QUANTUM SCIENTIST SETS NEW RECORD

2018-07-30 20:12
Beijing Review 2018年28期

Pan Jianwei, a leading Chinese quantum scientist, led a team at the University of Science and Technology of China to a world record for an entanglement of 18 quantum bits, maintaining the countrys lead in the fi eld of quantum computing.

The power of a quantum computer grows exponentially with the number of quantum bits that can be manipulated. The new record could effectively solve large computation problems that are beyond the ability of current classical computers, Pan said.

Pans team has been at the forefront of global developments, achieving the fi rst fi ve, six, eight and 10 entangled photons in the world.

Born in 1970, Pan became the youngest member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the countrys top scientifi c body, in 2011 and was named Vice President of the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei, east Chinas Anhui Province in 2015. He was included in Nature magazines top 10 People Who Mattered in 2017.

Reinventing the Publishing Industry

Guangming Daily June 28

China published 500,000 book titles in 2016, totaling 9.04 billion copies and ranking first in the world on both counts.

However, the size of the publishing industry cannot necessarily guarantee its strength. Globally recognized publications from China are scarce and most of the countrys publishing houses are small with limited competitiveness.

Compared with newspapers and magazines, which are facing competition from online platforms and seeking to align with new media to survive, the book publishing industry lacks the motivation to venture into new media since it can manage to sustain itself regardless. Most digitalization efforts by publishing companies are passive responses to administrative orders

or the result of industry pressure. There is little fundamental integration of the traditional publishing industry with new media in China.

In the future, Internet and digital technologies will have an even more profound infl uence on peoples lives. Mobile phones and other digital terminals will become the main platforms for reading. People will make use of their fragmented time to read light-hearted and entertaining content on these platforms. Only condensed, widely circulated and interactive content produced by integrating traditional and new media can satisfy peoples needs for reading in the new era.

The Internet age doesnt mean an end to the traditional publishing industry, but the latter should seek to innovate itself through fusion with new technologies and new means of communication. They should develop new products by using mobile terminals, Big Data and virtual reality.

Only by doing so can it provide satisfying services for readers.

What Makes a World Cup?

Oriental Outlook July 5

Even though there are fears that holding a FIFA World Cup is a losing business, it doesnt deter countries from vying for the chance to host the event.

Why does the World Cup have such widespread infl uence around the world? The comprehensive benefits brought by the World Cup cant be replaced by other international events.

The charm of the sport is one reason, but there are many other factors. Football stars, teams competing for national pride, business operators contending for sponsorships, as well as ardent football fans all constitute the draw of the World Cup. For instance, the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia has not only brought the country huge income from ticket sales, catering industries and transportation, but has also boosted the countrys international image.

The influence of the event may continue to expand, since FIFA recently announced that the number of teams will be increased from 32 to 48 for the 2026 World Cup to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Some see this as an attempt to include China and the United States, the worlds two largest economies, in the event, since both failed to qualify for this years World Cup. However, FIFA doesnt seem to be worried as the event, which takes place every four years, has become the most infl uential sports event worldwide with the organization set to make an estimated $8 billion in revenue from this years competition.

Upgraded Consumer Demands

Peoples Daily June 25

Many consumers have had the experience of failing to fi nd a product that satisfi es their customized needs. For instance, a Beijing resident recently searched all e-commerce websites for an automatic washing machine for infants clothes, but could not fi nd one that met her specifi cations.

As living standards improve in China, consumers have developed higher demands for products. For instance, there have been media reports in recent years about Chinese tourists going to Japan to buy toilet seat covers and electric rice cookers which they believe to be of better quality than domestic ones. The integration of the Internet, Big Data and artifi cial intelligence with manufacturing has also given rise to new business models and demands such as the need for intelligent home appliances.

Consumers upgraded needs provide important opportunities for China to deepen its supplyside structural reform and the transformation of its manufacturing industry.

Enterprises need to be able to detect and take advantage of consumers upgraded demands to make profi t.

Enterprises should then decide on the right time to come up with new products. If they start too early, it will be diffi cult to cultivate the market. However, if they begin too late, they may face fi erce competition. They should also use Big Data analysis to grasp market demands and reduce the risks of industrial upgrading. They should boldly try to upgrade their products and achieve high-quality growth to meet consumers needs.

CHINESE BOYS WORLD CUP DREAM

Wang Laizheng, a 13-year-old boy, has found a unique way to attend the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Wang was a mascot accompanying players onto the pitch at the World Cup along with several other young Chinese football players. He secured the opportunity by scoring a free kick in the fi nals of the National Youth Campus Football Contest held in Chengdu, southwest Chinas Sichuan Province, in May, and was selected as the best player of all primary school students.

Wang studied at a rural primary school in Qiqihar, northeast Chinas Heilongjiang Province. Facilities at his school were limited and children often had to play on sandstone surfaces.

In 2015, Wang was discovered by his coach who is confi dent about seeing him on the pitch at the World Cup in the future.

“The inclusion of Mount Fanjing on the World Heritage list showcases to the world the natural beauty of China. It is an international acknowledgment of Chinas achievement in protecting the ecological environment and biological diversity.”

Qin Changwei, Secretary General of Chinas National Commission for UNESCO, commenting on UNESCOs awarding of World Heritage status to Mount Fanjing in southwest Chinas Guizhou Province

“Many detractors have argued that spending valuable resources on panda conservation is wasteful. Our analysis contradicts this view.”

Wei Fuwen, lead author of a study published in the journal Current Biology on June 28, which estimates that the value generated by panda reserves in China adds up to between$2.6 billion and $6.9 billion a year, or roughly 10 to 27 times the cost of their maintenance

“The popularization of the Internet in Chinas rural areas is improving rapidly, but farmers are still not familiar enough with the application of the Internet in everyday life.”

Tian Bo, an associate professor at the School of Information Management and Engineering of the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, commenting on a research report on Chinas Internet development published on June 28

“The Belt and Road Initiative, to me, is a metaphor for communication between the East and the West. It is not only about roads, bridges or ports, but also music, culture and whatever unites us.”

Lord Tim Clement-Jones, Vice Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary China Group in the UK, in a recent interview with Xinhua News Agency