Notice on suspension of publication

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2018

YUNNANEXPRESS

NO. 156

AMAZING YUNNANTALENTS

TECHNOLOGY

VOICE

BY YU KEBY YIN RUIFENG

TAN YAZHU

BY LOU YING

BY LI HAIQIU

Labo Axin is performing the singing. (Online Photo)

Today, the Confucius Institute has become a name brand facilitating cultural ex-changes between China and foreign countries. A total of 525 Confucius Institutes and 1,113 Confucius Classrooms are transmitting Chinese cul-ture and the philosophy of inclusive development and harmonious coexistence in 146 countries and regions. In a letter of congratulations on the tenth anniversary of the founding of Confucius Insti-tute and the first “Confucius Institute Day”, Chinese Pres-ident Xi Jinping pointed out that the institution belongs to China as well as the rest of the world. These words contain the following implications.

Confucius Institutes not only tell Chinese stories but also help strengthen peo-ple-to-people bonds. With the Chinese language as a medi-um, communication and un-derstanding between Chinese and foreign peoples are made possible. For example, the Confucius Institute at Ham-burg University has become a community cultural centre for local German people, where Chinese and German people tighten their ties of friendship through communication.

Confucius Institutes are cultivating Chinese feelings in the international community and also communicating the concept of a community of shared future for mankind.

The 12th Global Confucius Institute Conference, was held late last year with the theme “contributing to building a community of shared future for mankind.” Confucius Institutes are fertile soil for spreading this concept and promoting exchanges and mu-tual learning among different civilizations.

Confucius Institutes also highlight the philosophy that the whole world is one com-munity. They also spread the Chinese Communist Party’s unswerving mission of mak-ing greater contributions to mankind. “Peaches and plums do not have to talk, yet the world beats a path to them.” This old saying describes the most effective way for future exchanges between China and foreign countries. Chinese stories, voices and charac-teristics are what attract the world. These three concepts are rooted in traditional Chi-nese culture, but go beyond it. When we talk about con-fidence in our own culture, the culture also includes our revolutionary culture, espe-cially the advanced Socialist concepts rooted in the practice of ‘Socialism with Chinese characteristics’.

(This article was original-ly published by the People’s Daily Overseas Edition. It is abridged for use here. The author is a researcher at the Centre for Sino-German Socio-Cultural Exchanges at Tongji University.)

Over the past five years, Yunnan province has adhered to two-way plan for full-scale opening up. Through these methods, it has taken a step forward in the construction as a pivot of China’s opening up to South and Southeast Asia. At the First Session of the 13th Yunnan Provincial People’s Congress, government depu-ties and Party members carried out heated discussions on how to accelerate the development of creating an open economy and building new ways to con-nect to the outside world over the next five years.

Achieving road connectivity “To accelerate the process

of opening up, we must first re-solve the bottleneck of sluggish transport infrastructure,” said Huang Liyun, member of the Standing Committee of Yunnan Provincial People’s Congress. For example, taking facilities connectivity as a crucial start-ing point, Dehong Prefecture has greatly improved its level of opening up by advancing the construction of railways, highways and airports, as well as at major ports and border crossings.

Xie Dapeng, a deputy of the Yunnan Provincial People’s Congress, said that as the fron-tier of Yunnan’s opening up, Ruili will seize the opportunity to build itself to new heights. In terms of the construction of the China-Myanmar econom-ic corridor, Ruili will step up cooperation with Myanmar and upgrade the Muse-Man-

dalay-Yangon economic and trade passage to promote further trade between the two countries.

Promoting unimpeded tradeBased on its regional advan-

tage and resource superiority, Wenshan prefecture is currently building a Panax notoginseng industrial park, a mining and power generating centre, an industrial transfer hub handling goods from east China and a modern agricultural park fo-cused on plateau-grown crops. The prefecture is striving to develop its biomedicine, big health industry, tourism and modern agricultural industries.

“Ports are important win-dows for opening up to the out-

side world, so we must step up the construction and develop-ment of our major ports,” said Yang Saiguang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Yunnan Provincial People’s Congress. Since the relocation of the port of Houqiao in 2011, Tengchong City has invested 160 million yuan to upgrade its infrastructure systems and facilitate customs clearances. Now the port has been desig-nated to receive imports of both fruits and grains.

Enhancing people-to-people bonds

Yunnan province has 25 counties adjacent to Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam along a border stretching for more

than 4,060 kilometres. Across these lines, there have been close people-to-people ex-changes. “In the process of Dehong opening up to the outside world, the most valu-able experience has been its people-to-people bonds with neighbouring countries,” said Huang Liyun. Over the years, Dehong Prefecture has estab-lished more than ten regular cooperation and exchange mechanisms with Myanmar’s ministries of commerce and tourism. Dehong and Myan-mar have been taking turns holding China-Myanmar bor-der trade fairs and the Pauk-phaw Carnival for 16 consec-utive years.

S o u t h w e s t C h i n a ’s Yunnan Province wi l l adopt a new visa policy for foreigners starting March 1, easing visa applications from foreign professionals and skilled workers.

Applicants who qualify as high-end talent, includ-ing scientists, leading fig-ures in technology-inten-sive sectors, international entrepreneurs and skilled workers can apply for the visa.

The visa is valid for up to 10 years with multiple entries, or 180-day stays for a single entry, accord-ing to Yunnan Provincial Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs.

Spouses and minor children of the applicants will be given the same visa.

“Yunnan is at a critical stage of economic restruc-turing and upgrading,” said Ruan Chaoqi, director of the Yunnan Provincial Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs.

Yunnan eases visa permits for foreign talents

Yunnan building new height in opening up

The Yunnan Integrated Satel-lite Positioning Service System officially went into use the other day. Professional users and others authorized to utilise the network can use receiving equip-ment to achieve rapid positioning that is accurate to the centimetre and even the millimetre.

As a continuous operation reference station system based on satellite positioning and

digital communication tech-nologies, the system is com-patible with China’s Beidou system, GPS technology from The United States, the Russian GLONASS system and other satellite navigation networks. It can provide high-precision and mid-precision navigation and positioning services for Yunnan province and its sur-rounding areas. (Xinhua)

Yunnan launches integrated satellite

positioning service system

Confucius Institute belongs to China

and the world

NEWS IN BRIEF

Shanxi Jiangzhou Drum Music, a Chinese national intangible cultural heritage, de-buted in Bangladesh recently.

The “Happy Spring Fes-tival” Jiangzhou drum music show was sponsored by the Chinese Embassy in Bangla-desh. Diplomatic envoys from various countries and people from all walks of life in Ban-

gladesh watched the perfor-mances at the National Theatre in Dhaka.

The Shanxi Jiangduchun Drum Music Troupe’s perfor-mances won applause from the audience again and again. The South Asian drum show entitled “Happy Journey”, was performed by teachers and students from the Univer-sity of Dhaka and also won praise. (Xinhua)

Jiangzhou drum music debuts in Bangladesh

SPORTS

Recently, the first leg of the World Marathon Challenge kicked off in Antarctica. Three Chinese athletes participated in the competition, including Yun-nan-based explorer Jin Feibao.

The World Marathon Chal-lenge requires competitors to complete seven marathons on seven continents within seven days. In other words, within 168 hours, they need to go from one continent to another

and run 42.195 kilometres at each stop. In total, they run 295 kilometres and cover 39,000 kilometres by air.

The entrepreneur Li Jianhong and the investor Li Xiaobo joined Jin Feibao during the challenge. Besides challenging himself, Jin Feibao will also take the opportunity to promote the “Fairyland 100 Marathon” scheduled for April this year. He is inviting foreign runners to participate in the Yunnan event.

Yunnan athletes compete in World Marathon Challenge

Dear readers, as well prepare to celebrate Chinese New Year, we will suspend publication for a week beginning February 23. We will resume publication on March 2. Thank you for your continued support. Happy Chinese New Year !

– The editorial team

CULTURE

BY HE QIAN

Labo Axin: Spreading Naxi music to more people

As the year 2017 came to an end, the concert “Singing for Lijiang – An Evening with Labo Axin” once again drew the attention of the peo-ple of Lijiang, western Yun-nan province. He is a genera-tional successor of traditional Naxi minority music.

“Music is borderless. Music needs to be commu-nicated. I sincerely hope to introduce Naxi music to more people,” Labo Axin said at the concert.

Labo Axin was born in Baoshan Stone City in Yulong Naxi Autonomous County. There the villagers dance and

sing to celebrate Sanduo Fes-tival on the eighth day of the second lunar month every year. “Every villager can sing and dance, including my father,” said Labo Axin. His father is one of the best singers in the village and sings ancient Naxi songs. Such songs were created during farm work, and they are sung in different ways in differ-ent regions. The lyrics contain ancient Naxi sayings, texts from Dongba religious scriptures and historical stories.

His father’s songs accom-panied Labo Axin through childhood. By and by, he learned to sing his father’s ancient Naxi songs.

In 1992, Labo Axin sang

“The Ploughing Song” at the First Lijiang Young Singers Contest. He won over both the audience and judges with his unique voice and nearly perfect singing skills. In the end, he won the compe-tition’s gold medal. Later, Labo Axin became a soloist with the Lijiang Yulong County Ethnic Song and Dance Troupe and went on to receive professional vocal training.

In the years that followed, Labo Axin won gold and sil-ver medals at various major musical events in China. In 2010, he won the Award of Excellence in the individual finals of the 14th China Cen-tral Television Young Singers Contest. In 2016, he took the title of Champion Singer in the third China Folk Song Conference.

Today, Labo Axin takes root in his people and is committed to inheriting and developing Naxi folk music culture. “I love music, and I also love my hometown and my people. Naxi people have a profound culture. As a successor of Naxi musical culture, I hope to introduce it to more people through my creation and presentation,” Labo Axin said with confi-dence.

BY LIU CHUANTAO

The construction of Yunnan’s transport infrastructure is speeding up. The picture shows Chuxiong-Kunming Ex-pressway. Photo by Li Wensheng

Jin Feibao is in the race of the World Marathon Challenge. Photo by Lou Ying