भारतीय रोज़ नई ख़बरें – Page 23 – भारतीय रोज़ न्यूज़ भारत की सबसे अधिकारपूर्ण, समय पर और विश्वसनीय समाचार सलाहकार वेबसाइट है

Troop withdrawal from Gaza reflects severe challenges, complex dilemmas Israel is facing

People walk past damaged and destroyed buildings in Khan Younis on April 7, 2024, after Israel pulled its ground forces out of the southern Gaza Strip. Israel pulled all its troops out of southern Gaza on April 7, including from the city of Khan Younis, according to the Israeli military and media reports.Photo: VCG

The reported withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Gaza could reflect that Israel is facing severe challenges and a complex dilemma under immense internal and external pressures, especially with the mounting risks of conflict with Iran following the military’s deadly attack on Iranian embassy compound in Syria, according to Chinese observers on Monday.

Israeli troops were withdrawn from southern Gaza in preparation for a possible operation in the city of Rafah, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed on Sunday, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Israel withdrew all ground troops from southern Gaza except for the Nahal Brigade, which remains in central Gaza, splitting the Strip in two and preventing the return of civilians from south to north of Gaza, Xinhua reported. An Israeli brigade is typically made of a few thousand soldiers.

The sudden withdrawal action is widely believed to be in response to potential retaliation from Iran following the deadly attack on its embassy compound in Syria by the Israeli military on the April 1. This round of Israeli-Palestinian conflict, already lasting more than six months, has not only plunged the Gaza Strip into a severe humanitarian crisis, but also severely impacted the Israeli economy, leading to a sharp deterioration in the business environment and a surge in government spending, observers pointed out.

Despite the Israeli military stating that the withdrawal aims to prepare for following missions, the timing and context of Israel’s withdrawal are evidently delicate and complex, Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Monday.

Recent major events surrounding the conflict and its spillover include the UN Security Council’s adoption of a cease-fire resolution for Gaza, large-scale protests in Israel with tens of thousands of participants, Israel’s attack of the Iranian embassy compound escalating the risk of conflict, Israeli forces killing several international aid workers, and the escalation of conflicts between Hezbollah and Israel in Lebanon, Liu said. “Therefore, Israel’s withdrawal in this context reflects the severe challenges and complex dilemma it faces under immense internal and external pressures. Even though the possibility of Israel launching military operations in southern Gaza in the future cannot be ruled out, its deepening predicament is hard to conceal.”

Israel’s withdrawal from southern Gaza coinciding with preparations to confront Iran is not coincidental. The withdrawal was originally a gradual process but has now accelerated, likely due to the worsening regional situation over recent days. This large-scale withdrawal is mainly in response to possible retaliatory actions from Iran, a military expert, who requested not to be named, told the Global Times on Monday.

Israel’s bombing of the Iranian embassy failed to achieve the desired goal of restraining the US, exacerbating US-Iran tensions, and intensifying US-Iran confrontation. Although the US fundamentally won’t change its support for Israel and the alliance relationship between the two, Israel’s recent actions have clearly disrupted the international strategy, Middle East policy, and domestic elections of the Biden administration. The abstention vote cast by the US at the UN Security Council, to balance various needs, is to some extent a turning point in US policy adjustment in the new round of Israeli-Palestinian conflict and one of the important reasons for Israel’s decision to withdraw troops to de-escalate the conflict, he said.

The White House, commenting on the partial withdrawal, said it was likely to be an opportunity for troops to “rest and refit”.

“They’ve been on the ground for four months, the word we’re getting is they’re tired, they need to be refit,” White House’s National Security Spokesman John Kirby said.

The Sunday withdrawal of troops from Southern Gaza also took place following what media called the worst week since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 for Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Protests against the longtime Israeli leader by the families of hostages and the opposition returned with a vengeance across the country as he spent two nights in hospital for hernia surgery. Then his major political rival, Benny Gantz, undermined the unity of the wartime government by calling for early elections; Netanyahu’s ultra-Orthodox coalition allies are already angry with him over a row regarding military conscription, the Guardian reported on Sunday.

Israel’s political, economic, social, diplomatic crises continue to deepen. The unprecedented wave of protests by Israeli opposition parties and the public against the Netanyahu government has reached a recent peak, with protests erupting in major cities like Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, demanding the resignation of the Netanyahu government, holding elections, and quickly reaching agreements to rescue hostages, with even riots breaking out. If allowed to develop, not only will Israel’s objectives in Gaza become increasingly distant, but the possibility of triggering a “Jerusalem Spring” due to the Gaza conflict cannot be ruled out, analysts said.

The severe economic contraction, profound social division, deep security crisis, souring international image, and deepening international isolation have put Israel on the verge of public anger eruption at any moment, they warned.

At the same time, Biden has also reportedly issued a stark warning to the Israeli leader on Thursday via phone call that the future US support for Israel’s Gaza war depends on the swift implementation of new steps to protect civilians and aid workers, the CNN reported.

Biden’s message marks a sharp change in his administration’s steadfast support for Israel’s war efforts, with the US leader for the first time threatening to rethink his backing if Israel doesn’t change its tactics and allow much more humanitarian aid into Gaza, per the report.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday blamed Hamas for the impasse in negotiations, saying the group’s demands were extreme because they would end the war permanently and leave Hamas intact, the WSJ reported.

He said that despite heavy international pressure on Israel to agree to a cease-fire, Israel would only do so if the hostages are released.

“Israel is ready for a deal, Israel is not ready for surrender,” Netanyahu said. Hamas, in turn, has accused Israel of not compromising for a deal.

Key facts clearer by comparing China-Europe, US-Europe interactions: Global Times editorial

Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

High-level interactions between China and Europe have been relatively frequent recently. Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao is on his Europe tour, visiting France now and Italy on April 12. A few days later, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will travel to China with a large business delegation.

Meanwhile, it has also been noticed that there are quite a few interactions between the US and Europe lately. The US-EU ministerial meeting of the Trade and Technology Council just concluded, and a US government official, who’s responsible for implementing export controls, is reportedly visiting the Netherlands on Monday local time. Although China’s development of relations with Europe has always had its own pace, some foreign media outlets will always create the narrative that both China and the US are “courting” Europe.

Comparing the interactions between China and Europe with those between the US and Europe may not necessarily be a bad thing. On the contrary, it helps us see some key facts more clearly.

According to the European edition of US magazine Politico, during the recent ministerial meeting of the Trade and Technology Council, Washington was pushing to “put China in the text every two sentences,” said one European diplomat who spoke anonymously. “It kept hammering on the Chinese nail.” At the same time European capitals pushed to tone down the language against a country with which they’re eager to keep business ties. Although China was only mentioned three times in the final joint statement, it was clear that this process left Europe feeling uncomfortable.

As for the US export policy official visiting the Netherlands, it was not for friendly discussions as Western media used the term “pressure.” For the Dutch government, whether to comply with US demands to stop providing after-sales services of certain products to Chinese customers is a “diplomatic and commercial dilemma.” If this is considered the US “courting” Europe, then it is clearly a position of superiority. The US is causing pain to Europe, equivalent to cutting flesh in terms of interests, which is also humiliating in terms of diplomacy. The US may be aware that its actions could create rifts in its ties with Europe, but it continues to go on its own way, and the reasons behind this are even more intriguing.

China, of course, also values its relationship with Europe, but the goal is to expand cooperation between China and Europe, which is not targeted at any third party. At the same time, efforts are being made to address differences between the two sides with dialogue and communication. China has never demanded that Europe “put US in the text every two sentences.”

Between China and Europe, there is a relationship of mutual respect and equality. China will not allow Europe to feel “being caught in the middle.” Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s recent visit to China was very pleasant. He visited the Dashilan in Beijing and stated that “decoupling” is not an option for the Dutch government. Some details have been deliberately ignored by certain American media outlets in their reporting, but Europe is aware of them.

Just a couple of days ago, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai reminded Europe in Brussels, proclaiming the need to jointly address the “challenges” posed by China’s economic model to the US and Europe economic system. This is a typical rhetoric from Washington, hypocritically referring to Europe as its ally while shaping China as their common adversary, ultimately aiming to make Europe a stepping stone in its strategy toward China. Has Washington ever truly treated Europe as its ally? Previously, there was the trade war initiated by the Donald Trump administration against Europe, and now there’s the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act. Has Europe not suffered enough from the US?

As for the interaction between China and Europe, there is competition, however, cooperation far outweighs competition; there are differences between them, but consensus is far more common than differences. China has great patience in properly handling its differences with Europe and always seeks to enhance understanding through constructive dialogue. Despite the EU’s unreasonable initiation of an anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), China still actively communicates with Europe and promotes the resolution of some specific issues with a proactive attitude, which itself represents goodwill and a responsible attitude. There are no fundamental conflicts of interest or geopolitical strategic contradictions between China and Europe. The correct positioning of China-Europe relations should be that of partners. It is the US that has been pushing Europe toward becoming a strategic competitor with China, as it is least interested in Europe having strategic autonomy.

Some people in the US and Europe always say that China is trying to “divide” the US and Europe, which is ridiculous. If the “de-risking” pursued by the US and Europe targets the part of China-Europe cooperation and mutual benefit, then China certainly has reason to oppose it. Some in Europe suggest whether this can be an opportunity to compel China to “make concessions” in China-Europe relations. This view is also shortsighted, as it underestimates the scope of China-Europe cooperation. There is vast potential for China-Europe cooperation, and we hope that the European side will meet China halfway, quickly overcoming the obstacles in China-Europe relations. This is not only about the interests of China and Europe but also concerns world peace, stability and prosperity.

US-led NATO brings disastrous ‘wars of choice’

Photo: GT

Editor’s Note:

April 4, 2024, marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of NATO. As a product of the Cold War, NATO should have been disbanded, but over the years, it has served as a war machine and facilitated US hegemony. The Global Times talked to a number of experts and scholars to reveal how the US exploits NATO to serve its geopolitical purposes and how NATO destabilizes the world, exacerbates nuclear threats and brings confrontation to Asia.

In the third interview of the series, Global Times (GT) reporter Ma Ruiqian talked to Jeffrey Sachs (Sachs), a world-renowned American economist. He elucidated on how NATO has become the root cause of global turmoil, and the roles played by the US and Europe therein. Furthermore, he expressed his views on how to construct a global security perspective.

GT: Some believe as a by-product of the Cold War, NATO should have disbanded at the end of the Cold War and its existence is a source of global disruption. What do you think?

Sachs: NATO was created in 1949 to defend against a possible invasion of Western Europe by the Soviet Union. The idea was to create a transatlantic military alliance in which the US military power and direction would predominate and coordinate the militaries of Western Europe in defense against the Soviet Union. There were 12 countries in NATO at the start. One purpose was to remilitarize Germany, under US control, so as to prevent another German-led war. The first Secretary-General of NATO, Lord Hastings Lionel Ismay (UK), famously described NATO’s purpose as “to keep the Soviet Union out, the US in, and the Germans down,” in Western Europe.

In 1988, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev called an end to the Cold War. He declared that security in Europe should be based on a Common European Home. This was a gesture of historic proportion, and could have led to many generations of peace between Europe, the US, and the Soviet Union, including Russia. In 1990, German Chancellor Helmut Kohl called for German reunification, and to assure the Soviet Union that reunification would not threaten the Soviet Union, Germany and the US explicitly promised Gorbachev that NATO would not expand eastward even one inch. In return, Gorbachev ended the Warsaw Pact military alliance. Peace was truly at hand.

The big mistake, thereafter, is that the US regarded the new peace as a unilateral victory of the US over Russia, not as a victory of peace together with Russia. When the Soviet Union disbanded in December 1991, and with Russia as the successor state of the Soviet Union among 15 new independent nations, the US decided to go back on its word and begin to expand NATO eastward. By now, there are 32 member states in NATO.

Indeed, American policymakers decided that the US was now the world’s sole superpower in a unipolar world. Thus, an age of extraordinary US arrogance arose in 1992 that has taken us to many unnecessary and costly wars up to now. The US arrogance is still at the base of US foreign policy, even though it is now very clear that we live in a multipolar, not a unipolar, world.

Specifically, in the 1990s, the US decided that it would keep expanding NATO eastward to partially or entirely surround Russia, and thereby weaken Russia. NATO enlargement up to Ukraine and Georgia aimed to surround Russia’s naval fleet in the Black Sea, weakening Russia’s military power and geopolitical role. This was the same approach as Britain took in the Crimean War in 1853. It is the fundamental cause of the Ukraine War.

NATO is a military alliance led by the US. Since the US is not a defensive power, but an offensive one, so too is NATO. NATO has taken many offensive actions, such as in Serbia-Kosovo, the NATO occupation of Afghanistan, NATO’s bombing of Libya, and also the NATO arming of Ukraine in the US-Russia proxy war in Ukraine.

In short, NATO should have been disbanded in 1990, and history would have been very different, far more peaceful, cooperative and productive, and with far fewer wars. NATO should have been replaced by the OSCE, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which includes countries of Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and the former Soviet Union. With NATO disbanded, and a strengthened UN, we probably would have avoided the disastrous US “wars of choice” since then.

GT: You recently stated in an interview that US President Joe Biden is pushing NATO against the will of the American people. Could you further elaborate on the contradiction between the will of the American people and NATO’s actions?

Sachs: The American people want peace. This is true even despite the propaganda of fear created by the US government. The public does not want to continue to arm Ukraine, and the public is opposed to Israel’s war in Gaza. In general, America urgently needs economic rebuilding at home, but the military budget keeps rising and the US wars of choice continue.

GT: You mentioned in a recent interview that French President Macron acknowledged that the Ukraine-Russia conflict was provoked by the NATO enlargement, but in reality, some say the opposite is true, “as if they are playing a game.” Why do you think Europe continues to engage in this high-cost game? Who are the ultimate victims and beneficiaries of this “game”?

Sachs: I don’t understand, truly, the position of France, Germany and Italy with regard to the war in Ukraine. The war is a war caused by NATO enlargement, and the major powers in Western Europe know it. The Ukraine war hurts their security and their economy. In private they opposed NATO enlargement to Ukraine in 2008 at the NATO Bucharest Summit, knowing that an invitation to Ukraine to join NATO would create many deep tensions with Russia and even the possibility of war, just as it has done. Yet the Europeans decided to follow the US policy line. It’s hard to understand why, as the Ukraine war is not popular with the people of Europe. Perhaps the security services of the US (CIA) and of Europe are too strong even vis-à-vis their civilian governments. I can’t fully explain the European position.

GT: On April 3, NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg proposed creating a 100 billion-euro ($107 billion), five-year fund for Ukraine. What is your perspective on it?

Sachs: This is a very implausible idea, as military generals cannot truly bind the governments of the NATO countries for the next five years. Each government would have to agree. I do not see this happening. I think this is mostly political rhetoric, not reality. What Ukraine really needs is US-Russia security negotiations, including the promise that NATO will not enlarge, adding Ukraine as a member. Then peace can be achieved and Ukraine can be made safe.

GT: NATO is extending its reach to the Asia-Pacific region. How do you view NATO’s accusations and actions against China?

Sachs: The idea of expanding NATO to Asia is foreign-policy madness in my view, a reflection of the delusional arrogance of the United States security officials. The entire idea is against the NATO Treaty, which is about defense of the North Atlantic region. The US provocations against China, especially regarding Taiwan, could lead to a war like the Ukraine war. Obviously, such a war would be tragic, devastating and threatening to the survival of humanity. Expanding NATO to Asia makes such a war more likely. That’s why I feel that NATO expanding to Asia is delusional.

GT: In 2022, China proposed the Global Security Initiative. How do you view China’s answer to building a new world security perspective?

Sachs: China’s peaceful global statecraft is based on 2,200 years of experience, in which China never launched a single war against an overseas country, as far as I can recall. China never attacked countries in the Indian Ocean despite its great naval fleets of the 15th century.

China has never sought to become a global empire, nor has it desired global hegemony. China has always sought harmony in its international relations, in a system of mutual respect. In my view, this tradition of statecraft aligns with the world’s needs today and aligns closely with the UN Charter, which aims to ensure peaceful relations among sovereign countries under the international rule of law.

Thus, I greatly appreciate China’s call for peace, harmony and strengthening the UN Charter. I also strongly support China’s emphasis on non-intervention in the internal affairs of other nations. When the US intervenes in internal politics, or dozens of “covert regime change operations” around the world, this violates international law, creates disorder and provokes wars, all of which are harmful to the common good worldwide.

One proposal that I advocate is for all nations to renounce overseas military bases, and to keep their militaries at home. The US reportedly has more than 800 overseas military bases around the world! I would like to see those bases closed and mutual security maintained through the UN Security Council.

Jiaxing residents make green rice balls for Qingming Festival

A woman is spotted making qingtuan during Qingming Festival celebrations on April 4, 2024 in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province. /CFP

People are spotted making qingtuan during Qingming Festival celebrations on April 4, 2024 in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province. /CFP

People are spotted eating and sharing qingtuan during Qingming Festival celebrations on April 4, 2024 in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province. /CFP

Qingming Festival, also recognized as Tomb-Sweeping Day, falls on April 4th this year. Traditionally, this day is marked by the custom of eating qingtuan, which are green rice balls. In Jiaxing, east China’s Zhejiang Province, a unique event brings together many participants to craft qingtuan from scratch, allowing them to relish and share the delightful taste of this traditional delicacy.

Qingming Festival holiday spurs national tourism boom

A photo taken on April 5, 2024, shows a folk artist performing in Tangshan, Hebei Province. /CFP

A photo taken on April 4, 2024 shows that the Sophia Square of Harbin, Heilongjiang Province is packed with people. /CFP

A photo taken on April 4, 2024 shows throngs of tourists at Chongqing Zoo. /CFP

A photo taken on April 6, 2024 shows that the Great Wall at Badaling in Beijing is packed with tourists./CFP

A photo taken on April 5, 2023 shows people lining up to visit the Palace Museum in Beijing. /CFP

During the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, a staggering 119 million domestic travelers embarked on trips across the nation, marking an impressive 11.5% increase compared to the same period in 2019.

With a total expenditure of nearly 54 billion yuan (roughly 7.4 billion USD), Chinese tourists are opting for diverse destinations. From leisurely strolls amidst flowers to exhilarating hikes, spring outings and nature expeditions emerged as the top trends for holiday getaways. According to data from Qunar.com, the 18 to 25 age group dominated the travelers, highlighting young people’s enthusiasm for exploration. On April 4, the first day of the Qingming Festival, scenic spots were almost as crowded as train stations during the Spring Festival travel rush.

Record flood waters rise in Russia’s Urals, forcing thousands to evacuate

Flood waters were rising in two cities in Russia’s Ural mountains on Sunday after Europe’s third-longest river burst through a dam, flooding at least 10,000 homes and forcing thousands of people to flee with just their pets and a few belongings.

A view of the flood-hit Old Town neighborhood of Orsk, Russia, April 7, 2024. /CFP

Some of the worst floods in decades have hit a string of Russian regions in the Ural Mountains and Siberia, along with parts of neighboring Kazakhstan in recent days.

The Ural River, which rises in the Ural Mountains and flows into the Caspian Sea, swelled several meters in just hours on Friday due to melt water, bursting through a dam embankment in the city of Orsk, 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles) east of Moscow.

The mayor of Orsk, Vasily Kozupitsa, was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying a second river in the town, the Yelshanka, had also burst its banks. Measures were being undertaken to evacuate residents from affected areas.

Rescuers evacuating people from flooded areas of Orsk, Russia, April 7, 2024. /CFP

More than 6,100 people have already been evacuated from the city of 230,000, according to local authorities. Fifteen of 40 schools in the school had been flooded.

Footage published by the Ministry of Emergency Situations showed people making their way through neck-high waters, rescuing stranded dogs and traveling along flooded roads in boats and canoes.

People wading in floodwater in the village of Priuralye, Orenburg, Russia, April 6, 2024. CFP

Rescuer evacuating a dog in flood-hit Orsk, Orenburg, Russia, April 6, 2024. /Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations

State news agency TASS reported that six adults and three children had been hospitalized in Orsk, but their condition was not life-threatening.

Agencies quoted authorities as saying the Samara River in the town of Buzuluk, further west in Orenburg region, was also rising quickly. Measures were taken to keep residents safe.

President Vladimir Putin ordered Alexander Kurenkov, Minister of Emergency Situations, to fly to the region. The Kremlin said on Sunday that flooding was now also inevitable in the Urals region of Kurgan and the Siberian region of Tyumen.

Putin had spoken to the governors of the regions by telephone, the Kremlin said.

In Kurgan city, which has a population of 310,000, authorities ordered residents of one riverside neighborhood to evacuate urgently, saying that flood waters would soon arrive in the city.

The Orenburg region’s governor, Denis Pasler, said the floods were the worst to hit the region since records began.

Russian media cited Orenburg region authorities as estimating the cost of flood damage locally as around 21 billion roubles ($227 million) and saying that flood waters would dissipate only after April 20.

In Kazakhstan, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Saturday the floods were his country’s largest natural disaster in terms of scale and impact for 80 years.

‘Levels will only rise’

Flood warnings were issued in other Russian regions and Kurenkov said the situation could get worse very fast.

“The water is coming, and in the coming days its level will only rise,” said Sergei Salmin, the mayor of Orenburg, a city of at least 550,000 people. “The flood situation remains critical.”

Emergencies Minister Kurenkov said bottled water and mobile treatment plants were needed, while local health officials said vaccinations against Hepatitis A were being conducted in flooded areas.

Local officials said the dam in Orsk was built for a water level of 5.5 meters (18 feet) yet the Ural River rose to 9.6 meters (31.5 feet).

Federal investigators opened a criminal case for negligence and the violation of safety rules over the construction of the 2010 dam, which prosecutors said had not been maintained properly.

The Orsk oil refinery suspended work on Sunday due to the flooding. Last year, the Orsk Refinery processed 4.5 million tonnes of oil.

(Cover: A view of the flood-hit Old Town neighborhood of Orsk, Russia, April 7, 2024. /CFP)

Source(s): Reuters

Greece raises wildfire alert level after spate of blazes

Greece on Sunday raised its wildfire alert level to “high risk” after dozens of blazes broke out, the civil protection ministry said.

On Saturday, “71 fires were declared in agricultural and forestry regions across the country in 12 hours, between 3:00 a.m. GMT and 3:00 p.m. GMT,” said the ministry that also looks after the climate crisis.

The fires were brought under control, including a major blaze in Lasithi on the island of Crete that was burning until mid-day Sunday, the fire department said.

Three people were lightly injured and one person was arrested for “causing the fire on Saturday morning,” the fire department said.

He is due to be transferred to the Lasithi public prosecutor’s office on Monday, according to the same source.

Strong winds of up to 60 kilometers per hour are expected to blow until Tuesday in parts of Greece, “making the situation extremely dangerous for the outbreak of fires,” the ministry said.

In those areas, which include the Athens region, the centre, the Cyclades islands and Crete, “all civil protection services will be placed on level four (high risk of fires),” the ministry said.

Greece recorded a record average temperature of 11.8 degrees Celsius over the winter, said the Athens Observatory. Scientists fear that this warmest winter on record will leave much of the land warm and dry.

Temperatures have been unseasonably high since the start of April, reaching 31 degrees Celsius on Tuesday at Chania on Crete.

Greece, like many other parts of the Mediterranean, experienced a prolonged heat wave last summer in which 20 people died and close to 175,000 hectares of land were scorched in fires that ravaged the country.

(Cover image via CFP)

Source(s): AFP

Six golden monkey cubs born in China’s Shennongjia National Park

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Six golden snub-nosed monkey cubs were recently born at Dalongtan Golden Monkey Research Center in the Shennongjia National Park in central China’s Hubei Province.

The golden snub-nosed monkey is a typical arboreal animal living all year round in the forests at an altitude of 1,500 to 3,300 meters. The species is now under first-class state protection in China.

The six monkey cubs are very healthy, according to staff members of the research center. The number of golden monkeys in Shennongjia has reached over 1,470, an increase of more than 200 over 2005. Its habitat area has expanded from 210 square kilometers to more than 350 square kilometers in the national park.

“The existence of the golden snub-nosed monkey represents China’s unique natural heritage and biodiversity. Protecting the monkeys is to protect the ecological security and natural resources,” said Huang Tianpeng, director of the research center.

Shennongjia is one of China’s three major biodiversity centers and was approved for inclusion in the World Heritage List in 2016. It has the largest primary forests remaining in central China and provides a habitat for many rare animal species.

Chinese researchers reveal mating dynamics of ancient insects in amber

Cretaceous water striders. /Chinese Academy of Sciences

The discovery of a group of water striders trapped in amber, engaged in copulation millions of years ago, has sparked excitement among scientists, providing a unique opportunity for researchers to gain insight into the behaviors of ancient insects.

Chinese researchers have revealed the mating behavior and potential sexual conflicts of the insects through the first fossil record of Cretaceous water striders in copulation from northern Myanmar, which dated back to the mid-Cretaceous some 100 million years ago.

The findings were published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B on April 3.

Fossilized mating insects are an irreplaceable tool for understanding the evolution of mating behaviors and life history traits in the deep-time record of insects, according to the research team led by Huang Diying, a professor at the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The specimen reported in this study contains seven adult water striders (also known as Burmogerris rarus), including three paired individuals and a single adult male, and four recognizable water strider nymphs enclosed in the amber piece. Of these, two pairs were captured in mating situations, with smaller males riding on the backs of the females.

Catching insects during copulation, especially aquatic species, is a rarity in the fossil record. The findings are of great help in deepening understanding of relevant behavioral strategies across geological time periods among scientists, Huang said.

In addition, two pairs and a single male appear to have been preserved in the same layer near the upper surface of the amber. “We speculate that the small-sized male Burmogerris rarus is unlikely to be territorial, while this species maintains a high population density in the Myanmar amber forest,” said Fu Yanzhe, a member of the research team.

Microscopic analysis also identified differences between the front legs of the males and females that may have played a role during and after mating. In males, a section called the protibia is slightly curved, while it is straight in females. In addition, it features a comb-like structure on its edge, which females do not have.

“By comparing the male’s protibial combs with species in the related family Veliidae, we suggest that the specialized protibial comb of the new fossils functions as a grasping apparatus, likely representing an adaptation to overcome female resistance during struggles,” Huang said.

These paired fossils probably represent a stage of precopulatory struggle or postcopulatory contact guarding. Males used such contact guarding to prolong mating, thereby avoiding sperm competition, according to the researchers.

The specialized morphology and diverse behavior of gerromorphans, including water striders and their relatives, have become hot research topics in evolutionary biology, ecology and even interdisciplinary studies, and have provided a theoretical basis for the development of biomimetic technology on water surface, the researchers noted.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency

GT Voice: China remains vital for German firms despite rising competition

Illustration: Liu Xiangya/Global Times

Some Western media outlets are keen to hype the competition faced by Volkswagen in the China market, but this is not the whole story. The German carmaker remains by far a giant in China’s car market. This offers a new perspective on competition from Chinese automotive brands, and companies in the broader manufacturing sectors.

It should be noted that pressure is unavoidable in any country. Given the intense competition for limited market space, business activities are constantly accompanied by arduous efforts. Citing Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume’s interview with German newspaper FAZ, Reuters reported on Friday that Volkswagen wants to avoid setting “utopian” goals for its market share in China. So, anything above 10 percent was “very respectable” given the intense competition.

The tone reflects the anxiety of the West over the increasing competition in the manufacturing sector. However, more importantly, it is hoped people can see from Blume’s words the rational attitude and unremitting efforts of Volkswagen in maintaining its market share in China, which reflects the importance of the fast-growing China market for the German carmaker.

According to data compiled by Bloomberg, BYD leapfrogged Volkswagen as China’s bestselling car brand for the first time in the first quarter of 2023. Previously, Volkswagen had been reportedly the bestselling brand among automakers in China since at least 2008, when data from the China Automotive Technology and Research Center became available. Although Volkswagen faces fierce competition from local brands in China, it would not change the fact that Volkswagen still enjoys high brand awareness among Chinese consumers, while China is also an important market for the German carmaker.

In the late 1970s, China’s auto manufacturing industry was weak, but auto consumption had begun to increase. Against this backdrop, China constantly opened up its market and encouraged multinational enterprises, including Volkswagen, to invest in the country. In the following decades, Volkswagen’s sales in China grew rapidly.

When the global financial crisis of 2007-09 hit, followed by the European sovereign debt crisis of 2010-12, the consumption of automobiles in the US and Europe was negatively affected.

The China market provides tremendous opportunities for Volkswagen and holds an important position in Volkswagen’s global strategy, laying the solid foundation for its performance in the global market. According to Reuters, Volkswagen said in February that group deliveries rose 13.3 percent in January to 698,200 vehicles, with China the leading growth region.

In recent years, China’s manufacturing industry, especially electric vehicle manufacturing, has developed rapidly, but China’s commitment to high-level opening-up has remained unchanged. Foreign investment is welcome and the door to China will only open further.

However, in the US and Europe, trade protectionism is on the rise. Some Westerners are trying hard to contain China’s manufacturing rise and smear China’s economy. They amplify the competition faced by Western companies in China while deliberately overlooking the opportunities offered by the Chinese economy.

According to Western media reports, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will visit China in mid-April. It’s not at all surprising that some Western media outlets have tried to hype the competition faced by Volkswagen ahead of Scholz’s reported visit. However, a closer look at Volkswagen’s performance in the China market shows that the opportunities outweigh competition. Despite fierce competition, China is still a key market for Volkswagen.

The German government in July 2023 presented a strategy for relations with China that pointed to a need to reduce the risks of economic dependency. This proves that there are more than a few political elites in Germany who are trying to push for “de-risking” from China.

However, this is not the whole picture of public opinion. According to media reports, Germany’s top corporate brass will join Scholz when he visits China later this month, showing that German companies attach great importance to economic and trade cooperation with China. It is hoped Scholz’s reported visit can elevate China-Germany economic relations to new heights and enhance mutual understanding.