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I am an associate professor at Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.Not too long ago,I read the story “A Young Chinese Explorer’s Ambition and Action”in the January issue ofChina Today.I was really touched by the story of Wen Xu and his scientific expeditions to the three poles of the Earth.It was also a wonderful idea to raise public awareness of climate action by launching the Below 2°C Initiative.I learned about how Wen and 20 Chinese young people had been to the dry and hot valley region along the Red River in Yunnan to investigate biodiversity and ecological restoration there.I am strongly supportive of their actions against global warming and participation in biodiversity protection.As most of us know,biodiversity really matters— it enriches and adds color to our lives,as well as provides vital services.I have been working in China for almost nine years,and I hope that my work with the Chinese team and collaborators across China and beyond can continue to use the best science available to serve China and make our findings known and available to all,securing a future for the amazing diversity on the planet.

Alice Catherine Hughes

U.K.

I am the deputy directorgeneral of the National Satellite Meteorological Center (NSMC)and a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).Over the past four years,I have participated in more than a dozen surveys and traveled to many places across China to fulfill my duties.All the proposals I made have been to address what the people truly care about.For that reason,the articles of the Special Report“People’s Representatives At Work” in the April issue ofChina Todayresonated with me.For example,25-year-old young lady Xu Ping,whose village was heavily damaged during the massive Wenchuan earthquake in 2008,has now grown into the youngest deputy in the Sichuan delegation to the National People’s Congress (NPC).She is a representative of the Chinese youth in the new era who are full of vitality,potential,and hope,and who are brave enough to shoulder up the responsibilities of our times.Another story which touched my heart was the experience of Konchog Chodron,the deputy magistrate of Lhunze County in Shannan City of Tibet.Her efforts in democratic consultation in Zari Township enabled the Tibetan people to voice their own opinions on issues ranging from trivial matters in daily life to the village’s overall development.All these examples rightly represent the Chinese form of democracy– the whole-process people’s democracy,which is,according to President Xi Jinping’s definition,to “safeguard social fairness and justice and resolve the imbalances and inadequacies in development and the most pressing difficulties and problems that are of great concern to the people.”

Zhang Xingying

China