Beijing Review

Have you ever heard of a “diwozi,” or “dugout”? It’s a pit house—literally a hole dug into the ground, around two meters deep, with a roof made of reeds, branches and a thick layer of mud slapped on top. Why would anyone live like that? Imagine barren Gobi desert areas in the early 1950s in #Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. There were zero building materials, no wood, no bricks and brutal weather conditions. Demobilized soldiers tasked with developing the areas needed shelter fast, so they just dug into the earth. It sounds rough—and it was—but that underground dirt cave kept them warm in the freezing winters and cool in the summer. It’s basically the definition of making something out of absolutely nothing. Many lived in these dugouts for 10 years—and sometimes even got married in them. Fast forward to today: If you visit Hami City, you can actually see this history for yourself. The Hongxing No.2 Farm has preserved over 150 of these dugouts, the largest and best-preserved military reclamation dugout site in all of the region.

When the West peaked, it declared “the end of history,” when China peaked, it warned itself, said @RnaudBertrand , French entrepreneur who called himself a China enthusiast.

#BeijingReview History is more than memories of the past; it offers an important lens for understanding the present and envisioning the future. Reflecting on shared #historical events to appreciate the achievements of diverse #civilizations helps people from different #cultural backgrounds find points of resonance, as well as providing a shared foundation for countries to rise above ideological divides and engage in inclusive dialogue. bjreview.com/China/202611/t2…

Celebrating 20 years of Liu Cixin’s The Three-Body Problem, the Liu Cixin Hometown Science Fiction Culture Week brought writers and fans together for robots, readings and big ideas in Yangquan. Li’s message: Imagine boldly. Stay curious. Adapt. #LiuCixin #ThreeBodyProblem #SciFi bjreview.com/China/202611/t2…

Is a large trade surplus really a problem? Not necessarily, says American economist Jeffrey Sachs. Speaking on Nov 5 at #CIIE2026, Sachs argued that China should continue to maintain high savings and a trade surplus while investing more overseas.

China's foreign trade in goods maintained strong growth momentum in the first 10 months of 2026, with imports posting especially robust gains and booming artificial intelligence (AI) demand lifting exports of electronic components, official data showed on Nov 10.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Nov 10 he was delighted that a new pair of Chinese giant pandas have recently made their debut before the American public, bringing more joy to the American people. Guo made the comments at a regular news briefing when asked to comment on the public debut of a pair of Chinese giant pandas sent to the United States after Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to the country in September.

A livestream studio once synonymous with lipstick and beauty products has added a very different item to its Singles' Day shopping list: artificial intelligence (AI) services. During a recent Singles' Day livestream, a Chinese livestreaming star sold 100,000 monthly membership cards for QwenWork, an AI-powered productivity service, in just half an hour at a promotional price of 0.01 yuan (about $0.0015) each; the subscriptions carried a combined allowance of about 2 tln tokens. The sale marked an unusual moment for China's annual shopping festival. The trend has gained traction during this year's Singles' Day campaign. Transaction value in Tmall's token category soared 450% month on month as the platform's sales campaign kicked off on Oct 20, according to a Tmall representative.

The Ninth China International Import Expo (CIIE) concluded in Shanghai on Oct 10, with the value of one-year intended deals reaching a record high of $85.45 bln, up 2.3% from the previous edition, according to Xiao Lu, an official with the CIIE Bureau. U.S. exhibitors had the largest exhibition area among participating countries and regions for the eighth consecutive year, occupying over 50,000 square meters. Free exhibition space for the least developed countries increased by 17% this year, enabling broader participation.

#BeijingReview Chinese researchers are engineering a green future in #Gansu's desert by integrating #solar #power generation with sand control. @ThisisGansu @ExploreGansu bjreview.com/China/202611/t2…

#BeijingReview How is #HICOOL bringing Chinese and #Brazilian entrepreneurs, investors and industries closer to new opportunities? bjreview.com/Business/202611…

#BeijingReview As Yangquan City in #Shanxi Province celebrated the 20th anniversary of the publication of Chinese science #fiction novel The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin, its honored hometown literary giant, a humanoid robot broke into a Michael Jackson-inspired dance at a science fiction exhibition. A group of children eagerly mimicked its moves, while Scottish writer and Beijing resident David Ferguson joined in the fun. For a moment, the future felt playful, noisy and shared. @VShanxi bjreview.com/China/202611/t2…

#BeijingReview #Opinion The resolution adopted at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th #CPC Central Committee is best read in this light: not as routine internal housecleaning, but as part of the ongoing effort to ensure that the Party remains capable of the historical role it has assumed and to adapt to that role as the process continues. bjreview.com/Opinion/Governa…

Golden Rooster·#Kulangsu Night, an event held during the 39th Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival, took place on Nov 8 at the Kulangsu Art Space of the National Art Museum of China. Bringing together industry leaders and emerging actors, the event celebrated art, creativity and connection while empowering young film talents and showcasing the exciting new generation of Chinese cinema.

“We’re tired. We just want to get on with our lives.” That’s how American economist Jeffrey Sachs summed up the message he believes American voters sent in the 2026 midterm elections. Speaking on Nov 5 at #2026CIIE in#Shanghai, he said people are increasingly weary of wars and the pursuit of global dominance.

#BeijingReview How Guangxi is building deeper ties with ASEAN through infrastructure, trade and cross-border projects bjreview.com/China/202611/t2…

Ninety years on, the Long March is more than a march. Why does it still live in today's China? We went to find out. @Chengdu_China @Amazingsichuan #LongMarch #China #MyLongMarch #ChinaKeywords