The Southern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) organized a joint naval and air combat patrol in the South China Sea on Sunday, the PLA announced, on the same day of joint drills attended by the US, the Philippines, Japan and Australia, which analysts said was a highly defiant and aggressive muscle-flexing move against China amid the rising tensions between Beijing and Manila.

Chinese experts said on Sunday that China's combat patrol represents a tit-for-tat response to the US-Philippines-Japan-Australia's joint drills, illustrating PLA's firm resolve and strong capability in safeguarding China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. It shows that China, while showing great restraint on the South China Sea issue, is also well-prepared to deal with any contingency.

They also warned that external interference represented by the US in the South China Sea has become "the biggest threat to regional security and stability," and Philippines' calculation of "inviting wolf into the house" is not welcomed by regional countries and will eventually backfire.

Tit-for-tat response

In a brief statement released on Sunday morning on social media, the PLA Southern Theater Command stressed that "all military activities disrupting the South China Sea stability and creating hotspots are under control," without giving more details about the operation.

Before the PLA combat patrol, the Chinese side made several warnings against Philippines' provocations and its attempts to introduce external forces as well as Manila's tricks of "playing victim."

China Coast Guard (CCG) on Saturday warned the Philippines that any tactic infringing on China's rights is doomed to be futile, and the CCG will continue to regularly enforce the law to safeguard rights and interests in China's jurisdictional waters, in response to Philippine vessels' illegal activities in the waters adjacent to China's Houteng Jiao (also known as Houteng Reef) in the South China Sea.

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian said on March 28 that the Philippines' harassment and provocations are the direct cause of the recent escalation of the South China Sea issue, noting China will not allow the Philippines to act willfully.

Ding Duo, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at the China Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Sunday that different from the past, the "combat patrol" highlights the preparation of actual combat.

It's a kind of all-state, all-factor patrol, and the PLA can immediately carry out combat tasks in case of an emergency, said Ding.

The combat patrol is PLA's "tit-for-tat response" to counter and deter the muscle-flexing actions, namely the US-Japan-Australia-Philippines joint military exercises, Ding noted. "It also reflects PLA's firm resolve and strong capability to safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea."

It cannot be ruled out that the PLA's naval and air combat patrol in the South China Sea would include some particularly targeted and specific measures, said Ding.

China has shown its attitude by the combat patrol and will always respond to Philippines' provocative actions and attempts to introduce external interference in the South China Sea, Yang Xiao, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Strategy Studies, China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times on Sunday.

On the South China Sea issue, China has always shown great restraint and does not want conflicts so that the region can remain stable, but China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests are inviolable, and China will make all preparations to deal with emergencies, Yang added.

Escalating provocations

Citing a Japanese defense official, Kyodo News reported that the first ever "maritime cooperative activity" jointly attended by defense forces of the US, Japan, Australia and the Philippines on Sunday includes "anti-submarine warfare drills" and "maritime patrols."

According to the joint statement of the four countries' defense ministers released on Saturday, the drill, held in the Philippines' "exclusive economic zone," demonstrates the "collective commitment" to strengthen regional and international cooperation in support of "a free and open Indo-Pacific."

According to the ministers' statement, the joint drills are aimed at strengthening the "interoperability" of their forces' "doctrines, tactics, techniques and procedures."

Arsenio Andolong, a spokesperson of Philippines' national defense department, said on Saturday that 5 naval ships from the four countries will participate in the joint drills, including the Philippines' offshore patrol vessels, BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PS-15) and BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS-16); the US Navy's littoral combat ship, USS Mobile (LCS-26); Australia's HMAS Warramunga (FFH-152); and Japan's destroyer JS Akebono (DD-108), the Philippine News Agency reported.

"Judging from the content made public, the joint exercise is more symbolic, but less specific," Yang said.

Echoing Yang, Ding believes the most important function of the joint exercise is to maintain the heat of the South China Sea issue and further manipulate international public opinion.

"The participating vessels of the four countries are not their core combat units, among which the Philippine ships are retired second-hand goods and cannot be integrated into the formation operations," Yang noted.

Although there are "anti-submarine warfare drills," the Philippines, as the only party concerned in the South China Sea, does not have anti-submarine capability and thus cannot participate in the program, Yang added.

This is the reason why the four countries began to hype up public opinion before the exercise began, which is nothing but to show the so-called concern to the South China Sea issue, and embolden Manila, the expert remarked.

The joint drills also came before the three-way summit between US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr in the White House on April 11. VOA called it "part of Biden's strategy to stitch together existing bilateral alliances into broader mini-laterals to amplify US influence in Asia" and "counter Beijing."

Before the drills, Jose Manuel Romualdez, Philippine ambassador to the US, said that Japan and Philippines were close to signing a reciprocal access agreement (RAA) that would also let their militaries train and conduct exercises in each other's countries, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.

The Philippines has deepened its coordination with external forces over the past two years, and has conducted military exercises with the US, Japan, and the Philippines and Australia. The latest four-way drills are just a presentation to bring the collusion between the four countries from behind the scenes to the forefront, Ding said.

Chinese experts believe that the future exercises between the Philippines, the US or allies like Japan, and Australia in the South China Sea would be carried out regularly. Each exercise differs only in the area, size and type of troops involved.

With the "support" of external forces, the Philippines is expected to continue or even escalate provocations against China in the South China Sea, with a surging ultra-nationalist sentiments, risk-taking and speculative psychology, Ding said.

However, Manila's calculation will eventually backfire, as its approach of "inviting wolf into the house" will damage the peace and stability of the entire region, and will not be welcomed by regional countries, Ding noted.

Ding added that the external interference represented by the US in the South China Sea issue, as well as the long-standing military presence and frequent military exercises in the region, is the biggest threat to regional security and stability.

On April 2, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke with US President Joe Biden on the phone, with Xi stating China's position on the South China Sea. During the call, the Chinese side stressed that China has indisputable sovereignty over Nansha Qundao and its adjacent waters, noting the US is not a party to the South China Sea issue and should not intervene in matters between China and the Philippines. China has a strong will and resolve to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, according to Wang Wenbin, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on April 3.

A wind and hail disaster has claimed seven lives in Jiangxi Province, leading to 1,593 people being evacuated to emergency shelter, and 1,367 people being relocated. The direct economic loss is estimated at 400 million yuan ($55.3 million), with the impact of disaster still being further assessed .

The extreme weather, which first began on Sunday has affected 11 prefecture-level cities such as Nanchang and Jiujiang, with a total of 313,000 people affected. It has caused damage to 22,700 hectares of crops, with 668.9 hectares completely destroyed, media reported, citing local authorities. 

It is reported that 14 households covering a total of 48 rooms have collapsed, and 115 households including 263 rooms were severely damaged. The direct economic loss is estimated at 400 million yuan, and the disaster situation is still being further assessed and verified.

The Jiangxi Provincial Meteorological Observatory forecast that from Thursday to Sunday that a rain belt will continue to impact the southern part of Jiangxi Province, with some areas still experiencing heavy rain. 

The government vowed to strengthen defenses against heavy rain and any secondary disasters it may cause; strengthen defense against strong weather such as strong winds, hail, and lightning; enhance safety management for outdoor activities and tourism transportation.

On Tuesday, the capital city of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, faced severe weather conditions and a red alert for strong winds and hail was issued. It is the first time since 2011 that two red alerts have been issued within an hour on the same day.

Neighboring provinces, including Hubei, have also issued strong wind and rainfall alerts.

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with President-elect of the Republic of Indonesia and Great Indonesia Movement Party General Chairman Prabowo Subianto, who is on a visit to China, in Beijing on Monday.

Xi congratulated Prabowo on winning the election and asked Prabowo to relay sincere greetings and best wishes to President Joko Widodo.

Recalling the rapidly developing and fruitful bilateral ties over the past decade under the guidance of the two heads of state, Xi said both sides have made Jakarta-Bandung High-speed Railway an exemplar of high-quality bilateral cooperation and entered a new stage of building a community with a shared future.

China views its relations with Indonesia from a strategic and long-term perspective, and is willing to deepen all-round strategic cooperation with Indonesia, Xi said.

He said China will work with Indonesia to build a China-Indonesia community with a shared future that has regional and global influence, so as to bring more benefits to the two peoples and contribute to regional and world peace, stability and prosperity.

Prabowo conveyed President Joko Widodo's sincere greetings to Xi, and said he is delighted to make China the first country he visits after being elected.

Prabowo said he supports the development of a closer relationship with China and will continue the country's friendly policy toward China.

Chinese authorities on Thursday criticized the Philippines' tricks of "playing victim" in the South China Sea and reiterated that China will not allow it to act willfully and has sufficient strategic resolve.

Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Hua Chunying posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday that the Philippines always arranges for reporters in their missions to manipulate videos recorded to make sensational news and project the Philippines as a victim.

Although the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FCAP) denied the accusations in a statement, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at Thursday's routine press briefing that the FCAP's statement confused right and wrong and China firmly deplores it.

"Who's been stirring up trouble and making provocations on the South China Sea issue? Who's been breaching the common understandings between our two countries and reneged on their own commitments? Who's been staging a show and hyping up tensions? Who's been pulling forces outside the region to interfere in the issue?" Lin asked, adding that China has explained the real situation on different occasions.

"Whenever the Philippines carries out an operation in the South China Sea, it brings journalists along, including photo journalists from third countries. Why would the Philippines do that?" Lin asked, adding that he believes anyone fair-minded and unbiased can see that.

Reporting facts and truth is the duty of reporters, and it is hoped that related organizations and reporters adhere to an objective stance and report the truth comprehensively and accurately, Lin said.

Also on Thursday, Defense Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian said at a routine press briefing that the Philippines' harassment and provocations are the direct cause of the recent escalation of the South China Sea issue. Counting on the support of external forces, the Philippine side violated international law and the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), frequently infringed upon China's sovereignty, made provocations and created trouble, and spread misinformation to mislead the international community.

"China will not allow the Philippines to act willfully, so we have responded with legitimate, resolute and restrained actions. The Philippine side should realize that provocations will only do itself more harm than good, and soliciting foreign support will lead nowhere," Wu said.

Both Lin and Wu pointed to US intervention as a destructive factor in the South China Sea issue.

Wu noted there is no bigger factor than the US interference in causing turbulence in the region. The US, in disregard of the facts, provoked confrontation, backed up the Philippines, threatened and exerted pressure on China citing the so-called bilateral treaty, and sent military vessels to the South China Sea to stir up troubles. These actions seriously undermine regional peace and stability.

China's attitude toward this is clear: the US is in no position to interfere and the military cooperation between the US and the Philippines must not harm China's sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Thursday that the smear campaign against China was carefully plotted and realized through US-Philippine collusion.

The US has always been skillful in such slandering actions, and transplanted this method to the Philippines. The reporters on board were carefully selected and their reporting was manipulated to represent the Philippine perspective only, analysts said.

From leaders and politicians to media and think tanks, the Philippines and the US have conspired in the big farce to demonize China and mobilized other allies to amplify their voice in an attempt to mislead international community, Chen said, calling on the Chinese side to fight back with on-site photos, videos and comprehensive facts.

China has urged the US to stop fanning the flames of conflict and take concrete actions to adhere to the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiques, turning their stated opposition to "Taiwan independence" into reality, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Wednesday in response to the claims of US military commander hyping the idea of "mainland to invade Taiwan by 2027."

Admiral John Aquilino, head of the Indo-Pacific Command, said recently that he believes the Chinese mainland's military "will be prepared to invade Taiwan by 2027," according to media reports. This comes as the Biden administration recently approved $300 million in military financing for the island.

Some individuals in the US have clear ulterior motives, continuously fabricating so-called "timelines" and hyping the mainland's "military threat," creating an atmosphere of war across the Taiwan Straits, Chen Binhua, the spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, told the press conference on Wednesday.

This is merely an excuse for interfering in Taiwan question and a means for the US military-industrial complex to profit, he said.

If the US government truly wishes to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, it should stop fanning the flames and take concrete actions to adhere to the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiques, turning their stated opposition to "Taiwan independence" into reality, the spokesperson stressed.

DPP authorities, for the sake of their own party's interests, have willingly become pawns in external forces' strategy to "use Taiwan to contain the mainland," continuously pushing for seeking independence and provoking conflict, Chen said.

They even go so far as to sacrifice the lives and well-being of the people on the island, eagerly aligning with the US to become "porcupines," build "fortresses," and turn Taiwan into a "powder keg" and "explosive mine."

Such actions are definitely not for the benefit of the Taiwan compatriots and will only increasingly push the island toward a dangerous situation fraught with the risk of war, the spokesperson said.
Resolving the Taiwan question and achieving the complete reunification of the motherland is the common aspiration of all Chinese people and a sacred mission, a just cause. When and how to resolve the Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair and tolerates no foreign interference, Chen said.

The spokesperson also voiced the strong opposition to the US' latest financial support for the island. The US insisting on passing and signing bills containing negative content regarding the island, severely interfered in China's internal affairs and gravely violating the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiques, Chen said.

We express strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this, urging the US to truly act on its statement of not supporting "Taiwan independence" by taking concrete actions, stop arming Taiwan in any form, and cease sending the wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, the spokesperson noted.

"The DPP authorities' attempts to seek one-party interests by relying on the US for independence and seeking independence through military means are doomed to fail," he said.

After Hong Kong's weightlifting and powerlifting association made an apology after its chairwoman called Hong Kong a "small country" during an open event on Sunday, the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, told the Global Times on Monday that after consulting with the association, the federation initially believes the incident was only a "slip of the tongue," emphasizing that it once again reminds all member sports associations to be clear and unequivocal in their discussions about national sovereignty.

Meanwhile, some local legislators and experts expressed concerns as such incidents have threatened national security more than once, urging the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government to seriously follow up and conduct a thorough investigation. 

The association faced heat over remarks by its chairman referring to Hong Kong as a "small country" during an opening speech on Sunday, local news outlet the Standard reported on Monday. 

Chairwoman Josephine Ip Wing-yuk described Hong Kong, in Cantonese, as a "relatively small country" when talking about the development of weightlifting and powerlifting sports. She also categorized the city as "small countries" like Australia, according to the media report. 

And the association later issued a statement to apologize. 

After consulting with the association, the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, initially believes the incident was a slip of the tongue and has learned that the association has issued a statement and made a public apology regarding the incident.

The fact that Hong Kong is a part of China is beyond doubt, the federation said. According to the relevant provisions of the Basic Law, under the principle of "One Country, Two Systems," sports organizations in the HKSAR may participate in international sports events in the name of "Hong Kong, China," the federation said. 

It will once again remind all member sports associations to be clear and unequivocal in their discussions about national sovereignty and the "One Country, Two Systems" principle when participating in related exchange activities.

Adrian Pedro Ho King-hong, a local legislator from the New People's Party, told the Global Times on Monday that he hopes the HKSAR government will investigate the incident, expressing his concern and attention toward incidents that have threatened national security more than once. 

As a sports federation representing Hong Kong, China, and hosting international events, repeated mistakes are unacceptable, Ho said. The HKSAR government needs to consider whether this federation is still capable of representing Hong Kong, China, in developing sports, especially when it lacks a sense of social responsibility, the legislator noted. 

Delivering a public statement with an intention to secession should never be tolerated. The President or spokesman takes the stance of the association and should make the public speech or statement cautiously, Chu Kar-kin, a veteran current affairs commentator and deputy secretary-general of the Hong Kong Association for Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China, told the Global Times on Monday. 

"Back to the case, the conveyed message is in simple language, without ambiguity or confusion, the concept is fundamental even to a primary student, it is not persuasive that a senior member of the association who is a medical practitioner by training, would make such a mistake," Chu said, noting that despite a clarification is made afterwards, the Hong Kong Police Force should investigate the case.

The expert also noted that in previous occasions, the National Anthem and the National Flag are not adopted and used properly for Hong Kong's participations in overseas events in relation to sports, culture and scientific contests. 

"Official guidelines, with sanction clauses, should be sent to associations, delegates and representatives. Training and briefing should be arranged, failing which should be subjected to disqualification or suspension," he said. 

Ho, the legislator, said that last year, the association played the wrong National Anthem at an event and, on several occasions, displayed the regional flag upside down, clearly neglecting its responsibilities. 

He believes there are two possibilities: Either it was intentional, or there is a significant misunderstanding by the federation's management level about social responsibility. "It's not their first mistake; it's happened three or four times. In such a high-level society, can this be tolerated?" Ho asked.

As of March 18 this year, Boeing's stock price had fallen by 28 percent, while the international rating agency Fitch Ratings stated that Boeing's default risk is gradually approaching junk bond status.

The American news website Quartz recently sorted out "A timeline of Boeing's brutal 2024 (so far)." On January 5, a Boeing 737 Max jetliner's built-in emergency door fell off, starting Boeing's "chaotic year." Subsequently, from February 6 to March 15, there were at least five safety incidents, including a stuck rudder pedal, wheel detachment, rapid air descent, a tire explosion, and missing external panels. On March 9, the death of former Boeing employee John Barnett, who had previously exposed serious deficiencies in Boeing's oxygen system, also sparked media speculation.

Industry insiders and experts reached by the Global Times revealed that behind the frequent incidents is the American hegemony that has fallen apart like scattered nuts and bolts on the floor. The serious safety problems of the head of the US aerospace industry and the world's leading manufacturer of civil and military aircraft have also made the US media, scholars and the public think of the long-standing systemic problems in the country's manufacturing industry, and reflect on the entire trajectory of "deindustrialization" and "re-industrialization" in the US.
Competitive pressure

Chinese student Li Yu, who lives in St. Louis, Missouri, where Boeing has a factory and is one of the local pillar industries, told the Global Times that she often encounters Boeing employees attending advanced training classes at the university.

Although she has heard of the recent incidents, Li admitted that in the US, it is difficult to avoid Boeing planes for most people when traveling.

"When taking a plane, although I feel uneasy, I can only grit my teeth and go through with it," Li said.

A former airline employee from Georgia told the Global Times that the majority of the planes used by airlines in the US are Boeing planes, many of which are quite old. Airlines have detailed operating instructions for Boeing planes, and he guessed that the airlines involved in the recent incidents might not have maintained the Boeing planes as directed.

"It's as if I'm watching a troubled child," said Captain Dennis Tajer, the lead spokesman of the Allied Pilots Association, when describing flying a Boeing 737 Max, according to BBC.

Tajer stated that if the plane is not safe, he would never board it, and he can no longer assume that the planes he pilots are of good quality.

However, according to the American online media outlet Axios, US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg has made continued attempts to assure the US public that flying is as safe as ever. In Buttigieg's view, the "real concerns" are Boeing's quality control, but he would still sit by the window on a Boeing plane.

According to the American Forbes magazine website, fortunately, there have been no fatalities due to Boeing plane malfunctions in recent weeks. However, five years ago, within nearly five months, two crashes involving Boeing 737 Max jets occurred in Indonesia and Ethiopia, killing 346 people.

In September 2021, PBS's Frontline channel and The New York Times co-produced a documentary titled "Boeing's Fatal Flaw," which, after an in-depth investigation, revealed the systemic causes behind the Boeing crash incidents - competitive pressure, inadequate pilot training, and regulatory absence.

According to the documentary, the 737 Max model was born under intense competitive pressure. In 2011, Airbus launched the new, more energy-efficient, and higher-efficiency model A320neo, and reached a preliminary agreement with a US airline, marking the airline's first order with Airbus in over a decade. Under this pressure, Boeing urgently initiated the design program for the 737 Max model.

Former employees involved in the work revealed that Boeing executives consistently pressured the staff to design the new model "faster, better, and cheaper," continually trying to reduce costs and minimize changes to the new plane to simplify pilot training differences, and to get the new model to market as quickly as possible.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which was supposed to regulate Boeing, authorized some of the safety inspection work to Boeing's own employees, leading to numerous cover-ups.

Increased risks

In this year's safety issues with Boeing, the far-reaching impact of the aforementioned systemic problems is still evident.

Analysts noted that Boeing's decline is the result of prioritizing profits over decades. Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric, who influenced Boeing's culture with his "lean management" philosophy, focused on cutting manufacturing processes and workforce to boost stock prices.

Boeing's excessive reliance on outsourcing, as reported by The Wall Street Journal in January, has also led to safety issues and increased risks, with critical components being manufactured globally.
Moreover, interviews with industry executives revealed that production pressure and loss of experienced workers caused further problems. Boeing, needing to meet growing aircraft demand, reduced quality checks while prioritizing production speed, Reuters reported.

The international logistics media site Polar Star reported that the US aviation industry has long been troubled by supply chain issues. Many parts are in short supply, with delivery times for some metal parts and windshields being 2 to 5 times longer than normal.

The shortage of aircraft mechanics and other aviation industry professionals also strains the supply chain. Media reports say that some machine shops have sophisticated equipment but lack the labor to operate it, making licensed aircraft mechanics "as rare as unicorns," citing local experts.

Similar dilemmas

Shen Yi, director of the Research Institution for Global Cyberspace Governance at Fudan University, told the Global Times that the frequent Boeing incidents actually manifest the falling of US hegemony.

Boeing, based on neoliberal business and management concepts, once enjoyed the dividends of the Cold War. Now the company has shifted its focus from quality control to cost control, Shen said.

He pointed out that additionally, the US government, driven by the so-called "identity politics" movements that emphasize diversity and equality, has made technical skills, capabilities, and experience secondary factors in personnel selection and appointment.

Therefore, after a period of sedimentation and accumulation, the lack of focus on the expertise has led to the increase in safety-related accidents this year, he noted.

Recently, the US magazine Foreign Affairs published an article pointing out the problem of the "privatization and the hollowing out of the US defense industry." In addition to the defense field, many other manufacturing sectors are reportedly facing similar troubles.

According to the Financial Times, the decline of the US shipbuilding industry is causing anxiety in the US. Industry insiders widely attribute this decline to several factors. First, in the 1980s, the Reagan administration pursued a free-market economy and thus eliminated most subsidies for the shipbuilding industry. US defense officials and unions have stated that due to the shrinking domestic manufacturing base and outsourcing, a significant portion of the materials and components needed to produce new ships are no longer available domestically. And this is also happening in other manufacturing sectors.

In addition, due to the "just-in-time" production methods adopted in recent decades, US contractors are reluctant to maintain redundant capacity. Furthermore, industry consolidation and the rise of shipbuilding industries in Japan, South Korea, and China have led to reduced investment in technology, factory equipment, and worker training in the US, according to the article.

Analysts pointed out that the real issue with US labor is its low productivity as workers have long demanded high wages and work-life balance. Moreover, the infrastructure conditions in the US are not promising.

Reports showed that much of the existing infrastructure in the US was built in the 1960s. Therefore, much of it is virtually defunct.

While the US Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) in 2021, the real process of upgrading the infrastructure is slow as there is no consensus on funding and building.
Misplaced obsession

According to the 2024 manufacturing industry outlook issued by Deloitte, the manufacturing sector in the US will continue to face challenges this year. However, several US media outlets and think tanks are optimistic about the country's manufacturing industry.

In October 2023, the Cato Institute, a US think tank, published an analysis titled "The Reality of American Deindustrialization," arguing that "American manufacturing has not disappeared but has undergone a transformation instead."

While US politicians have been actively advocating for the reviving of manufacturing, an article published by The Hill pointed out that "unfortunately, this obsession with manufacturing is misplaced."

"This manufacturing subsidy war will be expensive and will support inefficient sectors, raising costs for households and firms. For example, most estimates of semiconductor chip fabrication in the US are that it costs up to 50 percent more than fabrication elsewhere. American taxpayers will eventually bear the cost of subsidizing this kind of relative inefficiency," it said.

Several experts told the Global Times that reviving the manufacturing industry requires good infrastructure, research and development investment, industrial support, a continuous supply of adaptable labor, as well as a global network supporting the supply chain and trade value chain.

Even the US, once known as the "world's factory," would find it difficult to fill the gap and revive its manufacturing sector, Zhang Yugui, dean of School of Economics and Finance in Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times.

"If the US tries to revitalize its manufacturing industry, it must abandon the zero-sum game mentality and instead form an effective division of labor and cooperation with major manufacturing powers such as China, Europe, Japan, and emerging economies. It should not continue to artificially build 'small yard and high fence'. However, even if some advanced manufacturing industries are lured back to the US, it would be a short-sighted strategy that is unlikely to succeed, Zhang noted.

Editor's Note:

The Philippines has recently been hyping up accusations against Chinese fishermen using cyanide to fish around the water area of Huangyan Dao (also known as Huangyan Island), presenting itself as a victim. However, the Global Times found that the Philippines is actually a large practitioner and exporter of cyanide fishing.

It is evident that destructive fishing practices, such as cyanide fishing, are still prevalent methods of capturing marine resources in the Philippines. These practices threaten marine habitats, particularly the coral reefs - crucial habitats of most reef fishes, and jeopardize the sustainability of local fishing livelihood.

Despite existing law enforcement governing these illegal, destructive fishing practices, the lack of effective regulations still fuels the lingering of these practices in the Philippines.

Chinese marine experts noted that in fact, Chinese fishermen have never been primary users of cyanide fishing, and do not have such a historical tradition and practical habits. The Philippines' move is a typical "cognitive war" against China, playing a game of "catching thieves by shouting a 'thief.'"

In an investigates piece, the Global Times has listed seven "sins" of the Philippines' malicious hype of cyanide fishing to expose the truth and unveil the tricks behind its propaganda war.

Fact One: The Philippines was one of the earliest inventors of cyanide fishing, dating back more than 60 years.

According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), cyanide fishing began in the 1960s in the Philippines to supply the international aquarium trade.

Sodium cyanide is a toxic chemical compound that many fish collectors in the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia (the largest exporters of tropical fish) crush and dissolve in squirt bottles to spray on the fish - and the reef and all the other marine life in the vicinity. Stunned, the target fish can then easily be scooped up, according to an article published by National Geographic magazine in 2016.

It does, however, kill the coral reefs where the fish breed and live. Still, the mostly poor rural fishermen, who are paid by the number of fish they catch, say they cannot afford to think of the future. Most of them have used the cyanide to maximize their profits, as revealed by a piece published in the Los Angeles Times in 1988.

A Filipino fisherman will get earning of a top-price live coral trout for 5 times than the price of a dead fish. This makes live reef fishing very attractive. But the trade is encouraging the use of cyanide. With a hook and line, it can take a whole day to catch 2 decent-sized fish. With cyanide you can catch dozens, the WWF's article in 2003 revealed.

Philippines' live reef-fish exports are one of the biggest sources for the international market. Up to a tonne of live fish is flown out of the islands each day, the article said. Although cyanide fishing is illegal in the Philippines, cyanide is allegedly brought in surreptitiously on the private planes that whisk away boxes of live fish each morning.

Fact Two: The Philippines remains a major cyanide fishing country in the world, with a significant number of Filipino fishermen using cyanide for fishing each year.

Researchers found that cyanide fishing, though not common as before, is still being practiced in Philippines, according to a piece published on Manila Bulletin in June 2023.

A team of researchers from the Philippines found that in many parts of the country, illegal fishing is still rampant, particularly destructive fishing practices (DFPs). Fisheries involving DFPs cause direct ecological damage to the corals. These fishing activities threaten both natural habitats and aquatic resources, according to the team's academic paper published on Acta Natura et Scientia, a peer-reviewed scientific journal, in September 2022.

The weak enforcement of the existing laws and regulations fuels these activities, compromising the productive coral reef areas in the Philippines, said the paper.

Fact Three: Large-scale cyanide fishing in the Philippines has caused irreparable damage.

Since the beginning of use of cyanide fishing, over a million kilograms of toxic sodium cyanide have been spurted onto the Philippines' coral reefs to stupefy and collect ornamental aquarium fish species fated for the aquariums and pet shops in Western countries like North America and Europe, the fore-mentioned Philippine researchers found out.

Coral reefs of the Philippines have been threatened by cyanide fishers for the past years. Researchers estimated that in every 100 fish collectors that use cyanide, about 11 million coral heads are being squirted by cyanide, the paper further noted.

In addition, cyanide is highly dangerous to humans once inhaled, absorbed across the skin, or ingested.

Cyanide kills coral polyps and algae, turning many coral reefs — the "rainforests of the oceans" — into marine deserts. "A square metre of reef is destroyed for every live fish caught using cyanide," says biologist Sam Mamauag of the International Marinelife Alliance (IMA) in the Philippines.

Once the coral is dead, the entire ecosystem collapses. The long-term result has been devastating. The cyanide that has slowed and stunned millions of Philippine tropical fish for export each year also has killed as much as 95 percent of the coral reefs, the piece in the Los Angeles Times stated.

"I'll openly admit that I was using cyanide for years," an industrial insider Erna Rafols in the Philippines was quoted as saying in the piece for Las Angeles Times. "I've been in this business for three years now, and I can tell you everyone is doing it. I was supplying my fishermen with drums and drums of cyanide, smuggling it in, paying people off, and it was no problem at all."

But Rafols and other exporters have openly said that environmental laws "are easy to flout in a nation where even celebrated murders routinely go unsolved."
Fact Four: The Philippines has failed to control illegal fishing, and its authorities and politicians have turned a blind eye to it out of economic interests.

The Philippines has banned cyanide fishing, yet it still happens on a large scale. Enforcement isn't strong enough. Rafols has revealed that the police and military officers in Philippines who are supposed to prevent dynamite and cyanide use are directly involved in it.

The fore-mentioned academic paper found that aside from national laws and regulations, municipal ordinances throughout the country also exist. However, in most cities, these ordinances are not being implemented or are weakly enforced.

Fact Five: The US and Europe are the main markets for the precious fish caught using cyanide in the Philippines.

Unknown to many of the millions of Americans who enjoy home aquariums, most of the tropical fish they buy are heavily laced with cyanide.

Since the 1970s, corporations in Manila that provide the majority of fish to American and European markets have found that by using industrial sodium cyanide in offshore ocean reefs, they can bring thousands of fish to the surface and increase their profits.

Up to 90 percent of the 11 million tropical fish that enter the US each year are caught illegally with cyanide, according to a 2008 report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

This willful ignorance and persistent trade are the ultimate drivers of the ongoing destruction of the global marine environment caused by cyanide fishing.

"The weak control of illegal trade by Europe and the US has led to so many people to engage in this illegal fishing for their livelihoods in Philippine. The US and Europe are the forces behind such illegal fishing," Yang Xiao, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Strategy Studies, China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times.

Fact Six: In recent years, the Philippines has repeatedly hyped up cyanide fishing cases against neighboring countries while remaining silent on its own lack of control.

The Philippines has targeted neighboring countries including Vietnam and China in promoting cases of cyanide fishing and arresting their fishermen, which experts said is a typical case of "accusing others of one's own faults."

The Philippines' fishing bureau spokesperson has accused Chinese fishing vessels of using cyanide to destroy Huangyan Dao recently. The bureau said it hadn't conducted a formal study of the total damage but said it was a "serious concern."

But the Philippine coast guard on February 18 said it hadn't found any evidence of Chinese fishermen using cyanide and couldn't confirm the fisheries bureau's accusation in an interview with GMA News.

"The Philippine government first raised this accusation, which was then quickly clarified and denied by the country's coast guard, in an attempt to cool things down. This inconsistency exposes the true nature of the Philippines' false propaganda in this 'cognitive war'," Yang believes.

Fact Seven: The Philippine authorities have acknowledged that the hype surrounding cyanide fishing is serving their planned "second arbitration" against China, revealing the role of this cognitive warfare.

Philippine authorities have recently stated that it will build up a case against Chinese fishermen if the government finds legal basis on their alleged use of cyanide to damage the Huangyan Dao.

"It is obvious that the Philippines is hyping up the so-called illegal fishing by China at this time, only to gather evidence for its planned lawsuit and compensation claim. This is believed to be one of the tricks behind Manila's seeking of legal options against China over its alleged destruction of coral reefs within the Philippines' 'exclusive economic zone (EEZ).' This clearly shows that the Philippines' long-planned so-called South China Sea environmental lawsuit is a drama full of scheming, fabricating charges, and creating lies," Yang told the Global Times.

"If certain Filipino politicians truly care about the development and prosperity of the South China Sea, the livelihood and health of coastal residents, and the coral, fish, shrimp, turtles, and seaweed in the South China Sea, China's advanced marine environmental protection practices and governance experience can serve as a model for the Philippines to learn from and as a source of assistance," the expert said.

Editor's Note:
Friendly exchanges between China and Africa have enjoyed a long history and have deepened in recent years, covering various fields such as politics, the economy, and culture. The Global Times is launching a China-Africa Rhapsody series, aiming to showcase the profound human connections and development visions between the two peoples by sharing the true stories of Chinese people in Africa and African people in China. From touching stories of China-Africa cooperation to exciting collisions of youthful ideas, to debunking fallacies concocted by some Western sources about the China-Africa collaboration, this series hopes to promote closer cooperation and deeper understanding between the peoples of China and Africa.

In this installment, we look skyward, focusing on the inspiring narrative of China's remarkable advancements in aerospace technology and how they are not only propelling its own ambitions in vast universe, but also are igniting the dreams of young Africans in aviation and space exploration. As China strides forward in its aerospace endeavors, it simultaneously extends a collaborative hand to Africa's youth, fostering an environment in which their aspirations in aviation can take flight. This synergy of growth and cooperation highlights a mutual journey toward technological mastery and shared dreams, bridging the gap between continents and cultures through the universal language of sky aspirations.
Peter Prosper Oshoname from Nigeria has one wish: To see more African astronauts journey into space.

Oshoname expressed his wish through his painting, depicting an image of an African astronaut with a circular emblem of half the Nigerian and Chinese flags on top of her head. The background demonstrates the vastness of the universe with resplendent African motifs and Chinese symbols.

In May 2023, the art piece was sent into China's space station via the Shenzhou-16 manned spacecraft, along with nine other artworks embodying the beautiful dreams of young Africans.

"The circle has no edges, continuously and endlessly rotating. I painted the flags of both countries within a circle to represent harmony and friendship. The different patterns and textures of the circles aim to represent the dreams, diversity, and creativity of African youth," Oshoname explained.

He said that the artwork only includes one character to symbolize the unity of Africa and China, and the joint efforts by both peoples to plant the seeds of space dreams in every child's heart.

Oshoname's painting making its debut at China's space station is a microcosm of space cooperation between China and Africa.

In recent years, with the promotion of mechanisms such as cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, much practical progress has been made in aerospace cooperation between the two sides, making greater contributions to the construction of a high-level China-Africa community of shared future and the building of a better world.

Fruitful cooperation has been achieved in satellite exports, satellite resource sharing, space technology exchange, and the construction of space infrastructure. What's more, Chinese space technology has played an important role in the economic and social development of African countries and the improvement of people's living standards in the continent.

During an exclusive interview with the Global Times, South African Ambassador to China Siyabonga Cyprian Cwele said that space cooperation with China "is part of what our leaders said about taking our relations to new heights," and it can enable human beings to monitor but also understand what has happened on other planets.

Growing dreams

In September 2023, 10 paintings created by African youths made their debut at the very first art exhibition on China's space station. They were selected in a competition that received more than 2,000 paintings from 42 African countries, the Global Times learned at the competition's awards ceremony.

Director-General Wu Peng of the Department of African Affairs at the Chinese Foreign Ministry, at the event, said that the art exhibition is a vivid example of China's long-standing commitment to sharing development achievements and opportunities with Africa.

"In today's complex world with intertwined challenges and accelerated changes, the collective rise of developing countries is unstoppable," Wu said. "The youth represent the future and hopes of nations, as well as the driving force behind China-African cooperation. Your aspirations for a better life and your pursuit of the development of China-Africa relations are a continuous source of strength for the inheritance of the traditional friendship between the two sides."

At the event, the Shenzhou-16 crew also extended their greetings to African friends much to the delight of those in attendance. Behind them hung the paintings inside the space station cabin, as they gave detailed introductions of each painting, including the artist, their country of origin, as well as the meaning of the artwork, and the beautiful aspirations it carries.

Gui Haichao, the first civilian taikonaut to ever journey to space, could not help but smile cheerfully the entire time as he immersed himself in the joy that the colorful paintings brought him. Next to him was Shenzhou-16 commander Jing Haipeng, who gave two thumbs-up to the brilliant ideas of African youths, and took out his own photo at one point to share his thoughts and understanding of the paintings, the Global Times saw at the event.

Taking the launch of these youth's symbolic dreams into space as a starting point, the potential for China-Africa space cooperation will be "as broad as the starry sea," said Jing as he showcased the paintings some 400 kilometers above Earth.

"Join us in exploring the vastness of space and unraveling its mysteries to build our shared home," declared Liu Yang, China's first female astronaut, with heartfelt emotion to local students at the Chinese aerospace tracking station in Swakopmund, Namibia. On August 19, 2019, Liu, along with fellow astronaut Chen Dong, embarked on a five-day visit to Namibia, initiated by an invitation from Namibian President Hage Geingob.

This visit, highlighted by the Chinese astronauts' delegation, marks their second journey to Namibia, demonstrating the profound friendship and the high regard in which China holds relations and cooperation with Namibia. Liu and Dong's current visit further cements this special bond.

During their visit, Liu shared insights into an astronaut's training, work, and life, hoping to inspire Namibian youth about space exploration. Chen conveyed the delegation's goal to introduce the developments in China's aerospace industry and plant the seeds of dreams in the hearts of Namibians and, by extension, African youths, with hopes of seeing them in space in the future.

The Namibian students were thrilled. Among them, a 12th grader found inspiration in Liu and said: "Liu is a source of pride for women. With effort, we can also achieve our dreams," according to a Xinhua report.

Cultivating talent

In addition to sowing the seeds of aerospace dreams among the youth, China is actively collaborating with Africa to cultivate talents in related fields.

China places high importance on providing high-quality training for African scientific researchers, especially in areas such as satellite design, manufacturing, launching, and control. Since 2014, China has funded graduate students from countries like Algeria, Egypt, and Ethiopia, providing intellectual support for the autonomous development of aerospace technology in Africa.

Michael Appolinary Malima from Tanzania exemplifies China's role in nurturing African talent in the aerospace field. Having graduated in 2022 from Shenyang Aerospace University in Northeast China's Liaoning Province with a Bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Engineering, Malima, 25, returned to Tanzania for an internship at an airline, ensuring the maintenance and airworthiness of the fleet.

Malima's educational journey offers insights for African students aspiring to study in China. Before arriving in China, he completed 13 years of mandatory education, including two years in science, a prerequisite for studying aerospace engineering.

Despite facing challenges, Malima found his experiences in China refreshing and enlightening. His course was taught in English, but foreign students could also choose Chinese language classes.

Malima's experience shows it is achievable. He graduated with first-class honor, a significant accomplishment given the global conditions during his final study years.

"Provided all things go well, I plan to pursue further studies in aerospace engineering and place my focus on aerospace materials as these tend to lead to the discovery of other materials for various applications both within and outside the earth's atmosphere," he told the Global Times.

He stressed that the cooperation brings awareness to Africans on the opportunities available in the aerospace industry while creating a larger market for aerospace products and growth for both sides.

Building future

Beyond fostering young dreams, China-African aerospace collaboration is significantly boosting African nations' modernization through climate monitoring, disaster prevention, communication technology, and more. These tools effectively tackle extreme weather, food shortages, and environmental fragility.

In December 2023, China helped Egypt send a remote-sensing satellite, the MISRSAT-2, into orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China's Gobi Desert, which will be used in Egypt's land and resource utilization, water conservancy, agriculture, and other fields.

The satellite is a landmark project of in-depth cooperation between China and Egypt in the field of high-tech aerospace engineering and is of profound significance in aerospace cooperation between the two countries, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

In developing the satellite, China helped Egypt develop and build a satellite assembly integration testing center, and the successful implementation of the MISRSAT-2 project made Egypt the first country in Africa to have complete satellite development and final assembly and testing capabilities.

Moreover, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Dakar Action Plan (2022-2024) underscored intensified cooperation in aerospace technology to propel African applications and infrastructure, enhancing social development and living standards.

As the largest developing country, China shares its developmental experience and advanced technology generously, fostering inclusive growth in Africa.

"The new government, with a clear bias and ideological perspective, will cause serious harm to Argentina's economy," said former Argentine ambassador to China Sabino Vaca Narvaja in an exclusive interview with the Global Times on Thursday.

He criticized the decision of Javier Milei, Argentina's newly elected president, not to join the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) framework and emphasized the importance of the New Development Bank established by BRICS countries for Argentina in building a new financial system based on production and development. He found the Milei government's decision "puzzling." In addition, this decision also offends important partner countries that strongly supported Argentina's BRICS membership, damaging Argentina's national interests, he said.

In August 2023, the BRICS summit in South Africa undertook a historic expansion, welcoming six new members: Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Egypt, and Argentina. The membership was originally scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2024.

However, on December 30, 2023, Milei announced that Argentina would not join the BRICS.

According to media reports, Milei has sent a letter to the leaders of the BRICS nations, stating that the current timing for Argentina to join the organization is "inappropriate." Analysts said that the purpose behind the Milei's government's decision is to seek financing from the US through the IMF or private investors.

Milei's decision came at a time when Argentina is facing a deepening economic crisis, and it has sparked criticism from numerous professionals in economic and diplomatic sectors within Argentina. Narvaja is among the critics.

Narvaja served as Argentine ambassador to China during the presidency of Alberto Fernandez, a left-leaning government that actively sought membership of the BRICS for Argentina. The Fernandez government believed that joining the BRICS would present a significant opportunity for Argentina to enter emerging markets.

Narvaja told the Global Times that if Argentina could join the expanded BRICS, it would boost the country's economic development.

He emphasized that many economies within the BRICS and Argentina have highly complementary economic structures. Moreover, the combined economic scale of the BRICS is surpassing that of the G7, with more than 50 countries worldwide expressing willingness to join the bloc, which is led by emerging economies.

Narvaja said that in the past few years, the BRICS nations have played a crucial coordinating role during times of crisis. This includes providing supplies and vaccines to other countries and offering loans to emerging economies through the New Development Bank. With the expanded membership, the BRICS will encompass 45 percent of the world's population, and over 80 percent of new consumers will originate from these countries.

Meanwhile, the BRICS nations possess abundant natural resources, including oil, gas, and strategic minerals, contributing around 44 percent of global crude oil production. All these factors are highly significant for Argentina's economic prospects, he said.

"The New Development Bank is crucial for Argentina in building a new financial system based on production and development. It can provide financial instruments, including counter-cyclical funds and development loans, which could bring many benefits to Argentina. The proposal to conduct investments and trade in local currency will also play a significant role in the global economy," the former Argentine diplomat told the Global Times. He noted that Argentina requires substantial infrastructure investment and needs to increase exports and foreign exchange income, so the new government's decision to reject joining the BRICS framework is truly perplexing.

At a time when Argentina needs foreign exchange to meet debt obligations and investment to enhance its potential export capacity, this move is truly astonishing, Narvaja said. "This harms our country's interests," he added.

"Many of our production sectors and local economies are heavily reliant on trade with China. China is also a major investor and lender for Argentina's infrastructure," he emphasized.

Moreover, apart from the economic aspect, China and Argentina mutually support each other on many crucial political issues, he noted.

China is currently Argentina's second-largest trading partner, the primary market for agricultural product exports, and the third-largest source of investment. Bilateral trade between China and Argentina reached approximately $25.5 billion last year, and despite adverse conditions such as the COVID-19 pandemic, bilateral trade has defied the odds and increased by 54.7 percent over the past six years. In 2022, the Fernandez administration officially joined the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and in 2023, it signed a cooperation plan with China under the framework of the BRI. Analysts widely believe that Argentina's collaboration with China contributes to the upgrading of its infrastructure and facilitates the repayment of debts to the IMF.