NEW AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN

Kong Xuanyou， former Vice Foreign Minister and special representative of the Chinese Government on Korean Peninsula affairs， took up his new post as Chinas ambassador to Japan on May 30.

The 59-year-old diplomat was born in northeast Chinas Heilongjiang Province. During his 34-year diplomatic career， he has largely dealt with issues related to Japan as a fl uent Japanese speaker and held senior positions in the Chinese Embassy in Japan since the 1980s.

Kong was Chinas ambassador to Viet Nam from 2011 to 2014.

Appointed vice foreign minister in 2017， he was in charge of Asia， boundary and maritime affairs， treaties and laws， and consular services at the ministry.

The diplomat succeeds Cheng Yonghua， who was the ambassador to Japan for nine years.

Technological Challenges

Peoples Daily May 27

Emerging technologies such as genetic technology， 3D printing， artificial intelligence， big data and nanotechnology can bring great convenience to humans while also posing great risks and challenges. As people enjoy the benefits created by technologies， they need to remain prudent and effectively cope with ethical challenges from emerging technologies.

Since these challenges are still complicated and unpredictable， utilization of the technologies is still surrounded by great uncertainties. For example， synthetic biotechnologies can produce new energies and disposable plastic which can address the problems that plague many countries. Meanwhile， the technologies can also be used to create viruses.

Moreover， incorrect statistics produced by big data may lead to ethical problems. To fend off these ethical risks， it is necessary for related departments to provide appropriate guidance and issue effective policies. For new technologies， a focus needs to be placed on both profitability and ethical practicality， since some people may violate ethical rules deliberately for personal gain.

Therefore， ethical professionals should develop regulations to cope with this problem. Efforts are also needed in combining self-examination of scientific researchers and communities with regulation and supervision of relevant authorities to effectively address ethical challenges in scientifi c research.

Great Transformation

Outlook Weekly May 27

Located in northeast China， Heilongjiang Province has experienced dramatic changes in the past three years. Since President Xi Jinping highlighted the urgency for the province to revitalize its economy， it has been focusing on economic restructuring by upgrading traditional heavy industries， tapping into the potential of its advantageous industries and developing innovation-oriented industries.

The province has pushed ahead with reform of state-owned enterprises to inject new impetus into traditional industries， promoted the utilization of modern technologies and supported newly emerged industries. As a major grain growing base in China， it has turned to modern agriculture to improve its competitiveness and enhance farmersincome.

The province has attached great importance to poverty alleviation through improving local educational， medical and social security systems.

Local governments at all levels have streamlined administration and delegated power to provide better services.

To give fuller play to its traditional edge in manufacturing， the province has shifted toward smart manufacturing industries. As the local business environ-ment sees steady improvement， it has concentrated on boosting the private sector and addressing fi nancing diffi culties for small and micro enterprises.

Apart from developing the economy， Heilongjiang has made great efforts to protect the local natural environment， especially forest resources. It has gradually phased out energy-consuming and polluting industries and shifted toward green industries such as winter tourism.

Heilongjiang still has much room of growth. To this end， steady efforts are needed for the province to achieve highquality development.

Young Idol Criticized

Qianjiang Evening News May 27

Wang Yuan， an 18-year-old member of Chinas popular teen band TFBoys， was caught smoking in a restaurant， leading to public criticism that he has ruined his “good boy”image.

Although it is understandable for Wang to smoke as an adult， he needs to be responsible for his behavior in public. Actually， the public criticism was mainly generated by his violation of the regulation that forbade smoking in public places， not his celebrity or smoking itself.

As a young idol， Wang has great infl uence among Chinese teenagers. The wrongdoing has led to criticism and administrative punishment， but it has the capacity to greatly mislead the public， especially the young.

Wang may be too eager to become an adult and may view smoking as a symbol of maturity. Still， his behavior is undoubtedly a heavy blow to his image and his fans. Wang has to face the loss of fans and public criticism and has resorted to apologies. Viewed from this perspective， Wang has not yet truly matured.

SCIENCE AWARD WINNER

Ma Yuting， Director of immunology research at the Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine under the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences， received the China Young Women in Science Fellowship Award in Beijing on April 29， along with nine other scientists， becoming the youngest recipient of the award.

The 35-year-old Ma studied biotechnology at the College of Life Science and Technology of Huazhong University of Science and Technology from 2001 to 2004. She was invited by French immunologist Laurence Zitvogel to do her doctorate at the Universite Paris-Sud 11 in Paris in 2007. Ma received her doctorate from the University of Science and Technology of China in 2011. She set up her own laboratory at the Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine in 2015， building up a team from an initial staff of three to more than a dozen researchers and students.

Ma and her research team made major fi ndings， such as how the immune system responds during anti-cancer therapy. In other words， they are looking for “new weapons” to enable the immune system to fi ght the tumor.

“Technology， especially information technology， is shortening the distance between nations and civilizations， allowing them to have interactions at an unprecedented level.”

Liu Cixin， Chinas leading sci-fi writer， on the sidelines of the two-day Another Planet Science Fiction Convention held in Beijing on May 25-26

“Chinas contribution to the global creative economy is important and has driven more than a decades worth of growth in creative industries and services.”

Marisa Henderson， creative economy head of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development （UNCTAD）， commenting on May 29 on a UNCTAD report on the creative economy

“Chinese authorities have not used the exchange rate in prior easing cycles to support growth， and they are unlikely to do so now， as this could pose a macroeconomic stability risk.”

Andrew Fennell， lead sovereign analyst for China at Fitch Ratings， in response to the U.S. Treasurys announcement on May 29 that it could not label China as a currency manipulator

"There is great potential in such new areas as digitalization， new-energy vehicles， artificial intelligence and autonomous driving. Innovation has become the engine of Sino-German cooperation."

Chinese Ambassador to Germany Wu Ken， in a recent interview that China and Germany will cooperate in depth in various fi elds