Wang Yaping, China’s first female spacewalker who has taken part in two spaceflights
The selection for the fourth group of astronaut candidates has now begun. We expect young people with aspirations for space exploration to join us. Meanwhile, our Tiangong space station will soon be completed and we look forward to welcoming foreign astronauts who will work together with us on our Tiangong to explore the universe.
Lin Zhanxi, chief scientist of the National Juncao Technology Research Center and a professor at Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University
China’s technique of growing ‘juncao,’ the herbal plant used in the growing of edible mushrooms, has contributed to global poverty reduction. The technique was promoted from East China’s Fujian province to other areas in the country and has even reached countries across the world. The technique has been promoted to 106 countries and regions around the world. More than 12,000 Chinese experts have been trained to promote the technique worldwide, contributing Chinese wisdom to the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
Wu Dajing, Winter Olympic gold medalist
We now have more than 300 million people involved in winter sports and related activities and as many as 1,400 indoor ice rinks as far as I know. I’ve seen children born in the warmer southern cities grow interested in winter sports and learn to enjoy skating after watching us compete at Beijing 2022. This has motivated me to make further contributions to the development of winter sports by continuing training and competing at my best while taking part in more grassroots promotion events.
Zulhayat Ismayil, vice-president of Kashgar University
The improvements in education at all levels in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region have helped young people have a brighter future. The quality of higher education in Xinjiang has significantly improved in the past 10 years. As an increasing number of young people chose to study in other parts of China, more and more people have come to Xinjiang to study. China’s development strategy has placed Xinjiang — an inland region — at the front line of opening-up. And the region has become a key logistics hub for the Belt and Road Initiative and attracted a lot of talent.
Wang Xudong, director of the Palace Museum
Protecting the cultural heritage of mankind is safeguarding a peaceful and prosperous world. There are many differences among various cultures, but, as the Chinese tradition highlights, we should seek common ground while preserving differences. It is an idea that should be commonly respected in the modern era. Communication can strengthen mutual trust among people and cultural relics can play a key role in that communication because it connects our past, present and future.
