Scientists Visit Poor Villages

Minsheng Weekly

Issue 22， 2020

In his report delivered at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China， Chinese President Xi Jinping presented the national strategy for rural revitalization which focuses on the prominent issue of urban and rural disparity in the new era.

Over the past 30 years， science and technology have played a leading role in the fight against poverty. Hi-tech agriculture has not only enabled the impoverished people to shake off poverty， but also become a vital support for rural revitalization.

During this process， numerous scientists and technicians have made outstanding contributions. Some academicians led their teams to the countryside to carry out research in the field and help poverty-stricken areas develop sustainable farming and agroindustries， thus laying a good foundation for them to exit poverty steadily and have a better life.

While these agricultural experts take initiative to assist farmers with their research achievements， the system of sending sci-tech experts to rural areas has been implemented at the national level for 21 years to serve agriculture， rural areas， and farmers with science and technology. A large number of such experts have contributed their wisdom and energy to rural development and helped solve practical problems facing agricultural development.

Expressions of local villagers like，“Scientists have come to our village！”show rural residents thirst and appreciation for scientists and technicians.

In the future， the focus of poverty alleviation work will change from alleviating absolute poverty to relieving relative poverty， and rural revitalization.

Using Natural Assets to Make Treasured Cities

Insight China

Issue 31， 2020

In todays China， constructing livable cities is no longer solely the aspiration of the metropolis. A vast amount of counties and cities have fully recognized that their ecological environment is a major issue that is by and large linked to the overall construction of ecological civilization. By exploring the long-term mechanism for eco-environmental protection， they are taking an innovative path of green development.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the proposal of the ecological concept that “l(fā)ucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.”Zhejiang Province is the birthplace of this concept. Its capital city， Hangzhou， has set an example for the whole province in ecological civilization construction and is the pioneer of beautiful China construction.

On the World Environment Day， the CPC Hangzhou municipal committee and municipal government held a conference to promote the construction of a beautiful Hangzhou in the new era. During the conference， it was decided that efforts will be made to build a world-famous wetland water city， making it an important window for the construction of livable cities in China.

Anji County of Zhejiang has won the “UN Habitat Scroll of Honor.” In August 15， 2005， while inspecting the Yucun Village of Anji in Huzhou City for the first time， President Xi Jinping put forward the concept of“l(fā)ucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.” Since then， Anji has been exploring new models of green development， building beautiful villages， and supporting the green economy on this treasure land.

Pneumonia Vaccine Iteration

Xinmin Weekly

Issue 42， 2020

Although people have known about pneumococcus for nearly 140 years， the virus still plagues human health.

In recent years， enormous progress has been achieved in health promotion and disease prevention in China. Public awareness towards guarding against the disease via receiving vaccinations has been immensely improved， but there are still many people who have no idea of the life jeopardy pneumococcal diseases present.

Cancer often means a terrible scourge for people today， but pneumonia is actually the most serious disease in the world， and the mortality rate of severe pneumonia can reach 40 percent. According to a global epidemiological survey and relevant data in China， bacterial and viral infections are the primary causes of pneumonia， among which pneumococci and influenza viruses are the most significant pathogens in bacterial and virus infections.

The World Pneumonia Day is observed on November 12 each year. Established in 2009， it is aimed to raise awareness about pneumonia and promote interventions to protect against， prevent， and treat pneumonia.

Currently， vaccinations are the most efficient measure in preventing pneumococcal diseases. More than 100 countries and regions across the globe have included pneumococcal vaccinations into national immunization plans， and their effectiveness and safety have been widely verified.

Each nation has felt the menacing effects of pneumococcal diseases to their peoples health， especially the emergence of drug-resistant pneumococci， which has alerted the pharmaceutical industry. In the end， it is better to actively prevent pneumococcal diseases than to treat them passively.

Needhams Grand Question

LIFE WEEK

Issue 46， 2020

In the 1930s， the Needhams Grand Question initiated a long-lasting contention over several generations on whether or not there was such a thing as science in ancient China. Joseph Needham asked： Why modern science had not developed in China（or India） but only in Europe？

This question has aroused enthusiasm for discussion and research， and given rise to hypotheses and theories to answer the question from the perspective of economy， society， cultural psychology， and modes of thinking. But no matter how persuasive these explanations are， in comparison with Europe， we all see the characteristics of our own culture and collective subconsciousness more clearly than ever before.

On the occasion of the 120th anniversary of Joseph Needhams birth， we recalled his question. Needham is a pioneer in the cross-cultural studies on the history of science. It is his question that evoked Chinese peoples concern about the disparity between China and the West， prompting a generation of Chinese and Western scholars， especially Chinese ones， to devote themselves to comparing Chinese and Western cultures from the perspective of the science history. Eventually it was realized that ancient Chinese knowledge of the natural world and Western science are incommensurable； they are heterogeneous and not isomorphic. This is what we are given by the historical path of solving the puzzle in the 21st century， more than half a century after Needham raised his question. “Needhams grand question”has led us to look beyond the boundary of the question itself， eventually realizing the uniqueness of Chinese culture.