标签： Asia

In Yuci District of Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province, a technological innovation is transforming how local representatives address community concerns. The ‘Smart People’s Congress’ platform, launched in 2021 after three years of development, has become a cornerstone of digital governance, enabling unprecedented connectivity between deputies and constituents.

The platform’s effectiveness was demonstrated during recent winter months when heating inadequacies emerged as a primary concern. Resident Feng Jingkai reported uncomfortably low indoor temperatures through the system after failing to reach customer service via traditional channels. Deputy Cao Xinsheng, 52, immediately coordinated with community officials and heating company representatives to address the issue comprehensively.

Rather than treating this as an isolated complaint, Cao leveraged the platform to identify systemic patterns. ‘Serving the public isn’t about solving individual issues in isolation,’ Cao explained. ‘It’s about integrating common demands to extend services to broader populations.’

The resulting solution involved comprehensive optimization measures: the heating company implemented grid-based service coverage with employees joining residential WeChat groups, while establishing a dedicated hotline guaranteeing two-hour response times for heating concerns.

Technologically, the platform features ten core sections including supervision mechanisms and deputy suggestion management. Each representative receives a unique QR code that citizens can scan to leave messages directly, creating what deputy Chen Liyuan describes as ‘all-time, zero-distance contact’ between officials and community members.

The data speaks to its success: deputies have uploaded over 21,000 performance records, interacted with citizens more than 600 times, and resolved 606 civil issues through the system. The platform also generates electronic performance files for each deputy, enhancing accountability and service tracking.

Beyond immediate problem-solving, the technology has facilitated policy development. Deputy Chen Liyuan utilized gathered public opinions to propose elderly care initiatives that resulted in four municipal government documents strengthening senior service development.

Platform manager Duan Wenyan emphasizes the transformation from ‘scheduled offline meetings to all-time availability,’ while Deputy Cao sees the technology as essential for modern governance: ‘By leveraging digital convenience, we build bridges between the public and government.’

Australia’s premier literary gathering, Adelaide Writers Week, has been abruptly canceled following the withdrawal of over 180 authors and speakers in protest of the disinvitation of prominent Australian-Palestinian writer Dr. Randa Abdel-Fattah. The festival’s board initially rescinded Abdel-Fattah’s invitation on January 8th, citing unspecified “previous statements” and cultural sensitivities following December’s antisemitic mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach that killed 15 people.

The board emphasized that their decision was unrelated to any connection between Abdel-Fattah’s work and the tragedy, though they provided no specific examples of problematic statements. The author, known for her fiction and nonfiction works addressing Islamophobia, condemned the move as outright censorship, arguing the board had effectively declared her “mere presence” culturally insensitive.

The controversy escalated dramatically as literary luminaries including British novelist Zadie Smith and former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern joined the boycott. Festival Director Louise Adler, identifying as Jewish Australian, resigned in protest, stating she could not “be party to silencing writers.” By Tuesday, approximately 70% of scheduled participants had withdrawn, forcing complete cancellation of the event scheduled for late February.

The festival organization issued an apology on Facebook for “how the decision was represented” but maintained their action reflected “a continuing rapid shift in the national discourse around freedom of expression” post-terror attack. Abdel-Fattah rejected this apology as insufficient, calling her exclusion “a blatant act of anti-Palestinian racism.”

Background lobbying emerged from the Jewish Community Council of South Australia, with state Premier Peter Malinauskus supporting Abdel-Fattah’s removal. The cancellation carries significant economic impact—the 2025 event attracted 160,000 attendees and generated millions in revenue alongside hundreds of jobs.

This cultural firestorm unfolds amid Australia’s broader national reckoning with hate speech legislation and public discourse boundaries following the Bondi massacre. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced tightened gun controls, lowered thresholds for hate speech prosecutions, and a royal commission into antisemitism, with a national day of mourning scheduled for January 22.

China has entered a new phase in its rural development strategy, transitioning from time-bound poverty alleviation campaigns to establishing permanent governance mechanisms against poverty recurrence. This strategic shift emerged as a central theme at the recent annual central working conference on agriculture, where President Xi Jinping emphasized consolidating poverty eradication achievements and integrating continuous assistance measures within the broader rural vitalization framework.

Agricultural experts identify this conference as marking a fundamental transformation in approach—from temporary support initiatives to sustainable structural governance. Professor Cheng Guoqiang, Director of the National Food Security Strategy Research Institute at Renmin University, notes that preventing poverty has evolved into a permanent component of China’s rural development strategy rather than a temporary mission. This represents a philosophical shift from ‘problem-solving’ to ‘system governance,’ providing long-term security for rural residents while ensuring the sustainability of anti-poverty accomplishments.

The new strategy emphasizes creating diversified income streams for farmers beyond traditional agricultural dependence. Conference participants advocated for enhanced income protection mechanisms for grain producers through refined pricing policies, subsidies, and agricultural insurance. Additionally, the plan includes improving services for migrant workers and supporting entrepreneurship among those returning to their hometowns.

Dr. Hu Bingchuan, researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ Rural Development Institute, explains that with China embarking on its 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), sustained income growth for farmers forms the foundation for agricultural modernization and common prosperity. The approach recognizes limitations in relying solely on agricultural production, particularly given low bulk commodity prices and rising production costs that squeeze profit margins.

The revised strategy positions counties as fundamental units for advancing urban-rural integration and rural revitalization. It promotes developing ‘county-level industries that enrich local communities’ through agricultural processing, cold-chain logistics, and rural tourism. Crucially, this approach aims to deepen farmers’ participation in industrial chains rather than limiting them to primary production, enabling them to share in value-added gains instead of passively enduring market fluctuations.

Educational institutions across China are undergoing a transformative approach to student wellness through the innovative creation of micro sports areas. These compact athletic zones, strategically implemented in previously underutilized campus spaces, are revolutionizing physical activity participation among students.

At Jinan No. 9 Middle School in Shandong Province, the class break transformation is particularly noticeable. Where students once remained sedentary during short breaks, they now enthusiastically engage in table tennis matches and badminton games using removable nets. The school has effectively converted scattered, neglected corners into vibrant hubs of physical activity.

Physical education teacher Song Zhijiu observes that previously limited facilities discouraged student exercise participation. ‘By optimizing our campus spatial configuration, we’ve developed easily accessible zones that significantly increase student involvement in diverse physical activities,’ he noted.

The initiative extends beyond mere physical benefits, fostering an organic sports culture where students voluntarily assume roles as referees, scorekeepers, and cheerleaders. Principal Du Haifeng reports noticeable improvements in student motivation and academic performance correlation with increased physical activity.

Zhijinshi Street Primary School exemplifies vertical space innovation, installing overhead bells for jumping activities, calibrated height markers on basketball structures, and compact climbing installations. PE instructor Zhang Shuo emphasizes their philosophy: ‘Physical activities shouldn’t be confined to specific schedules or locations. We’re creating continuous opportunities for children to develop stronger physiques through play.’

The data demonstrates compelling results: Zhijinshi Street Primary has witnessed a 30% increase in physical activity participation coupled with a 5% reduction in overall myopia rates among students.

This educational movement spans nationally, with schools repurposing rooftops, corridors, and stairwells into accessible micro playgrounds. Jiyang Experimental No. 2 Primary School has extended this concept beyond campus boundaries, converting idle adjacent land into a multi-functional fitness area shared with local community members during off-peak hours.

The collective impact is substantiated by provincial metrics: Jinan’s 2024 physical fitness assessment average reached 81.36 points, accompanied by an 8% decrease in obesity rates and a fourth consecutive annual decline in myopia prevalence.

According to Song Yu, Deputy Director of Jinan Municipal Education Bureau, ‘The strategic conversion of underutilized spaces—including vertical dimensions—into micro sports areas has substantially expanded physical activity opportunities across our educational institutions.’