OPINION: ANTI-FOREIGN SANCTIONS LAW P.26 | FEATURES: ELEPHANTS ON THE MOVE P.34 VOL.64 NO.25 JUNE 24, 2021 WWW.BJREVIEW.COM THE COURSE OF NATURE Conservation efforts improve the environment of Qinling Mountains RMB6.00 USD1.70 AUD3.00 GBP1.20 CAD2.60 CHF2.60 JPY188 邮发代号2-922·国内统一刊号：CN11-1576/G2 CONTENTS EDITOR’S DESK OPINION FEATURES 02 Protecting the Qinling 22 B3W: America’s ‘Make 34 The Hefty Parade Mountains The World Great Again’ The elephants’ adventurous road trip Fantasy 36 Beyond the Blackboard THIS WEEK Biden’s vague initiative far A rural teacher’s journey to improve the lives from feasible of students COVER STORY 24 A Misguided Focus 38 The Business of Looking Better 12 The Sands of Time On China Keeping up appearances is big business, but can One man’s quest to conquer G7 meeting fails to address have a dark side “the demon sand” global concerns 40 Tech Drivers in the Greater Bay Area 16 Paradise for Giant 26 An Offensive Defense: AI takes on social responsibility in times of epidemic Pandas China’s Anti-Foreign 42 Ready Player One Shaanxi nature reserve makes Sanctions Law The rise of virtual idols for a sweet home New legal defense put in place 18 A Beautiful Encounter 28 Exploring Common Once near extinction, crested Prosperity CULTURE ibises thrive Demonstration program 46 Through the Looking Glass launched for China’s next Presenting Chinese culture through American eyes grand goal Cover Photo: A crested ibis feeds its chick 30 in Yangxian County, Shaanxi Province, ‘Lab Leak,’ a Politically EXPAT’S EYE on May 21 (XINHUA) Poisoned Theory 48 Finding the Perfect Fit Science is the only means of ©2021 Beijing Review, all rights reserved. Nothing is impossible on China’s cyber-market knowledge and truth www.bjreview.com Follow us on MEDIA PARTNER BREAKING NEWS » SCAN ME » Using a QR code reader Please recycle EDITOR’S DESK Protecting the Qinling Mountains The Qinling Mountains, ranging 1,600 of the ecological environment, so that A News Weekly Magazine km long from east to west and 300 km the lush mountains, lucid waters and Published Since 1958 wide from north to south in central beautiful scenery will remain. China, is also known as the natural Since the Qinling Mountains are President: Li Yafang Associate Editor in Chief: Li Jianguo boundary between the north and the mainly located in Shaanxi, the gov- Associate President: Yan Ying south of China due to its unique climate ernment of the province has assumed Content Director: Liu Yunyun and geographic location. The area is responsibility for protecting the area. Executive Editor: Yan Wei extremely rich in biodiversity. They are Laws and regulations are formulated to Associate Executive Editors: Zan Jifang, Ding Ying home to 3,800 species of plants and 530 protect the ecological environment of Production Director: Yao Bin Editorial Administrators: Zeng Wenhui, Hou Beibei species of animals, including famous the Qinling Mountains, special agen- Assistant Executive Editor: Li Fangfang ones such as the giant panda, snub- cies are established and input from local Commentator: Lan Xinzhen Editors: Wang Hairong, Li Nan nosed monkey, takin, crested ibis and governments at all levels keeps increas- Editorial Consultants: Elsbeth van Paridon, Ryan Perkins black stork. In addition, it has abundant ing. In the past few years, Shaanxi has Reporters: Tang Yuankai, Wang Jun, Pan Xiaoqiao, Yuan Yuan, Ji Jing, Lu Yan, Wen Qing, Li Qing, Li Xiaoyang, Ma Miaomiao, mineral resources, such as molybde- launched a special campaign to crack Zhang Shasha, Tao Xing, Tao Zihui Visual Director: Pamela Tobey num, nickel, and limestone. down on illegal activities that damage Photo Editor: Wang Xiang The Chinese Government has attached the ecosystem of the Qinling Mountains. Photographer: Wei Yao Art: Li Shigong great importance to ecological protec- And remarkable results have been Design Director: Wang Yajuan tion in the Qinling Mountains. At present achieved in the protection of wildlife Chief Designer: Cui Xiaodong Designer: Zhao Boyu 176 varieties of plants and 120 animals with animal and plant populations con- Proofreading: Ma Xin have been placed on the list of national or tinuing to recover. Human Resources: Zhang Yajie provincial-level key protection, and more The ecological protection of the Legal Counsel: Yue Cheng than 510 protection units have been built, Qinling Mountains, however, still faces North America Bureau Chief: Yu Shujun including national parks, natural reserves, severe challenges. For instance, due to Tel/Fax: 1-201-792-0334 drinking water source reserves, scenic frequent rainstorms and volatile fluc- E-mail: [email protected] Africa Bureau spots, geological parks, wetland parks, and tuations of water levels, the problem Chief Correspondent: Ni Yanshuo cultural protection units. of soil erosion is very serious in the Tel: 27-71-6132053 E-mail: [email protected] In his inspection tour to Shaanxi Qinling Mountains. In addition, human General Editorial Office Province in April 2020, President Xi activities, especially legacy resource Tel: 86-10-68996252 Fax: 86-10-68326628 Jinping stressed environmental protec- development, have imposed serious English Edition tion and ecosystem restoration of the damage on the ecosystem of the moun- Tel: 86-10-68996250 Advertising Department Qinling Mountains should be given top tains. Protecting the Qinling Mountains Tel: 86-10-68995807 priority, and all departments and of- is in the interest of current and future E-mail: [email protected] Distribution Department ficials involved must serve as guardians generations. BR Tel: 86-10-68310644 E-mail: [email protected] Published every Thursday by BEIJING REVIEW, 24 Baiwanzhuang Lu, CHINA......RMB6.00 U.S.A.......USD1.70 Beijing 100037, China. AUSTRALIA......AUD3.00 UK......GBP1.20 Overseas Distributor: China International Book Trading CANADA......CAD2.60 SWITZERLAND......CHF2.60 Corporation (Guoji Shudian), P. O. BOX 399, JAPAN......JPY188 EUROPE......EURO1.90 Beijing 100044, China Tel: 86-10-68413849, 1-416-497-8096 (Canada) TURKEY......YTL5.00 HK......HKD9.30 NEPAL......RS40 Fax: 86-10-68412166 E-mail: [email protected] 主管单位：中国外文出版发行事业局 Website: http://www.cibtc.com 主办单位：北京周报社 General Distributor for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan: Peace Book Co. Ltd. 地址：北京市西城区百万庄大街24号 邮编：100037 17/Fl, Paramount Bldg, 12 Ka Yip St, Chai Wan, HK 编委会：李雅芳 李建国 闫颖 杨琪 曾文卉 Tel: 852-28046687 Fax: 852-28046409 社长：李雅芳 Beijing Review (ISSN 1000-9140 USPS 2812) is distributed weekly in 总编室电话：(010) 68996252 发行部电话：(010) 68310644 the United States for US$64.00 per year by Cypress Books, WRITE TO US 印刷：北京华联印刷有限公司 360 Swift Avenue, Suite 48, South San Francisco, CA 94080 Send an e-mail: [email protected] 北京周报 英文版2021年 第25期 ISSN 1000-9140 News Postage Paid at South San Francisco, CA 94080 国内统一刊号：CN11-1576/G2 邮发代号：2-922 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Beijing Review, Please provide your name and address Cypress Books, 360 Swift Avenue, Suite 48, along with your submissions. 广告许可证0171号 北京市期刊登记证第733号 South San Francisco, CA 94080 Submissions may be edited. 国内零售价：人民币6.00元 2 BEIJING REVIEW JUNE 24, 2021 http://www.bjreview.com THIS WEEKXINHUA A LEAP FURTHER China successfully launches its crewed spacecraft Shenzhou-12 on June 17, which sent three astronauts to its space station core module Tianhe for a three-month mission. It is China’s seventh crewed mission into space and the first one during the construction of its space station. The three astronauts are commander Nie Haisheng, a 56-year-old veteran who participated in the Shenzhou-6 and Shenzhou-10 missions, Liu Boming, 54, who was part of the Shenzhou-7 mission, and Tang Hongbo, 45, who embarks on his first space mission. http://www.bjreview.com JUNE 24, 2021 BEIJING REVIEW 3 THIS WEEK SOCIETY XINHUA numbered 264.02 million on the Chinese mainland, according to the last national census in China. Health Literacy China’s health literacy rate reached 23.15 percent in 2020, up 3.98 percentage points from the previous year and marking the highest ever rate of increase, a Chinese health official said on June 15. The current health literacy rate indicates 23 out of 100 people have acquired healthcare knowledge and skills, Mi Feng, a spokesperson with the National Health Commission, told a press conference. Aiming to promote people’s health, China launched an ac- Dragon Boat Festival tion plan for the Healthy China People participate in a dragon boat race to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival in Zigui, a county in Hubei initiative in mid-2019 through Province, on June 14. China celebrated the Dragon Boat Festival in commemoration of Qu Yuan, a patriotic 15 special campaigns, Mi said, poet from the Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.) believed to have been born in Zigui. adding that the popularization of healthcare knowledge was the first action. A total of 1,065 indi- Legal Awareness integrated system of law thus improving the accuracy and viduals were first included in a education by 2025, according to effectiveness of the program. national-level expert pool for China’s central authorities the plan. have released a five-year plan the popularization of healthcare Stressing the importance of Helping the Elderly knowledge, and provincial-level on carrying out publicity and publicizing the Constitution and Chinese authorities have issued expert pools have also been education efforts to raise public the Civil Code, the plan notes a circular to start a nationwide established across the country awareness of the law, in a bid to that activities should be held campaign this year to help senior over the past two years, said Mi. facilitate economic and social on studying the Constitution, citizens cross the digital divide, He added that such actions, development in the 14th Five- while the content of the Civil Xinhua reported on June 15.