CD Voice

社评：奥密克戎来袭，防控切勿大意｜New virus variant sounds alarm

There seems to be enough reason for people to be concerned about the new Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus. Scientists have found that it contains several mutations that could help it spread more easily and lead to more severe disease. And it is not yet known how effective the vaccines are against it. Scientists are still unclear whether existing antibodies would react well to Omicron, which has 32 spike protein mutations, more than previously found variants.

新型新冠变异毒株产生奥密克戎变种，社会须引起重视。科学家发现，奥密克戎变种携带病毒突变点较多，有几处突变可能对其传播能力和致病程度产生影响。目前，现有疫苗治疗该毒株变种的效果尚未明确，已有新冠抗体是否能有效抵抗该毒株变种亦不明朗。奥密克戎变种的刺突蛋白上已发现32个变异，高于此前发现的所有变种。

Cases of the new variant have been detected in an increasing number of countries and there have been reports of one imported infection in Hong Kong.

越来越多的国家已出现感染奥密克戎变种的病例，香港也已通报一例感染奥密克戎变体的境外输入确诊病例。

Omicron was first identified in South Africa, from which a growing number of countries are suspending flights. Bans on traveling to or from other South African countries have also been imposed by an increasing number of countries.

首例奥密克戎变种发现于南非。目前，越来越多的国家已经暂停南非航班，并发布旅行禁令，严禁本国与其他南非国家的旅行往来。

The worry is that this new variant will spread even more quickly than the Delta variant and cause more serious illness in those who get infected with it, adding to the graveness of the pandemic, which has already plunged an increasing number of European countries and the United States into chaos.

相比德尔塔变种，奥密克戎变种的传播速度或将更快，致病程度或将更重，导致疫情再度加剧。此类担忧已让许多欧洲国家以及美国陷入混乱。

But no matter whether the new variant is more transmissible and proves more deadly, it is high time that there was a truly united response to the pandemic as the fight against the virus is clearly a protracted world war.

不论奥密克戎变种是否更具传染性，是否更为致命，与新冠病毒的抗争只会是一场全球参与的持久战。各国应当拧成一股绳，合力抗击肆虐的疫情。

There is no telling whether the virus will further mutate or not and there is no telling when or if a medical solution can be found that is effective against any variants that may emerge.

目前，新冠病毒是否会再次产生变异还需研判，而何时能找到、甚至是否能找到一种万全的医疗方案，以应对可能产生的变异也未有定数。

To strictly observe control and prevention measures so as to cut the transmission channels for the virus has so far proven the most effective way.

严格遵守防控措施，切断病毒的传播途径，是迄今为止最有效的方法。

China's success in keeping the pandemic at bay by prompting its residents to abide by strict control and prevention measures all the time speaks volumes about this truth.

中国政府敦促居民始终遵循严格的防控措施，成功遏制疫情，这便是最有力的证明。

It is important for European countries and the US to bring home to their people the awareness that adoption of strict control and prevention measures is not a threat to personal freedom but a matter of life and death. Temporarily sacrificing some personal freedom is normal in wartime and is essential for the battle against the virus.

欧洲各国以及美国政府必须让民众意识到，眼下疫情肆虐，性命攸关，严加防控并非限制人身自由；相反，暂时牺牲部分人身自由，防止病毒传播，才是战胜疫情的必要条件。

The solidarity the international community badly needs to win the fight requires all countries to impose strict control and prevention measures.

国际社会亟需团结抗疫，所有国家严加防控，才能取得最终的胜利。

Had all countries done the same as China has, the pandemic would have been largely kept under control worldwide, which would have saved a lot more resources the world could have invested in responding to the pandemic.

如果各国都效仿中国，世界各地的疫情定能得以基本控制，大量本应投资于疫情响应的资源也不会付之流水。

But global solidarity in the fight against the virus is better late than never.

全球联手抗疫，仍为时不晚。

variant

英 [ˈveəriənt]；美[ˈveriənt]  

n. 变种；变体；变形

adj. 变异的；不一样的；易变的

spike protein

英 [spaɪk ˈprəʊtiːn]；美[spaɪk ˈproʊtiːn]  

刺突蛋白；棘突蛋白

observe

英 [əbˈzɜːv]；美[əbˈzɜːrv]  

v. 遵守；注意到；观察；评论

abide by

英 [əˈbaɪd baɪ]；美[əˈbaɪd baɪ]  

遵守，遵照（法规、协议、判决等）

11月22日公布的《2021美国门户开放报告》显示 2020至2021学年，美国大学新增国际学生数量比上一学年骤降46%，国际学生人数减少15%，中国大陆学生人数下降14.8%，但中国大陆仍然是美国国际学生的最大生源地。

The ranks of Chinese students at US colleges and universities plunged by nearly 15 percent last year, the biggest drop in a decade, education authorities said on Monday. And campuses have signaled they want to restore the numbers.

美国教育部门22日称，去年，美国大学和高校中的中国留学生人数大幅下跌近15%，创十年来最大跌幅。各大高校都在发出信号，希望这一数字能够回升。

All places of origin and regions saw declines in the number of students enrolled at US higher education institutions and online from abroad due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to The Open Doors 2021 Report on International Educational Exchange, released Monday.
11月22日公布的《2021美国门户开放报告》显示，受新冠疫情影响，全球各地区赴美就读和在国外上网课的美国高校留学生人数均有下降。

The global pandemic primarily affected international students studying at a US university for the first time, or new international students. That segment declined by 46 percent, according to the report, launched by the US Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Institute of International Education.
疫情主要影响美国大学新增国际学生数量。根据美国国务院教育与文化事务局和美国国际教育协会发布的报告，该类学生数量下降了46%。

China remained the top place of origin of all international students, contributing slightly more than one-third of the total 914,095 foreign students in the 2020-21 academic year. That overall number represented a decrease of 15 percent from the previous academic year, according to the annual report.
中国仍然是美国国际学生的最大生源地，在2020-21学年的914095名外国留学生中，中国留学生的比例略高于三分之一。根据这份年度报告，赴美留学总人数比上一学年减少了15%。

The second-largest place of origin is India, which had 18.3 percent of all international students in the US. Both Chinese and Indian groups declined this year by 14.8 percent and 13.2 percent, respectively.
美国的留学生第二大来源地是印度，占美国留学生总数的18.3%。今年，来自中国和印度的留学生人数分别下降了14.8%和13.2%。

As in previous years, slightly more than half of international students pursued a major in a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) field, and in all, foreign students represented 4.6 percent of all students in US higher education, the lowest mix since the 2014-15 academic year.
与前几年一样，略超过半数的留学生选择了科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）领域的专业，外国学生占美国高校学生总数的4.6%，为2014-15学年以来的最低比例。

While the COVID-19 pandemic was a primary factor affecting enrollment, the strained relationship between the US and China, the largest source of international students for the US, has made itself felt for some Chinese students who sought to enter the US recently.
虽然新冠疫情是影响留学生入学的主要因素，但作为美国最大的留学生来源地，中美之间的紧张关系让一些最近打算赴美留学的中国学生感到不安。

There have been "frequent incidents of unwarranted harassment and suppression" targeting Chinese students and visiting fellows to the US, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Nov 3.
中国外交部发言人汪文斌11月3日表示，针对中国赴美留学、访学人员的“无理滋扰打压事件频繁发生”。

Just the other day, a Chinese visiting scholar holding a valid visa issued by the US government was repatriated after being interrogated without cause upon entry, and about 30 Chinese students and visiting scholars have been subjected to the same "unjust" treatment by the US since August, Wang said at a daily news briefing.
汪文斌在例行记者会上表示，就在近日，一名持美政府签发的合法签证的中国访问学者又在入境时遭美方无理盘查后被遣返。今年8月以来有近30名中国赴美留学、访学人员遭受此类不公正待遇。

Wang noted that the US had "stretched" the concept of national security to "wantonly harass" Chinese students and scholars in an attempt to produce a "chilling effect" among Chinese personnel pursuing studies in the US.
汪文斌指出，美国大肆泛化国家安全概念，无理滋扰中国学生学者，试图在中国赴美留学人员当中制造寒蝉效应。

Asked to comment on how the tightened rules the Trump administration put in place on Chinese student visas were related to the "noticeable dip" in the number of Chinese students, Ethan Rosenzweig, deputy assistant secretary of state for academic programs, said "we can welcome students and protect our national security at the same time".
当被问及特朗普政府收紧中国学生签证的规定与中国学生人数“明显下降”有何关系时，负责学术项目的美国副助理国务卿伊桑·罗森茨威格表示，“美国可以在欢迎学生的同时，保护美国国家安全”。

"I'll stress that we've tripled the number of Chinese students here in the US over the last decade. And in the Biden administration with our joint statement, you can see that we are amplifying, that we welcome students to the United States here for their educational purposes," he said at a briefing on the release of the Open Doors report.
他在《美国门户开放报告》新闻发布会上表示：“我要强调的是，在过去十年中，中国赴美留学人数增加了两倍。在拜登政府和教育部的联合声明中，你可以看到我们正在扩大留学生人数，我们欢迎学生们到美国来接受教育。”

图源：新华社

The joint statement of principles in support of international education, co-signed by both the US state and education departments, said that international students are central to diplomacy, innovation, economic prosperity and national security, according to Rosenzweig.
罗森茨威格表示，美国国务院和教育部共同签署的支持国际教育的联合声明表明，国际学生对外交、创新、经济繁荣和国家安全至关重要。

International students contributed $39 billion to the US economy in 2020, of which $14.3 billion, or 36 percent, came from Chinese students, according to the US Department of Commerce.
根据美国商务部的数据，2020年，国际学生为美国经济贡献了390亿美元（约合人民币2491亿元），其中143亿美元（约合人民币914亿元）（36%）来自中国学生。

"So whether students from Guangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, Qingdao, they're welcome here along with everyone else in the Chinese community that wants to study here," Rosenzweig told China Daily.
罗森茨威格在接受《中国日报》采访时称：“因此，无论是来自广州、北京、上海、青岛的学生，我们都表示欢迎，就像我们欢迎其他所有希望在美国学习的华人群体一样。”

The US embassy and consulates in China had issued more than 85,000 student visas to applicants in the fiscal year 2021, an American official on consular affairs said at the online press briefing.
一位负责领事事务的美国官员在线上新闻发布会上表示，美国驻华大使馆和领事馆在2021财年发放了85000多份学生签证。

China remains a top country for US colleges and universities to prioritize for outreach and recruitment, noted Mirka Martel, Head of Research, Evaluation and Learning with the Institute of International Education.
美国国际教育协会研究、评估和学习负责人米尔卡·马特尔指出，中国仍然是美国高校优先考虑推广和招生的国家。

Slightly half of the surveyed 860 US higher education institutions, or 51 percent, are giving priority to target prospective international students in China, leveraging current international students, online recruitment events, and social media outreach, according to the survey.
调查显示，在接受调查的860所美国高等教育机构中，约有一半（51%）高校在利用现有国际学生、线上招生活动和社交媒体推广进行招生宣传时，优先考虑中国的潜在国际学生。

记者：赵焕新

Shanghai, Hangzhou Report New COVID Cases |上海新增3例本土确诊，张文宏发声

Shanghai reported three locally transmitted COVID-19 cases on Thursday, after nearly four months of no new local coronavirus infections in the city.

截至11月25日，上海市新增三例新冠肺炎本土确诊病例。此前四个月，上海均未出现新增本土病例。

The three infected people had traveled to neighboring Suzhou, Jiangsu province, in the past week, Shanghai's top health official said at a media briefing.

上海市首席卫生官员于媒体发布会上表示，这三名感染者在过去一周内曾前往与上海相邻的江苏省苏州市。

"So far, there has been no evidence to show whether the cases are related to other local infections in the country. The city's disease control professionals are racing against time to proceed with in-depth epidemiological investigations and origin tracing," said Wu Jinglei, director of the Shanghai Health Commission.

上海市卫健委主任邬惊雷表示，到目前为止，还没有证据表明上述病例是否与国内其他地区的感染病例存在关联。上海市疾控专业人士正在争分夺秒深入开展流行病学调查和溯源。

The three infected women are all friends. The first two traveled to Suzhou from Friday to Sunday, and the third joined them on the last day of the trip.

三名确诊患者均为女性，为朋友关系。其中两人从周五至周日前往苏州，第三人在行程的最后一天与二人会面。

All three have been transferred to a hospital designated for COVID-19 treatment and on Thursday were in stable and good condition, Wu said.

邬惊雷表示，目前三位患者都已转移到新冠肺炎定点医院接受治疗。周四，三位患者病情稳定，状态良好。

The first patient is a 34-year-old resident of Xiamen, Fujian province. She traveled from Xiamen to Beijing on Nov 12 and arrived in Shanghai on Nov 15 and stayed at a residential community in Pudong district.

病例一：女，34岁，福建厦门市居民，11月12日自厦门前往北京，15日自北京抵沪，并于浦东一居民区留宿。

The second woman, 32, lives in Pudong's town of Sanlin, and the third is a 31-year-old resident of Zhaoxiang, Qingpu district, who was located through contact tracing.

病例二：女，32岁，浦东新区三林镇居民。病例三：女，31岁，青浦区赵巷镇居民，由接触者追踪找到。

Shanghai Center for Disease Control workers have traced 27 close contacts of the three women in Shanghai, 103 secondary close contacts and more than 10,600 individuals related to the cases. As of 5 pm on Thursday, all nucleic acid tests from contacts had shown negative results.

上海市疾控中心工作人员已累计排查到该三名女性患者在沪密切接触者27人、在沪次密切接触者103人并筛查相关人员10,600余人。截至周四下午5点，所有接触者的核酸检测结果均为阴性。

The three residential communities where the infections were traced to have been designated as medium-level risk areas for COVID-19 and on Thursday were placed under closed-loop management, which restricts the movement of residents.

三位病患的居住区被定为中风险地区，于本周四开始实施封闭管理，限制居民活动。

Zhang Wenhong, director of the infectious diseases department at Huashan Hospital Affiliated with Fudan University, said unexpected waves of infections may become normal in winter.

复旦大学附属华山医院感染科主任张文宏表示，冬季突发的感染潮或成为常态。

"CDC workers have experience in getting the virus' spread under control in the shortest time possible, while having the least influence on residents' daily lives," said Zhang.

张文宏表示，中国疾病防控中心（CDC）工作人员有相关经验，能够在尽可能短的时间内控制病毒的传播，同时将对居民日常生活的影响降到最小。

"Our country is still sticking to the strategy of rapid response and precise prevention and control," he added.

张文宏补充道：“我们的策略不会改变——快速响应、精准防控。”

Meanwhile, Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, reported two new COVID-19 cases, local health authorities said on Thursday night.

与此同时，浙江省杭州市卫生局星期四晚上报本地新增新冠肺炎病例两例。

The two patients, surnamed Qu and Zhu, had traveled outside the city and returned to Hangzhou on Monday. They were later diagnosed as having asymptomatic COVID-19 and were sent to designated hospitals for treatment.

两名患者分别为瞿某和朱某。二人曾在外地旅行，并于周一返回杭州，后被诊断为无症状感染者，并被送往指定医院治疗。

One of the two works at Zhejiang University Museum of Art and Archaeology, which is on Zhejiang University's Zijingang Campus.

两名病例中，其中一位为浙江大学紫金港校区艺术与考古博物馆工作人员。

The museum and the campus were closed on Thursday afternoon, the university said.

浙江大学表示，博物馆和校园已于周四下午封闭。

Xuzhou, in Jiangsu, also reported an asymptomatic COVID-19 case on Thursday night, according to local authorities. That patient had eaten a meal on Saturday at a restaurant where the confirmed patients from Shanghai had eaten on the same day.

据当地政府称，江苏徐州周四晚上也上报一例新增无症状感染病例。该患者曾在周六于某家餐厅就餐，而数名来自上海的确诊患者也曾于当日在该餐厅就餐。

重点词汇：

epidemiological

英 [ˌɛpɪdiːmɪəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l]；美[ˌɛpədimiəˈlɑdʒɪkəl]  

adj. 流行病学的，流行病学方面的

residential

英 [ˌrezɪˈdenʃl]；美[ˌrezɪˈdenʃl]  

adj. 住宅的；适合居住的；需要在某地居住的；提供住宿的

nucleic

英 [njuːˈkleɪɪk]；美[nuˈkleɪɪk]  

adj. 核的；核酸

asymptomatic

英 [ˌeɪsɪmptəˈmætɪk]；美[ˌeɪsɪmptəˈmætɪk]  

adj. 无症状的

When Zhu Caiping, 73, was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment three years ago, she found that anxiety, depression and even looking down on herself became normal in her life.

三年前，73岁的朱彩萍被诊断为轻度认知障碍。深陷焦虑、抑郁甚至自卑情绪已是她的生活常态。

It was not until last year, after she participated in a reality show and became a restaurant server, that her situation began to improve dramatically.

去年，她参加了一场综艺，成为餐厅服务员，一切才开始明显好转。

The restaurant in Shanghai where she works is the Forget Me Not Cafe, a bricks-and-mortar spinoff of the reality show of the same name. The restaurant shares the reality show's goal of providing job opportunities for elderly people who have Alzheimer's disease or other cognitive impairments.

她在上海的“勿不了餐厅”工作。作为同名综艺衍生的实体店，该餐厅与其目标一致——为患有老年痴呆症或其他认知障碍的老年人提供就业机会。

The cafe has eight elderly employees with cognitive impairments who take turns working with other waiters to help customers.

现在，餐厅内有八名患有认知障碍的老年员工，轮流与其他服务员一同帮助顾客。

"I provide basic services for guests, such as pouring water, serving and taking orders. I can now remember all the dishes on the menu," said Zhu, who has come to the restaurant three times a week since February and works three hours a day.

朱彩萍说：“我只做些小事，比如倒倒水、点个餐、上个菜什么的。现在，菜单上的所有菜品我基本都能记住了。”2月份起，朱彩萍每周来这家餐厅三次，每次工作三个小时。

"The colleagues take good care of us. They never allow us to deliver hot dishes such as soups. The guests are also very tolerant of us, because sometimes we make mistakes," she added.

她补充说：“同事们对我们很好，太烫的汤菜也不让我们上。有时也犯点错，但客人们都很宽容。”

In addition to providing services, the elderly employees participate in welfare activities organized by volunteers, such as baking, dancing and learning English. Other elderly people with cognitive impairment are also invited to participate.

除了在餐厅帮帮忙之外，老年雇员还参加志愿者组织的福利活动，烘焙、跳舞和英语课之类的。这些活动里，也有其它被邀参加的有认知障碍的老年人。

"These activities are essential for me. They reactivate my brain," Zhu said. "What old people like us worry about most is that our brain stagnates due to being inactive."

朱彩萍表示：“搞搞这些活动对我很关键，可以锻炼我的大脑。像我们这样的老年人最担心的就是，大脑太长时间不用就转不动了。”

Because of memory loss, Zhu writes down all the information she wants to remember on sticky notes, such as the names of the volunteers and teacher as well as English words.

为了避免记忆流失，朱彩萍把她记不住的东西都写在便笺上，比如各位志愿者和老师的名字，还有英语单词。

"But I really became happy and confident because of being here," she said.

朱彩萍说：“不过我在这里确实更快乐、更自信了。”

Understanding the painful difficulty of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease, Zhu wants to help elderly people in a similar situation.

深知患认知障碍和阿尔茨海默病的痛苦，朱彩萍也希望帮助处于类似情况的老年人。

"There are many seniors with similar conditions who visit us accompanied by their families. I will pay special attention to them, because I used to have the same feelings as they do," Zhu said.

朱彩萍说：“有很多有类似情况的老年人会在他们的家人的陪同下拜访我们。我会特别关注他们，因为我过去和他们有着同样的感受。”

She recalled one customer in particular, a 58-year-old woman from Jiangsu province, whose husband brings her to the restaurant.

她特别回忆起一位顾客，一位来自江苏省的58岁妇女。她的丈夫带她来餐厅。

"When she came here for the first time, she barely said a word and was expressionless and indifferent. I told her that she must speak and communicate, and I left her homework every time with rewards," Zhu said.

朱彩萍说：“她第一次来这里时，一句话也不说，面无表情，无动于衷。我告诉她，她要说点什么，和大家交流交流。然后我会给她留下作业，完成以后便给她奖励。”

The woman has since come to the restaurant every Friday, and after several months, her condition has improved.

此后，这位奶奶每周五都会来餐厅。几个月后，她的病情有所好转。

"She started to comment that the food was 'delicious' and to talk to others. Moreover, she began to embrace me every time," Zhu said.

朱彩萍说：“她开始说吃的很不错，开始慢慢和其他人交谈。此外，她每次都来抱抱我。” 

"People with cognitive impairment actually refuse and fear to communicate with society, but this will aggravate their condition," she added. "Helping more people like us is the meaning of this restaurant and what I am eager to do most."

“有认知障碍的人会拒绝和害怕融入社会，这样反而会加重他们的病情。”她补充道：“这家餐厅的意义在于帮助更多像我们这样的人，这也是我最渴望做的事情。”

In addition to the job opportunities for the elderly, information about cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease is posted on a board outside the restaurant to help people recognize symptoms and seek treatment as soon as possible.

除了为老年人提供就业机会外，餐厅外的一块宣传板上还张贴了有关认知障碍和老年痴呆症的信息，帮助人们及时发现症状并尽快寻求治疗。

Zeng Rong, a co-founder of the restaurant, said the reality show Forget Me Not Cafe has had a great impact on elderly people with cognitive impairment. "I can see that the elderly participating in the show have obviously changed."

这家餐厅的联合创始人曾荣说，综艺《忘不了餐厅》对有认知障碍的老年人产生了巨大影响。“我可以看到，参加节目老年人都发生了明显的变化。”

As China faces an aging population, the increasing number of seniors with cognitive impairment has become a significant social issue.

中国人口渐趋老龄化，越来越多患认知障碍的老年人已成为一个不容忽视的社会问题。

According to the seventh National Census last year, 38.77 million people ages 60 and over in China have been diagnosed with cognitive impairment, including 9.83 million patients with Alzheimer's disease.

据去年第七次全国人口普查结果显示，3877万60岁及以上的中国人被诊断为认知障碍，其中包括983万名阿尔茨海默病患者。

With the deterioration of brain function, they may gradually lose memory and the ability to take care of themselves and might even see the loss of emotions.

因大脑功能不断退化，患者可能会逐渐丧失记忆、照顾自己的能力，甚至失去了感情。

"We should feel lucky that the whole of society is concerned about the seniors, especially for people like us. The neighborhood committee always checks on our situation and watches for other elderly people with symptoms," Zhu said.

朱彩萍说：“我们应该感到幸运，全社会都在关心老年人，特别是像我们这样患有认知障碍的老年人。居委会时刻关注我们的情况和其他有症状的老年人。”

Shanghai is also home to other eateries that provide help and support for vulnerable groups.

上海还有许多帮扶弱势群体的餐馆。

Last year, the cafe Hinchijou went viral after word spread that half its employees have disabilities, especially hearing impairment. Also known as the Bear Paw Cafe, it features a hole in a wall through which a furry bear paw serves coffee to customers and protects the employees.

去年，在传闻其一半员工身患残疾，特别是听力障碍后，熊掌咖啡馆迅速走红。这家咖啡馆的墙上有一个洞，毛茸茸的熊掌从这个洞里伸出来，给顾客递咖啡，同时也保护了员工。

In 2018, A-Coffee was established in the city, training people with autism to become professional baristas and waiters and providing them with opportunities for social interaction.

2018年，A-Coffee在上海开业，旨在培训自闭症患者成为专业咖啡师和服务员，为他们提供社交互动的机会。

"The popularity of these special cafes and restaurants shows that many people in the city pay attention to public welfare, which is the embodiment of Shanghai's soft power," said Lyu Xiaohui, who is on the standing committee of the Xuhui District Committee and is director of its publicity department.

徐汇区区委常委、宣传部部长吕晓辉表示，这些特色咖啡馆和餐厅的受欢迎程度表明上海很多人都重视公益事业，这是上海软实力的体现。

"We have good public welfare and volunteer organizations," Lyu added. "The government does a good job in planning and services, and residents are enthusiastic about participating. Together, these add to the warmth of our city."

吕晓辉补充道，上海有良好的公益志愿组织，政府在规划和服务方面做得很好，居民也积极参与；这些形成合力，温暖了上海市。

重点词汇：

diagnose

英 [ˈdaɪəɡnəʊz]；美[ˌdaɪəɡˈnoʊs]  

v. 诊断（疾病）；判断（问题的原因）

~ sb (as/with) (sth)

impairment

英 [ɪmˈpeəmənt]；美[ɪmˈpermənt]  

n.（身体或智力方面的）缺陷，障碍，损伤；某种缺陷

Alzheimer

英 [ˈæltsˌhaɪmə]；美[ˈælzˌhaɪmər]  

n. 阿尔茨海默氏病；阿兹海默氏症；老人痴呆症

stagnate

英 [stæɡˈneɪt]；美[ˈstæɡneɪt]  

vi. 停滞；不发展；不进步；因不流动而变得污浊

autism

英 [ˈɔːtɪzəm]；美[ˈɔːtɪzəm]  

n. 自闭症；孤独症

Stability is the new sexy: 'Singles in America' study reveals major shifts in dating from COVID-19︱研究：疫情之下单身人士更爱找成熟伴侣

The largest annual scientific study on single adults shows that COVID-19 has caused a dramatic shift in people's priorities when it comes to dating, sex and love. Faculty from the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University say some of the changes could last well beyond the pandemic.

本年度针对单身成年人规模最大的科学调研表明，受疫情影响，人们在约会、性和爱情中最看重的元素发生了显著变化。印第安纳大学金赛研究所的研究人员表示，某些变化可能在疫情结束之后仍会持续存在。

This is the 11th year for Match.com's "Singles in America" study, which Kinsey Institute executive director Justin Garcia and senior research fellow Helen Fisher contribute to as scientific advisers. The research includes a demographically representative sample of 5,000 single adults between the ages of 18 and 98.

今年是Match婚恋网进行“美国单身人士”研究的第11年，金赛研究所执行主任贾斯汀·加西亚和高级研究员海伦·费希尔作为科学顾问参与研究。该研究涵盖了具有代表性的五千名18岁至98岁的单身成年人。

Data from the 2021 study shows that 83% of singles want a partner who's emotionally mature. Only 78% want someone physically attractive, compared to 90% in 2020.

2021年的研究数据显示，83%的单身人士想要一个情感成熟的伴侣。只有78%的人希望找颜值高的人，而2020年这一比例为90%。

"Singles have grown up, and along with that they are looking for more stable partners," Fisher said. "The so-called bad boys and bad girls are out; emotional maturity is in."

费希尔说：“单身人士已经长大了，相应地，他们也在寻求更稳定的伴侣。所谓的坏男孩和坏女孩已经不受欢迎了；情感成熟的人才是最佳伴侣。”

That mindset change is also reflected in a drastic increase in those interested in marriage. The number of singles who want a partner desiring marriage jumped from 58% two years ago to 76% this year—and men and younger adults are leading in this pattern.

对婚姻感兴趣的人数剧增也反映出了这种心态的变化。想要结婚的单身人士数量从两年前的58%跃升到今年的76%，其中以男性和年轻人居多。

With that focus on stability, casual sex has become a lower priority for singles than in the past, with more focusing on emotional connection.

对稳定关系的需求增加，肆意风流对于单身人士没有以前那么重要了，他们更关注情感的维系。

"I don't think that's a temporary blip; I think it's a sea change," Garcia said.

加西亚表示：“我不认为这是一个暂时的变化；我认为这是一个巨大的转变。”

Garcia said he believes the pandemic changed the way people seek out partners long-term. The pandemic led one in four singles to turn to video dating as a way to get a "vibe check" before meeting a potential romantic partner in real life. The numbers are even higher for young singles, with nearly half of Gen Z and millennials going on a video date as a first step in the dating process.

加西亚说，他认为疫情改变了人们寻找长期伴侣的方式。这场大流行病导致四分之一的单身人士转向视频约会，在“奔现”之前先通过视频看看“来不来电”。年轻单身人士视频约会的比例更高，近半数的Z世代和千禧一代将视频约会作为约会过程的第一步。

Fisher said that while there tends to be a lot of focus on how technology can negatively impact relationships, the data shows that it can facilitate meaningful connections.

费希尔说，虽然很多人担心技术会对情感关系产生负面影响，但数据显示，技术也可以促进有意义的联系。

"When you go on a video chat, sex is off the table," she said. "You don't have to decide if you're going to kiss or not, and you don't have to decide how you're going to spend your money. So it's practical."

她说：“视频聊天时，你不必考虑上床这样的事，不用考虑要不要接吻，也不用担心如何开销。所以很实际。”

"Singles in America" also gauged attitudes on COVID-19 vaccination, finding that vaccination is a higher priority for singles than the rest of the US population. In addition to having a higher vaccination rate themselves compared to the overall population, 65% of singles want their partners to be vaccinated.

“美国的单身人士”研究还调查了受访者对接种新冠疫苗的态度，结果发现美国单身人士对疫苗接种的重视程度高于美国其他年龄人口。这部分人群不仅疫苗接种率高于整体人口，而且有65%的单身人士希望他们的伴侣也能接种疫苗。

demographic

英 [ˌdeməˈɡræfɪk]；美[ˌdeməˈɡræfɪk]  

adj. 人口统计学的；人口学的

n.人口统计数据；（某个年龄段的）人们，人群

demographically

adv. 人口统计的角度上；人口统计地

drastic

英 [ˈdræstɪk]；美[ˈdræstɪk]  

adj. 剧烈的；激烈的；严厉的

blip

英 [blɪp]；美[blɪp]  

n. 波动；暂时性变化；

vi. 发出哔哔声；发信号；（雷达等屏幕上）出现光点

facilitate

英 [fəˈsɪlɪteɪt]；美[fəˈsɪlɪteɪt]  

vt. 促进；促使；使便利

President Xi Jinping underlined the need to step up institutional reforms of the nation's scientific and technological sector on Wednesday, and also called for developing a unified national market system for electrical power.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the statement while presiding over a meeting of the Central Committee for Deepening Overall Reform on Wednesday. He is also the director of the committee.

The meeting adopted a series of key documents, including a three-year plan (2021-23) for reforms of the science and technology management system, and proposed measures to support the Zhongguancun National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone in Beijing to develop pilot reforms on higher-level independent scientific and technological innovation.

It also adopted a guideline on speeding up the development of a unified national market for electrical power.

During the meeting, Xi called for a critical battle against institutional barriers that affect scientific and technological innovation, and he urged efforts be made to focus on problems, overcome weaknesses and take targeted measures to set up a system that supports higher-level independent innovation and helps raise the nation's innovation capacity in the sector.

He also stressed support for the Zhongguancun National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone to leverage its resources and strengths to develop pilot reforms on independent scientific and technological innovation.

The meeting's participants highlighted the importance of intensifying the nation's strategic scientific and technological capabilities, establishing a highly efficient organizational system for the research of core technologies in key fields, building a mission-driven, task-oriented national lab system and laying out a plan for building basic science research centers.

While calling for improving the systems of fostering scientists and providing support and incentives to them, they underlined the role of enterprises in scientific and technological innovation.

Efforts should be made to strengthen synergies of the scientific and technological, industrial and financial sectors and accelerate the transfer and application of scientific and technological achievements, they added.

The participants also urged the Zhongguancun National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone to take more substantial measures in reforms of independent innovation and blaze a trail in solving difficult problems while accumulating experience in risk prevention and mitigation.

Regarding the nation's electrical power market, Xi stressed the need to optimize the allocation of electrical power resources across the country to develop an open, unified, secure and efficient national market system that supports orderly competition and contributes to good management.

Participants in the meeting pointed out that recent years have seen much progress in the development of the market for electrical power as the proportion of market-oriented transactions has risen sharply in terms of the nation's overall power supply.

They underscored the need to strengthen integrated development of the electrical power market across the country, form unified transaction rules and technical standards, and improve the system for the pricing of coal-fired electricity to allow the price of electrical power to fluctuate in line with coal prices.

They said that power supply in the public service sector should be guaranteed and that electricity prices should be comparatively stable for residential use and in the agricultural and public utility sectors.

During the meeting, Xi also urged the development of a system under which principals assume overall responsibility at middle and primary schools under the leadership of Party organizations.

In addition, he stressed the protection, use and inheritance of cultural relics and better presenting them to the world in order to expand China's cultural influence.

记者：曹德胜

高分综艺翻车？花132万改建农房被吐槽“毛坯房”，节目组回应

A popular TV show in China on home renovations featuring renowned designers recently came under fire on Chinese social media with netizens slamming the makeover of an earth house in a village as "the worst in history", as it flouted the original intention of the owner and left him with a bill of 1.3 million yuan ($203,700) for rebuilding the house. 

近日，火遍国内的家装改造综艺《梦想改造家》引发舆论争议。第八季的节目中一个农村土房的改造，因违背委托人初衷，花了130万元建的却是红砖毛坯房，引发无数吐槽，网友谑称“史上最差设计”。

The TV producer apologized on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo on Sunday and explained that the scenes aired were incomplete due to the epidemic flareup and low temperatures in the area. The project will continue next spring and the producer will split the cost with the house owner. 

11月21日，制片人在新浪微博发布情况声明，称受到西北地区的疫情影响，加之当地温度过低，“节目中呈现的事实上是一个尚未完成的作品”，并指出待明年开春将继续完善施工，施工成本由节目组和委托人分摊。

The questioned episode titled Rural Earth House in Gansu Reconstructed into Dreamy Idyllic Residence was aired on Friday. It featured Du Xingchang, a 68-year-old farmer in a village in Northwest China's Gansu province, who sent five of his children to the city but stayed in the village with his wife. 

备受舆论质疑的节目名为“甘肃农村土房重建后变梦幻田园居”，于11月19日播出。委托人杜兴昌已年近古稀。五位儿女纷纷长大入城，而他与妻子则选择留守农村老家。

"Maybe the kids are willing to come back after they retire if I remodel the house a bit nicer," Du said in the show's episode, adding that "a person cannot lose one's root." 

杜兴昌表示，要是老房子翻修得好些，孩子们退休后说不定也愿意退休回家住。还补充说，一个人不应丢根忘本。

The house was a typical rural courtyard in Northwest China built 40 years ago. The production of the show entrusted the renovation project to an architect surnamed Tao, graduate and current teacher at the Central Academy of Fine Arts.

节目中的老房子四十年前建成，是一座典型的西北风格围合式小院。负责这项改建设计的建筑师陶磊毕业于中央美术学院建筑学院，现于中央美术学院任教。

Tao expressed confidence in his design, saying that he also grew up in the countryside and knows the lifestyle of farmers.

陶磊对自己的设计充满信心。他表示自己也在农村长大，对农民的生活方式了如指掌。

However, Tao's work, which he introduced as a modern building formed simply from bricks and concrete, drew huge controversy among Chinese netizens who slammed the design as "artless, inconvenient, and most of all, overpriced."

不巧，陶磊此次的作品并不讨喜，在网上引发了巨大争议。网友们纷纷抨击他的设计“毫无情调、四面漏风就算了，竟还漫天要价”。

The total cost of the renovation, which will mainly be paid by the house owner, totaled about 1.3 million yuan, which is equivalent to the price of a villa with a courtyard in some cities, according to media. 

据报道，翻修改造费用的绝大部分由房主自费，总开支约为130万元，相当于某些省市带小院别墅的户型报价。

In addition, the project did not follow Du's original intention of rebuilding it into a two-story Western-style villa, which he had told the designer before the house makeover. 

此外，杜兴昌事先便已向设计师表明，希望将房子改建成二层洋房，而节目组却并未遵循。

Responding to the criticism, producers of the program aired on Shanghai-based Dragon TV said Sunday that the project hadn't been completed yet, and they would cover half of the construction costs along with the family. However, many social media users argued that the family should be spared any of the costs.

面对漫天的批评声，上海东方卫视《梦想改造家》制片方回应道，节目拍摄时改造还未完工，并表示将与委托人及其子女们各承担改造项目总花费的一半。也仍有不少网友认为，杜兴昌与家人不应承担任何费用。

On Sunday, Tao's design studio also responded to the controversy, saying that the design was fully and continuously discussed with the owner throughout the process, and that its considerations differ from pure interior designs as they are "looking at the issue of rural construction from a global and forward-looking perspective."

11月21日，北京TAOA工作室——陶磊建筑工作室回应称，设计施工的全程都与房主开展了充分持续的交流；此外，鉴于此次改造与纯室内设计不同，工作室是“从全球和前瞻的角度来看待农村建设问题”。

In his previous works, Tao has used raw materials such as concrete and wood without too many decorations to demonstrate the beauty of spatial structures through light and shadows. 

陶磊此前的作品使用了混凝土、木材一类建材，不经过分修饰，只通过光影变换来展示空间结构的美。

slam

英 [slæm]；美[slæm]  

v. 用力摔；抨击

makeover

英 [ˈmeɪkəʊvə(r)]；美[ˈmeɪkoʊvər]  

n. 翻修；改进，改善

flareup/flare-up

英[ˈflɛːrʌp]；美[ˈflɛːrʌp]

突然出现；突然发作；骤燃

equivalent

英 [ɪˈkwɪvələnt]；美[ɪˈkwɪvələnt]  

adj. 相等的；对等的；相同的

n. 等值；等量；对应词

Media buzzwords such as "loses steam" have frequently struck a public nerve worldwide recently in reference to rising commodity prices, disrupted supply chains, dwindling trade or shrinking job opportunities in a number of regions.

"If supply disruptions continue or inflation expectations become de-anchored, inflation may become more sticky," said Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund.

The IMF said in its latest "World Economic Outlook" report, released last month, that the momentum of global recovery has weakened and "uncertainty has increased".

In an effort to respond to such concerns, in speeches to the recent G20 Leaders' Summit and the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, for example, President Xi Jinping has spared no effort to elaborate on China's fresh Global Development Initiative, which he said is for countries big and small to join and work together against widespread sluggish growth.

▲ President Xi Jinping addresses the Group of 20 Leaders' Summit via video link from Beijing, on Oct 31, 2021. Photo/Xinhua

Under the initiative, which Xi unveiled in September, "staying committed to development as a priority" is listed first among the six aspects that countries should work for.

Xi has used the word "robust" when defining the goal of such concerted actions－pursuing "more robust, greener and more balanced global development".

Chen Fengying, a senior economist and former director of the Institute of World Economic Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said this is "because development is a premium benchmark for all countries, and the world haunted by the COVID-19 pandemic will be in deep trouble if global growth fails to gather steam in a robust way".

Last month, the IMF lowered its forecast for global economic growth this year and next year to 5.9 and 4.9 percent, respectively, citing "a downgrade" for advanced economies as well as low-income developing countries "largely due to worsening pandemic dynamics".

To make things worse, "the speed of job creation is generally lagging to compensate for the earlier employment losses, especially in developing economies" over the course of this year, despite the gradual rebound of the global economy, according to the "World Economic Situation and Prospects" report released this month by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Analysts said that Xi's detailed solution for prioritizing development, put forth at recent multilateral, global or domestic conferences, could be summarized as four pillars for global action.

The four pillars are coordinating for continued, consistent and sustainable macroeconomic policy; advancing and reforming a multilateral trade system; boosting infrastructure construction and connectivity; and stabilizing industrial and supply chains.

Ren Lin, head of the Department of Global Governance at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of World Economics and Politics, said, "The first two pillars－macro policy and trade system－help countries including China discuss what they can do to improve global economic governance."

The other two pillars－infrastructure and supply chain-"focus on China's future concrete actions that will motivate countries to follow", she said.

"We can't say any of these four pillars is less urgent or superior, because they all serve to answer how countries could set out to make initial breakthroughs toward recovery," she said. "They influence each other in a positive way when they function simultaneously to form a joint push to growth."

In a review of countries' recent macro policy, Chen, the senior economist, said that what worried her most is their lack of coordination－especially from some developed countries－in phasing out their own macroeconomic policies and stimulus packages that target the crisis triggered by the pandemic.

"Emerging markets and developing countries will suffer from remarkable capital outflow and devaluation of their currencies if the US Federal Reserve creates dollars at a speed beyond the world's expectation," Chen said of why Xi underscored policy coordination.

Global trade justice and order are also threatened as the World Trade Organization's role has been affected by protectionism and unilateralism in recent years.

Xi's call for advancing and reforming the multilateral trade system with the WTO at its core "is aimed at underlining what countries should do to deal with the risk of its coming to a grinding halt and dysfunction", said Ren, the CASS scholar.

Actions underway

Regarding this year's 20th anniversary of China's accession to the WTO, Wang Shouwen, vice-minister of commerce, told reporters on Oct 28 that the country has "fully fulfilled" its obligations under the WTO and the commitments it has made, which has been recognized by leading officials of the WTO and the vast majority of its members.

▲ The thematic exhibition commemorating the 20th anniversary of China's accession to WTO during the fourth CIIE in Shanghai on Nov 7, 2021. Photo by Zhu Xingxin/China Daily

Underscoring the role of infrastructure buildup in shoring up future global development, Xi, while addressing a symposium on Friday in Beijing that focused on the Belt and Road Initiative, called for continued promotion of the high-quality development of the BRI through joint efforts.

In addition, countries should "scale up support for developing transport infrastructure in the least developed countries and landlocked developing countries so as to achieve common prosperity", Xi told the opening ceremony of the second United Nations Global Sustainable Transport Conference on Oct 14.

Xie Feng, vice-minister of foreign affairs, told a forum on Nov 12 in Beijing that since 2013, the cumulative trade volume between China and its BRI partners has exceeded $9.2 trillion, and "the BRI has become the world's largest platform for international cooperation".

Chen Xulong, a professor of multilateral diplomacy and UN reform studies at the University of International Business and Economics' School of International Relations, said, "The BRI's philosophy and successful practice over the past eight years are conducive to advancing the Global Development Initiative, and the two visions will join hands, complement each other and form a great joint force pushing forward global cooperation on growth."

Jia Jinjing, deputy dean of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China in Beijing, said that in addition to improving infrastructure, the world needs to tackle an imminent supply chain crisis, as "products are out of stock in many places, and the prices of raw materials and bulk commodities are skyrocketing".

"Behind the crisis is that the institutions and mechanisms supporting the supply chain have failed to align with the changing world economy as the pandemic looms large," he added.

China proposes to hold an international forum on resilient and stable industrial and supply chains and it "welcomes the active participation of G20 members and relevant international organizations", President Xi announced while addressing the G20 summit in Rome via video link last month.

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters after the summit that this move "brings together a strong joint force to maintain the security and stability of the global industrial and supply chain".

Jia, the Renmin University of China scholar, said that although the specific plan for the forum has not yet been revealed, "it will help bring global attention to certain countries' moves that disrupt the global supply chain, such as forcing computer chip makers to hand over business secrets in the name of supply chain security".

记者：张陨璧

Joint Team! China-US Mixed Doubles Pairs Went Viral︱联合组队！“中美乒乓混双“登上热搜

Marking the 50th anniversary of Ping-Pong Diplomacy, top paddlers from China and the United States will pair up on two teams to compete at the mixed doubles competition this week at the 2021 World Table Tennis Championships Finals in Houston, Texas.

为纪念“乒乓外交”50周年，来自中美两国的顶级乒乓球运动员将跨国配对，出战本周在德克萨斯州休斯顿举行的2021年世乒赛决赛的混双比赛。

Chinese star Lin Gaoyuan will pair with Lily Zhang from the US, while American Kanak Jha will play with Wang Manyu, who won a team gold for China at the Tokyo Summer Olympics this year.

中国明星选手林高远将搭档美国选手张安，而美国选手卡纳克·贾阿将与今年在东京夏奥会上为中国斩获团体金牌的王曼昱搭档。

Liu Guoliang, World Table Tennis Council chair and president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association, believes the China-US pairs at the World Table Tennis Championships will usher in a new chapter of Ping-Pong Diplomacy between the two nations.

世界乒乓球职业大联盟理事会主席、中国乒协主席刘国梁认为，世乒赛上的中美跨国配对混双将开启两国“乒乓外交”的新篇章。

“We have been thinking about how we can build on the China-US friendship started by our predecessors 50 years ago, and further enhance this relationship through sports events, sports activities and community events,” said Liu.

刘国梁说：“我们一直在思考，‘乒乓外交’50年后的今天，我们如何在前辈夯实的中美友谊的基础上，再深一步地通过体育赛事、体育活动、民间活动来增进两国的友谊。”

“On this basis, the CTTA, alongside USA Table Tennis, proposed to the International Table Tennis Federation to have Chinese and American players paired up for the mixed doubles, so that these athletes can work together in the competition, and so that fans from both countries can cheer them on, opening a new chapter of Ping-Pong Diplomacy in this new era.”

“基于此，中国乒协联合美国乒协向国际乒联提出混双中美跨国配对的建议，让这几位原本就是朋友的运动员并肩上场，两个国家的球迷们共同为他们欢呼和呐喊，奏响新时期‘乒乓外交’新篇章，这也是我们最重要的目的。”

In April 1971, members of a US table tennis delegation visited China and played friendly matches. The trip paved the way for the reestablishment of Sino-US relations, which had been suspended for 22 years. Touted as one of the greatest diplomatic breakthroughs of that era, the event became known as Ping-Pong Diplomacy.

1971年4月，美国乒乓球代表团成员访问中国并开展友谊赛。此次访问为重建中断了22年的中美关系铺平了道路。该活动被誉为那个时代最伟大的外交突破之一，史称“乒乓外交”。

“Fifty years ago, a small exchange between players from the Chinese Table Tennis Association and USA Table Tennis has proved to be a moment of lasting significance,” said Virginia Sung, chief executive officer of USA Table Tennis.

美国乒协首席执行官沈伟妮表示：“50年前，中国乒协和美国乒协球员之间的一次小小交流，已成为一个具有深远意义的时刻。”

“As it did so many years ago, sports are once again showing us the power of unity, and ping-pong is once again changing the course of history.”

“正如多年前一样，体育再次向我们展示了团结的力量，乒乓球再次改变了历史的进程。”

Monday’s announcement instantly became a trending topic on Chinese social media, while the hashtag “Chinese and American players form pairs at World Table Tennis Championships” had been viewed over 60 million times on Weibo by Monday afternoon.

周一该消息一经宣布，立即成为中国社交媒体上的热门话题。截止至周一下午，#中美选手将跨国配对出战混双比赛#的标签在微博上的浏览量已超过6000万次。

Expectations are high for the two China-US pairs at the World Table Tennis Championships Finals.

对于世乒赛决赛中的两对中美选手，大家期望甚高。

“I’m really happy to be partnering with Lily Zhang for the mixed doubles event. She’s the top table tennis player in the US. I’m not China’s top player yet, but our goal is to come out on top for this event,” said Lin, who currently ranks as the world’s No 7 table tennis player.

目前排名世界第七的林高远表示：“很高兴能够与张安配对参加世乒赛的混双比赛。张安是美国最顶尖的乒乓球运动员。虽然我还不是中国最顶尖的乒乓球运动员，但我们的目标是在这次比赛中争第一。”

“The biggest advantage about pairing with her is that she speaks Mandarin. I hope we can get into the groove soon, develop good chemistry and work hard toward a great performance. And I hope fans from both China and the US will cheer on the China-US mixed doubles pairs.”

“我们配合最大的优势是她也会说中文，希望我们能够迅速进入状态，配合默契，通过努力取得好的成绩。希望两支球队的球迷们都能为我们这两对混双组合加油。”

重点词汇：

Ping-Pong Diplomacy

英[pɪŋ pɒŋ dɪˈpləʊməsi]；美[pɪŋ pɑːŋ dɪˈploʊməsi]

乒乓外交

paddler

美['pædlɚ]；英['pædlɚ]

n.桨手；乒乓球运动员

tout

英[taʊt]；美[taʊt]  

v.吹牛；推销；（尤指在剧院、体育场等外）倒卖高价票，卖黑市票

n.（音乐会、体育比赛等的）卖高价票的人，票贩子

get into the groove

英[ɡetˈɪntə ðə ɡruːv]；美[ɡetˈɪntə ðə ɡruːv]  

心情舒畅；处于最佳精神状态；精神焕发

develop good chemistry

英[dɪˈveləp ɡʊd ˈkemɪstri]；美[dɪˈveləp ɡʊd ˈkemɪstri]

配合默契

President Xi Jinping and leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations jointly mapped out a new vision for future cooperation on Monday, as the two sides elevated bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

At a virtual summit commemorating the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relations, Xi announced a number of measures to further bilateral ties, pledging to offer another 150 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the bloc, as well as $1.5 billion in development aid over the next three years.

▲ President Xi Jinping chairs the ASEAN-China Special Summit to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations via video link in Beijing, on Nov 22, 2021. Photo/Xinhua

During his first group meeting with leaders from the 10-member bloc, Xi reiterated that China will unswervingly regard ASEAN as a high priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, support the bloc's unity and community building, its centrality in the regional architecture and it playing a bigger role in regional and international affairs.

He said the elevation of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, a new milestone in bilateral relations, will inject fresh impetus into regional and global peace, stability, prosperity and growth.

The president summed up the experience from bilateral relations over the past 30 years in four respects, saying that the gains from bilateral cooperation can be attributed to geographical proximity, cultural affinity and, more importantly, the fact that both sides have embraced the development trend of the times and "made the right historical choice".

ASEAN became China's largest trading partner in 2020, and bilateral trade continued to maintain strong growth momentum this year, with bilateral trade reaching 4.08 trillion yuan ($639 billion) in the first three quarters, up 21.1 percent.

The president made a five-point proposal for China-ASEAN relations to go forward, highlighting the need for the two sides to jointly build a peaceful, safe, secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home together.

"We need to pursue dialogue instead of confrontation, build partnerships instead of alliances, and make concerted efforts to address the various negative factors that might threaten or undermine peace," he said.

He went on to say that China will never seek hegemony, still less bully smaller countries, and the nation supports ASEAN's efforts to build a nuclear weapon-free zone.

He unveiled a China-ASEAN health shield initiative, which, in addition to vaccine donations, includes an additional $5 million donation to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund, joint vaccine production and technology transfer and helping the bloc build a primary-level public health system and talent training.

He reiterated the importance of safeguarding stability in the South China Sea and making it a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation.

The nation is ready to import more quality products from ASEAN, including buying up to $150 billion worth of agricultural products from ASEAN in the next five years, he said, adding that cooperation between the Belt and Road Initiative and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific should be stepped up.

China will provide 1,000 items of advanced and applicable technology to ASEAN and launch a program for 300 young scientists from ASEAN to come to China for exchanges in the next five years, he said.

Xi stressed the need to actively consider the resumption of international travel in the post-pandemic period, saying that China will enhance cooperation with ASEAN in vocational education and mutual recognition of diplomas and increase the number of recipients of the China-ASEAN Young Leaders Scholarship.

The two sides also issued a joint statement after the summit, which reaffirmed bilateral cooperation in areas including politics, the economy, society, culture and regional and international affairs.

Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Jianghao said the summit between Xi and ASEAN leaders opened a new chapter for the growth of bilateral relations.

The ASEAN leaders expressed their readiness to work with China to develop a meaningful, substantive and mutually beneficial comprehensive strategic partnership, he said.

记者：徐伟