Sweden: not such a paradise society By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-9-28 11:00 World leaders gathered at UN Headquarters last week to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA), a comprehensive and visionary document that demonstrates the world's commitment to deal with racism in all forms. Two decades after the landmark document was adopted, however,discrimination continues to "permeate institutions, social structures and everyday life in every society", the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in the high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly. "Xenophobia, misogyny, hateful conspiracies, white supremacy and Neo-Nazi ideologies are spreading – amplified in echo chambers of hate", he added. In this context, the meeting offered a renewed opportunity to mobilize our shared political will and move global anti-racism agenda forward, and should be welcomed and embraced by all parties. Nevertheless, the Unites States and some other countries, mostly from the West, boycotted the meeting over "the event's history of antisemitism and anti-Israel bias". And Sweden was one of them. Sweden's boycott showed doubt on its seriousness of battling racism and its international commitment to promote and protect human rights. As some reflect, the beautiful nomadic country is actually not a paradise society as many imagine, especially for its indigenous people --the Sámi. Sweden has a long history of racism that dates back many centuries. Historically, the Sámi are victim of Swedification policies, which began in the 1800s and lasted until the 1970. Considered as being inferior, less intelligent, and unable to survive in a civilized society, the Sámi were subject to abuses, violations and racism. They have lost their land, have had their religion, culture and language suppressed. In 1922 Sweden became the first country in the world to establish a National Institute for Race Biology, headed by physician and psychiatrist Herman Lundborg. Lundborg promoted eugenics due to his obsession with the threat of racial mixing between Sámi, Finns and Swedes. In mid 1930's, the Sámi were targeted by sterilization policy when the Swedish authorities actively followed Nazi Germany and its Ethnocentrism. The Sámi, together with homosexuals, people with mental disabilities, the homeless, were deemed as not suitable for having offspring, and suffered compulsory sterilization. Up to 63,000 people - 90% of them women - were sterilized with state approval to improve Swedish "racial purity" as part of a policy of "ethnic hygiene" until 1976. Today, the estimated number of the Sámi on Swedish territory is only 20,000-40,000. Although the Swedish government recognized the Sámi as an indigenous people, prejudice and unconscious racist perceptions have characterized Swedish Sámi policy over the years. Sweden has refused to ratify the ILO Convention concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Indepe...

World Internet Conference promises in-depth discussions, latest tech By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-9-27 11:00 The 2021 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit featuring 20 sub-forums under the theme of "Toward a New Era of Digital Civilization -- Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace" kicked off in Wuzhen, East China's Zhejiang province, on Sunday, Sept 26. It gathers people from all over the world to share wisdom on building a digital civilization via online and offline events. Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, addressed the summit via video. Noting that advancement of the internet has made a profound impact on industrial development, economic structure, social life and international landscape, Liu said at present the internet is catapulted onto a new stage, with comprehensive diffusion and cross-field integration, while digital technology continuously creates new models of business, providing opportunities to countries globally. He said that science and technology as a force for good is an inherent requirement of the community with a shared future for mankind. He appealed for joint efforts to safeguard the safety and reliability of infrastructure, crack down on illegal activities on the internet, and earnestly protect fair competition and promote innovation. China's macroeconomy remains generally stable, Liu said, adding that the country is experienced in and capable of taking control of risks, and hence has a bright future. China will confirmedly advances reform and opening up, and high-quality development. Efforts will be made to strengthen the development of new types of infrastructure, and boost the software industry, he said. The country will pledge support for the sound development of the private sector, the innovation and startups of entrepreneurs, and the healthy development of the internet and digital economy, he said. The sub-forums will contribute insights on data governance, the rule of law on the internet, social responsibilities of tech companies, global COVID-19 response and international communication among other topics of public interest through discussions on new internet technology trends including 5G, artificial intelligence, open-source ecology, internet of the next generation, data and algorithm. Around 15 top-level achievements of internet technology are scheduled for release during the conference, said the organizer. Other highlights include an international internet expo, a global competition on innovation and entrepreneurship, and the release of two reports, namely "World Internet Development Report 2021" and "China Internet Development Report 2021." The conference is scheduled to close on Sept. 28. This article is reprinted from China Daily. If there is a copyright, please inform us in time, we will delete it right the first time.

Germans express expectations in the coming post-Merkel era By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-9-26 11:00 German Chancellor Angela Merkel will retire after 16 years in office. As country braces for post-Merkel era, Germans, who will witness a new federal government without her after the Bundestag elections on Sunday, express their own expectations when looking ahead to the future. Strangest election Michael Mertes, polling expert at Infratest dimap, told Xinhua that this has been "one of the strangest election campaigns Germany has ever seen." "Instead of being presented with two major alternatives in the form of two political camps, German voters faced three chancellor candidates whose charisma looked rather weak," Mertes said. He said that various three-party coalitions are conceivable nowadays and he expected most probably a "long phase of government formation after the Bundestag elections because no party will achieve an overwhelming victory." In principle, there is great agreement between all parties on the crucial importance of climate protection, Mertes added. German citizen Alexander also showed similar concerns. He said Germany has not seen a three-party coalition for decades. "However, as a wealthy country, I think a lot of people in Germany long for stability and continuity, but on issues such as climate, people want something done," Alexander said. Future policies Schalin, a student in Berlin, told Xinhua that she thinks Merkel was very good, but when looking ahead, she also has new wishes for better climate and education. "I hope everything about the climate will become better. In all means the education will be better," said the 13-year-old. Thiess Petersen, senior adviser at the German Bertelsmann Foundation, told Xinhua that he sees three major tasks that the new government should take up at once when it comes to economic policy. According to him, the new government should deal with the ecological transformation of the economy toward a climate-neutral one, reduce the debts accumulated and still being accumulated during the COVID-19 crisis, and handle demographic change. In the opinion of Professor Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, Director of CAR Center Automotive Research Duisburg, what is significant in the post-Merkel era is Germany's foreign policy position. "The election results should bring some certainty," Dudenhoeffer said, adding that he is confident that the relationship between Germany and China can continue to be shaped in a sensible way. In the future, Germany needs good cooperation with China, the United States and Russia. It makes little sense to build up a kind of anti-China strategy with great power posturing of a European Union that is rather fragmented and hard, Dudenhoeffer said. This article is reprinted from China Daily. If there is a copyright, please inform us in time, we will delete it right the first time.

Hong Kong came third among world's financial centers By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-9-25 11:00 Hong Kong ranked third globally in up-to-date Global Financial Centers Index (GFCI) published by the British think tank Z/Yen Group and China Development Institute in Shenzhen Friday, Sept 24, rising by one place from the March issue of the index this year. A spokesperson for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said, "This is an unequivocal affirmation of Hong Kong's status and strengths as a leading global financial center. Hong Kong has remained among the top in various areas of competitiveness, including human capital, infrastructure, financial sector development, and reputational and general." The spokesperson said that over the past year or so, safety and stability have been restored in Hong Kong, which is conducive to attracting more global investors to do business and invest in Hong Kong, and reinforces further Hong Kong's position as an international financial center. "The National 14th Five-Year Plan expresses staunch support for Hong Kong to strengthen our functions as a global offshore Renminbi (RMB) business hub, an international asset management center and a risk management center, as well as to deepen and widen mutual access between the financial markets of Hong Kong and the mainland," the spokesperson added. "We will continue to capitalize on the unique advantages of Hong Kong, enhance our role as the gateway between the mainland and international markets and proactively integrate into the overall development of the country, including leveraging the vast opportunities presented by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), Qianhai's development and the Belt and Road Initiative," the spokesperson added. The HKSAR government will spare no effort to ensure the smooth implementation of the Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect in the GBA and Southbound Trading under Bond Connect, thereby promoting the further opening up of the financial market of the country, and facilitating the internationalization of the RMB, the spokesperson noted. The development of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone is expected to speed up as the central authorities have recently issued a new plan for comprehensively deepening its reform and opening-up. The GFCI report is released in March and September every year since 2007. In the latest report, 116 financial centers were assessed and Hong Kong came third with an overall rating of 716. This article is reprinted from China Daily. If there is a copyright, please inform us in time, we will delete it right the first time.

British turning to traditional Chinese medicine to help treat COVID-19 By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-9-24 11:00 Ameen Jolly, a British entrepreneur, has been living with COVID-19 for several months. He had tried many treatments to handle with post-COVID health issues until he found that Chinese acupuncture and herbs seem to have a good effect. Before he started Chinese medicinal treatment, Jolly said his blood sugar level often dropped regardless of what he was doing, but the situation improved and his blood sugar level started to return to normal since he started to drink herbal tea. Chinese medicine had played an important role in the improvement of his health, he said. "I went to see doctors many times; they had no answer. They didn't know what to do. They didn't have any solution, so acupuncture was the only solution for me." Jolly, from London, said that he had benefited from a series of acupuncture treatment sessions by the medical team of Tianjun Wang, a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine, or TCM, in the UK. Isabella Zhuang, general manager of the European Tai Chi Wellness Centre, is optimistic about Chinese medicinal treatment in the post-COVID era in Europe, as some people might have long-COVID syndromes, such as fatigue, tinnitus and anxiety, on which TCM often has a good effect. Wang, who is also the principal of London Academy of Chinese Acupuncture, agreed, and pointed out that many academic journals have published articles over the past year on successful examples of acupuncture treatment. But Zhuang said many people in Western countries know virtually nothing about the role TCM can play in tackling with COVID-19. Wang said that given China's successful domestic experience in applying TCM to struggle against the pandemic, which has been covered by some media outlets and academic publications, more people in Western countries have become aware of TCM. China has administered herbal treatments to 92 percent of all patients in confirmed cases of COVID-19. In Hubei province, more than 90 percent of confirmed cases got TCM treatment, and it has proved effective, according to a Chinese government white paper issued in June 2020. TCM medicines and other TCM treatment methods were applied for early intervention and treatment of patients with mild symptoms. For patients with severe symptoms, these were applied in combination with Western medicine, said the white paper, adding that for those under medical observation for fever and those who had been in close contact with confirmed cases, they serve to improve overall immunity. Wang said he successfully applied Chinese herbal medicine to treat a Western COVID-19 patient during the first wave of the pandemic in the UK. The patient contacted him for help because he believed that TCM could help since the patient's father had previously been treated by him. But Zhuang said the development of the TCM sector in the UK was badly affected by the 2008 global financial...

Proposals made at UN event focus on recovery, equity By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-9-23 14:00 The Global Development Initiative, proposed on Tuesday, Sept 21, by President Xi Jinping at a United Nations event, has received praise from leaders, officials and scholars. They expressed this major initiative constitutes a fresh Chinese solution to advancing sustained global growth, economic recovery and narrowing the disparities among countries amid the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic. Xi unveiled the initiative while addressing the general debate of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday via video link. He said it was aimed to "steer global development toward a new stage of balanced, coordinated and inclusive growth". He urged countries to stay committed to six areas: prioritizing development, a people-centered approach, benefits for all, innovation-driven development, harmony between man and nature, and a commitment to results-oriented actions. In a follow-up to Beijing's previous pledges on peaking carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and reaching carbon neutrality before 2060, Xi announced that China "will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad". The country "will step up support for other developing countries in developing green and low-carbon energy", he said. Also, he called for cooperation in fields such as poverty relief, vaccines, the climate and the digital economy, "so as to build a global community of development with a shared future". United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement that he was "encouraged" by Xi's announcement regarding the commitment to climate action, and he called for "decisive action" by all countries, especially members of the G20, to effectively contribute to emission reductions. Zou Ji, CEO and president of Energy Foundation China, said Xi's announcement "manifests the broad vision of a major country that bears the world in mind", and it marks the country's fresh contribution in supporting fellow developing countries' energy sustainability with green, low-carbon energy. The annual UN general debate was held amid concerns over global economic prospects. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development lowered its 2021 global growth forecast on Tuesday by 0.1 percentage point to 5.7 percent. Antoinette M. Sayeh, the International Monetary Fund's deputy managing director, warned on Tuesday that "a worsening of the pandemic, combined with inflation concerns, could inflict a double blow to many emerging and developing economies". When elaborating on the Global Development Initiative, President Xi emphasized "the special needs of developing countries", calling for the usage of tools like debt suspension and development aid to "help developing countries, particularly vulnerable ones facing exceptional difficulties". He urged "emphasis on addressing unbalanced and inadequate development among and within countries", and said nations sho...

EU leaders show dismay at AUKUS deal, demanding clarifications By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-9-22 11:00 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has described as "unacceptable" the way France was treated by Australia, Britain and the United States in their newly established security partnership AUKUS. The European Commission chief conveyed her dismay during an interview with CNN, in which she demanded explanations from US President Joe Biden. "There are a lot of open questions that have to be answered," von der Leyen said. "One of our member states has been treated in a way that is not acceptable, so we want to know what happened and why. And therefore you first clarify that before you keep going with business as usual." The deal was signed recently by the United States and Britain which will share nuclear submarine technology with Australia. European Council President Charles Michel also showed concerns about the AUKUS agreement, demanding an explanation from Biden on why he misled France and other European partners in forging the new strategic agreement in the Indo-Pacific. He took to social media to say: "The AUKUS security partnership further demonstrates the need for a common EU approach in a region of strategic interest. A strong EU Indo-Pacific strategy is needed more than ever." He then told reporters at the UN General Assembly: "With the new Joe Biden administration, America is back." This was interpreted as questioning whether the US had returned to the international table. "What does it mean America is back? Is America back in America or elsewhere? We do not know," he added. Michel told journalists at the UN on Monday that the US had demonstrated "lack of loyalty" after Australia cancelled the multi-billion-dollar deal with France on nuclear-powered submarines which it will now obtain from the US and Britain. "The elementary principles for allies are transparency and trust, and it goes together. And what do we observe? We are observing a clear lack of transparency and loyalty," Michel told reporters. He added that the Europeans need clarifications on this deal and would make greater efforts to build their own defensive capabilities. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said in New York on Monday that all EU countries should be worried about the contempt the United States has shown to its allies. "Europeans must not be the rejections of the strategy chosen by the United States," said Le Drian. "We are in this new state of mind, which means that the Europeans must identify their own strategic issues and discuss with the United States on this subject." Even EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell weighed in on the alliance during a press conference in New York following an informal EU Foreign Ministers' meeting when they considered it "very disappointing." He said the ministers expressed clear solidarity with France. Borrell said he also met with his Australian counterpart Marise Payne in a planned...

Capital way to express seasonal blessings is a rabbit in Mid-Autumn Festival By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-9-21 13:00 The 15th day of the eighth lunar month is the Mid-Autumn Festival, a celebration that focuses on the moon. From ancient times, it has been a custom for Chinese to reunite with family members and enjoy a sweet mooncake while observing the beautiful moon. Although the full moon is cherished as a symbol of reunion in the hearts of Chinese people, somehow in Chinese mythology the moon is evocative of solitude and desolation. One might be familiar with Chang'e, the moon deity who ingested the elixir of life to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands, and flew to the moon and lives in the Palace of Vast Coldness for eternity, or Wu Gang, the Chinese counterpart of Sisyphus, who is punished by having to fell a self-healing laurel tree. Another resident of the moon, the Jade Rabbit, who grinds herbs and concocts the longevity elixir, often fades into the background as simply the companion pet of Chang'e. Beijing folklore, however, does the rabbit justice. Not only is it referred to by Beijingers respectfully and endearingly as tu'er ye, the rabbit god, it has also gained a special status with its statues grabbing the spotlight in the city's Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations for the past 400 years. Many scholars who grew up in Beijing early last century have spoken of their fond memories of the rabbit god. Author Lao She wrote that the rabbit statues look very handsome, as if they are outlaw heroes of the rabbit world. Calligrapher Qi Gong once expressed: "I have loved the rabbit god since an early age... In the past, every Mid-Autumn Festival, the stores in the Beijing Dong'an Market would display an endless array of rabbit god statues." Legend has it that the capital was once riddled with pestilence, and no secular remedies proved of use. The compassionate Jade Rabbit came down to Earth and cured the people by using his medicine-making expertise to make curative pastries, otherwise known as mooncakes. Mythology though it is, the revering of the moon rabbit in the capital can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) with text records stating that every Mid-Autumn Festival in the capital, people made clay statuettes that had a human body with the head of a rabbit and paid tribute to them. Unlike other statues of holy figures, the rabbit god does not have so many taboos associated with it. In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), it gradually evolved into a children's toy. The statues also became more elaborate and diversified. The most classic depicts it in armor or battle robes and sitting majestically on a tiger or elephant. These were believed to bring good health and security. Zhang Zhongqiang, a 58-year-old representative of Beijing's painted clay sculpture art, has been making rabbit god statuettes for more than 30 years and now operates two artifact stores in central Beijing. He recalls that growing up in...