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Editor's Note:

Chinese people believe that letters are as valuable as gold. For thousands of years, letters, across mountains and oceans, have been delivering the writers' sentiments and conveying friendship and expectations.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, has managed to find time to reply to some letters from different sectors of the society and different parts of the world despite his busy work schedule.

Through his letters, Xi has corresponded with people from all walks of life on numerous occasions, part of a series of excellent stories of China in the new era.

Therefore, the Global Times traced and contacted some of the recipients of Xi's letters to hear the inspiring stories behind the letters and their communications with the Chinese President.

In this installment, several Brazilian friends with ties to China shared their stories, reflecting on their connections with the country and their impressions of its people and culture. After receiving a reply letter from the Chinese president, they expressed excitement and shared their confidence and expectations for a bright future in China-Brazil relations.

The Yangtze and Amazon, two of the world's greatest rivers, have continuously nurtured thriving nations and splendid civilizations.

Today, they also symbolize the enduring friendship between China and Brazil.

Recently, Enrique Teixeira, former deputy Mayor of Campinas, Sao Paulo State, and more than 100 friendly personages from the Brazil-China Friendship Association, the Sao Paulo University, the Sao Paulo State University, and the Copacabana Fort Orchestra in Rio de Janeiro wrote to Chinese President Xi Jinping respectively, thanking the Chinese government, enterprises, and universities for their contributions to China-Brazil friendly exchanges and the improvement of local people's livelihoods, the Xinhua News Agency reported on November 11.

In a reply letter to friendly personages from all walks of life in Brazil, President Xi encouraged them to continuously contribute to the China-Brazil friendship.

Xi said that he is glad to see that the China-Brazil friendship has been passed on from generation to generation, adding that over the past 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China and Brazil have marched forward hand in hand, sharing weal and woe, and have forged a friendship spanning mountains and oceans.

He voiced hope that people from all walks of life in the two countries will play a positive role in promoting the continuous development of China-Brazil relations and making the China-Brazil friendship flow unceasingly like the Yangtze River and the Amazon River.

An invitation letter

Ahead of Xi's visit to Brazil, the Confucius Institute at the Sao Paulo State University compiled a booklet, which was titled "An Invitation from Brazil: 50 Letters to President Xi Jinping."

"We aim to convey our respect and admiration for China, the Chinese people, and President Xi through this booklet," Luís Antonio Paulino, director of the institute, told the Global Times. "We eagerly anticipate President Xi's visit, are confident that his state visit will elevate the friendship between Brazil and China to new heights."

Established in November 2008, the Confucius Institute at the Sao Paulo State University is the first of its kind in Brazil, jointly founded by the Sao Paulo State University and Hubei University in Central China, according to People's Daily.

The Confucius Institute has registered over 23,000 students, with 16 teaching centers spread across 13 cities in São Paulo State and across Brazil.

Verena Veludo Papacidero is a local teacher at the Confucius Institute of the Sao Paulo State University. She said that the imagery of a "friendship transcending mountains and seas" and the metaphor of "flowing ceaselessly like the Yangtze and Amazon rivers" vividly underscore the close ties and immense potential for cooperation between the two nations in areas like culture and education.
In his letter, Xi said that China is willing to work with Brazil to enrich the friendship between the two countries in the new era, make China-Brazil relations a good example of solidarity, coordination, common development and mutual benefit among major developing countries, and make greater contributions to the cause of peace and progress of mankind, Xi said.

He said Brazilian friends are welcome to visit China more often and experience for themselves the myriad sights of Chinese modernization.

Jao Pedro is a student at the Confucius Institute at the Sao Paulo State University who wrote a letter to President Xi. He expressed his hope that Xi could visit his school some day. "China's influence in Brazil is growing. I believe the relationship between China and Brazil will get deeper," he said.

Bruno Moreira Silva, another author of the letters, also looks forward to visiting China and hopes to use his expertise to enhance exchanges between the two countries. "In 2025, I will study in China, and I am determined to learn more about this country, which is both ancient and modern."

Notes of harmony

Marcia Melchior, founder and director of the Orquestra Forte de Copacabana, told the Global Times that Xi's reply letter made her feel "deeply honored and moved."

"His reply was a testament to the significance of cultural exchanges and the mutual respect between Brazil and China. It reinforced the idea that our mission resonates beyond borders and that our efforts to connect young musicians to broader cultural experiences are recognized at the highest level," she said.

"This recognition inspires us to pursue greater goals. Knowing that he values the cultural connection we're building motivates our entire team and young musicians to keep striving for excellence," she said.

The Orquestra Forte de Copacabana was found in 2011 and based at the historic Forte de Copacabana in Brazil, with an aim to transform the lives of young people from vulnerable communities through music and education.

The orchestra has had a sponsorship from a Chinese petroleum company since 2022, which according to Melchior, allows them to embrace Chinese culture.

"This support has been instrumental in helping us grow and strengthen our mission, and it has forged a significant cultural bond between us and Chinese people," she said.

The Brazilian musician views the current bilateral relations between China and Brazil as "incredibly dynamic and mutually enriching, especially in the realm of cultural exchange."

"Looking forward, I believe this partnership has tremendous potential to grow. My hope is that we continue expanding cultural, educational, and artistic exchanges, creating more platforms for artists, musicians, and students to connect, learn, and inspire each other. With the support of leaders from both countries, I envision our bilateral ties becoming even stronger, with cultural projects playing a key role in bringing our peoples closer," she said.

"We are proud to be part of this journey and look forward to contributing to the future of Brazil-China relations," she noted.

From seed to bloom

About 200 years ago, the first group of Chinese tea farmers traveled across the ocean to grow and teach the art of tea in Brazil. The seed of friendship they sowed back then has grown tall and borne fruit. The friendship between the people has always been a driving force for the growth of China-Brazil relations, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said on November 12, when asked to share more details about Xi's reply to letters from friendly personages in Brazil, which received extensive and positive response.

As two of the world's major developing countries, China and Brazil should take on the mantle of historical duty and responsibilities, and work together with others in the Global South to resolutely safeguard the developing nations' common interests, to address global challenges through cooperation, and to promote a global governance system that is fairer and more equitable, President Xi said in a signed article published on Sunday in Brazilian media outlet Folha de S. Paulo.

The two countries should make their distinctive contribution to world peace, stability and common development, Xi said in the article.

Just as a well-tended tea plant matures and yields richer leaves over time, the bond between China and Brazil, nurtured by mutual understanding and cooperation, is expected to grow even stronger, making the friendship as enduring as the Yangtze and Amazon rivers.

With memories of deadly floods in Spain and severe hurricane strikes in the US still fresh, and the summer of 2024 being the hottest on record, world leaders, scientists and industry representatives are gathering in Baku, Azerbaijan for the COP29 to discuss concerted efforts to respond to climate change.

However, the latest changes in the international landscape, including Donald Trump's reelection as US president given the fact that he had pulled the US out of the Paris Agreement in his first term, and emerging protectionism over green technologies, have brought uncertainty to the event.

Making emission reduction plans and a climate funding arrangement are high on the agenda this year, Chinese analysts said, stressing that the imminent threat posed by climate change to humanity is a bugle call for countries to take more proactive measures, and developed countries should fulfill their commitment rather than shun responsibilities.

Imminent threat

The COP29, formally known as the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is slated to be held in Baku from November 11 to November 22.

Browsing news websites, examples of extreme weather victims and climate refugees are abundant. Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, said on Monday's COP29 opening that "This crisis is affecting every single individual in the world in one way or another."

Stiell urged parties to dispense with any idea that climate finance is charity. "An ambitious new climate finance goal is entirely in the self-interest of every nation, including the largest and wealthiest."

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a UN body, in 2022, limiting warming to around 1.5 C requires global greenhouse gas emissions to peak before 2025 and decrease by 43 percent by 2030 to prevent irrevocable damage.

The deadline is around the corner.

In an interview with the Guardian on Friday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the world is still underestimating the risk of catastrophic climate breakdown and ecosystem collapse.

Humanity is approaching potentially irreversible tipping points such as the collapse of the Amazon rainforest and the Greenland ice sheet as global temperatures rise, Guterres said, warning that governments are not making the deep cuts to greenhouse gas emissions needed to limit warming to safe levels.

Ma Jun, director of the Beijing-based Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, told the Global Times the lessons that should be learned from more frequent natural disasters are not only emergency response capacity building for nations, but also the importance and urgency of emission reduction.

Countries must take more proactive measures to reduce emissions in order to avoid further increases in global temperatures, which could lead to more severe climate consequences, Ma noted.

Looming challenges

Politico said in a Sunday report that "the world is bracing for Trump to withdraw the US from the Paris climate agreement for the second time."

The Trump campaign told Politico in June that the former president would quit the global pact, as he did in 2017 during his first stint in the office. Trump has not yet issued his policy on climate change since winning the election.

The US is the biggest developed country, with many allies and great influence on global governance, and its potential withdrawal from the agreement again will undoubtedly backpedal global efforts for carbon reduction and climate change response, Xin Qiang, director of the Taiwan Studies Center at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Monday.

The US' swinging back and forth in its climate stance not only means discontinuity in domestic policy on clean energy and carbon reduction, but also jeopardizes global cooperation and joint action, Xin said.

Another challenge is the emerging protectionism related to green industries, such as new-energy vehicles (NEVs) and photovoltaic panels, according to Lü Xiang, research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Some countries in the EU have resorted to tariffs primarily for economic reasons, but they should recognize that such protectionism is detrimental to green technology transfer and global climate cooperation, Lü said.

A key task of the COP29 is to establish a New Collective Quantified Goal on climate financing, which represents a post-2025 climate financing commitment from developed economies to developing nations, Xia Yingxian, director of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment's Department of Climate Change, said at a news conference on Friday.

The new financing arrangement is set to replace developed countries' $100 billion annual commitment as per the Paris Agreement. The commitment was not truly fulfilled and will expire in 2025.

Climate finance, as a focal point, hot spot and challenge in the international climate process, is crucial for building trust between developed and developing countries, and it is key to advancing multilateral progress, Xia said.

China's role

At the invitation of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President Xi Jinping's Special Representative, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council Ding Xuexiang will travel to Azerbaijan from November 12 to 13 for the World Leaders Climate Action Summit and visit the country at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Shahin Abdulla oglu Mustafayev, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at Friday's routine press briefing that China stands ready to work with other parties to uphold the goal, principles and system of the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, advance practical actions and achieve sustainable development. China hopes to see positive outcomes on the global climate finance goal at the meeting, Mao said.

Developed countries should earnestly fulfill their responsibilities and provide strong financial support to developing countries for their climate response. China will continue to offer assistance to fellow developing countries to the best of its capacity under the framework of South-South cooperation, said the spokesperson.

Some countries have been pressing China to contribute more funding, but Ma noted China's consistent stance is "shared but differentiated responsibilities."

Data show that from the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in the mid-18th century to 1950, developed countries emitted 95 percent of the world's total carbon dioxide, and from 1950 to 2000, the emissions produced by developed countries accounted for 77 percent of the global total, Xinhua reported.

The COP29, and the overall climate change response, should be practical and respect different countries' efforts based on their national conditions, Ma said.

Xin Qiang said China has always been a responsible major power in dealing with climate change: in addition to continuous afforestation, it has invested enormously in green transition and helps other developing countries in the cause.

China released an annual climate action report on November 6, outlining the country's new initiatives for tackling climate change. According to the report, China's energy use structure, manufacturing, transportation and construction have been greener in the past year.

As for global cooperation, China has signed 52 South-South cooperation documents on climate change with 42 developing countries, per the report.

China's wind power and photovoltaic product exports helped other countries reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 810 million tons in 2023, according to the white paper issued by China's State Council Information Office in August, Xinhua reported.

The PLA Air Force, Navy, and Army, in addition to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China held a joint press conference in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province, on Wednesday, to introduce the highlights of the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, also known as Airshow China. This was the first joint press conference held by the PLA Air Force, Navy, and Army in Zhuhai.

China’s J-35A made its debut at Airshow China, completing the PLA Air Force’s lineup of four main combat fighters, according to Air Force spokesperson Xie Peng on Wednesday.  Publicly available information shows that these fighters include the J-10C, J-16, and J-20. 

Airshow China began in Zhuhai on Tuesday, with a spectacular opening ceremony featuring unprecedented flight performances of three types of stealth fighter jets, featuring the debut of China's J-35A, a formation of J-20s, and Russia’s Su-57 in its first appearance in China.

Airshow China introduced a new dynamic demonstration format integrating air, sea, and ground operations. The PLA Air Force unveiled the J-35A for the first time. Also on display were star aircraft like the J-20 and Y-20. 

The PLA Navy displayed equipment in the static area, including the Y-8 anti-submarine patrol aircraft and the Z-9F shipborne anti-submarine helicopter. The J-15D and J-15T participated in aerobatic displays during the event.

The Navy Marine Corps made appearance at the airshow, featuring demonstrations of air assault operations using the Z-20J carrier-based helicopter and Z-8C transport helicopter, according to Xinhua.

The PLA Army showcased helicopters including the Z-10, Z-20, Z-8. 

Lieutenant Colonel Li Lanxing from an air force training base noted that test pilots find the J-35A highly agile and stable, with excellent operational performance. 

The aircraft combines flexibility, maneuverability, and a high level of comfort. Pilots reported that upon entering the cockpit, they feel confident in its user-friendly design, which facilitates seamless integration between pilot and aircraft, enhancing combat effectiveness.

Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang is scheduled to pay a visit to Singapore on Sunday and Monday to lead with Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong a series of annual high-level meetings on bilateral cooperation. Chinese experts said these cooperation mechanisms reflect the stability of bilateral ties, which is especially valuable in today's turbulent landscape, injecting peace and development both in the region and globally.

At the invitation of Gan, Vice Premier Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, will visit Singapore from Sunday to Monday, during which they will lead the 20th meeting of the China-Singapore Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC), the 25th meeting of the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park Joint Steering Council, the 16th meeting of the China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Joint Steering Council, and the eighth meeting of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity Joint Steering Council, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning announced on Friday. 

At the invitation of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Ding, as Chinese President Xi Jinping's special representative, will travel to Azerbaijan for the World Leaders Climate Action Summit on Nov. 12 and 13, Mao said, adding that Ding will visit Azerbaijan at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Shahin Abdulla oglu Mustafayev.

China and Singapore are friendly neighbors and important cooperation partners, and the two countries elevated bilateral relations to an all-round high-quality future-oriented partnership last year, Mao said. 

"China stands ready to work with Singapore and take this visit and the mechanism meetings as an opportunity to strengthen strategic communication, deepen and expand cooperation across the board, deliver more benefits for the two peoples and promote regional prosperity and development," Mao noted.

Chen Hong, Executive Director of the Asia-Pacific Studies Center at East China Normal University, believes that Singapore, as an important member of ASEAN, plays a unique role in promoting peace, stability and development in the Asia-Pacific region. "Singapore has maintained an independent stance in its foreign policy, committed to upholding peace and stability in the region rather than blindly following US policies. This independent approach adds stability to the China-Singapore relationship," he told the Global Times.

The bilateral relationship serves as a model for China's relations with neighboring countries, Chen said.

The Sunday visit comes after Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on the sidelines of the leaders' meetings on East Asia cooperation held in Vientiane in October. "The frequency of exchanges fully demonstrates that since Singapore's new government took office in May, high-level interactions between the two sides have been ongoing, highlighting the importance that both sides have placed on bilateral ties," Chen said.

The expert added that the JCBC, which has become a regular and institutionalized mechanism, indicates stability, which is particularly valuable in today's turbulent world. With ongoing conflicts in many parts of the globe and external countries like the US continuing to sow discord in the Asia-Pacific, stable China-Singapore ties not only benefit both sides, but the whole region's development, even the world's. 

The JCBC meetings are the highest platform of mechanisms to coordinate cooperation between the two countries, which play an important role in deepening bilateral cooperation and advancing bilateral relations, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry. 

According to a release on Saturday from the Singaporean Prime Minister's Office, this year marks the milestone 20th anniversary of the JCBC, "which will continue to chart the forward-looking cooperation between both sides."

In recent years, areas of cooperation between China and Singapore have expanded to include finance, technology, education and environmental protection, among others. Chen stressed that financial stability and technological innovation are currently key areas of China-Singapore collaboration. 

With both being major financial forces in the Asia-Pacific, cooperation in monetary policy, financial regulation and other areas will contribute to regional economic stability. The two countries have also achieved significant results in educational cooperation, especially in joint projects on research and talent development.

At a media interview on October 30 ahead of Ding's visit, Deputy Prime Minister Gan, who is also the Minister for Trade and Industry, said Singapore is "seeing many things to learn from China today, including their technology, and know-how in the sustainability-related green economy." 

Gan said the two sides will look at many of the new and emerging areas relating to sustainability, expressing the hope to work together with China in promoting zero carbon, including emerging green economy-related businesses. Collaboration on the digital front, such as on a digital payments system and digital trade documentation, will also be a key focus. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Italian President Sergio Mattarella in Beijing on Friday.

Xi sends congratulatory letter to inaugural World Conference of Classics

A four-legged robot recently made its debut as a marathon pacesetter at an international tournament in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, capturing public attention and curiosity, according to a report by China Central Television (CCTV) on Monday.

A total of two four-legged robots and one humanoid robot were showcased during the 2024 Hangzhou Marathon on Sunday, which is one of the longest-established running events in China, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

One of the two quadruped robots, B2, took on the role of pacesetter for the final stage of the half marathon, while the other one, Go2, ran alongside the participants in the race, according to a statement sent to the Global Times by Unitree Robotics, a Hangzhou-based civilian robotics company presenting these unveiled robots.

B2 has exceptional endurance and load capacity, an employee from Unitree said. It features a combined operating range of up to 4-6 hours, a sustained walking load of 40-50 kilograms and a maximum standing load capacity of 120 kilograms. To ensure that B2 could perform its duties safely and successfully, tech assistants had conducted nearly 10 on-road tests before the race, said the company, examining human interference, obstacle avoidance and hill-climbing ability across the half marathon route.

The four-legged Go2 robot looks like a rabbit and is capable of performing actions such as making a hand heart, shaking hands, performing backflips and handstands. It can also run while playing music, delivering cheering messages and safety tips, providing runners with packed motivation and emotional value, and encouraging more runners to finish the race.

Many netizens commented that these robots deliver lots of emotional value. A father who attended the race with his child said that the robots brought fun to the track, "(without the robots) children would have become bored and restless. My child enjoyed watching the robots," he said, as reported by CCTV.

"I followed the B2 for the entire race, and it is quite high-tech," a participant named Liu Chang, who participated specifically for the advanced robot, told the CCTV.

In addition to the four-legged robots, a humanoid robot was also showcased in this marathon. It is equipped with interactive functions such as waving, handshaking and posing, congratulating the participants on their victories by making broadcasts, the Global Times learned from Unitree.

The organizing committee of Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition released a statement on Sunday regarding the 2024 competition. In addition to announcing that a total of 86 participants receiving awards, the statement said in this competition, a teacher surnamed Wang from Lianshui Secondary Vocational School in Jiangsu province provided assistance to a student instructed by him during the preliminary round, which violated the "no discussion" rule set for the preliminary. The committee also expressed apologies for the incident.

The statement said that Wang and the student he instructed entered finals, sparking public attention. According the results of the final evaluation, neither of them won an award, the statement said. 

The news that a Chinese vocational school student entered the finals of Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition while most finalists are from prestigious institutions such as Peking University, Cambridge or MIT captured wide public attention in June 2024.

The statement said that investigation found that Wang had provided assistance to the student he instructed during the preliminary round, thereby violating the competition's "no discussion" rule. 

The incident also exposed issues such as competition system is not well-developed and management not rigorous enough. "In response, we sincerely apologize for this," the statement said.

On the same day, Lianshui Secondary Vocational School in Jiangsu province, where Wang worked, also issued a statement on its official account addressing the incident, which said it is learned that in the 2024 Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition preliminary round, teacher Wang from their school provided assistance to the student he instructed, violating the competition's "no discussion" rule.

Following a review, the school gave Wang a warning and revoked his eligibility for this year's awards and honors. The school indicated that it will further strengthen teacher ethics, school spirit, and academic atmosphere guiding teachers and students to establish correct values and views on success. At the same time, the school appeals to the public to give more tolerance and care for minors.

Chinese scientists have successfully extracted a 324-meter ice core with domestically-made drilling equipment in Purog Kangri Glacier in Tsonyi, China's highest-altitude county, averaging over 5,000 meters above sea level in Xizang Autonomous Region, setting the record for the longest ice core drilled from a glacier in the world's mid- to low-latitudes, the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research (ITP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) told media outlets on Wednesday. 

The previous record, set in 1992, was held by the Guliya Ice Cap in Xizang's Ngari Prefecture on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, which was the longest ice core ever drilled on the plateau and the longest outside polar regions globally. Scientists from China and US drilled a 308.6-meter ice core, spanning more than 700,000 years, said Xinhua.

The scientifically rewarding research was achieved thanks to a team led by Xu Baiqing, a deputy director of the ITP, after more than a month's effort at the top operating point of Glacier.

Xu said that the longest ice core on the plateau is characterized by unique geographic and climatic features, capturing historical changes in the region, including vital climate indicators like temperatures and precipitation, as well as environmental incidents like volcanic eruptions and atmospheric pollution, which offer both valuable data and samples for studying the patterns, mechanisms, and potential future trends of global climate change, and for predicting future trends.

Drilling and preserving ice cores allows us to understand changes in climatic conditions by obtaining valuable historical data, Xu added.

Yao Tandong, an academician of the CAS, said that by measuring the thickness and extracting ice cores, scientists have the opportunity to better examine both recorded and current environmental changes in the largest ice field in low- to mid-latitude regions, fostering a deeper understanding of global warming's effects on glaciers. 

According to Xinhua, the Purog Kangri Glacier scientific research project represents a key component of a scientific expedition launched in Lhasa in August 2024, which aims to propose critical measures for ecological protection and restoration, along with scientific recommendations for green development.

The Global Times learned from ITP earlier in September that a team led by Chinese academician Fang Xiaomin from the ITP, also engaged in this expedition, set a new record of 750 meters in environmental science drilling in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.

This research offers scientists a detailed record of the uplift of the central Tibetan Plateau and the historical changes in climate and ecological environment, and making it one of the primary areas for studying the co-evolution of tectonics, climate, biology and ecology.

Chinese President Xi Jinping met Tuesday with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

Xi arrived in Kazan earlier in the day for the 16th BRICS Summit.