Jimmy Chiang Chi Bun and the boys from the Vienna Boys Choir’s Haydn Choir salute the audience during a concert in China in October 2024. Photo: Courtesy of Chen Hui
As one of the most prestigious performance groups in the world, the Vienna Boys Choir boasts a history of over 500 years, with performances across the globe. In 2013, the choir welcomed its first Chinese conductor, Jimmy Chiang Chi Bun. 

The conductor and pianist from Hong Kong leads the Vienna Boys Choir’s Haydn Choir, striving to bring the beauty of classical music from Europe to Chinese audiences, while also hoping to introduce more international listeners to the charm of Chinese music.

Chiang began his strict musical training at an early age, learning piano at just four years old and making his first stage appearance at five. Although his parents were not professional musicians, their deep passion for music laid a strong foundation for his future career. 

Growing up in Hong Kong, Chiang later pursued further studies in Europe and America, studying under several world-renowned music masters, including instructors from the German, Russian, and Austrian schools. 

In an interview with the Global Times, he shared that his musical journey blends Eastern and Western elements, making it "richer compared to many others."

Spreading Chinese culture through music

"You come from the snowy mountains, spring tides are your style; you rush toward the East China Sea, roaring waves reflect your spirit..."

During the National Day holidayS, the young singers from Vienna performed Song of the Yangtze River at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, located in the heart of Beijing. Dressed in their iconic sailor uniforms and singing in classical vocals, they amazed the Chinese audience, who responded with thunderous applause.

Before performing this song, the children showcased the delicate Yunnan folk song The Flowing Stream with their gentle voices. 

The contrast between subtlety and grandeur complemented each other, deeply moving the audience.

Foreign ensembles touring China often perform Chinese songs outside their standard repertoire, but Chiang, as a conductor from Chinese background, makes more thoughtful selections. 

He told the Global Times that he usually chooses Chinese folk songs that carry cultural significance, in line with the theme of the tour. "For instance, for this tour, I thought the theme was 'From the Danube to the Yangtze River,' so I chose ‘Song of the Yangtze River’ as a representative Chinese piece," he explained. 

For Chiang, this is not only a cultural bridge between China and Austria, but also a way for foreign audiences to understand Chinese culture through music.

Since leading the Vienna Boys Choir on its first tour of China in 2015, Chiang has incorporated Chinese music into their performances. The Haydn choir, besides singing the internationally famous “Jasmine Flower,” also performed the Cantonese song “Moonlight” and the Hebei folk song “To the Flowers.” 

This fusion of Eastern and Western musical traditions delighted audiences. "I was born in Hong Kong, and ‘Moonlight’ was a nursery rhyme from my childhood. My mother taught me this song when I was just one year old," Chiang recalled.

In 2018, Chiang led the choir in recording a performance of “I Love You, China,” which aired on China Central Television. The video went viral, becoming a widely discussed topic. Reflecting on the song, Chiang said it expressed a deep love for China and showcased Chinese music’s influence on the international stage. "Most of our choir members do not speak Chinese, but they truly felt the emotion behind the music," he noted.

‘China’s development impresses me’

In September and October this year, Chiang once again led his choir on a tour of China, their first visit in several years. The tour covered more than a dozen cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, and Guangzhou. 

Looking back on a decade of performances across China, Chiang remarked on the noticeable changes in the country each time he returns, particularly in infrastructure and urban landscapes. "From big cities to smaller towns, China’s pace and scale of development are astonishing," he said.

Chiang also observed that Chinese audiences’ appreciation for international art troupes has been growing. "Especially in cities like Beijing and Shanghai, the audience reactions are very enthusiastic," he said. 

However, in some smaller cities, audiences are still getting accustomed to choral performances, requiring more time to understand and accept the art form. "This is one of the reasons why cultural exchanges are so important."

He also highlighted the cultural potential of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, noting that this region has vast opportunities for artistic exchange. As an international cultural bridge, Hong Kong can drive cultural cooperation and development across the Greater Bay Area, Chiang said. 

"Hong Kong’s rich experience in international musical exchanges provides great conditions for the collaborative growth of this region. By strengthening cooperation, we can further promote traditional music exchange and cultivate a deeper musical appreciation among audiences in the Greater Bay Area," he said. 

As the first Chinese conductor of the Vienna Boys Choir, Chiang found one challenge he need to face is upholding the choir’s 500-year tradition while maintaining its high standards. 

He noted that conducting a children’s choir is similar to working with adult orchestras in many ways, though children’s shorter attention spans require him to use more concise language and methods. "I’ve learned how to communicate the essence of the music more efficiently, which has also boosted my confidence when rehearsing with adult orchestras," he explained.

Chiang, who excels in both orchestral and operatic fields, shared that Western music education focuses on creativity and expressiveness, while he brings the Asian spirit of "hard work and discipline" to the choir’s training. "Our children come from diverse cultural backgrounds, but I hope they can find resonance in the music. For them, music is not just an art form but also a means of communication and understanding." 

He believes that music, as an art form that transcends language, serves as the best cultural bridge.

Chen Hui and Zhang Yunyi contributed to the story

Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, expressed the hope that France will view China-EU economic and trade relations with a positive and open attitude, encourage the EU side to meet China halfway, and play a constructive role in consultation and negotiations between the two sides.

Wang made those remarks Thursday during phone talks with French President's Diplomatic Counselor Emmanuel Bonne.

The Hong Kong stock market extended its three-week rally on Monday, reaching a two-and-a-half-year high in the morning session, buoyed by the latest packet of stimulus policies meted out by China's monetary authorities to fuel up the economy.

Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China.

The Hang Seng Index closed up by 1.60 percent to reach 23,099.78 on Monday, the highest level since February 2022. The Tech Index of the Hong Kong stock market surged by 3.05 percent.

China’s top chip maker SMIC, headquartered in Shanghai, surged by 21.76 percent to reach HK$33.30 ($4.29), while e-commerce giant Alibaba Group rose 0.61 percent to hit HK$114.60.

China's central bank has issued a new set of monetary stimulus programs, including a cut in commercial banks' reserve requirement ratio and the benchmark interest rates to shore up economic revival that have significantly boosted investor sentiment.

Driven by the stimulus, both the mainland's A-share market and Hong Kong's H-shares have staged very strong rallies lately.

Though the mainland market closed for the National Day holidays, which ran from October 1 to October 7, Hong Kong's stock market continued to rise, with the Hang Seng Index notching up by an accumulative 10.2 percent between September 30 and Friday.

Since the start of the fourth quarter this year, the overall market atmosphere has significantly improved, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po wrote in his blog, seen on the official website of Hong Kong government on Sunday.

According to official data, the Hang Seng Index has rebounded to a two-and-a-half-year high, surging by a total of 5,600 points over the past 15 trading days, or around 33 percent. From the beginning of September to Friday, the daily turnover in the Hong Kong stock market reached HK$192 billion ($24.72 billion), double the level recorded in August, the financial secretary wrote.

China’s Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD) and the National Financial Regulatory Administration jointly held a national video conference on promoting delivery of the stalled housing projects, during which the authorities called for expanding the scope of the “white list” to ensure all compliant developers are “included in the list as they should be,” according to a statement seen on the website of MOHURD on Wednesday.

The “white list” refers to a mechanism to ensure that eligible real estate projects get support in financing and sufficient development loans. 

The conference is part of the country’s ramped-up efforts to advance the housing project delivery work and stabilize the real estate market, following a series of major pro-growth macro policies rolled out by the policymakers to support the property market in late September. 

The meeting stressed the importance of ensuring urban housing delivery, which is a key task to facilitate the stable and sound development of housing market as well as an effective measure to fend off property sector risk and promote the stabilization of the overall property market. 

“The current stage is a crucial window of opportunity to advance housing works. It is also a crucial period to winning the battle of ensuring housing delivery,” the meeting noted. 

It stressed that Chinese localities should step up efforts in the review, promotion, and problem-solving of projects on the “white list,” as well as facilitate bank loans distribution, to effectively meet the reasonable financing needs of real estate projects.

With regards to financial institutions, the meeting called for them to establish and improve green channels and timely release loans based on housing projects’ progress, the meeting noted. 

China’s housing market has shown some positive signs of improvement during the week-long National Day holidays, as homebuyer confidence was revived by a new package of the stimulus measures announced by the authorities. 

On September 24, the People’s Bank of China, the country’s central bank, unveiled a new package of monetary measures, led by reductions in existing mortgage rates, in a bid to boost the country’s real estate market and fire up consumer spending.

Between October 1 and noon of October 3, the number of on-site inquiries for new homes in Beijing rose 92.5 percent on a yearly basis, and new home subscriptions nearly doubled. And inquiries for used second-homes in Beijing jumped by 104.1 percent, according to a report seen on the MOHURD’s website. The number of on-site inquiries for new property projects in Guangzhou, South China’s Guangdong Province, rose nearly 200 percent during the same period.

Tourism in China continued to boom as this year’s National Day holidays entered the latter half. The Chinese Ministry of Transport announced that around 284 million cross-regional trips were made on Friday, the fourth day of the holidays, an increase of 2.8 percent compared to the same day last year.

Ancient architecture and sculptures in North China’s Shanxi Province became one of the most popular destinations this year thanks to the unexampled success of China’s first triple-A video game Black Myth: Wukong, which features 36 locations across China, with 27 situated in Shanxi. 

Inbound tourism also demonstrated strong growth over the holiday with inbound travel booking  rising by more than 60 percent compared to last year, which is expected to surpass that of outbound tourism in terms of growth rates thanks to a series of supportive policies.

Citing the Shenzhen General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection, CCTV reported Saturday that, from Tuesday to Friday, the first four days of the week-long holidays, combined inbound and outbound cross-border passenger trips via Shenzhen Airport exceeded 57,000, with nearly 600 flight arrivals and departures, representing a year-on-year increases of 58.1 percent and 55.2 percent, respectively. 

With the continuous rise in inbound and outbound passenger trips, the total number of border crossings at Shenzhen Airport this year has surpassed 4 million, marking a 47.6 percent increase compared to last year's total, according to officials.

Over the first four days of the National Day holidays, the number of outbound passengers at Shenzhen Airport exceeded 33,000, with Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore, and Indonesia being the most popular destinations, the station said, while predicting a peak of inbound travel on Sunday and Monday, the last two days of the holidays.

During this year's National Day holidays, booking volumes made by inbound tourists to China has reportedly increased by more than 60 percent compared to the same period last year, according to CCTV on Friday.

China continues to optimize its visa and customs policies, accelerate the recovery of international flights, improve payment facilitation, and enhance the overall service quality for inbound tourism. As a result, international popularity of China Travel keeps growing this year.

An official told the CCTV on Friday that the number of inbound trips by foreigners via the Shenzhen general station this year had exceeded 360,000, representing a year-on-year increase of approximately 143 percent. Of this figure, the number of inbound trips under the visa-free policies had surpassed 130,000, showing an increase of more than five times compared to the previous year, according to the official.

Just before this holiday, Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on September 30 to expand the visa-free policy to citizens of Portugal, Greece, Cyprus and Slovenia from October 15, 2024 to December 31, 2025.

In addition to only visiting popular destinations like Beijing and Shanghai, this year, foreign travelers tend to enjoy in-depth and niche travel in China to explore lesser-known tourist spots and feel more comfortable to utilize China's advanced high-speed rail network to travel between different cities.

Trends such as “silver-hair travel” and “family travel” have also become new growth areas for inbound tourism. 

“The China I read about in the book is very traditional, but when I arrived in Beijing, I found that it is actually a blend of tradition and modernity. The contrast between the two is really fascinating,” said a 14-year-old tourist from Australia.

Fifty years ago, not only the archaeological community but also ordinary people were stunned by the excavation of the Mawangdui Han Tombs. Among the findings is a remarkable discovery known as China's "Sleeping Beauty" (Lady Xin Zhui), an over 2,100-year-old lady who looks nearly as good as she did when she was buried after her death at the age of about 50, during China's Western Han Dynasty (206BC-AD25). The world has marveled at the mystery behind her body, as well as the numerous precious treasures unearthed from the tombs.

In this Mawangdui trilogy, the Global Times Culture Desk reaches out to experts who have been involved in the excavation field work, revisiting those moments when new discoveries were made or more cultural relics were unearthed. This is the second installment.
With all three tombs discovered at the Mawangdui Han Tombs, questions about their occupants have become the elephant in the room: Who were they? Which tomb was the earliest, and which was the latest?

When the archaeology team needed to address the chronological questions, Fu Juyou, one of the leaders of the Mawangdui site excavation, decided to consider stratigraphy as a key factor.

Shan Xianjin, one of the excavators of the Mawangdui Han tombs, was leading the team to implement the idea. He told the Global Times that the team applied stratigraphy into their practice to determine the chronological order of the three tombs.

"By digging with a bulldozer in the middle of the two mounds, a profile was created to study the stratigraphy. We could see different layers of the soil, and decided the order is No.2, No.3 and No.1," recalled Shan, now 88 years old.

However, the mystery surrounding the owner of Tomb No.2 remained unresolved.

"Wrapping up his work at the bottom of the coffin, He Jiejun went ahead to reach to the bottom of the wooden board," Shan said.

"With his swollen fingers, He got something hard. What could it be? He lifted it out, cleaned it a bit with water melt from the snow. It turned out to be a seal!

"The seal read 'Daihou Li Cang' [the marquis Li Cang]. Everyone was so thrilled at that moment! Now we knew the identity of the tomb's owner," Shan noted.
Details of the discovery

From many discoverers' point of view, the excavation stories of Mawangdui started from the story of "ghost fire." Shan told the Global Times that in December 1971, an air-raid shelter was under construction to be used by a nearby military hospital.

To speed up the process, the construction team utilized iron brazing to drill down, which released an unpleasant odor.

"Two soldiers took a break and smoked, and the marsh gas from the drilling caught on fire, emitting blue flames," Shan recalled.

The flames were believed to be "ghost fire," as the conventional saying goes, leading the team to halt the excavation.

News of the incident was relayed to Hou Liang, then head of the Hunan Museum. Hou immediately identified that the soldiers had likely uncovered an ancient tomb, locally known as a "fire pit tomb," renowned for its well-preserved artifacts.

After the female corpse was unearthed, medical workers ­performed an autopsy in December 1972 to thoroughly examine the integrity of the body and study ancient Chinese embalming techniques.

Medical experts from across Hunan Province were invited to perform the autopsy, with young surgeon Peng Longxiang leading the procedure.

"It can be said that all clinical departments participated, including radiology, dermatology, stomatology, obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine, surgery, and otolaryngology. Everyone was joking, but we didn't invite pediatricians because she was an adult, so [almost] all clinical departments participated," Peng said.

Impacts on art, life

Hailed as one of the most important archaeological finds in China during the 20th century, the Mangwangdui site has garnered significant attention both within the country and around the world.

Professor Eugene Wang Yuejin, founding director of the Harvard FAS CAMLab, an art team, told the Global Times in an interview that the discoveries at Mawangdui have had a profound influence on the global understanding of ancient Chinese culture and its contribution to mankind's heritage.

Lü Chenchen, associate ­director of Harvard FAS CAMLab, told the Global Times that the medical texts discovered at ­Mawangdui are some of the earliest known manuscripts on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), providing insights into ancient practices of health, well-being, and holistic healing.

The texts, which cover treatments and medical theories, have left an everlasting impact on TCM and continue to influence people's life in modern times.

The 2024 12th China Beijing International Magic Carnival and World College Magic Exchange Convention kicked off in Beijing's Changping district on Friday. The event features promotional activities, hiking tours, and performances by magicians from China, Germany, the US, and Argentina, offering a top-tier magical showcase.

“As a key platform of Beijing's role as a national cultural center and an international exchange hub, Changping aims to use magic culture as a medium to create a ‘golden business card’ for international cultural exchange,” said Zhi Xianwei, mayor of Changping district.

Zhi briefed Changping’s rich history and deep cultural heritage. He extended a warm invitation to artists and university students from around the world to visit Changping, encouraging magic as a medium for deeper cultural exchanges and collaboration.

During the event, a series of magic performances and cultural activities were presented, with magicians from various countries presenting their talents to an audience of university students.

At the close-up magic show, American magician Bill Bentz performed a magic trick using three ancient Chinese coins he collected during his first visit to Xiamen, Fujian Province. As the coins moved between his hands, the audience, particularly the students, watched in awe.

“When I first saw these three Chinese coins, I knew I wanted to use them in a performance in America. I’m proud to celebrate China’s traditional culture,” Bill said.

In recent years, the blending of disciplines has become more prevalent in cultural tourism. With its flexibility and adaptability, magic has seamlessly integrated into various cultural and tourism contexts into various cultural and tourism contexts.

Tang Yanhai, secretary of the Chinese Acrobats Association, noted that the magic carnival not only adheres to international standards by hosting high-level exchange activities but also explores new paths for industry integration, combining the magic experience with cultural and tourism consumption, and creating new cultural tourism experiences.

Jin Chutong, a Beijing-based folk magician and magic instructor, told the Global Times that Chinese folk magic is an important part of the country’s cultural heritage.

“Over the years, I’ve seen magic expand beyond theater into tourist attractions and cultural activities, offering audiences more opportunities for close-up experiences. This integration has created more performance opportunities and brought magic into everyday life,” Jin noted.

“Magic requires both innovation and preservation. I hope more young people will join the field and revitalize Chinese folk magic in the modern era,” he added.

Xiaoxitian Temple in North China's Shanxi Province which has gained renewed popularity for appearing in China's first AAA video game Black Myth: Wukong will host intangible cultural heritage demonstrations, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT) announced on Tuesday alongside its plans to launch a series of cultural events during the week-long National Day holidays. 

To cater to the growing demand for cultural and spiritual experiences and ensure that residents have access to a diverse range of cultural products, MCT announced that nearly 1,000 cultural activities centered on intangible cultural heritage will be held nationwide during the holiday period, Hu Yan, an official with the MCT, told reporters on Tuesday. 

Sun Jiashan, an associate researcher at the Central Academy of Culture and Tourism Administration, told the Global Times on Wednesday that using intangible cultural heritage activities to enrich the tourism experience is a strategy driven by shared development. 

"The promotion of intangible cultural heritage also needs to adapt to the characteristics of modern cultural and entertainment consumption, and the trend of cultural and tourism integration," said Sun.

Xiaoxitian Temple in Shanxi will host several cultural activities, including performances and exhibits related to national, provincial, and local intangible cultural heritage projects, aiming to highlight traditional Chinese culture and enhancing the tourist experience. 

Shanxi is often referred to as the "treasure house of ancient Chinese architecture" due to its 531 nationally protected cultural heritage sites, which make up 10.5 percent of China's total, the highest in the country. 

Reports indicate that Black Myth: Wukong features 36 locations across China, with 27 situated in Shanxi. Among these is the Xiaoxitian Temple. The temple's main attraction, the Daxiong Hall, showcases intricate suspended sculptures that have been preserved for over 400 years, housed in a 100-square-meter structure.

Yu Xinsong, a Beijing-based backpacker who intends to go to Shanxi during the coming holiday, told the Global Times on Wednesday that visiting ancient architecture in-person is a unique experience. 

"The firsthand experience allows me to see the details of the architectural craftsmanship that would not be seen in games or on TV. The intangible cultural heritage activities will give the site another cultural edge," said Yu.

Meanwhile, 14 special eco-tourism routes will also be launched during the holiday. These routes will utilize national parks, scenic areas, forest parks, wetland parks, and geological parks as core destinations. By linking these natural attractions with major transportation routes, the initiative aims to provide convenient travel options for tourists seeking eco-friendly and leisurely holiday experiences, Wei Lizhong, an official with the MCT, told reporters on Tuesday.

In Beijing, the Badaling section of the Great Wall recently introduced a new "Morning Great Wall" experience, allowing visitors to access the Great Wall between 4:30 and 7:30 am daily. This unique opportunity offers an ideal vantage point from the South Fifth Tower, one of the best spots to witness the sunrise over the historic structure. 

The Sichuan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism announced on Monday that over 1,900 cultural and tourism events will be held during the holiday, with a focus on celebrations, artistic performances, intangible cultural heritage showcases and museum exhibitions. Among these events, the "Chengdu-Chongqing International Theatre Twin Cities" festival stands out as the largest urban theater festival in Southwest China. It will feature the longest duration and the highest number of international performances in the region, aiming to elevate the cultural vibrancy and global connections of the two cities.

Following the return of seven giant pandas, including Fu Bao, the first naturally bred panda born in South Korea, the news has hit that some giant pandas are set to return to China from zoos in countries like the US and Finland as loan agreements expire or cubs reach maturity, while some others will be sent overseas from China and continue to be ambassadors of friendship.

People's affection and love for the cuddly bear and calls for peace and international cooperation on panda conservation haven't faded wherever the pandas are but instead have only grown stronger, with the help of many Chinese and foreign panda lovers.

There are a group of foreigners living in China who have been focusing their camera lenses on the giant pandas, especially those that have returned to China from foreign countries, and uploading videos about the pandas' daily life and well-being on social media to relieve concerns and fill the hearts of overseas fans who could not visit the pandas themselves.

Kim Soo-kyung, known on YouTube as SOOKYUNGHAPPY, is one of these foreign panda lovers living in China. Kim is a part-time vlogger from South Korea who has been working in Shanghai for more than 10 years.

After hearing that Fu Bao would make public debut at the Wolong Shenshuping Base in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, on June 12, she scrambled for a ticket to the event so she could see this "princess" in the hearts of South Korean fans.

"I was able to hear my heartbeat as I got my first glance of Fu Bao. I remember Fu Bao sat there at ease and was looking around slowly. Her peaceful eyes seemed to comfort us and tell each visitor there was no need to worry," Kim recalled the event during an interview with the Global Times.

Since then, Kim's camera has become a window for South Korean followers to stay abreast of Fu Bao's status. Unable to resist the charm of these adorable creatures, Kim has gotten used to rushing to Chengdu and visiting the panda base there during her time off.

"If conditions allowed, I would stay with the pandas every day and gaze at them while they are eating or sleeping."

Kim said that many of her followers on social media also keep close tabs on Fu Bao and often ask her in the comments section of her posts how the panda is faring. When a flash flood and mudslide hit the region where the panda breeding base is located, South Korean fans were concerned about the safety of Chinese breeders and pandas, and Kim confirmed the base was safe.

Sometimes seeing rumors and misinformation run rampant among netizens, Kim tries to refute these as quickly as possible by sharing her observations of the base.

"I often tell them to watch my videos first and see how Chinese breeders treat pandas with expertise and patience, or come to visit Fu Bao themselves, rather than listen to rumors," the vlogger said.
More than 2,000 people lined up outside Tokyo's Ueno Zoological Gardens on Saturday morning to bid farewell to the panda couple that lived there, which demonstrates the cross-border attraction of giant pandas. Their influence mainly comes down to their innocent, adorable appearance and role as a symbol of friendship, Zhao Songsheng, manager of YueWeiLai, a Chengdu-based NGO dedicated to protecting giant pandas, told the Global Times.

Kim has made a number of new friends by following Fu Bao. Each time she films Fu Bao and the other pandas at the base, she encounters panda lovers from different places around the world, including some South Korean fans.

Kim has built connections with these panda lovers. Together they have celebrated Fu Bao's birthday by making postcards and colorful tags. A Chinese fan specially sent her Fu Bao souvenirs after seeing one of Kim's posts on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu showcasing her taking photos of a picture of Fu Bao on a large screen in Shanghai.

"Wherever you are, panda lovers around the world can become friends," Kim noted.

Chinese institutes related to giant pandas have organized diverse events to share the latest news about pandas to large numbers of panda lovers, actively responding to public concerns by engaging in face-to-face communication and clarifying rumors and false information.

The Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Center has organized three greeting events for panda lovers, inviting dozens of internet celebrities to thoroughly visit the base and document efforts to conserve pandas. To answer the questions of the public, the center has also held face-to-face conversations between internet celebrities and panda experts.

Zhao told the Global Times that Chinese and South Korean vloggers like Kim who are concerned about pandas can try co-creating online content about pandas so as to prevent irrational rumors from polluting the pure love for the adorable, peaceful creatures and better narrate their stories of joint protection.

China's core maternal and child health indicators have improved steadily in recent years, now ranking among the top in middle- and high-income countries, according to the Third China Maternal and Child Health Academic Conference held in South China's Hainan Province from Friday to Saturday.

The national maternal mortality rate, infant mortality rate and mortality rate of children under five have all reached record lows, according to Liang Xiaofeng, the vice president of Chinese Preventive Medicine Association, during the conference. 

In 2023, the infant mortality rate dropped below 4.5 per 1,000 births for the first time, reaching the advanced levels of middle- and high-income countries, Liang added.

Participants at the conference emphasized that maternal and child health is the cornerstone of national health. 

Decades of effort have significantly improved the level of maternal and child health in China, with continued advancements in maternal healthcare standards, according to Xinhua.

China currently operates 3,082 maternity and childcare institutions, 158 children's hospitals, and has 3,364 centers for maternal rescue and 3,070 centers for critically ill newborns, according to Xinhua.

The national hospital birth rate has reached 99.9 percent, and cervical and breast cancer screenings now cover over 90 percent of the population. 

In addition, Statistics show that since the National Health Commission's nutrition improvement program began in 2012, anemia and growth retardation rates among infants aged six to 24 months in less developed areas have decreased by 71.7 percent and 74.3 percent, respectively, according to Xinhua.

Pre-pregnancy  health check-ups and folic acid supplementation have been included in the national basic public service standards.

"At the same time, we should realize that there are still challenges to maternal and child health," Liang said.

Liang noted that the health demands of women and children are becoming more diversified and specialized, which requires people to adopt innovative ways of thinking, models and technologies, in an effort to build a high-quality maternal and child health service system that matches the requirements of Chinese modernization.