The Shenzhou-20 crew members, who are currently on board China's space station, will conduct their first extravehicular activities (EVAs) within the next few days, the China Manned Space Agency announced on Wednesday.
Since entering the Tiangong space station on April 25, the three astronauts have completed a series of tasks in orbit, including the rotation with their predecessors Shenzhou-19 crew members, the maintenance and upkeep of the space station platform, inspections and tests of EVA suits, and medical rescue exercises.
All space science experiments have been progressing as planned, the agency said.
It also confirmed that the three Shenzhou-20 crew members are in good health and the space station is operating smoothly, ready for the upcoming space walk.
On April 29, in response to the US' reckless imposition of tariffs, the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's Office released a bilingual video titled "Never Kneel Down!"
Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te's pursuit of "independence" and provocative actions counter to the interests and well-being of the people in Taiwan and will ultimately be rejected by the public, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said at a press conference on Wednesday, warning that his "pro-independence provocations" are the root cause of cross-Straits tensions and instability.
Zhu made the remarks in response to a latest poll, which showed that Lai's approval rating has dropped to 47.1 percent, 10 percentage points lower than results from the last poll, falling below his disapproval rating for the first time since taking office. Zhu said this sharp decline reflects growing public dissatisfaction with Lai's policies.
"The people have a clear sense of judgment. What they want is economic development, social stability, and peace across the Taiwan Straits. But Lai continues to stir up political strife, suppress opponents, provoke cross-Straits confrontation, hollowing out Taiwan's key industries, and selling out Taiwan's interests to incite conflict," Zhu said. His actions will only lead to stronger opposition and, eventually, rejection by the public, she added.
In response to another question about Lai's recent remarks reiterating the "two-state theory" and claiming he is open to cooperation with the mainland "on the basis of dignity and parity," Zhu strongly condemned his comments as a blatant "pro-independence provocation." She labeled him a "troublemaker undermining cross-Straits peace and a creator of crisis in the Taiwan Straits."
"There is only one China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. No matter what Lai says or does, he cannot change this historical and legal fact," the spokesperson emphasized.
Zhu noted that the root cause of current cross-Straits tensions is the island's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities' refusal to acknowledge the 1992 Consensus, which forms the political foundation for dialogue and consultation between the two sides of the Straits. Instead, they have colluded with external forces to push for "Taiwan independence."
Zhu reiterated that as long as both sides uphold the 1992 Consensus and the one-China principle, dialogue can be conducted across the Straits. But if the DPP continues to reject this foundation and pursue separatist goals under the banner of "dignity and parity," cross-Straits talks will be impossible. "Any attempt to promote exchanges based on the 'two-state theory' is doomed to fail," she warned.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday urged the UK's relevant department to stop turning trade into political and security issues, stop groundlessly accusing and going after Chinese high-tech companies, and make more effort that is conducive to the sound and steady development of China-UK relations.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks at a regular press conference when asked to comment on the reported concern raised by the UK government over British companies using Chinese manufactured drones to take high-quality images of important infrastructure in the UK.
The Chinese government has never asked and will never ask any company to collect or store data against laws. The Chinese side firmly opposes the relevant side's groundless suspicion and vilification against China which lack a factual basis, said Lin.
The remarks follow UK government officials have reportedly raised fresh concerns over the use of Chinese-made drones at critical national infrastructure sites, warning that such practices may run counter to guidance from the country's security services, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.
Some Chinese experts responded by noting that Chinese drones such as DJI drones are widely used around the world for civilian uses and argued that the security concerns are largely political, lacking concrete evidence of immediate threats. The timing of the accusations, along with renewed attention on British Steel, comes as the two countries are working to improve ties, highlighting internal political discord and contradictions in the UK's approach to China, experts said.
Bloomberg reported that the role of Chinese companies and equipment in critical national infrastructure has been in focus in the UK. It mentioned that National Grid Plc, which operates the nation's electricity and gas networks, uses drones made by Shenzhen-based DJI to take videos, photographs and thermal images of its electricity substations. DJI drones have also been used to survey the construction of Electricite de France SA's Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant, to inspect solar farms, and by Thames Water to monitor reservoirs and the water supply.
The report claimed that deployment of the drones comes despite a warning in 2023 by the UK's National Protective Security Authority, part of the domestic security service MI5, that British organizations managing sensitive sites should be wary of using drones "manufactured in countries with coercive data sharing practices," a reference to China.
National Grid Plc and Thames Water told Bloomberg they adhere to government guidance and take security seriously.
DJI has not answered the inquiry by the Global Times on the matter by the press time.
The report followed recent rhetoric by some British politicians who have been hyping issues surrounding British Steel, the last UK facility capable of producing steel from iron ore, involving a Chinese private company, while calling for a ban on Chinese firms in critical industries.
The renewed focus on drone security also emerged just as Britain's business minister Jonathan Reynolds prepares to visit China later this year to boost trade and investment, according to The Guardian.
Experts said the timing of the report reflects a contradiction within the UK's current political climate. "While the Starmer administration is taking a relatively more pragmatic approach and looking to expand trade with China to cushion global trade turbulence caused by the US, internal discord remains — particularly around national security concerns," Yu Wenjie, Director of the Institute of British and Commonwealth Studies at Nanjing University, told the Global Times on Thursday.
Some in the UK often approach the UK's engagement with China through an ideological lens, with certain media outlets and politicians frequently making unfounded accusations even in the context of normal bilateral economic exchanges or the legitimate operations of Chinese private enterprises in the country, Zhao Junjie, a senior research fellow at the Institute of European Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Thursday.
Zhao described the UK's stance toward China as a "contradictory composite." On the one hand, the UK seeks cooperation with China in areas such as finance, technology, and the green economy; on the other, some media and politicians continue to view China with entrenched hostility and a Cold War mentality. "They want the benefits of engagement with China, while also trying to guard against and criticize it—this results in policies that are often logically inconsistent," he said.
It is important for some UK politicians and media to honor the broad picture of deepening China-UK ties, and remind them not to let their behavior undermine the overall momentum of improving bilateral ties, Zhao said.
China and Spain reached a cooperative agreement on April 11 in the field of synchrotron radiation light sources to promote the research and development of fourth-generation synchrotron radiation light source technologies and facilitate the open sharing of international large scientific facilities, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
The agreement was signed by the Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Consortium for the Construction, Equipping and Exploitation of the Synchrotron Light Source. It is part of the Action Plan for Strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the People's Republic of China and the Kingdom of Spain (2025-2028) as China has vowed to develop the comprehensive strategic partnership with Spain with greater strategic focus and vitality, according to Xinhua.
A synchrotron radiation light source is a source of electromagnetic radiation usually produced by a storage ring.
China is currently building its first high-energy synchrotron radiation light source, the High Energy Photon Source (HEPS). As one of the country's key scientific and technological infrastructure projects, HEPS is expected to become a fourth-generation synchrotron radiation facility with the world's highest brightness and will serve as a research platform for material science, chemical engineering, biomedicine and other fields.
The Global Times learned from IHEP that, by January, HEPS had achieved a world-class electron beam emittance of 93 picometer radians in the storage ring following the achievement of a beam current of more than 40 milliamps, which means that the HEPS accelerator construction is successful.
In late March, HEPS officially launched its joint commissioning phase, marking its final construction stage.
During the joint commissioning phase, multiple beamlines at HEPS are commissioned with the accelerator and perform specialized sample experiments aimed at further optimizing relevant indicators of the accelerator and beamlines, Pan Weimin, director of the HEPS project, told the Global Times.
According to Pan, the HEPS project is expected to complete acceptance and be operational by the end of 2025. When design values are reached, it will be able to emit light that is one trillion times brighter than the sun and will be open to users in fields such as aerospace, energy, environment, life science and pharmaceuticals.
HEPS can provide high-quality light for both domestic and international scientists in these fields, helping them analyze and explore the microscopic structure and evolution mechanisms of materials, covering a wide range of application scenarios. For instance, HEPS can be used for precision testing and lifecycle monitoring of certain materials like titanium alloys; it can be applied to observe how substances change and react during the generation and synthesis of new materials; and it can also be used to observe the scale of nanoparticles, thereby adjusting and enhancing the performance of nanomaterials, according to Pan.
Taking the application of HEPS in life sciences as an example, with the help of the first-generation light source, scientists discovered the molecular structure of the SARS virus. Now, with the construction of this fourth-generation light source, scientists will be able to observe virus more clearly, meticulously, and quickly, according to IHEP.
Construction of HEPS began in June 2019. From an aerial view, the HEPS, located in the Huairou Science City in Beijing, consists of three main buildings, with an overall shape resembling a magnifying glass, symbolizing a tool for exploring the microscopic world.
Experiences and innovative technologies utilized during the construction of HEPS could also pave the way for subsequent light source construction in China, according to Pan. For example, the HEPS construction team innovated a scheme to utilize its booster as both an accelerator and an accumulator, significantly reducing the infrastructure's costs.
These experiences and technologies can be applied to the construction of other large scientific facilities in China, helping future projects to save time and effort, Pan noted.
The Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, located near Peace Park in Nagasaki, Japan, displays historical materials related to the atomic bombing the city suffered in 1945, reminding the world to remember history and prevent the recurrence of war.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the global war against fascism, as well as the 80th anniversary of the Nagasaki atomic bombing. As part of the commemorative activities, the city plans to update the exhibition content of the museum, which has brought to light the contradictions that have arisen in recent years regarding related content: some right-wing groups in Japan are demanding that the museum revise or even erase references to the Nanjing Massacre, provoking opposition from many peace advocates and organizations.
Global Times reporter Xing Xiaojing recently conducted an investigation into this matter, talking to representatives from the Atomic Bomb Museum, the Nagasaki city government, Japanese civic groups, and Chinese experts. The findings reveal that the demands for revisions to the museum's World War II narrative reflect deep-seated contradictions in Japanese society regarding historical awareness and the issue of political rightward shift. A representative from a Japanese civic group stated that this issue cannot be ignored, saying, "Without proper reflection on history, we cannot have a peaceful future!"
Shelved plan, stirred history
Some Japanese media reported in March that to mark the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing, Nagasaki has planned to update the exhibition content of the Atomic Bomb Museum. The proposed updates include using digital technology and other methods to present the severe impacts of nuclear radiation on the human body in an intuitive and understandable visual format, as well as the lifelong health and psychological damage suffered by the victims of the atomic bombing. The museum also plans to adjust the exhibition area that introduces the historical events leading up to the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki.
In the proposed updates, the timeline of major events regarding Japan's wars prior to the atomic bombing retains references to "the occupation of Nanjing" and "the Nanjing Massacre." Some conservative groups in Japan have long expressed dissatisfaction with this and have pressured the museum and the local government to modify or even delete these references, resulting in the postponement of this year's exhibition update plan.
Nagasaki initially wanted to complete the update by the end of this year but later announced a delay. The latest news indicates that the city will release the relevant plan in the spring of 2027.
The Global Times recently called the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum for an interview regarding this matter. After explaining the purpose of the call, the reporter was put on hold, and unexpectedly, the call was transferred to the Nagasaki city's atomic bomb disaster prevention department's peace promotion division. The Global Times reporter was informed that this division is responsible for responding to matters related to the museum's exhibition plans.
An official from the division told the Global Times that the current statements in the museum remain unchanged, but adjusting the wording of existing references such as "Japan's occupation of Nanjing" and "the Nanjing Massacre" is "not something that Nagasaki city can decide unilaterally." The Nagasaki government will discuss this with the Atomic Bomb Museum, and an external advisory committee (or review committee) composed of outside members will also participate in the discussions. A final decision can only be made after consultations among all parties, and "the earliest confirmation of the final adjustment plan will not be until after April 2026."
Growing right-wing shift
According to a report by Asahi Shimbun, since 2019, the review committee has been discussing matters related to the exhibition content of the museum, with committee members serving two-year terms.
The Nagasaki city government's official website has made public some of the committee's meeting minutes.
The meeting minutes from December 2020 show that the committee's secretariat noted that in the museum's exhibition room C, under the section "Toward a World Without Nuclear Weapons," a timeline outlines the history from Japan's invasion of China to the end of the Pacific War. This timeline includes entries such as "Occupation of Nanjing" and "Occurrence of the Nanjing Massacre."
At the time, a committee member claimed there are views asserting "the Nanjing Massacre did not happen," and thus "changing the description to 'Battle of Nanjing' would not be incorrect."
The minutes reveal that other committee members immediately countered this, stating: "Japan waged a war of aggression against China at that time, and a large number of Chinese civilians were killed. This is an indisputable fact, so it is necessary to clearly display the acts of harm Japan once committed." The committee chairperson at the time remarked that "the meeting was not intended to reach a conclusion on this matter" but rather to exchange views and opinions, concluding the discussion with this statement.
A set of meeting minutes from 2023 shows that a committee member stated in their remarks that, despite the so-called view that "the Nanjing Massacre did not occur," there are photographs provided by Moriyasu Murase - a Japanese soldier during Japan's invasion of China who took over 3,000 photos between 1937 and 1940, documenting the crimes of the invading Japanese army. After Murase's death, his family donated these historical materials to the Japan-China Friendship Association - as well as evidence he compiled from photo albums and other sources.
"The so-called review committee, composed of external members, has had its members selectively chosen, and in recent years, they have gradually been replaced by individuals from right-wing groups," Tadashi Hirano, the secretary-general of the Nagasaki Prefecture Peace Movement Center, told the Global Times.
For example, during the 2023 committee member rotation, Nobuto Hirano, a long-time advocate for peace activities, was not selected. Nobuto Hirano had consistently argued for the necessity of exhibitions on Japan's war crimes, believing that the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum's displays should include the history of Japan's wartime atrocities.
Thirteen local civic groups argued that the selection process for committee members was subjective and demanded that Nobuto Hirano be added as a supplementary member. However, Takuji Inoue, director of the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, said the selection of committee members was "based on review standards" and conducted effectively by six reviewers, stating it was "not an intentional exclusion of Nobuto Hirano," and thus no re-evaluation would be considered.
"This has a significant impact on us. Nobuto Hirano was a very important figure for us, and his exclusion has made many civic groups acutely aware of the crisis," Tadashi Hirano said. He noted that this reflects a severe constriction of the space for Japanese peace advocates to speak out, especially in decision-making bodies like the review committee, where they have essentially lost their right to voice opinions.
Tadashi Hirano stressed that it is a fact that Nagasaki suffered as a victim of the atomic bombing, and it is equally a fact that Japan invaded other countries. All these facts should be passed down truthfully. He added that they would continue to collaborate with other groups and take all possible measures to urge the government not to alter the current descriptions, saying, "The growing right-wing shift in Japan today is becoming severe, and it cannot continue like this."
'Cannot turn blind eyes'
"The rightward shift in Japan is becoming increasingly severe, and we cannot turn a blind eye to it," said Liu Jiangyong, a professor at Tsinghua University's Department of International Relations.
The controversy surrounding the modification of the Nanjing Massacre description at the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum reflects deep-seated contradictions in Japanese society regarding historical cognition. This incident is not an isolated phenomenon; rather, it is a concentrated manifestation of Japan's political rightward shift since the end of the Cold War, particularly in the 21st century. It involves structural issues such as the incomplete reckoning with history, the long-term infiltration of right-wing forces, and the systematic distortion of textbooks, Liu told the Global Times.
According to Liu, Nagasaki, a symbol of friendship with China, reflects the erosion of Japan's pacifist stance due to right-wing forces, particularly evident in the controversy over its atomic bomb museum. This issue emerged around 2020 amid Japan's political shift to the right, with groups seeking to erase references to the Nanjing Massacre, undermining the Tokyo Trials' outcomes and challenging the post-normalization consensus in China-Japan relations. The delay in updating the museum's exhibition lays bare Japan's societal divisions, balancing right-wing pressures against international public opinion and domestic pacifist sentiments.
Tadashi Hirano emphasized that the current discussions extend beyond Nagasaki and the Nanjing Massacre, representing a broader trend of historical revisionism in Japan that cannot be overlooked.
Distortion, beautification, and dilution of history cannot conceal the truth, yet they only create more problems. "Without a proper reflection on history, we cannot have a peaceful future," he said.
The complete truth
2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Several sources in Japan have revealed that the cabinet of Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba plans not to issue an "80 Years After the War" official statement regarding the World War II. Some right-wing forces in Japan are attempting to reconstruct historical narratives through the statement.
"We strongly oppose such moves [to revise the Nanjing Massacre and other expressions]!" Tadashi Hirano stated. He said the timeline at the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum should accurately document how Japan gradually moved toward the war, and erasing or altering the existing narratives actually dilutes the history. "Several Japanese civic groups, including ours, have repeatedly expressed our concerns to the Nagasaki city council, urging it to take this matter seriously," Hirano said.
According to Nagasaki Broadcasting Company, 21 civic groups, including atomic bomb survivors and citizens, have submitted a petition to the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, urging the inclusion of Japan's wartime atrocities in its exhibits. Yutaka Yonemura, head of the Nagasaki Prefectural Peace Movement Center, emphasized that merely depicting the suffering caused by the atomic bombing cannot convey Nagasaki's message to the world. Japan's history of aggression in Asia must not be ignored, and historical facts such as the Nanjing Massacre must not be altered.
Nagasaki Culture Telecasting reported that a recent survey by local civic groups targeting foreign visitors to the museum found that about 93 percent of respondents supported retaining pre-atomic bomb historical exhibits.
"We must prevent any revision of historical narratives, such as the Nanjing Massacre, at all costs ... Only by conveying the full truth can we powerfully demonstrate the preciousness of peace to the world," an anonymous member of a Nagasaki peace group told the Global Times.
The opposition from some Japanese citizens to the museum's revision of World War II-related narratives indicates the presence of pacifist forces in this country, he said.
In the future, the struggle over historical perspectives will intertwine with several matters, including the Taiwan question and Japan's constitutional revision process, becoming a core variable affecting China-Japan relations, said Liu, noting that China should remain vigilant against Japan's attempts to reshape national identity through historical revisionism, and counter its one-sided narrative.
China's Ministry of Commence (MOFCOM) said on Wednesday that it has added 12 US entities to the export control list.
In order to safeguard national security and interests and fulfill international obligations such as non-proliferation, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Export Control Law of China and the regulations on export control of dual-use items, the MOFCOM issued an announcement to include 12 US entities in the export control list and prohibit the export of dual-use items to them.
These entities may engage in activities that may endanger China's national security and interests, and any export operator shall not violate the above provisions, a spokesperson for the MOFCOM said.
Picking up a shovel, Chinese President Xi Jinping joined children, officials and local residents in planting trees on a riverbank in the nation's capital Beijing this spring, following a tradition that he has kept as the country's top leader for 13 consecutive years.
"Voluntary tree planting is a nationwide initiative that must be carried on for generations," Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said Thursday at the tree planting site.
He called for strength to be pooled to build a beautiful China and make the country even greener through afforestation efforts.
Xi's resolute commitment to planting trees has inspired Chinese citizens -- government officials and regular folk alike -- to engage actively in China's afforestation initiative and support the nation's green transformation and ecological conservation efforts.
China designated March 12 as National Tree Planting Day in 1979, and launched a nationwide voluntary tree-planting campaign in 1981. Thanks to decades of perseverance in its afforestation, China is at the forefront of global efforts to green the planet, contributing approximately a quarter of the world's new green areas since 2000.
"Increasing green coverage is to bring greater development strengths, and planting trees is to plant the future," Xi said at last year's tree-planting activity, calling for continued efforts to enrich the country's "green assets."
Xi understands the key role a sound ecological environment plays in supporting China's long-term development, and has long been concerned about land restoration and afforestation.
When working in east China's Fujian Province, he inspected Changting County, a mountainous area that was once plagued by severe soil erosion, on five separate occasions to strengthen soil erosion control work.
"In general, China's forest resources are still scarce, and its ecological system remains vulnerable," Xi said when taking part in another tree-planting activity in Beijing in 2013.
In 2017, Xi gave instructions on the Saihanba mechanized forest farm in Hebei Province, the world's largest artificial plantation, and praised the "miracle" of afforestation achieved by local workers. He visited the farm's forest rangers four years later, urging efforts to sustain the site's role as an ecological shelter.
Xi's thought on ecological civilization is guiding the country toward a green future, with expanded forest coverage, an improved living environment and a more sustainable path for the economy.
The country now boasts a total forest area of 283.7 million hectares, with forest coverage exceeding 25 percent of its total land area -- up from 12 percent in the early 1980s.
China is also home to the world's largest total human-made forest area. In 2024 alone, China planted 4.45 million hectares of trees and improved 3.22 million hectares of grassland.
The ecological environment keeps improving, a fact that has been directly and tangibly felt by the people, Xi noted on Thursday.
While attending the planting activity in 2019, Xi planted a magnolia tree in a forest park in Beijing's Tongzhou District. In the 1990s, the site was surrounded by a chemical plant and various polluting enterprises, but its environment has improved since the local government began relocating these factories in 2018.
Many more places in China have also seen their living environments improve. Up to 43.32 percent of built-up areas in Chinese cities have been covered by vegetation as of last year, with per capita park space reaching 15.65 square meters.
In the early summer of 2023, Xi visited a state forestry area in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to learn about the progress of the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP), the world's largest afforestation program, which tackles desertification in northwest, north and northeast China.
For the survival and development of humanity, it is a must to prevent and control desertification, Xi stressed during his visit.
By 2050, the program's afforestation area is projected to encompass over 4 million square kilometers across 13 provincial-level regions, accounting for 42.4 percent of the country's total land area.
It is also estimated that roughly 15 million people in the areas covered by the TSFP have risen out of poverty by developing forestry and fruit cultivation industries, as planting trees also brings economic gains and greener development.
"Afforestation should deliver more benefits to the people," Xi said at Thursday's event, stressing the need for a greater emphasis on improving forest management and the ecological quality of grasslands, and on promoting relevant industries.
Xi highlighted the concept of a "green GDP" in 2021, when he joined lawmakers to deliberate issues of national importance at China's annual "two sessions" meetings.
During the discussion, Zhou Yizhe, a forest farm worker from Inner Mongolia, shared his story of transitioning from a logger to a forest ranger. The farm he was working at had completely abandoned timber production, shifting its focus to environmental protection.
He said that more wild animals were appearing on the tree farm, and research has shown that the ecosystems of the forests and wetlands there have become a source of wealth.
"Maintaining a good ecological environment is of enormous value," Xi said on the occasion.
Last year, the output of China's forestry and grassland industry totaled 10.17 trillion yuan (about 1.42 trillion U.S. dollars), and its eco-tourism sector saw 9.1 percent year-on-year growth in tourist numbers.
In addition to conserving water, driving economic benefits and increasing grain output, forests also serve as carbon sinks, according to Xi.
On the back of the country's persistent tree-planting efforts, the annual carbon-sink capacity of China's forests and grassland has exceeded 1.2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents, ranking first globally and providing a strong and green boost to the global combat against climate change and environmental degradation.
In response to the World Economic Forum's global tree-planting campaign, China in 2022 announced that it would plant 70 billion trees within a decade while strengthening its forest carbon sinks and improving the conservation of its existing forest resources.
While acknowledging China's remarkable afforestation progress, Xi on Thursday cautioned that the country's total forest and grassland resources as well as the benefits they deliver remain insufficient in terms of amount and quality.
The country should make more efforts to effectively address prominent issues and do even better year on year in this regard, Xi said.
The US government recently designated South Korea as a "sensitive country," which was described by some South Korean media outlets as "an unexpected move." "This decision not only damages South Korea's international reputation, but also raises serious questions about the state of diplomatic coordination between Seoul and Washington," read an opinion piece published by The Korea Herald on March 20. "How did one of America's closest allies end up on this list, and what should be done to reverse this designation?" the article questioned.
In recent years, the US has made frequent policy changes in its global strategy, leading to rifts in its relations with traditional allies. From Europe to Asia, several of its allies have been "stabbed in the back" by the US even at critical moments, which has drawn widespread attention from the international community and raised concern among the affected allies.
What does it mean to be a US ally? Are these allies receiving the promised benefits, or are they, in fact, no more than the US' pawns in its strategic game? The Global Times is launching a two-part series focusing on the dilemmas faced by US allies under its hegemony. This is the second installment. During his first official visit to the US' close ally in Southeast Asia, American Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed Washington's "ironclad" commitment to a defense treaty with the Philippines on March 28 and pledged to deploy advanced capabilities to its partner to strengthen a deterrence against threats, including Chinese "aggression," Reuters reported.
As Pete Hegseth joined hands with his Filipino counterpart and the Philippine president to counter China in the region, some Manila residents took to the streets to demonstrate against US military involvement into their country, according to The Economic Times.
While the Marcos administration may take Hegseth's promises as a fruit of its efforts in reinvigorating Manila's relations with Washington, it seems that Filipino people are gaining a clearer understanding of the cost to serve as the US' proxy in the South China Sea than their government.
The international landscape has reverted to an era characterized by great power competition and geopolitics. In this context, several countries and regions have been actively seeking support from the US in recent years, aiming to counterbalance the external influences they perceive as threats, said Xiang Haoyu, a research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies.
But, the questions is: can they trust Washington? Have they genuinely received the assurances that the US offers to them? Or are they simply becoming pawns in the US' "America First" strategic game?
Costs of being an ally
Before the visit, Trump administration's "America First" foreign policy thrust had already triggered concerns in the Philippines about the scale and depth of US commitment to the region during his new term.
"There is utility in keeping ties with the Philippines. The debate is: Can you trust America?" said Carlyle Thayer, an expert in Southeast Asian studies at the Australian Defense Force Academy, as reported by ABS-CBN News.
The article mentioned a $500-million investment allocation pledge by the US in 2024 to fund the Philippine defense upgrade program, but "Washington has yet to make clear if it will sustain the commitment made during the Biden administration."
The Marcos administration has been eager to align its interests with those of the US, even at the cost of its own national security and independence. In 2023, the Philippines expanded the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) to give the US military access to another four military bases in the country, making the total number of US military bases in the country nine.
The practice of trading national security or policy independence for US "alliance" has sparked great controversy and concern within the Philippines, as reports of Filipino citizens rallying against US presence in their country increase. "…the US…is to turn the Philippines into the Asian version of Ukraine, a country it will use to advance its [own superpower] agenda in a region it has no business to be in," read a strongly-worded opinion piece published by the Manila Times in April 2024.
Given the recent interactions between the Philippines and the US, it is evident that the Philippines keeps reminding the Trump administration not to forget about the country and the South China Sea. The Marcos government is now tying itself to the chariot of the US, sacrificing its independence and national dignity. This is truly lamentable, Ding Duo, director of the Research Center for International and Regional Studies at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times.
If Manila believes that by aligning itself with Washington it can gain some advantages on the South China Sea issue during the Trump 2.0 era, it is making a grave miscalculation. Provocations and risks taken by the Philippines in the South China Sea will only lead to painful repercussions, Ding noted.
On the other hand, South Korea is likely to pay a higher price for joining US allyship.
South Korea's Acting President Choi Sang-mok said on March 11 that the US' "America First" policies have started targeting South Korea as discussions between the countries over tariff measures and stronger cooperation on energy and shipbuilding were beginning ahead of "reciprocal tariffs" set to take effect on April 2. The Trump administration had threatened to impose "all-out pressure" on South Korea.
The US is defining what is interest and what is threat for its allies and requiring the latter to obey. For example, it requires South Korea to cooperate its strategy to contain China, despite the fact that South Korea does not necessarily view China as a threat, Wang Yiwei, director of the Center for European Union Studies at Renmin University of China, told the Global Times.
Abandoned pawns
Some countries and regions that had been swarming to seek alliance or partnership with the US already found themselves to be sacrificial lambs at the US' "America First" altar.
In Ukraine, "history is repeating itself as the US risks abandoning Ukraine like it did in Vietnam and Afghanistan," read an opinion piece published by The Kyiv Independent on March 6.
The comment came after Ukraine suffered two consecutive "abandonment" punches from the US: First was the clash between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House at the end of February; second was the US' suspension of intelligence sharing and military aid to Kiev from March 3.
It "cuts my heart" and is a "betrayal." This was the response of a Ukrainian soldier in a frontline combat regiment directly affected by the suspension, the Sky News wrote in an article on March 8.
In China's Taiwan island, doubts and skepticism about the US' support have been on the rise in recent years after witnessing the country's selfish, irresponsible, and domineering behavior on the international stage.
According to the Xinhua News Agency, a poll in 2023 in the island showed that, among respondents aged 20 and above, nearly 60 percent agreed that "no matter how good the US is to the island of Taiwan, it is for its own interests and may not necessarily be good for Taiwan."
Regarding mounting doubts about the US in the island, the secessionist Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities attribute them to "cognitive warfare" by the Chinese mainland, seeking to counterbalance these concerns by emphasizing "dependence on the US."
However, experts on both sides across the Taiwan Straits have repeatedly warned that "protection fees" won't protect "Taiwan independence" forces, and the "chess pieces" will inevitably turn into "abandoned pieces." A negative asset
Some other traditional allies of the US in Europe are reflecting their relations with the country, according to a poll published in February by the think tank European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR).
A majority of Europeans consider the US to be a "necessary partner" rather than "an ally" against the backdrop of US-EU friction over tariffs, the Euronews reported citing the ECFR poll. The poll was conducted in 11 EU countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Denmark, Estonia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary - as well as Ukraine, Switzerland, and the UK.
"This represents a big change for some countries that used to be strongly transatlantic," Pawel Zerka, ECFR's senior policy fellow, told Euronews.
After the Cold War came to an end in the 1990s, the US once believed that Western "liberal democracy" would become the endpoint of human ideological evolution and proposed a "New World Order," hoping to establish a new "American Century." However, the US then faced unresolved issues such as economic recession, and the cohesion of its ally system sharply declined following the collapse of the Soviet Union, said Yuan Youwei, a researcher at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges.
In 21st century, the key of great power relations have shifted from forming alliances based on enmity to forming partnerships based on friendship. Alliance politics corrupts the culture of international politics and embodies a downward competitive mindset that harms mutual interests. In contrast, partnership politics foster a culture of trust in international relations, promote peaceful development and win-win cooperation, and represent an upward competitive mindset that benefits all parties involved, Wang Yiwei further noted.
In this sense, alliance system is becoming a negative asset for US diplomacy, the expert pointed out.
According to Wang, the US now views China as its greatest "rivalry" and there is a tendency across the US to use fear and anxiety about China to highlight the so-called "Chinese threat," thereby masking internal issues.
In this context, it is even more important for China to stick to a policy framework of independence and non-alignment, guided by the goal of building a new form of international relations, Wang said.
Zhang Ling (pseudonym) spent nearly half a month searching online for making an appointment with a recommended traditional Chinese veterinary medicine (TCVM) doctor in Beijing after her six-year-old Chinese field dog, Dou Dou, was paralyzed in a car accident.
She initially had no idea that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) could also be used to treat animals. What surprised her even more was that this form of treatment had become so popular that it was quite difficult to make an appointment with a good TCVM doctor in Beijing.
"At first, I tried to register with a famous doctor in the China Agricultural University Veterinary Teaching Hospital (CAUVTH), which is widely known as the best hospital in Beijing for pets. The registration channel for the doctor's service opens eight days in advance at 8 pm. I logged on to the registration platform a few minutes late, only to find that all the available slots were already full," Zhang, 34, told the Global Times. Special treatment
Zhang's dog was hit by a car in a small town in East China's Jiangsu Province, where veterinary services weren't equipped to perform surgery on the dog during the "gold 24 hours" after the accident.
Having returned to Beijing after the Spring Festival holidays, Zhang took Dou Dou to see a veterinary neurosurgeon at the CAUVTH and another neurosurgeon who came highly recommended online. "The CAUVTH doctor told me Dou Dou had a slipped disc that seriously damaged a nerve, leading to level-five paralysis - the highest level. At this point, even surgery wouldn't be of much help. The other doctor gave me a similar prognosis and said he could attempt stem cell therapy, but the therapy was still in the experimental with few confirmed successes around the world," Zhang said.
Shortly after these disappointing appointments, Zhang discovered TCVM and held out hope that this form of treatment might help her canine companion.
"Modern medicine often employs surgical decompression to treat a slipped disc. But there is little modern medicine can do for level-five paralysis with loss of deep pain sensation lasting more than 48 hours. For these cases, we have established an acupuncture therapy based on the diagnosis through modern medical neurological function tests, and MRI or CT scans, and, in some occasions, it's even more efficacious than surgery," Chen Wu, a professor at the Beijing University of Agriculture and chief expert in integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine of the New Ruipeng Pet Healthcare Group, explained to Zhang when she took Dou Dou for his first consultation for the first time.
However, Chen cautioned that "it may be a long process before the dog can finally stand up." This uncertainty weighed a little on Zhang. Nevertheless, given her limited options, she agreed to try acupuncture therapy for Dou Dou for two weeks and observe the results before determining the next steps in treatment. Rising popularity
On a Friday afternoon in Chen's treatment room at the Chongfuxin international animal medicine center in Changping, Beijing, the Global Times observed Dou Dou's treatment. The canine was placed on a specialized treatment bed covered with grid cloth. His four legs were placed through the openings in the cloth to prevent him from moving. Chen used alcohol-soaked cotton swabs to disinfect some acupoints below the dog's waist and between the toes of the dog's paralyzed hind legs.
Chen then deftly inserted fine acupuncture needles into the pug's acupoints and attached electrodes to the needles to deliver controlled electrical currents. The pug's legs twitched regularly in response to the electrical stimulation.
According to Chen, TCVM is a field of medicine in which veterinarians apply the theoretical principles of TCM to the diagnosis and treatment of animals. In ancient times, Chinese people did use TCVM to treat animals, mainly focusing on horses on the battlefield and oxen used for farming. In modern times, TCVM has also been modified and integrated with Western medicine, spreading as far afield as the US and Japan, along with the development and spread of TCM.
The locations of dogs' acupoints are similar to those in human bodies compared to other animals, making the acupuncture therapy effective for dogs, according to Chen.
After being a TCVM doctor in China for over 30 years, Chen, 59, told the Global Times that he had noticed the increased popularity of TCVM in the country in recent years.
Some pet owners turn to TCVM after Western medicine fails to treat their pets' diseases. Others seek TCVM services as they believe in TCM themselves. TCVM's other advantage over Western medicine is its ability to treat age-related diseases. An increasing number of people seeking TCVM services in recent years do so due to the advanced age of their pets, Chen explained.
Citing an industry report, an article published by the New Weekly magazine on February 27 stated that, currently, there is an upward trend of pet aging in China, with dogs aged 7 (the age threshold for elderly dog) and above accounting for 23 percent of the total in 2024, an increase of 5 percent compared to 2023. It is estimated that in the next three years, over 30 million pets in China will enter middle and old age.
With the rising trend of pet aging, the issues of aged pet care and daily pet healthcare have gradually become focal points of concern for pet owners. This brings about new opportunities for Chinese TCVM practitioners.
"Our vision is to establish an authentic TCM institution for pets, integrating traditional medical philosophies into daily pet healthcare," Wu Yingjiu, the 59-year-old funder of the first TCM clinic for pets in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, told the Global Times.
According to Wu, the clinic, named Wang Miao Tai Yi Tang, which means medical hall for dogs and cats, handles about 10 in-person consultations and dozens of online assessments daily. Its services range from customized herbal formulas and acupuncture, to post-operative rehabilitation and preventive care.
"Most of our patients are senior pets with chronic conditions or mobility issues, and some others are diagnosed with difficult diseases. Poodles, French Bulldogs, and Corgis are among our most common patients," Wu said.
"Like human TCM practitioners, we customize treatments, different formulas for different conditions," Deng Xurong, a TCVM doctor at Wu's clinic, told the Global Times.
The applicable diseases for TCVM include neurological disorders, musculoskeletal issues and muscle problems, as well as various types of ascites, skin diseases, and miscellaneous diseases, particularly in cases where long-term Western medical treatments have not been effective. Compared with Western medications like antibiotics or steroids, herbal TCM medications also offer gentler interventions with noticeable effects, Deng said.
Integrated approach
After four rounds of acupuncture treatments, Dou Dou's reaction to electrical stimulation improved. But Chen told Zhang that the improvement was far from an indication that the dog would stand up in near future, saying two months. In the next stage of treatment, more rehabilitation methods would be incorporated to exercise and strengthen the muscles of the dog's paralyzed legs.
According to Chen, it has taken up to a year and a half for some level-five paralyzed dogs that he's treated to stand up and walk again.
Zhang decided to continue the acupuncture treatment while incorporating rehabilitation exercises. She did not make the decision without hesitations. "I have seen with my own eyes some improvement from the acupuncture therapy, but, in fact, I was still not sure what effect, if any, that acupuncture had. But it seems like it is the only thing I can do for the dog now," she said.
For pet owners like Zhang who still remain skeptical about TCVM, Wu told the Global Times that he understands that TCVM is still an unfamiliar concept for the majority of the public.
He believes the greatest advantage of TCVM lies in its fundamental regulation and preventive care before disease onset. For acute and critical conditions, he would recommend pet owners seek Western medicine for symptom relief first, followed by TCVM for long-term diagnostic treatment.
As a practicing doctor and professor in TCVM with 30 years' experience, Chen said "Traditional Chinese and Western veterinary medicine each have their strengths, but neither is perfect on its own. It is necessary to learn from each other's strengths and develop in a complementary manner. Some diseases are well suited for TCM, while others may require Western medicine first."
Additionally, some conditions benefit from a combination of both approaches. Only by integration can we provide the best options for animal health, the doctor said.
An integration approach would also help to prove efficacy and win TCVM international recognition, according to Chen.
For example, Chen's team had conducted animal experiments to reveal the scientific mechanisms of acupuncture in the treatment of intervertebral disc disease. Under the same diagnostic criteria with Western medicine, the team uncovered the effects and mechanisms of acupuncture in treating intervertebral disc disease in dogs. This has further enhanced the understanding of the clinical value and scientific basis of acupuncture among international veterinary field, he noted.
In fact, as early as in 1974, the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS) was founded in the US to promote the use of veterinary acupuncture and to increase education in this modality. At this time, there were 80 members of the society, according to the society's website.
The society also provides certification courses in veterinary acupuncture and veterinary Chinese herbal medicine to applicants.
Chinese TCVM practitioners have also taken action to promote the industry's development in its birthplace.
A public welfare initiative for the inheritance and development of TCVM launched in 2017 by Chen and other practitioners has trained over 8,000 key clinical practitioners in pet TCM across the country.
In China, the uptake of TCVM is still low in the curriculum of veterinary universities, and the training of TCVM professionals still needs to be strengthened. Policies, laws, and regulations to regulate and support the development of TCVM industry is also urgently needed, Chen stressed.
