BEIJING, June 11 (Xinhua) -- The first and second volumes of selected works of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on diplomacy have been published and are available for distribution in China and abroad.

The two volumes compile 134 pieces of the most important and fundamental works by Xi on diplomacy from January 2013 to November 2025, which come in forms such as speeches and reports.

The publication of the works is of great significance for resolutely safeguarding China's sovereignty, security and development interests, shaping a new framework for China's relations with the world, elevating the country's international influence, appeal, and power to shape to a new level, and breaking new ground in major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

Compiled by the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, the books were published by the Central Party Literature Press.

FUZHOU, June 12 (Xinhua) -- In the late 1980s, waves of development swept Chinese cities into the throes of a property boom, and the fate of a crumbling compound in the heart of Fuzhou, capital of east China's Fujian Province, seemed all but sealed.

A glaring Chinese character meaning "demolish" had been painted on the front wall of the historic residence at Fuzhou's Sanfangqixiang, meaning "Three Lanes and Seven Alleys," a neighborhood steeped in over 1,000 years of history.

Scholars and cultural heritage specialists pleaded for the demolition to be halted as concerns mounted over the neighborhood's future.

They pointed to the compound's historical significance: it had once been home to Lin Juemin, a martyr of the 1911 Revolution, which overthrew China's last imperial dynasty, and later became the childhood residence of Bing Xin, one of the country's best-known modern writers.

The appeals reached Xi Jinping shortly after he took office as Party secretary of Fuzhou in 1990. Recognizing the value of the neighborhood's cultural legacy, he ordered the demolition suspended.

On March 10, 1991, Xi gathered local officials for an on-site meeting at Lin's former residence. "We'll preserve it and restore it," his message was unequivocal.

"We must protect, repair, and make good use of the city's cultural relics in our hands. Not only should we prevent them from being damaged, but also help them flourish and pass them on to future generations," he told those gathered at the residence.

Restoration soon followed, and the residence reopened later that year as the museum of the 1911 Revolution in Fuzhou. Xi attended the opening ceremony and served as a guide for visitors. He went back three times over the following month to get feedback and discuss improvements.

The March meeting also introduced stronger protection measures for historic sites, including the former homes of prominent figures in Sanfangqixiang, and laid out a series of measures to strengthen cultural heritage preservation in Fuzhou, Huang Qiquan, then head of the Fuzhou Museum, once recalled.

"A key test of whether a political system or social force is truly progressive lies in its attitude toward history and culture," Xi stressed at the meeting.

During his tenure in Fuzhou, regulations on cultural relic preservation were promulgated, one of the earliest local ordinances of its kind in China, and the city's cultural heritage bureau and an archaeological team were established. Xi's work laid the foundation for the long-term protection of Fuzhou's cultural heritage.

After more than 30 years of conservation and restoration, Sanfangqixiang now blends historical heritage protection with cultural tourism development, standing as one of China's most influential examples of historic relics preservation.

More than 5 billion yuan (around 734 million U.S. dollars) has been invested in conserving and restoring the block, with over 300 historic buildings already refurbished. Between 2021 and 2025, the area recorded more than 104 million visits.

Zhang Ying, deputy general manager of the conservation and development company of Sanfangqixiang, said the conservation-led revitalization of the block has boosted tourism and the cultural sector, offering visitors immersive performances, cultural and creative products, and digital interactive experiences.

During the 2026 Spring Festival holiday, the block attracted a record 1.72 million visits.

"Watching the area change over time has never been tedious, but I never imagined it would become this popular," said Shi Ying, a 57-year-old resident who was born and raised in the neighborhood. She knows the maze-like alleys by heart -- attending kindergarten in one lane, school in another, and now walking just five minutes from her home to work each day.

For three generations, Shi's family has called Sanfangqixiang home. She learned the trade at a young age from her grandfather, who owned a tailor shop in the area; many locals came for their custom clothing needs.

The renovation of Sanfangqixiang, she said, made the area cleaner, more convenient and easier to live in. Her father, deeply attached to the neighborhood, would often take visiting friends on walks through the alleys, sharing stories about the neighborhood's history and the families who once lived there.

"He always told me, 'Being born in Sanfangqixiang is such a blessing,'" she recalled.

Xi's emphasis on cultural heritage protection extended well beyond Sanfangqixiang. During his tenure in Fujian, he promoted Mount Wuyi's inscription as the province's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, helped save the Wanshouyan Paleolithic relics in Sanming from damage, and supported Fujian Tulou's application for World Heritage status.

In the years that followed in Zhejiang Province, similar priorities were reflected in his attention to the preservation and restoration of the West Lake in Hangzhou, the ancient Grand Canal, and the archaeological ruins of Liangzhu.

After taking the top office as the general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee in 2012, Xi continued to emphasize cultural heritage protection, regularly visiting heritage sites during inspection tours and issuing directives on preservation on various occasions.

These efforts embodied a principle that Xi has consistently upheld throughout his career.

As he wrote in a preface to a book on Fuzhou's historic architecture, "Promoting economic development is an important responsibility of government leaders. Equally important is the protection of historic architecture, traditional neighborhoods, cultural heritage and historic cities."

In 2021, nearly 20 years after leaving his post in Fujian, Xi revisited Sanfangqixiang. He walked through the alleys, visited historic compounds, and listened to briefings on restoration efforts.

"Protecting traditional neighborhoods, historic buildings and cultural relics means preserving a city's history and cultural roots," President Xi said.

BEIJING, June 12 (Xinhua) -- China's National Meteorological Center on Friday issued a blue alert for rainstorms, as heavy rain or rainstorms are expected to hit parts of southwest China, east China and south China from Friday to Saturday.

Some areas in Guizhou, Jiangxi and elsewhere are likely to experience torrential rain, while parts of the affected regions may see short-term heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and gales, according to the center.

The China Meteorological Administration activated a Level-IV emergency response for major meteorological disasters triggered by rainstorms at 11:30 a.m. Friday, following the blue alert issued at 10 a.m.

The meteorological center forecast that southern China will enter a period featuring a new round of concentrated rainfall from Friday night. Over the coming week, frequent rainfall is expected in regions south of the Yangtze River, south China and eastern parts of southwest China.

Some regions face high risks of rainstorm-related disasters, and the public has been advised to guard against secondary disasters such as mountain torrents, landslides, mudslides and floods in small and medium-sized rivers.

From Friday to Sunday, northern regions including north China, eastern parts of the Huanghuai region, northeast China and southeastern Inner Mongolia are also expected to see showers or thunderstorms.

Rainfall will be unevenly distributed, with most areas experiencing light to moderate rain. Some localities may see heavy rain or rainstorms accompanied by thunderstorms, gales, or hail, the center said, advising the public to take safety precautions while traveling.

BEIJING, June 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Thursday chaired a State Council executive meeting, which reviewed the rectification of problems identified in the audit of the execution of the 2025 central budget and other fiscal revenues and expenditures.

It is necessary to develop categorized lists of problems and their rectification measures, ensure thorough and effective rectification, strengthen budget management, deepen fiscal and tax system reform, and improve the effectiveness of science-based fiscal governance, the meeting noted.

Attendees at the meeting were briefed on the implementation of initiatives proposed at the National Science and Technology Conference. Efforts should be made to efficiently implement major national sci-tech tasks, improve the mechanism for diversified investment, and enhance coordination in cultivating, attracting and retaining talent, the meeting determined.

The meeting also served to review and approve the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for the development of education, stressing the need to build a high-level teaching workforce, expand high-standard opening up of education, comprehensively improve the quality and level of public education services, and better coordinate and allocate educational resources.

The meeting further reviewed and approved the 15th Five-Year Plan for building a Beautiful China, calling for improving the ecosystem in a coordinated manner, actively responding to climate change, and accelerating the development of green production and lifestyles.

A draft revision of the Road Traffic Safety Law was discussed and approved in principle at the meeting, which decided to submit the draft to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for deliberation.

BEIJING, June 11 (Xinhua) -- The first and second volumes of selected works of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on diplomacy have been published and are available for distribution in China and abroad.

The two volumes compile 134 pieces of the most important and fundamental works by Xi on diplomacy from January 2013 to November 2025, which come in forms such as speeches and reports.

The publication of the works is of great significance for resolutely safeguarding China's sovereignty, security and development interests, shaping a new framework for China's relations with the world, elevating the country's international influence, appeal, and power to shape to a new level, and breaking new ground in major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

Compiled by the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, the books were published by the Central Party Literature Press.

KUNMING, June 11 (Xinhua) -- The 10th China-South Asia Expo kicked off on Thursday in Kunming City, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province. The event has put an emphasis on enhancing regional trade and industrial cooperation under the theme "Solidarity and Coordination for Common Development."

The six-day event has attracted participants from 68 countries, regions and international organizations. Over 560 companies from South Asian countries are taking part in the event. Over 1,500 professional buyers have registered, with overseas buyers, including those from 45 countries such as Germany, Brazil and Egypt, making up more than 60 percent of the total.

The expo features 13 pavilions, covering sectors ranging from green energy, service trade and manufacturing to the coffee industry. For the first time, a procurement matchmaking center has been set up, alongside supply-demand matchmaking events, new product launches, as well as a seminar between Chinese and South Asian governments, industries, universities and research institutes.

The first day of the expo is reserved for professional visitors, with the following five days open to the public. Featured products include black tea from Sri Lanka, carpets from Afghanistan, furniture from India and artworks from Bhutan.

Having been successfully held nine times, the China-South Asia Expo has facilitated over 3,000 project signings and foreign trade worth more than 100 billion U.S. dollars. China has now become the largest trading partner of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. In 2025, trade volume between China and South Asian countries surpassed 200 billion U.S. dollars, up 10.7 percent year on year.

BEIJING, June 11 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday broke ground on a mega waterway project along the Yangtze River, the world's third-longest river and busiest inland waterway.

With a total investment of nearly 77.21 billion yuan (about 11.33 billion U.S. dollars), the project is expected to almost double the annual throughput capacity of the existing Three Gorges shipping hub. It will not only relieve the mounting navigation pressure on the Yangtze, but support regional development and strengthen economic circulation.

The move marks the latest step in China's broader effort to build a more efficient and resilient transport network.

Under its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), China has pledged to advance a modern infrastructure system through a series of major transport projects, including the completion of key high-speed railway corridors and expressway networks, the upgrading of inland waterways, and the development of world-class port and airport clusters.

"Transportation plays a leading, foundational and strategic role in economic development," said Song Guohua, dean of the National College for Excellent Engineers, Beijing Jiaotong University, noting that efforts should be made to let transportation better serve major national strategies, promote balanced regional development and improve people's lives.

The push is already visible across the country.

In south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the 134.2-kilometer Pinglu Canal has achieved full-channel connectivity and entered the final phase ahead of its expected inauguration in September. It will accommodate vessels of up to 5,000 tonnes and become one of the world's highest-grade river-to-sea shipping canals.

Meanwhile, the final bridge on the Chongqing-Wanzhou high-speed railway in southwest China was recently completed, paving the way for the line's planned opening in 2027. And by year-end, Beijing's subway line 22, jointly built and operated by the capital city and neighboring Hebei Province, is expected to be basically ready for service.

According to the Ministry of Transport, fixed-asset investment in the transport sector reached 894.4 billion yuan in the first four months of the year.

Major infrastructure projects not only generate immediate investment demand and support economic growth, but also improve regional connectivity and strengthen the foundation for development, said Fu Yifu, a researcher at Jiangsu Su Merchants Bank.

Yuan Shuai, a researcher at the China City Development Academy, said such projects lay the foundation for future industrial growth and improvements in public welfare, consistent with the requirements of high-quality development.

China has made major progress in expanding its transport network in recent years, which now spans more than 6 million kilometers in total length, the largest in the world. Every day, around 30 million passenger vehicles travel on expressways, high-speed railways carry roughly 10 million passengers, civil aviation transports about 2 million passengers, and courier companies handle around 550 million parcels.

The transport network is also getting smarter and greener.

An intelligent expressway section opened Monday in Guangxi. The route between Pingnan and Rongxian counties has scrapped traditional toll booths entirely, replacing them with AI-powered self-service machines that significantly enhance efficiency.

Data showed more than 7,800 kilometers of expressways across China have already undergone digital and intelligent upgrades, with a batch of smart highway projects now in operation.

At sea, the world's largest pure-electric intelligent container ship set sail from Ningbo-Zhoushan Port on April 15. The vessel uses containerized battery packs as its primary power source, and is expected to save 580 tonnes of fuel and cut carbon dioxide emissions by more than 1,400 tonnes annually. Equipped with all-weather visual perception and autonomous route planning, it explores the new front for green and intelligent shipping.

Across the transport sector, technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), digital twins and vehicle-road-cloud coordination are being applied on highways, in ports and across urban transport systems.

"Big data, AI and new energy technologies are profoundly reshaping the face of transport," said Liu Wei, minister of transport, in a recent article.

During the 2026-2030 period, China will step up efforts to upgrade transport infrastructure, accelerate digital transformation, expand the use of clean-energy vehicles, and build green freight and shipping corridors, in an effort to cultivate new drivers of growth, the minister said.

From green-energy vehicles to smart management networks, the deep integration of digital and intelligent technologies is impelling China's transport sector towards a new phase of high-quality development, experts said.

by Xinhua writers Liu Yinglun, Zheng Jingxia

HONG KONG, June 11 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong has dethroned Switzerland as the world's largest booking center for cross-border wealth, about two years earlier than market expectations, as its booming financial market creates and grows wealth.

Hong Kong's cross-border wealth assets rose 10.7 percent to 2.95 trillion U.S. dollars in 2025, driven by Chinese mainland flows and a vigorous stock market that delivered significant IPO activity and strong gains in benchmark-heavy internet platforms, said Boston Consulting Group's 2026 Global Wealth Report.

The city's long-term sweet spots -- safe and steady investment environment, access to global markets and abundant investment options -- appear more valuable to global investors at a time of geopolitical tension, luring many Asian high-net-worth clients to move their money back to Hong Kong, said Liu Yang, associate professor of finance at Hong Kong University Business School.

Local data showed that over 3,380 single-family offices operate in Hong Kong by the end of 2025, marking a more than 25-percent hike over the past two years. By the end of April this year, the city had received nearly 3,600 applications for the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, which could bring a total investment of 108 billion Hong Kong dollars (about 14 billion U.S. dollars).

The Initial Public Offering (IPO) market bonanza in Hong Kong from last year also spilled over to the wealth management sector by loading company founders and shareholders with extra cash to invest, said Liu.

The 119 IPOs in 2025 raised a total of 37.4 billion U.S. dollars, catapulting Hong Kong to the world's top IPO fundraising venue.

Christopher Hui, secretary for financial services and the treasury of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, highlighted the "reinforcing triangle of wealth, companies and financial market at play." Family offices and high-net-worth individuals inject the liquidity that Hong Kong's capital market needs to attract new listings.

The private sector also stands to benefit. Deloitte China Tax & Business Advisory Hong Kong Leader Anthony Lau told Xinhua that his overseas clients tend to expand their family businesses in Hong Kong after setting up family offices here.

The Boston Consulting Group report projected Hong Kong's cross-border wealth to grow about 9 percent annually through 2030. This means that Hong Kong is likely to retain its top spot for growing at a faster pace than Switzerland, which expects an annual expansion of 6 percent.

Hong Kong could emerge as a stronger wealth management hub on the back of a number of trends, analysts say. An upgrade driven by artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and the green transition will create wealth for entrepreneurs, many of whom are from Asia. The great wealth transfer set to take place in the next three decades, where 83 trillion U.S. dollars of wealth are to be inherited, will attach value to Hong Kong's expertise in wealth management and succession planning.

PYONGYANG, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, said on Monday that the relationship between China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) stands at a new historical starting point.

Xi made the remarks while attending a welcome banquet hosted by Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK.

Xi pointed out that China and the DPRK, linked by mountains and rivers and sharing a common future, have seen their traditional friendship passed down across generations and grow ever stronger over time through the test of the evolving international landscape.

This year marks the 65th anniversary of the China-DPRK Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, and the China-DPRK relationship stands at a new historical starting point, Xi said, noting that he has reached important consensus with Kim during his visit.

From the strategic perspective of the future and destiny of socialism, both leaders have agreed to seize the general trend of the times, respond to the shared aspirations of the two peoples, strengthen high-level exchanges, deepen strategic communication, expand practical cooperation, enhance people-to-people bonds, promote the high-level development of China-DPRK relations, jointly open up brighter prospects for the socialist cause of both countries, and contribute to the continuous progress of human society, Xi said.

The successful convening of the Ninth Congress of the WPK this year has made strategic plans and major arrangements for the long-term development of the Party and the country's cause, ushering in a new period of comprehensive development of the DPRK's socialist cause, Xi said.

As good neighbors, good friends and good comrades, the Chinese side sincerely wishes that, under the strong leadership of the Central Committee of the WPK headed by General Secretary Kim, the DPRK people will successfully accomplish the goals and tasks set by the Ninth Congress of the WPK and make constant new achievements in the socialist cause of the DPRK, Xi said.

On behalf of the WPK, the government and the people of the DPRK, Kim extended the warmest welcome to Xi on his visit. Kim said that Pyongyang was filled with an atmosphere of friendship on this special day as the DPRK's Party, government and people warmly welcomed their most distinguished guest.

Noting that Xi's first overseas trip of the year had brought him to the DPRK, Kim said this fully demonstrated the great importance Xi attached to developing relations between the two parties and the two countries, and constituted the most valuable support for the DPRK's socialist cause.

Noting the meeting with Xi came nine months after their previous meeting, Kim said that during this meeting, they reached important consensus on further advancing DPRK-China relations with new contemporary connotations in light of new changing circumstances, and exchanged views on international and regional issues of mutual concern, which will surely accelerate the development of the DPRK-China friendship with profound historical traditions, and contribute to peace and stability in the region and the world.

The DPRK people take heartfelt joy in the remarkable achievements made by the brotherly Chinese people, Kim said, expressing belief that under the leadership of the CPC with Xi at its core, the great Chinese people will surely create greater achievements in building a great modern socialist country in all respects, realizing the Second Centenary Goal, and completing the new journey toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- China is open and positive in its attitude towards solving economic and trade disputes with the European Union (EU), said a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Monday, adding that China hopes the EU will work together with China to find solutions via dialogue and consultation, and ensure that China-EU economic and trade cooperation continues to benefit businesses and people on both sides.

Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks at a daily press briefing in response to a relevant query concerning EU's proposal that would force companies to avoid over-dependency in their supply chains. This comes as the bloc is looking to reset its trade relationship with China.

Lin noted between China and Europe, the industrial and supply chains are highly integrated and mutually dependent. This is shaped by economic globalization and market force and has served both Chinese and European businesses well.

European companies make their choice based on cost, technology and efficiency, said Lin. "How is that 'over-dependence'? Isn't 'diversification' in this case just another version of protectionism? This sort of measures will not make the European industry more competitive, and they certainly go against the EU's own stated principles of market economy, fair competition and free trade."

Do not do unto others what you would not have others do unto you, Lin said. China-EU trade is not a zero-sum game. There is no reason why China and the EU can't succeed together, Lin added.

BEIJING, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The Party School of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee (National Academy of Governance) held a graduation ceremony on Friday for the second batch of graduates of the 2026 spring semester.

Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and president of the school and academy, presented certificates to the 531 graduates.

The ceremony saw four graduate representatives give speeches, noting that the study session came at a crucial moment marking the launch of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) and through systematic training they further strengthened their ideals and convictions, reinforced Party spirit, and enhanced their ability to perform their duties.

They noted that during the session they conscientiously took part in educational programs aimed at fostering and practicing a correct view of governance performance and focused on rectifying misguided views.

The graduates expressed their commitment to effectively translate the outcomes of the training into concrete actions to promote high-quality development.

BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- With the global push for AI computing power unleashing an unprecedented wave of infrastructure buildout, China-made optical modules that shuttle data and the chips that process it have become critical links. Featuring the world's leading market shares and accelerating upgrades, China's tech supply chains have become essential to sustaining global AI growth.

Numbers speak for themselves. Chinese firms claim seven spots among the world's top 10 optical module vendors, with their combined market share exceeding 60 percent globally, according to LightCounting, a research firm. In the first four months of 2026, China exported 117 billion integrated circuits worth 103.5 billion U.S. dollars, up 83.7 percent in value year on year. Export orders for optical modules have stretched into 2028.

Behind these figures lies a deeper shift: China is no longer just participating in the AI supply chain, but offers a supply chain that stabilizes global AI infrastructure.

OPTICAL MODULES FIRST

If AI is the brain, optical modules are the nerves -- converting electrical signals to light and back at blinding speed, shuttling data between servers inside data centers and across continents. A single 1.6-terabit optical module can transmit 95 high-definition movies in one second.

Chinese firms are leading the market. Zhongji InnoLight, based in Yantai in east China's Shandong Province, held over 40 percent of the global 800G optical module market and an estimated 50 to 70 percent of the 1.6T segment last year, securing first place for four consecutive years. Eoptolink, InnoLight's cross-province rival in Chengdu in southwest China, ranked second.

Both companies have secured their positions in the supply chains of companies building the AI clusters that are reshaping the global economy, such as NVIDIA, Google and Amazon. Delivery cycles that once took 12 weeks have been compressed to eight or fewer, as North American clients race to beef up computing capacity measured in weekly increments.

Customs data show that in March 2026, China's average export price of optical modules rose 23 percent year on year, while fiber and cable exports soared 263.8 percent in value year on year, with the average export price surging 204.3 percent.

Huagong Tech, an optical module manufacturer based in central China's Wuhan, launched the world's first 12.8-terabit XPO module in March, bundling the capacity of eight 1.6T modules into a single unit tailored for next-generation AI clusters of 100,000-plus GPUs.

Ma Xinqiang, the company's chairman, noted that the North American market for 1.6T modules alone has surpassed 20 billion U.S. dollars, while the global market will far exceed 30 billion U.S. dollars this year.

THE CHIP RISE

The chip story is newer but no less striking. China produced 127.2 billion integrated circuits in the first quarter of 2026, up 24.3 percent year on year and amounting to roughly 14 billion chips a day.

High-value products have become the mainstay of China's chip exports. In April alone, export value doubled to 31.1 billion dollars, an increase of 100.1 percent year on year, while export volume edged up merely 3.8 percent. Industry insiders said that such a gap, rarely seen in China's chip trade, signals a systemic revaluation of export product value rather than simple volume growth.

Among the country's leading chipmakers, SMIC ran at 93.1-percent capacity utilization in the first quarter of 2026, while Hua Hong Semiconductor saw its net profit attributable to parent company shareholders up 458.1 percent year on year to reach 20.9 million U.S. dollars, with its capacity utilization rate staying high at 99.7 percent.

Equally significant is what is happening on the equipment side. According to data from the China Semiconductor Industry Association, the domestic semiconductor equipment localization rate climbed from 25 percent at the end of 2024 to 35 percent in 2025. On new wafer-fab production lines, domestically made equipment accounted for 55 percent of total procurement value by the end of 2025, exceeding the national 50-percent target ahead of schedule, official data revealed.

CONVERGENCE & RESILIENCE

Optical modules and chips are not parallel stories but converging ones. The same AI boom that is driving insatiable demand for high-speed optical interconnects is also reshaping the chip landscape: MOS memory sales surged 236.4 percent in the first quarter of the year, while sales of logic chips increased by 40.1 percent, according to a recent report by the European Semiconductor Industry Association.

The phrase "compute-power coordination" entered China's government work report for the first time this year, with a CICC research report identifying it as a major industrial trend driven by soaring AI demand and the low-carbon energy transition.

The vehicle-chip nexus adds another dimension, meanwhile. Each new-energy vehicle features more than 1,000 chips, roughly double that of a traditional car. Chinese companies have outperformed foreign rivals in power semiconductors and are gaining ground in cabin-entertainment and body-control chips, though high-end autonomous-driving SoCs remain a work in progress, said Liu Quan, deputy chief engineer of the China Center for Information Industry Development.

The competitiveness of optical modules also largely hinges on the synergy of the complete upstream industrial chain, covering optical chips, ceramic packages and precision structural components. China has formed highly concentrated industrial clusters in the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta and the Wuhan Optics Valley, where the localization rate exceeds 90 percent. This has enabled cost control and mass-production yields to reach world-leading levels.

Zhang Zhe, a researcher at the Electronic Information Research Institute under the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, said the large-scale construction and expansion of AI data centers worldwide has generated rigid hardware demand.

While overseas manufacturers face supply-side constraints and limited capacity expansion, he said, Chinese manufacturers, backed by sufficient raw material supplies and a complete industrial chain, can rapidly respond to this round of demand explosion.

HANGZHOU, June 6 (Xinhua) -- China has made a new breakthrough in high-performance axial flux motors, injecting fresh momentum into the country's booming electric drive industry.

Leveraging independently developed high-performance materials, this new generation of electric motor, featuring a more compact size, lighter weight, and higher energy efficiency, has entered mass production and applications, according to its developer.

This new-generation axial flux motor is jointly developed by the high-tech enterprise PanGood Power and the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

In Lanxi City, east China's Zhejiang Province, electric-drive buses are shuttling through the streets. Unlike conventional buses, they have a completely flat interior with no steps, making it much easier for seniors and strollers to board and alight.

The "secret" lies in their motors. Thanks to the flat structure of axial flux motors, the power systems are integrated into the wheel sides, significantly saving interior space and enabling a flat passenger floor.

"An 8-meter bus body can now achieve the passenger capacity of a conventional 10-meter bus, with overall vehicle weight reduced and range extended," said Han Jun, founder of PanGood Power.

Constrained by the radial structural design, the volume and weight of conventional radial flux motors have limited further motor performance gains.

Axial flux motors can leverage their flat structure to achieve around a 50 percent reduction in both volume and weight at equivalent power output, according to Han.

The new design can free up more battery layout space and extend the range for new energy vehicles. Moreover, axial flux motors enable humanoid robots to have more compact and powerful joints, power low-altitude aircraft with a better thrust-to-weight ratio, and deliver significant energy savings in diverse fields, such as industrial fans, pumps, and other equipment.

This breakthrough stems from a convergence of innovation and industry.

"Since the launch of its research and development, we have fully studied the demands of application scenarios to carry out this customized development," said Ding Guangfei, a senior engineer at the NIMTE.

Ding said that to meet market and manufacturing demands, the NIMTE research team developed specialized magnetic steel that remains stable under high temperatures, high speeds, and heavy loads, along with a set of mass-production processes.

Currently, the axial flux motor sector is at a critical stage, transitioning from small-batch production to large-scale manufacturing, as major global players gear up to ramp up mass production of related products.

Amid surging tech-innovation trends in China and globally, the axial flux motor sector is poised to benefit electric-drive sectors by offering space efficiency, power density and energy conservation.

Thanks to continuous innovation and a wide range of application scenarios, China's electric drive industry is advancing steadily. To date, PanGood Power has introduced axial-flux motors in diverse applications, including new-energy commercial vehicles, agricultural machinery, and robotics, according to the company.

BEIJING, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang chaired a State Council executive meeting on Friday, where he heard a report on work to ensure stable employment.

The meeting reviewed and approved the 15th five-year plan for the implementation of the employment-first strategy, as well as the draft regulation on promoting employment and entrepreneurship for ex-servicemen. The meeting also looked at work related to advancing new-type industrialization and the development of future industries.

The meeting noted that employment is the foundation of people's wellbeing. Guided by the implementation of the employment-first strategy, China will fully implement the principle of self-initiated employment by workers, market-regulated employment, government-promoted employment and encouragement of entrepreneurship.

It also stressed the importance of improving employment promotion mechanisms, refining the employment and entrepreneurship service system, expanding channels for college graduates and other young people to find work and advance their careers, and increasing employment support for key groups.

Efforts should also be made to accelerate the cultivation and expansion of modern human resources, improve the alignment between education supply and talent demand, carry out large-scale in-depth vocational skills training, and continuously upgrade the knowledge and skills of workers.

The meeting noted that advancing new-type industrialization is a long-term strategic task. Efforts should be made to grasp the trends of the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, adhere to the direction of intelligent, green and integrated development, and take coordinated steps to transform and upgrade traditional industries, develop and expand emerging industries, and make forward-looking layouts for future industries.

In terms of future industries, more will be done to consolidate the bedrock of technologies, increase investment in basic research, and make systematic plans for breakthroughs in original and disruptive technologies, according to the meeting.

The meeting emphasized efforts to encourage and assist ex-servicemen in employment and entrepreneurship. It called for enhanced guidance and services, providing support in education funding, recruitment and skills training to promote ex-servicemen's employment and business ventures.

BEIJING, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The Party School of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee (National Academy of Governance) held a graduation ceremony on Friday for the second batch of graduates of the 2026 spring semester.

Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and president of the school and academy, presented certificates to the 531 graduates.

The ceremony saw four graduate representatives give speeches, noting that the study session came at a crucial moment marking the launch of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) and through systematic training they further strengthened their ideals and convictions, reinforced Party spirit, and enhanced their ability to perform their duties.

They noted that during the session they conscientiously took part in educational programs aimed at fostering and practicing a correct view of governance performance and focused on rectifying misguided views.

The graduates expressed their commitment to effectively translate the outcomes of the training into concrete actions to promote high-quality development.