As of Sunday, it has completed 84 voyages, facilitating a total of 600,000 inbound and outbound passenger trips, according to Xinhua.

A series of data also show significant achievements in China's high-quality economic development.

In 2024 China has surpassed 4.14 million 5G base stations, averaging 29 stations per 10,000 people. The manufacturing sector has over 6.03 million registered enterprises, with 8.55 percent linked to strategic emerging industries, a 6.35 percent increase since the end of 2023. China's annual production of new-energy vehicles (NEVs) surpassed the 10 million milestone for the first time in 2024. Additionally, the humanoid robot market is projected to reach 3 billion yuan ($411 million), showcasing the potential of emerging sectors in China's economy, China Media Group (CMG) reported.

The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's manufacturing showed encouraging signs this year, climbing from 49.2 percent in January to 50.1 percent in October and further to 50.3 percent in November, suggesting a recovery in industrial activity.

Foster innovation

Throughout the year, the Chinese government implemented various initiatives to foster innovation and development in key industries. 

In January, China unveiled policies aimed at promoting future industries such as humanoid robots, brain-computer interfaces, and 6G technology to stimulate new economic growth. 

By February, the government had issued guidelines to accelerate the green transformation of the manufacturing sector. In March, China launched large-scale equipment upgrades and consumer goods trade-ins to lift the quality of traditional industries. In June, China rolled out a new set of support policies for 1,000 "little giant" firms, as part of efforts to improve the modern industrial system in the country. In September, the country introduced construction plans for pilot-scale testing platforms in manufacturing and new materials, accelerating the transition of new technologies from the laboratory to the factory, according to CMG.

These measures are facilitating high-quality development across various manufacturing sectors. 

In the domestic cruise manufacturing industry cruise-building industry China's first domestically built large cruise ship, the Adora Magic City, started its commercial maiden voyage in January. This marks a significant milestone for China's cruise manufacturing industry, as it now possesses true autonomous control capabilities and a complete industrial cycle system, signaling a new phase in the development of the cruise industry in China, said Yang Guobing, chairman of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Cruise Technology Development Co, Ltd, operator of the ship.

Yang believes that in 2024, China's cruise manufacturing industry entered a new phase of independent development. This phase aims to integrate the entire industrial chain, achieve independent design, construction, supporting facilities, and operations of cruise ships, and foster international cooperation while pursuing self-sufficiency. This approach is set to usher in a new era of high-quality development for China's cruise industry.

In the robotics sector, the National and Local Co-Build Humanoid Robotics Innovation Centre based in Shanghai is making strides as well. The center is currently constructing a training facility that can accommodate 100 humanoid robots for simultaneous intelligent training, to make them more capable of assisting humans in various scenarios, with plans to expand this capacity to 1,000 by 2027, the Global Times learned from the center. 

In the field of brain-computer interfaces (BCI), exciting advancements are being made that could greatly benefit patients with paralysis and neurological diseases. A notable milestone occurred in November when a domestic BCI product allowed a participant with a spinal cord injury to drink water using a specially designed pneumatic glove. 

The BCI product, called NEO, was developed through a collaboration between Neuracle Technology Co, Ltd and Dr Hong Bo's team from Tsinghua University. In August it became the first BCI product to enter the special review process for innovative medical devices in China. 

Currently, Neuracle is working on expanding its product offerings to encompass a broader range of brain functions. In the future, the company aims not only to assist patients with basic actions such as eating and drinking but also to enable them to perform more complex tasks, including writing and playing the piano, Neuracle told the Global Times.

Chen Jing, vice president of the Institute of Technology and Strategy, a tech research institute based in Beijing, told the Global Times that the achievements of 2024 reflect the outcomes of the development of new quality productive forces. These advancements not only drive China's economic development but also lay a solid foundation for sustainable growth in the future.

A look into 2025

China's value-added industrial output of enterprises above the designated size is forecast to grow by about 5.7 percent year-on-year in 2024, official data showed Friday.

In 2024, China's industrial economy has achieved steady improvement despite challenges, and the manufacturing value added's share of gross domestic product remained stable, according to a national work conference on industry and information technology.

According to the meeting, China will promote stable growth in the industrial economy, with moves including intensifying the implementation of policies supporting large-scale equipment upgrades and the consumer goods trade-ins in 2025.

Efforts will be made to foster and develop emerging industries in 2025, with a focus on promoting implementation scenarios of new technology and new products. Key areas of emphasis include the development of internet-connected vehicles, the expansion of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System's applications, low-altitude information infrastructure, biomanufacturing, the quantum industry, and embodied AI, among others, according to the meeting. 

By 2025, intelligent manufacturing in China is poised to deeply integrate with advanced technologies like the Internet of Things, big data, and AI, propel traditional industries toward higher levels of sophistication and intelligence, Chen said.

These innovations will not only enhance production efficiency but also foster new business models and growth opportunities for enterprises, Chen said, adding that this will support China's goal to achieving high-quality economic development and help elevate its position in the global value chain.

Geng Bo, a senior technology industry insider, told the Global Times that China, which ranks first globally in the production and sales of consumer electronics, offers an abundance of application scenarios and a growing demand that drives continuous sci-tech innovation and product improvements. 

Whether in smartphones, home appliances, automotive electronics, industrial control, or the new-energy sector, market demand is driving domestic companies to innovate and develop products tailored to various needs, thereby driving the rapid growth of the country's sci-tech advancements and innovative applications, Geng said.

In response to a question about Australia's announcement it will provide substantial funding to support the police in the Solomon Islands, and that Australia has expressed concerns about China's police cooperation with the Solomon Islands, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday that China has consistently advocated that countries should adhere to the "three upholds" when developing relations with Pacific island nations, which is respecting the autonomy of island nations, prioritizing development, and promoting openness and inclusiveness.

No country should treat island nations as its backyard; instead, countries should complement each other's strengths, coordinate efforts, and engage in trilateral or multilateral cooperation. It is hoped that relevant parties will genuinely respect the independence and territorial integrity of island nations and refrain from interfering in their internal affairs, Lin told a routine press conference.

According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australia announced on Friday that it will plough 190 million Australian dollars ($118 million) into the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force and set up a new police training center in the capital Honiara.

Rock samples collected from the moon's far side by China's Chang'e-6 lunar probe indicate an unexpected resurgence in the moon's magnetic field strength 2.8 billion years ago, which challenges the previous findings from the US Apollo mission, which suggested that the moon's magnetic field declined about 3.1 billion years ago and has remained in a low-energy state since then.

The analysis of these samples, published on Thursday in the journal Nature, marks the first-ever paleomagnetic data obtained from the moon's far side, and offers critical insights into the intermediate evolutionary stages of the lunar dynamo, the geophysical mechanism that generated the moon's magnetic field in the past, according to Guangming Daily. 

On June 25, 2024, the Chang'e-6 lunar probe returned to Earth with 1,935.3 grams of lunar samples collected from the previously unexplored far side of the moon.

Cai Shuhui from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics (IGG) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, also first author of the paper, said that the Earth has a "magnetic field generator"—the movement of the conductive fluid in the Earth's liquid outer core acts like a "generator," which generates a magnetic field enveloping the Earth like a protective shield. 

This magnetic field shields the planet from cosmic rays and protects essential elements for habitability, such as the atmosphere and water, creating an environment suitable for the proliferation of life.

The Moon once had a similar "magnetic field generator," which ceased functioning long ago. Studies of the ancient magnetic field strength based on samples returned by the US Apollo mission indicate that the Moon had a relatively active "generator" producing a magnetic field between 4.2 billion and 3.5 billion years ago. This magnetic field decreased by an order of magnitude around 3.1 billion years ago, and again declined between 1.5 billion and 1 billion years ago, ultimately ceasing to function completely at some point after 1 billion years ago.

The Chang'e 6 mission has achieved the first-ever sample collection from the far side of the Moon, with the primary eruption age of the basalt being 2.8 billion years. This provides an unprecedented opportunity to understand the temporal and spatial evolution of the Moon's "magnetic field generator."

Researchers from the IGG studied the sample and discovered the ancient magnetic field strength of the sample found to be higher than previously thought. Cai said this suggests that after a sharp decline in the lunar magnetic field 3.1 billion years ago, there may have been a rebound or reactivation around 2.8 billion years ago. 

IGG's analysis indicates that this could be due to a change in the main energy source of the "generator" or a reinforcement of the initial driving mechanism.

IGG's study is not only the first information about the ancient magnetic field on the Moon obtained by humans, but also provides key information to understanding the evolution of the Moon's magnetic field, according to Guangming Daily.

In response to the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs' comments stating that South Korea will continue to develop bilateral relations with China and maintain necessary communication despite recent domestic developments following President Yoon Suk-yeol's comments on cases involving Chinese nationals, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China has noted the remarks and had expressed its position on South Korea's comments made yesterday regarding China-related matters.

Mao said that fostering healthy and stable China-South Korea relations aligns with the common interests of both nations, expressing hope that South Korea will actively contribute to this goal.

The Global Times Annual Conference 2025, themed, "Moving forward in Partnership: Resonance of Values between China and the World," is held in Beijing on Saturday. During a discussion on the topic "Exploring the Way of Interaction among Major Powers: Differences and Consensus," Wang Zaixi, former deputy director of Association for Relations across the Taiwan Straits, said that on the Taiwan question, China's policy is very clear. "That is to continue to strive for peaceful reunification, while also making full preparations for the dangerous move made by 'Taiwan independence' separatists," he said.

Wang Zaixi said that in the past four years, the Biden administration had a characteristic in handling China-US relations. "On the one hand, it adopted a comprehensive tough containment strategy toward China; on the other hand, it had always maintained close contacts with the Chinese government's senior officials, including the military communication." 

 "In their own words, they aimed to ensure that the two countries' relations would avoid confrontation in the process of competition. Therefore, in these four years, China-US relations were sometimes rather tense, but generally controllable. After the new US administration takes office, it is generally believed that the US side may intensify its efforts in containing China," Wang said. "In my opinion, there are still areas and room for cooperation in China-US relations," Wang noted. 

One of the core matters in China-US relations is the Taiwan question, he said. "There is uncertainty about the US side's policy on this question in the future. However, on the Taiwan question, China has dominance. The US will have great concerns even if it plans to interference in the Taiwan question. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities in Taiwan do want to "rely on the US to seek independence" and "seek independence through military means," but they are doomed to failure, Wang stressed. 

 "After decades of development, especially in the past dozen years with the enhancement of China's comprehensive national strength, especially its military strength, China has capabilities and conditions to contain 'Taiwan independence' separatist acts," Wang said during the conference.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and other Party and state leaders attended a ceremony to present flower baskets to fallen heroes at Tian'anmen Square in central Beijing on Monday.

The event was held to commemorate China's Martyrs' Day, which annually falls on September 30, a day ahead of China's National Day.

Representatives from all walks of life and the relatives of fallen heroes, as well as Chinese Young Pioneers, offered flower baskets and bouquets in front of the Monument to the People's Heroes, in tribute to the martyrs.

China's top legislature approved September 30 as Martyrs' Day in 2014 to commemorate those who sacrificed their lives for national independence and prosperity.

Also on Monday, multiple cities across China held various memorial activities to commemorate the martyrs, with many people visiting war memorial museums to lay bouquets and pay tribute.

In recent days, multiple public security organs in Hubei, Guangdong, Shanghai and other parts of China organized memorial activities at the local martyrs' memorial parks, inspiring participants to inherit and carry forward the spirit of heroes in the new era.

According to cpd.com affiliated with Ministry of Public Security, police are the most sacrificed group during peace time. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, more than 17,000 police officers have died in the line of duty, with over 3,700 honored as martyrs.

Some theater commands also organized soldiers to participate in memorial activities and learn about heroic and patriotic deeds of martyrs.

Some compatriots from Taiwan island also laid flowers for fallen heroes at the Unknown Heroes Memorial Square in Xishan National Forest Park in Beijing on Sunday.

To commemorate the Martyrs' Day, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs and the State Post Bureau jointly designed and released commemorative stamps, with the Monument to the People's Heroes as the main picture. 

China has a long tradition of commemorating and honoring martyrs and other heroes who contributed greatly to the nation's development. Incomplete statistics suggest China has about 20 million martyrs. However, as many of them did not leave their names in times of war, only about 1.96 million martyrs have been enlisted in the government's directory, according to public information.

The country has about a million burial sites dedicated to martyrs. According to Ministry of Veterans Affairs, about 150,000 martyr memorial facilities and more than 730,000 martyrs' burial sites have been recorded in the information system, and 250,000 martyrs' tombs and memorial sites have been repaired, according to media reports in September.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in New York on Friday, during which Wang emphasized the US should not always approach China with two faces. Instead of having it both ways by seeking containment on one hand and requesting cooperation on the other, the US should derive its China policy from a rational perception about China, Wang told Blinken.

Experts said the meeting, as both sides agreed to be "candid and substantive," indicates that both two countries want to maintain communication to manage their relationship, but experts also pointed out that the US should take concrete actions to further stabilize bilateral ties, given its hypocrisy to create differences itself while at the same time try to manage them.

"The US should not always approach China with two faces: On the one hand encircling and suppressing China brazenly, and on the other hand, having dialogue and cooperation with China as if nothing is wrong," said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

"Since the US has expressed multiple times that it has no intention to have conflict with China, then fundamentally, it needs to establish a rational perception of China, and find the right way to get along with it," said the Chinese top diplomat, according to the Xinhua News Agency on Saturday.

Li Haidong, a professor from the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Saturday that the latest meeting indicates that both China and the US want to maintain communication and dialogue to manage their relationship. In other words, stabilizing the bilateral relations aligns with the common needs of both sides, which is one of the important reasons why, despite existing differences, the two sides continue to strengthen their exchanges.

Pointing out US' "two faces" approach toward China clearly indicates China's awareness of the underlying nature of US diplomacy, Li said. "The double standards and hypocrisy in US foreign policy toward China cannot conceal the cognitive errors and obsession with competition inherent in its China policy." 

The Friday meeting between Wang and Blinken marks the fourth one they had this year, following their previous face-to-face talks in February, April, and July.

"The US needs to carry out dialogue with respect, advance cooperation in the spirit of reciprocity, and address differences with great prudence, rather than act willfully as it sees fit from a position of strength or use previous mistakes as excuses to make more mistakes," Wang said on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

On the Taiwan question, Wang said that "if the US truly hopes to see peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, it should abide by the one-China principle, implement the three China-US Joint Communiqués, stop arming Taiwan, publicly oppose 'Taiwan independence,' and support the peaceful reunification of China."

Wang articulated China's firm position on the South China Sea issue. He said China remains committed to resolving differences through dialogue and consultation with countries directly concerned. The US should not stir up trouble in the South China Sea, or undermine regional countries' efforts to safeguard peace and stability there, Wang added.

On the Ukraine issue, Wang said China's position is aboveboard. China has been committed to promoting talks for peace and has been making its efforts toward peaceful settlement, he said.

Lü Xiang, an expert on US studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that Washington's "two faces" approach is a serious obstacle to building a stable and constructive relationship between China and the US. "Therefore, pointing this out indicates China's emphasis on its long-term commitment to establishing a constructive and stable bilateral relation, while the US side is continuously undermining this goal through its dualistic actions," Lü told the Global Times on Saturday.

Following talks that lasted more than an hour, Blinken told reporters at a news conference that China's words and actions regarding Russia-Ukraine conflict do not "add up," as Beijing continues to allow Chinese companies to "fuel Russia's war machine," VOA reported.

Blinken's remarks are still an old trick of marginalizing and stigmatizing China on the global stage, attempting to mislead the international community and shift the blame onto China, Li said, noting that this reflects a strong lack of sincerity in US diplomacy and again reveals its hypocrisy.

Different approach

In the global context, especially given the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and increasing tensions in the Middle East, China-US face-to-face communications are pivotal not only for bilateral relations, but also for global peace, analysts said.

China has always emphasized seeking common interests and does not wish to see the bilateral relation turn into a state of conflict, analysts said. The US also understands that crossing the bottom line of the Chinese side could lead to a serious deterioration in relations, which the US cannot afford, Lü said, noting that this serves as a fundamental motivation for communications between both parties.

Experts said the US should take concrete actions to further stabilize bilateral relations. "The differences that need to be managed are caused by the US itself. On one hand, the US creates differences, while on the other hand, it tries to manage them. This is the biggest divergence between China and the US," Lü said.

Analysts also noted that the recent high-level interactions between China and the US demonstrated significant differences in their approaches in solving regional hotspot issues. The US exhibits a strong bloc mentality, while China, in contrast, genuinely promotes the resolution of regional crises and the elimination of turmoil from the perspective of a global community of shared future, Li said.

According to a readout from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the two sides agreed that the meeting was candid and substantive, and that China and the US need to find a way to live alongside one another in peace in the indefinite future. Besides, the two sides agreed to maintain communication on international and regional hotspot issues, and hold a new round of consultations on Asia-Pacific affairs in due course. 

A readout from the US Department of State also read "The two sides held candid, substantive, and productive discussions on a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues. They emphasized the need to maintain open lines of communication," and that "Both sides agreed to maintain contact, including on regional and global issues."