Category Archives: Chinese circle

Chinese circle, Exchange, Indepth, Opinion

Swedish Influence in China

Leave a comment

                   By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

Beijing, Oct.14(Greenpost)—When I was in Sweden, I always missed home China and tried to find Chinese footprint in Sweden, for example, the Chinese Palace in Drottningholm or the Gothenburg Boat in Gothenburg and if you visit the Gothenburg Museum, you even can see the trading paintings in the Qing Dynasty, marking the long history of trade between Sweden and China.

Now I am in China and I begin to think of Sweden and like to see the Swedish footprint in China. While in Beijing, you can’t help thinking of Sanlitun, a must-visit place for foreigners in Beijing. But now it has changed a lot. It is more modern with the constructions and buildings, but fewer people. Taiguli seemed to be a landmark building while Swedish brand H.M is just beside it not far away. I remember I also saw H.M in Xinjiang and Arla production line was there too. China now also has thousands of thousands of people who have problems that they could not eat flour and they have to eat the Chiazi or Linfro which reminds me of my daughter’s breakfast habit to have a smoothie with all kinds of seeds in it.

Oh, we not only live similar, but also sick similar! Thousands of thousands of people, especially young people take it as a hobby to have some starbucks or other coffee. When I was wandering in the new districts in Wanda Square, a famous brand in China, I saw starbucks and many other foreign names, operating prosperously there in Jinzhou city. In China if you buy clothes, you seldom find Chinese names, almost all the clothes have a foreign name, true or not, it sounds very foreign.

Volvo cars, Mercedes Benz, BMW, Honda, Toyota, Volksvagen, you name it, almost all the foreign brands are in China and new cars are full of streets and roads. Electric motorcycle replaced precious brandname of the kingdom of bikes except in Beijing and Hainan you still can use your mobilephone to scan the code and got a bike to ride. Private bikes have almost disappeared.

From outside, you even see a lot of western style buildings which are newly built. In Chaoyang District in Beijing, you have many buildings which looked like Gothe style, Holland village, Nordic Towns, Greenvillage, Hammarbysjostad-inspired Xiong’an and Zhangjiakou, Caofeidian are everywhere. Nowadays even the European especially the Nordic simple style has swept in the newly bought apartments in domestic decoration. I saw many kitchens almost the same as my own kitchen in Stockholm. The only difference in Jinzhou is that all the cooking device have been moved to the balcony and all the food should be cooked in balcony. Who comes out with this idea? But the other arrangements are very similar to the western style, Danmark or Sweden? Mine was Danmark.

Even the street art also reflects the similarity in our thinking. I don’t say that there are two Swedish art work in Yuquan Park in Western Beijing, even in Shuangjing area in eastern Beijing, I see a street art that was made on the wall similar to that street band in Malmo in Sweden. The figures even wear blue and yellow clothes with instruments in their hands. This is how Chinese think of Sweden I guess.

This also reminded me of the Chinese Palace in Drottningholm. Inside that building you see all the art decoration seem to be Chinese, you have ancient poet standing on a boat in a river and some characters look like Chinese but you can’t read it out at all. This symbolized how ancient Swedish artists or builders thought of China.

True we are in different world, we are different countries, but if you think Ericssion has come to Shanghai more than 100 years ago, Swedish prince was in Nanjing in 1926 and bought a lot of Chinese antiques later donated to Far East Asian Museum in Stockholm, a solid evidence of the exchange between Sweden and China.

Sometimes I visit you more often and you visit me less, sometimes you visit me less and I visit you more. Sometimes maybe this generation visited you more and next generation visited less. History showed that the exchange was not well balanced, but in general even with a gap of time and space, I can see the fact that we can’t stop exchange and mutual visits.

What I mentioned today is just a small sign of mutual exchange and cooperation, if you read the Chinese Ambassador Cui Aimin’s article in his embassy website, you will know even more detailed deepened cooperation between the two sides.  (More stories to be continued)

                 China and Sweden who copies who?

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

Beijing, Oct. 14(Greenpost) – All advanced human civilization achievements can be learned and spread. When I was in Sweden, I went to Ikea to buy furniture. Then I saw the six small spoons which have different sizes. I was amazed and felt happy and surprised how Swedish people were so clever to give such a good measurement in the kitchen.

Then one day I went to the Far Eastern Museum in Stockholm, on the second floor they had a wonderful exhibition of Chinese antiques dating back to Xia and Shang Dynasty. The exhibition was well deployed with time schedule of Xia, Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han,，，Tang，Song, Yuan, Ming,Qing sequence. When you come to the Qin Dynasty，except Terra Cotta, you will see a bronze measurement instrument of six small spoons with different sizes. Oh, whose idea came first? Who copied who?

I was also surprised that in China we cannot see this and a lot of the antiques especially in the Xia and Shang dynasties, we can’t see them in China. We have forgotten our ancestors glorious culture and art. When we went to Great Britain Museum, American Museum, Museum in Switzerland and Gothenburg Museum, we saw a prosperous and rich China in many ways. The poverty in the 1950s, 60s and 70s has brainwashed the Chinese about what is a rich life. But people were more spiritual and people felt more equal because most of the people were poor.

When China became opening up, a lot of people went abroad, especially the elite Chinese went abroad despite of all kinds of difficulties because the gap between the west and China was too big.

I have interviewed a famous singer who said he could earn 1000 dollars by washing dishes a month with spare time while in China the formal permanent job would only earn him 20 dollars. With such a gap, people think there are gold in western countries. But now such gap has substantially narrowed down.

Judging from those second hand apartment, you can see how rich some newly-riched Chinese have become. 20 year old 150 or 174 square meters apartment, they don’t want it any more. They want to have new apartments. They want to have lift and live in a cleaner area with better environment and better maintainence in the area where it is almost like a garden.

Meanwhile, the old town is still the same as 20 years ago, not much change.

The young generation enjoy the more resources, but less time for eating and sleeping. Sometimes it can be too much food, sometimes it can be just western fast food. In the past, most Chinese were slim and even in their body. Nowadays we also have a lot of overweight, obesity children. Distorted resting time cause various health problems. The young generation has more eye-sight and teeth problems. Thus to plant tooth is a very popular business now.

While western countries see China as a “threat“， I just wonder how China can threat the west. Isn’t it you who made a Frankistan Giant? Or is it you dislike another country which is more like you? How have you threaten China with your culture? How much Chinese culture has been wiped out? When thinking of these questions we have to think that the global village made us interdependent and influence each other so much. Some people are nolstalgic and didn’t want to accept this globalization trend they started themselves. Sorry the trend is difficult to stop once the global machine or mechanism started.

Since China has learned from the western countries, in fact, both good and bad are included. Many problems western countries have experienced China is experiencing. One obvious problem is the substantial reduction of the population. Many schools in the countryside have to be closed and many hospitals have been replaced by barefoot kind of doctors and drug stores.

Urbanization is still going on in China. Young people move to the city while their parents still live in the countryside where there are only elderly people. While big cities absorbed all the migrant workers, their parents remain to live in small cities. Thus it is easier to see more older people in third level cities such as my hometown Jinzhou.

Why are you afraid of China and think China as a threat? Ten years ago when I accompanied a delegation from South China to visit elderly home and small businesses, the leader with the delegation said thanks for your invitation because Today’s Sweden will be tomorrow’s China. In other words, today’s China is western countries yesterday. People are getting old. Senior citizen accounts for more than 20 percent of the population while the younger generation didn’t want to work as hard as the older generation. They relied on their parents more. Why do we have such a trend? Industrialization trend. When all the infrastructure has been improved, other development potential needs to be tapped. What is the future? Mankind must find a better way to go on. Do not live in a bad cycle of dynasties.

                      Is United Front a “threat”?

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

Beijing, Oct. 14 (Greenpost) – On Oct.1, TV 4 in Sweden published a news about China in KALLA FAKTA which seemed to have found a big secret about China. That is the United Front Work Department and its relations with overseas Chinese.

Last night I couldn’t sleep, I began to read in English about what is United Front. The study about United Front started in Canterbury University in New Zealand in 2017 and then Australian thinktank continued to publish articles and papers to explain the United Front’s role in the Communist Party of China.

When I read TV4 article, I see the language is like this, whenever they mentioned China, they will mention like China dictatorship as Chinese authorities. I just wonder if China is a dictatorship, why do they have other eight parties and many social organizations and people’s communities, trade union and workers federations and friendship federations for overseas Chinese and many others?

In the articles, it explained that United Fronts is an organization to make friends with overseas Chinese and many others. In other words, I think it shows the Communist Party is not a dictatorship, but rather democratic because they would absorb all the people’s opinions and suggestions for the benefit of all the people in society in their ruling.

It sounds like a secret for many westerners because they have never seriously studied about Communist Party of China. They thought it was the same as the former Soviet or other socialist country. But the fact is CPC is really special. It is the world’s largest party which has nearly 100 million members. Almost among every 13 people, there is one party member. And this party member must abide by the party’s charter and really serve the people. He or she must be very healthy, capable in leading the people for a better life. CPC is a ruling party, but it must serve the people. For example, to get rid of extreme poverty. Now with the overwhelming amount of real estate, you can see it is easy to meet people’s demand. China is not a shortage economy any more. The supply is larger than the demand. The main problem is how to distribute the wealth.

China is dealing with this problem now. For example, if a person got cancer, he or she would have minimium cost in treatment at hospital. This is a good welfare system.

Elderly care is very well in cities. For example the senior citizen who is above 60, there will be no need to pay bus or park fees. It is free for them.

Chinese culture is to pay attention to family relations. And this family can be inside China and can be international. China likes to keep good relations with overseas Chinese. This was a great improvement in China. During the 1960 and 1970s even 1980s, we dare not say that we have overseas relatives. Why? Because then the overseas relative would be treated as a traitor or enemy. But now people feel proud to have an overseas relative because we think western countries living standards are quite high and advanced. We have to learn from them.

About 10 years ago, Sweden was also open to teach the Chinese how to live a better life. The visitors not necessarily bought a lot of gifts but learn more ideas and implemented in reality. Now I find that many ideas were really realized in reality. A lot of new parks and lakes with clean water and green grass have been built. The environment has substantially improved. Now we begin to appreciate the blue sky when we took it for granted in the 1980s and even before that time. It is true that United Front means to unite all the friends and try to make friends with all the people who love peace and development. But what is wrong with it? Even God said those who have self-discipline will have no problem. Learning from each other and make common progress is not a problem.

China, Chinese circle, Exchange, Green-tech, Indepth

Ambassador Gui: Reformer, öppnande och tolerans mot omvärlden främjar en framgångsrik utveckling i Kina

Leave a comment

Stockholm, Sept. 28 (Greenpost) — Den 27 september höll Kinesiska ambassaden Kinesiska Nationella Dag firande på webben. Kinesiska ambassadör Gui Congyou berättade för kinesiska representativ om kinas utveckling läget och varför kina kan utveckla så snabbt.

Han sa at den 1 oktober 1949 grundades Folkrepubliken Kina och det kinesiska folket har sedan stått upp och blivit herrar i sitt eget land, och Kina har utvecklats i en ny riktning. Detta avslutade gamla kinas historien som invaderas och plundras av västmakter i mer än 100 år i modern tid och störtade förtrycket av ”de tre bergen” av imperialism, feodalism och byråkratisk kapitalism. 

Under de 71 åren sedan Nya Kina grundades, och särskilt under de senaste 40 åren av reformer och öppningar mot omvärlden, har Kina uppnått en snabb ekonomiska utveckling och utveckling på olika perspektiv.

                                 Mänskliga Rättigheter

Mänskliga rättigheter har utvecklats mycket i Kina under den här perioden och det kunde vara bästa tiden om det bedömas utifrån Kinas långa historia. Under mer än 5000 år har det varit drömmar från generationer av kineser att förverkliga ett välmående samhälle utan bekymmer om mat och kläder och att skapa ett ”gemmansam” samhälle där grundarnas rättigheter och värdighet respekteras och skyddas fullt ut. Nya Kina förvandlade denna dröm till verklighet.  I slutet av året ska vi helt utrota absolut fattigdom i Kina. Vi kommer då ha världens största socialförsäkrings-, sjukförsäkrings- och obligatoriska utbildningssystem. Folkets rättigheter att delta i statlig och social styrning är fullt garanterade. Nya Kina har lagstadgat jämställdhet mellan kvinnor och män i konstitutionen, och arbetat målmedvetet med jämställdhet, och aktivt stärkt kvinnors rättigheter. För närvarande är andelen kvinnliga sysselsatta i hela samhället 43,7%. Vi följer jämlikheten mellan alla etniska grupper och genomför politik för etnisk regional autonomi. Etniska minoriteters rättigheter att få utbildning, använda och utveckla sitt modersmål och både talade och skrivna språk samt upprätthålla sina egna kulturella traditioner och religiösa övertygelser respekteras och garanteras. I 53 av de 55 etniska minoriteterna dominerar egna språk. Det finns mer än 1700 platser för tibetansk buddhismaktivitet i Tibet Autonoma Regionen, med mer än 46 000 munkar och nunnor som bor i kloster. Det finns mer än 24 000 moskéer i Xinjiang Uyghur Autonoma Regionen, och i genomsnitt äger 530 muslimer en moské, vilket är mer än många muslimska länder.

                            Ekologisk civilisation och Klimatförändringar

Tanken att skapa en ekologisk civilisationen har blivit en grundläggande nationell politik för Kinas utveckling. Idag har andelen kol av Kinas totala energiförbrukning minskat från cirka 70% till 59%, och andelen ultra-låg utsläpp av termisk kraft nått mer än 80%. Under de senaste 20 åren har Kina ökat andelen av gräs, skog och jordbruksmark, som tidigare var öken. Liknande arbete görs runt om i världen och Kinas andel är 25 % av denna nya ”gröna” mark och Kina är ledande i denna verksamhet.  

Kina utvecklar kraftigt gröna transporter. Produktions- och försäljningsvolymen för el- och hybrid-bilar har rankats som först i världen i många år, med en kumulativ summa av 1,8 miljoner fordon, och står för mer än 50% av världens bilar av denna typ. Ett snabb­tåg­järnvägsnät som täcker hela landet är en grundbult.  Delade cyklar är populära över hela landet och är en annan viktig aspekt. Som det största utvecklingslandet har Kina implementerat en nationell strategi för att aktivt reagera på världens klimatförändringar, slutfört klimatåtgärdens mål 2020 före schemat och gjort stora bidrag till det globala svaret på världens klimatförändringar.

                        Kampen mot Covid 19 epidemin

Kina är en aktiv deltagare och en viktig bidragsgivare till det globala samarbetet i kampen mot epidemin. Inför det plötsliga utbrottet av Covid 19 i början av detta år insisterade det kinesiska partiet och regeringen på att folks liv är högsta prioritet och startade snabbt folkets aktion för förebyggande och kontroll av epidemien och med tanke även på framtida epidemier.                       

Landets 1.4 miljarder människor har jobbat tillsammans för att inledningsvis begränsa epidemins spridning på ungefär en månad, kontrollera de dagliga nya fallen i lokalområdet på två månader och få ner spridningen radikalt, och få avgörande resultatet i Wuhan och Hubei provins om tre månader. Det var bra för den nationella kampen mot epidemin i Kina.  

Samtidigt fullgör Kina aktivt sina internationella ansvar, rapporterar proaktivt epidemi-informationen till Världshälsoorganisationen och relevanta länder och regionala organisationer så snart som möjligt, släpper den nya koronavirusgensekvens så snart som möjligt och släpper diagnos och behandlingsplan samt plan för förebyggande och kontroll så snart som möjligt. 

Kina delade information om förebyggande, kontroll och behandlingserfarenhet med omvärlden. Kina förespråkar aktivt upprättandet av ett samhälle för människors hälsa, skickade expertgrupper till 32 länder, tillhandahöll 283 gånger anti-epidemihjälp material till 150 länder och fyra internationella organisationer och intensifierade exporten av stora mängder anti-epidemiskt material.  

Som världens största leverantör av anti-epidemiförbrukning hade Kina i början av september exporterat 151,5 miljarder masker, 1,4 miljarder skyddskläder, 230 miljoner skyddsglasögon och 470 miljoner testpaket. Kina kommer också att fortsätta att främja en rad internationella samarbetsåtgärder för förebyggande och kontroll av epidemier, inklusive att göra vacciner till en global offentlig produkt efter det att de nya corona-vaccinen är färdiga att tas i bruk.

                        Fred, Handel och FN

Kina har alltid varit en bidragsgivare till världsutvecklingen, en byggare av världsfred och en försvarare av internationell ordning. Kina har blivit den största handelspartnern i mer än 130 länder och regioner i världen och den viktigaste marknaden för stora multinationella företag. Kinas totala tullnivå har sjunkit under 7,5%, vilket är nära den europeiska nivån, och planeras att fortsätta sänkas i framtiden. Tillgången till den kinesiska marknaden expanderar också och den har blivit en av de ekonomier som har haft den största förbättringen av affärsmiljön under de senaste två åren. Samtidigt har Kina alltid bedrivit en defensiv nationell försvarspolitik, som åtagit sig att skydda sin egen suveränitet, självständighet och territoriella integritet, och kommer aldrig att skada utan stödja länders ansträngningar för att skydda suveränitet, självständighet och territoriell integritet och motsätter sig resolut aggression och krig. 

Kina vill skydda det internationella systemet med FN som kärnan och den internationella ordningen baserad på internationella lag.

                      Reformer och öppnande mot omvärlden

I början kopierades Nya Kina Sovjetunionens centraliserade statliga ledningssystem och gjorde det planerade ekonomiska systemet, i sin helhet, vilket allvarligt hindrade utvecklingen av social produktivitet och folks strävan efter ett bättre liv för att det inte kunde uppmuntra individens entusiasm för jobb. 

År 1978 började Kina grundligt reformera detta styva ledningssystem och gav mer kraft och frihet till folk i landet. Kina utvecklade kraftigt demokrati och medbestämmande i statlig förvaltning och införde marknadskonkurrens inom ekonomisk utveckling, vilket kraftigt stimulerade folks initiativ, entusiasm och kreativitet för att bygga landet och skapa ett bättre liv. Motorn för social och ekonomisk utveckling aktiverades. Kina kommer att fortsätta att reformera produktionsförhållanden och låta marknaden spela en avgörande roll i fördelningen av resurser.

Medan Kina fortsätter att fördjupa interna reformer, främjar Kina kraftigt öppnandet för omvärlden och introducerar avancerade utländska förvaltningskoncept, erfarenhet, kapital och teknik för att hjälpa den inhemska utvecklingen. 

När Kina var självbelåten, stängde landet mot omvärlden, och vägrade at acceptera avancerade utvecklingskoncept, erfarenheter och prestationer, kom Kina på efterkälken. Öppenhet eller slutenhet avgör Kinas framtid och öde. Även om Kina har blivit världens näst största ekonomi, kommer takten i öppnandet mot omvärlden inte att minska. Kina ska öppnas mer och mer. För närvarande har utländska försäkringsbolag och avancerade biltillverkare etablerat helägda företag i Kina. Utländska ägare har möjlighet till kontroll över kinesisk-utländska joint venture genom aktie-majoritet.

                        Tolerans

Tolerans är an annan viktig aspekt av Kinas framgångsrika utveckling. Det finns mer än 190 länder och tusentals etniska grupper i världen, med olika civilisationer. Varje land, nation och civilisation har sina egna egenskaper och fördelar. Tolerans, ömsesidigt utbyte och lärande från varandra gäller inte bara för varje land, utan också för harmoni i världen och att undvika hat, konflikt och krig. Filosofisk sett finns det inte två identiska löv i världen. Kineser säger att tolerans är centralt. Om du inte kan tolerera andra kan du inte få det du förtjänar för att överleva och utvecklas. Kinas system har utvecklats ur sin egen historia, egenskaper och nationella förhållanden och stöds av det kinesiska folket. Men det är inte nödvändigtvis lämpligt för andra länder. Vi strävar inte efter att införa vårt system i andra länder och vi accepterar inte att andra länder inför sina egna system i Kina. Kina försöker inte använda sitt eget system för att transformera andra länder och vägrar andra länder att använda sin makt att omvandla Kina. Vi står för ömsesidig respekt, likabehandling och icke-inblandning i varandras interna angelägenheter med alla länder i världen. Samtidigt betonar vi dialog, kommunikation, utbyte, ömsesidigt lärande, gemensam utveckling och gemensamma framsteg. 

Chinese circle, Environment, Exchange

Finland’s Restrictions on entry into the country to be tightened due to COVID-19

Leave a comment

Stockholm, 24 September, (Greenpost)– Today, the Finnish Government adopted a decision on restrictions on entry into the country, which will enter into force on 28 September. Restrictions on entry will be reintroduced for traffic between Finland and Estonia, Germany, Iceland, Norway, Slovakia and Sweden, as well as for residents of Canada, Georgia and Tunisia who are travelling from their home country to Finland. Restrictions will be lifted for traffic arriving in Finland from San Marino.

Day-to-day travel will still be permitted for local border communities at Finland’s land border with Sweden and Norway. In addition, from Monday 28 September, people will be able to come to work in Finland from Sweden and Estonia without a 14-day self-isolation period. 

From now on, the list of restricted and permitted countries will be reviewed on a weekly basis and updated as necessary. Changes in entry restrictions will be made based on an expert assessment by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) using data from each Monday. The limit value of 25 new cases per 100,000 persons in the previous 14 days will apply to the EU and Schengen countries and the countries on the Green List defined by the Council of the European Union. Any changes will be decided on at the Thursday government session.

Restrictions on internal border traffic from 28 September

Internal border traffic refers to traffic between Finland and other Schengen countries. Starting from 28 September, entry into Finland from Cyprus, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Poland, San Marino and the Vatican will not be restricted.

As a result of the Government’s decision, restrictions on internal border traffic will be in force from 28 September for traffic between Finland and Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, apart from certain exceptions.

Day-to-day travel will still be permitted for local border communities at Finland’s land border with Sweden and Norway. In addition, from Monday 28 September, people will be able to come to work in Finland from Sweden and Estonia without a 14-day self-isolation period. Leisure boating from the EU and Schengen countries to Finland will not be restricted either. 

At the internal borders, restrictions on entry allow only return traffic to Finland, transit traffic, work-related travel and travel for other essential reasons, apart from the above-mentioned exceptions. A 14-day period of self-isolation is recommended for travellers arriving in Finland. Starting from 1 October, travellers may, at their discretion, shorten their period of self-isolation by taking two voluntary COVID-19 tests.

Restrictions on external border traffic from 28 September

External border traffic refers to traffic between Finland and non-Schengen countries. Starting from 28 September, restrictions on external border traffic will be lifted for traffic arriving in Finland from Cyprus, San Marino and the Vatican, and for traffic between Finland and Australia, Japan, Rwanda, South Korea, Thailand, New Zealand and Uruguay for residents of these countries. 

People may come to Finland from the following countries for work or another essential reason: Andorra, Bulgaria, Croatia, Ireland, Monaco, Romania and the United Kingdom. A 14-day period of self-isolation is recommended for travellers arriving in Finland.

For all other non-Schengen countries, restrictions on entry allow only return traffic to Finland and other EU and Schengen countries, transit traffic at Helsinki Airport and other essential traffic. In addition, a 14-day period of self-isolation is recommended for travellers arriving in Finland. 

Starting from 1 October, travellers may, at their discretion, shorten their period of self-isolation by taking two voluntary COVID-19 tests.

New health security measures from 1 October 

Finland will introduce new travel-related health security measures from 1 October. These are based on the Government’s resolution of 11 September. The aim is to ease the conditions for work-related travel in particular.

From 1 October, two voluntary COVID-19 tests will be recommended for travellers arriving in Finland from countries with a higher incidence and from which entry into Finland is restricted. An exception is that people from Sweden and Estonia may come to work in Finland without self-isolation or testing. Similarly, residents of border communities at the land borders between Finland and Sweden and between Finland and Norway will not need to self-isolate.

Voluntary COVID-19 tests will allow travellers to shorten the recommended 14-day period of self-isolation. 

Residents of Finland returning from countries with higher incidence rates could, at their discretion, shorten the 14-day period of self-isolation by taking a test at the airport or port as soon as they arrive in Finland, followed by a second test in their home municipality after 72 hours at the earliest from taking the first test. 

For other travellers arriving in Finland, the recommendation will be to take the first test up to 72 hours (3 days) before arrival. The second test should be taken no earlier than 72 hours (3 days) after entry into the country. Until receiving the result of the second test, persons entering the country should remain in self-isolation at their place of residence. The self-isolation period will end if the test result is negative. If the test result is positive, the doctor will place the person in quarantine until they have recovered.

Travellers staying in Finland for less than three days (less than 72 hours) will not be required to quarantine or take a second test. 

Restrictions on entry and recreational travel

When entry into the country is restricted, recreational travel to Finland from the countries in question is no longer allowed. In this case, only return traffic to Finland, transit traffic, work-related travel or travel for other essential reasons are allowed. In addition, self-isolation and testing are recommended for travellers.

The lifting of entry restrictions means that recreational travel to Finland is permitted for people from these countries. In this case, travellers will not need to self-isolate upon their arrival in Finland or take a COVID-19 test. 

Rights of Finnish citizens and residents of Finland

Under section 9 of the Constitution of Finland, Finnish citizens and residents of Finland always have the right to return to Finland, and everyone has the right to leave Finland if they so wish, provided that there is no legal impediment to this. However, the Government still recommends avoiding unnecessary travel to other countries, except for countries for which the restrictions on entry have been lifted.

Self-isolation

According to the guidelines of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, it is not recommended to go to a workplace, day care centre or school during the period of self-isolation. Essential travel, such as a visit to a doctor, is allowed. In this case, it is recommended to wear a face covering or a face mask. Public transport should be avoided. Travellers arriving in the country will be given instructions on how to proceed.

Travellers must be aware of the current entry and quarantine regulations of their country of destination and they must take into account the quarantine recommendations for those returning to Finland. Travellers must find out themselves what their travel insurance covers in the event of a pandemic. Each traveller should check the current instructions. The entry and quarantine instructions of the country of destination on the websites of the authorities of the country of destination.

China, Chinese circle, Indepth

Lianhuaqingwen har inte bara mentol utan 13 örter

Leave a comment

Av Xuefei Chen Axelsson

STOCKHOLM, May 10(Greenpost) — Swedish Radio och Aftonbladet rapporterade den 6 maj att svenska Tulleverket och Läkeverket hade testat den kinesiska traditionella örtinnehållsmedicinen Lianhuaqingwen som de konfiskerade och gav en slutsats att läkemedlet inte fungerar och endast innehåller mentol i det. 

Denna rapport sprids till Kina och kinesiska medicinska akademiker och relevanta organisationer reagerade omedelbart på denna nyhet och förklarade att den svenska slutsatsen inte var komplette. Nyheterna sa att svensk tjänsteman sa att han inte hittade tillräckligt med bevis för att medicinen är användbar eftersom han bara hittade mentol i den, men nämnde inte något annat och hävdade att det inte fanns några relevanta artiklar om det. Denna slutsats visar att han inte hittade artikeln om Lianhuaqingwen eller läste den. Han fann varken annat i medicinen eller så hittade han något men han visste inte vad de var. Nyheter från kinesiska Dr. Li sa att det faktiskt fanns 13 ingredienser eller komponenter i medicinen. Men bara mentol har ett välkänt kemiskt format medan de andra kinesiska örterna inte hade kemiskt format. Till exampel, Nobel Prisvinnare Tu Youyou hittade kemiskt form i kinesiska örter och sedan kan man tillverka massiva läkemedel.

De 13 ingredienserna är Lianqiao som är Forsythoside E, Jinyinhua som är kaprifol, liknande maskros, luding är Rutin, mahuang, dahuang, som är Epherdra, bitter aprikoskärna, gips, banlangen som är ett välkänt antivirusmedicin i Kina. Banlangen uppfanns i mitten av 1990-talet.

De 13 ingredienserna är Lianqiao som är Forsythoside E, Jinyinhua som är kaprifol, liknande maskros, luding, Rutin, mahuang, dahuang, som är Epherdra, bitter aprikoskärna, gips, banlangen som är en välkänd antivirusmedicin i Kina. Banlangen uppfanns i mitten av 1990-talet.

 Jag minns att jag en gång blev ombedd att översätta specifikationerna för läkemedlet eftersom mina radiofolk ofta ombads att göra den här typen av översättningsjobb. Men jag vägrade att göra det eftersom jag kände att jag visste så lite om medicinkunskap. Men med åren har Banlangen blivit en daglig medicin som Alvedon i Sverige. Om människor har en influensatyp kan människor ta Banlangen. Om de har bakterietyp förkylning, kan de bara ta ganmaochonji en slags liten partikel typ av pulver och bara lägga det i en kopp varmt vatten och dricka det. 

Mianmaguanzhong, jag vet inte vad det är, men Yuxingcao är också ett välkänt namn för att hantera ögon, Huoxiang är också en mycket vanlig men väl effektiv kinesisk medicin. Hongjingtian en växter i Tibet och är känd för sin funktion för att hjälpa dig att få tillräckligt med oxegon. När vi var i Tibet kände en kollega att han saknade oxegon, han gick för att köpa oxegonflaska och Hongjingtian. Gancao var också en kinesisk medicin både i tablettform eller i rå örtform. Man kan svälja tablett, eller dricka vatten som suger gancao örten. Den sista är exakt mentol. 

Mentol är verkligen en bra komponent för olika typer av kinesisk medicin. Mintsocker i Lidl hjälper dig faktiskt om du har ont i halsen. Akademiker Zhong Nanshan som var nyckelpersonen i att leda kampanjen mot Covid-19. President Xi Jinping ledde kampanjen genom att skicka sjukhus, läkare och sjuksköterskor och alla förnödenheter genom olika provinser, Zhong Nanshan var en symbol för teknisk del, mycket information och kunskap om covid-19 skickades ut genom Zhongs namn. Akademiker Zhang Boli som har gått hemma, men han kallades för att leda i kampanjen med sin rika kunskap om kinesisk medicin. De båda är auktoritativa medan Zhong var i västerländsk medicin och Zhang var i kinesisk medicin. Men båda rekommenderade Lianhuaqingwen. Under kinesiska krig emot covid 19, både kinesiska medicine och västra medicin samarbetade bra.

 Låt oss titta på koronaviruset igen. Det är ett virus, men symptomen när människor får det är hosta, feber, rinnande eller torkande näsa och trötthet. Således symptom liknar en allvarlig förkylning. Endast när människor antingen är för svaga eller för friska för att kämpa mot viruset utan styrka eller för mycket styrka, hårt, så skadar det dina organ, särskilt lungan. Det mest typiska symtomet i slutändan är andningsproblem. Men i början blev du bara förkyld.

 Och alla dessa komponenter eller ingredienser i Lianhuaqingwen är användbara i kampen mot kyla. Således kan det nästan behandlas som en mest kraftfull typ av medicin vid behandling av förkylning.

Enligt en gemensam studie av forskare vid Nanjing Chinese Medicine University och Shanghai Drug Research Institute under Chinese Academy of Sciences är Lianhuaqingwen hittills den mest funktionella medicinen för att hämma koronavirus från reproduktion och bota patienterna. 

Enligt professor Fang Bangjiang från Longhua Hospital vid Shanghai Chinese Medicine University var det bara 20-30 procent av patienterna som hade feber. De flesta av dem hade inte feber. Han skickades till Leishenshan sjukhus i Kina som byggdes inom tio dagar efter stängningen av Wuhan den 23 januari.

Fang var ansvarig för en enhet som hade 108 patienter med lätta symtom. Han fann att patienterna hade ett enhetligt symptom, det var panik och rädsla, oro och svaga nerver. Efter att ha provat västerländsk medicin i en vecka fann han att den inte bara inte gav positiva resultat utan gav negativa effekter på levern. Således föreskrev han hela tiden kinesisk medicin efter en vecka. Den kinesiska medicinen lugnade huvudsakligen patienterna, befriade dem från panikskänslor och fick dem att sova bättre. Som ett resultat blev ingen mer allvarlig och ingen död hände i hans enhet. Som jämförelse, de som behandlades med västerländsk väg eller medicin, många av dem kunde bli värre och skickades till ICU. Enligt forskningsdokumentet användes Lianhuaqingwen också för svåra patienter och genom att lindra deras feber eller andra symtom räddades liv. Men hittills erkänner experter att det inte fanns något botemedel mot alla typer av medicin mot covid-19. Men som en stödjande medicin eller hälsosam produkt, de som bekräftas att bli covid-19 positiva, kan de ta Lianhuaqingwen. Oavsett om det fungerar eller inte, kan man känna det efter tre dagar. Om det efter tre dagar inte fungerade, känner du dig värre, måste du ringa läkaren igen.

Sverige har försökt sitt bästa för att hantera covid-19 och undvikit problemet Kina hade i början av att bli sjukhuset för trångt och nästan kollapsa. Sverige ville låta covid-19 hända långsamt, vilket är en bra idé. Men viruset älskar människor och kan snabbt spridas från en person till två personer om du har nära kontakter, till exempel i folkmassor, inte nödvändigtvis för att kyssa varandra. Det kan spridas genom spotta och nysa eller hosta. Men om människor håller sig isolerade kan viruset inte hitta någon annan att reproducera sig själv, det kommer att dö när personen återhämtar sig. Därför isolation är mycket viktigt.

Ju tidigare, snabbare att isolera, desto bättre. Till exempel, om svenska avbröt resan, avbröt Eurovisionen, avbröt födelsedagsfesten och isolerats snabbare och tidigare i andra områden där du bara hittade ett par fall, har antagligen viruset utplånats nu. Men ingen vet. Kanske det skulle ta två till tre månader på något sätt.

Tack vare svenska människor som är bra på att hålla socialt avstånd och mestadels följer regeringens instruktioner offrade inte svenska folk för mycket frihet och samhället fortsätter att fungera, vilket kan ses som en positiv aspekt. Men om människor särskilt de som blev smittade, men inte så långt de går till sjukhusintensivvård, kanske om de tar Lianhuaqingwen, kan det inte bara trösta dem, utan också förhindra att de blir värre.

För att säga att det bara har mynta i sig och inte fungerar, det låter som det bara är mintgodisen. Men det är helt enkelt inte sant.

Lianhuaqingwen var faktiskt bara en av de kinesiska medicinerna som hanterade covid-19. Jag antar att det blev berömt på grund av dess massproduktion och förpackning. Qingfei Paidu Tang eller lungrengöring och gift-utrotande sirap var också mycket populärt under covid 19-kampanjen i Wuhan, centrala Kina. Men den här typen av medicin är ren ört och måste kokas varje gång för varje person. Det är svårt att få massproduktion. Kinesiska läkare betonade också att det var en person med sitt eget recept enligt hans eller hennes eget symptom.

Kinesisk medicin stressar inte att döda viruset eller bekämpa viruset, utan betonade att läkemedlet hjälper patienter att bli starkare i immunsystemet och fysisk styrka genom att bli av med eller lindra symptomet.

Covid-19 är verkligen ett starkt virus som är mycket svårt att hantera eftersom det reproducerar sig så snabbt när det kom in i människokroppen och attackerade lungan. Genom att slå tillbaka med immunsystemet kan patienter andra organ som lever eller hjärta eller njure också skadas. Det var därför många människor dog av inte bara virus utan också flera andra kombinerade sjukdomar. Viruset kan skada ditt immunsystem. Således betonade de kinesiska läkarna att människor borde äta tillräckligt med protein och sova bra. Att bli dig själv stark är nyckeln till att ta itu med Covid 19.

Chinese circle, Exchange, Life, Scientific Research, World News

Pharmacological Research:Lianhuaqingwen exerts anti-viral and anti-inflammatory activity against novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)

Leave a comment
Elsevier

Pharmacological Research

Available online 20 March 2020, 104761In Press, Journal Pre-proofWhat are Journal Pre-proof articles?

Pharmacological Research

Lianhuaqingwen exerts anti-viral and anti-inflammatory activity against novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)

Author links open overlay panelLiRunfenga1HouYunlonge1HuangJichengd1PanWeiqia1MaQinhaiaShiYongxiadLiChufangaZhaoJinaJiaZhenhuaeJiangHaimingaZhengKuidHuangShuxiangdDaiJundLiXiaobodHouXiaotaocWangLincZhongNanshanaYangZifengabcShow morehttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.phrs.2020.104761Get rights and content

Abstract

Purpose

Lianhuaqingwen (LH) as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula has been used to treat influenza and exerted broad-spectrum antiviral effects on a series of influenza viruses and immune regulatory effects [1]. The goal of this study is to demonstrate the antiviral activity of LH against the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus and its potential effect in regulating host immune response.

Methods

The antiviral activity of LH against SARS-CoV-2 was assessed in Vero E6 cells using CPE and plaque reduction assay. The effect of LH on virion morphology was visualized under transmission electron microscope. Pro-inflammatory cytokine expression levels upon SARS-CoV-2 infection in Huh-7 cells were measured by real-time quantitative PCR assays.

Results

LH significantly inhibited SARS-CoV-2 replication in Vero E6 cells and markedly reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, CCL-2/MCP-1 and CXCL-10/IP-10) production at the mRNA levels. Furthermore, LH treatment resulted in abnormal particle morphology of virion in cells.

Conclusions

LH significantly inhibits the SARS-COV-2 replication, affects virus morphology and exerts anti-inflammatory activity in vitro. These findings indicate that LH protects against the virus attack, making its use a novel strategy for controlling the COVID-19 disease.

Keywords

LianhuaqingwencoronavirusSARS-CoV-2anti-inflammatory

1. Introduction

Coronaviruses are a group of enveloped viruses named for their coronary appearance with positive single-stranded RNA genomes [2]. In addition to six known strains of coronaviruses that are infectious to humans, a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was detected recently in Wuhan, China [3,4]. Like the other two highly pathogenic coronaviruses SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 also caused severe respiratory illness and even death. Moreover, the population’s susceptibility to these highly pathogenic coronaviruses has contributed to large outbreaks and evolved into the public health events, highlighting the necessity to prepare for future reemergence or the novel emerging viruses [5].

Similar to SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 is initiated by zoonotic transmission likely from bats and spreads rapidly among humans [6]. The basic reproduction number (R0) of person-to-person spread is about at 2.6, which means that the SARS-CoV-2 infected cases grow at an exponential rate. As of February 07, 2020, 57,620 cases of the SARS-CoV-2 have been reported in China, including 26,359 suspected cases, and a sustained increase is predictable. The initial patient cluster with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection was reported Wuhan pneumonia with unknown aetiology, which bore some resemblance to SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV infections and was associated with ICU admission and high mortality. Moreover, High concentrations of cytokines were recorded in plasma of patients requiring ICU admission, such as GCSF, IP10, MCP1, MIP1A, and TNFα, suggesting that the cytokine storm was associated with disease severity [7]. A retrospective clinical study indicated the risk of fatality among hospitalized cases at 4.3% in single-center case series of 138 hospitalized patients [8], and the infection fatality risk could be below 1% or even below 0.1% in a large number of undetected relatively mild infections [9]. However, It is challenging to judge the severity and predict the consequences with the information available so far. Since no specific antiviral treatment for COVID-19 is currently available, supportive cares, including symptomatic controls and prevention of complications remain the most critical therapeutic regimens, especially in preventing acute respiratory distress syndrome [10]. Although the control of SARS-CoV-2 still presents multiple challenges in the short term, more potent antiviral drugs are urgent to be developed [4].

At present, some drugs are effective in eliminating SARS-CoV-2 and improving symptoms. The most promising antiviral drug for SARS-CoV-2 is remdesivir that is currently under clinical development for the treatment of Ebola virus infection [11]. However, the efficacy and safety of remdesivir for SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia patients need to be assessed by further clinical trials. In addition, in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, Tranditonal Chinese medicines have received broad adoption, especially in treating cases of mild symptoms [12]. Lianhuaqingwen (LH), a Chinese patent medicine composed of 13 herbs, has played a positive role in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2. A retrospective analysis of clinical records was conducted in the SARS-CoV-2 infected patients at Wuhan Ninth Hospital and CR & WISCO General Hospital. LH combination could significantly relieve cardinal symptoms and reduce the course of the COVID-19 [13], making it successively included in the Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Pneumonia (On Trials, the Fourth/Fifth/Sixth/Seventh Edition) issued by National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China and also recommended by 20 provincial health commissions including Hubei, Beijing, and Shanghai as well as National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine for the treatment of COVID-19. Moreover, LH exerted broad-spectrum effects on a series of influenza viruses by inhibiting viral propagation and regulating immune function and achieved similar therapeutic effectiveness with Oseltamivir in reducing the course of H1N1 virus infection [1,14,15]. Notably, the anti-influenza activity of LH in infected mice might depend on the regulation of cytokines, particularly in cytokine storm associated cytokines, such as IP-10, MCP-1, MIP1A, and TNF-α [1]. In the present study, we evaluated the antiviral and anti-inflammatory efficiency of LH against a clinical isolate of SARS-CoV-2 from Guangzhou in vitro.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Cell lines and virus

The African green monkey kidney epithelial (Vero E6) cells and the human hepatocellular carcinoma (Huh-7) cells were cultured in Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s medium (DMEM, Gibco, USA) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) at 37 °C. A clinical isolated SARS-CoV-2 virus (Genebank accession no. MT123290.1) was propagated in Vero E6 cells, and viral titer was determined by 50% tissue culture infective dose (TCID50) according to the cytopathic effect by use of Reed-Muench method [17]. All the infection experiments were performed in a biosafety level-3 (BLS-3) laboratory.

2.2. Reagent preparation

LH capsule (Lot No.A2001108) was obtained from Yiling Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (Shijiazhuang, China). UPLC fingerprints of LH consist of 32 common peaks. 9 of 32 common peaks are identified. The similarities in 10 batches of LH Capsules samples were all above 0.96 (Supplementary Fig. 1). The black powder of raw material of LH was first dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to 240 mg/mL. After shaking for 30 min at room temperature, the LH solution was diluted with serum-free DMEM to 24 mg/mL as a stock solution and stored at −20 °C before using. Remdesivir was kindly provided by Prof. Jiancun Zhang from Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences and was dissolved in DMSO to 100 mM and stored at −20 °C before using. DMEM with 2% FBS was used as the dilution buffer in the follow-up experiments.

2.3. Cytotoxicity assay

The cytotoxic effects of the LH on Vero E6 and Huh-7 cells were evaluated by Methyl Thiazolyl Tetrazolium (MTT) assay. Briefly, monolayers of Vero E6 cells and Huh-7 cells in 96-well plates were rinsed with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) followed by incubation with indicated concentrations of LH. After 72 h, the cells were stained with MTT solution at 0.5 mg/mL for 4 h. The supernatants were then removed, and the formed formazan crystals were dissolved in 200 μL DMSO. The absorbance was measured at 490 nm using Multiskan Spectrum reader (Thermo Fisher, USA). The 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50) was calculated by the GraphPad Prism 7.0 software.

2.4. Cytopathic effect (CPE) inhibition assay

The Vero E6 cell monolayers were grown in 96-well plates and inoculated with 100 TCID50 of coronavirus strains at 37 ̊C for 2 h. The inoculum was removed, and the cells were subsequently incubated with indicated concentrations of LH or the positive control remdesivir. Following the 72 h of incubation, the infected cells shown 100% CPE under the microscope. The percentage of CPE in LH-treated cells were recorded. The 50% inhibition concentration (IC50) of the virus-induced CPE by LH was calculated by the Reed-Muench method [17].

2.5. Plaque reduction assay

The Vero E6 cell monolayers in 6-well plates were infected with 50 plaque-forming units (PFU) of SARS-CoV-2 for 2 h at 37 °C. After incubation, the cell monolayers were covered with agar overlay (final concentration: 0.6% agar, 2% FBS, indicated concentrations of LH or remdesivir). The plates were then incubated for 48 h at 37 °C with 5% CO2. Subsequently, the agar overlays were removed, and the cell monolayer was fixed with 10% formalin, stained with 1% crystal violet, and then the plaques were counted and photographed.

2.6. RNA isolation and reverse transcriptase-quantitative PCR analysis (RT-qPCR)

The Huh-7 cell monolayers in 12-well plate were rinsed with PBS and then exposed to coronavirus at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 1 for 2 h at 37 °C. The inoculum was removed and replaced with the indicated concentrations of LH or mock-treated with DMEM supplemented with 2% FBS for subsequent 48 h incubation at 37 °C with 5% CO2. The cells were then harvested for RNA isolation and qPCR as described previously [16]. The primer and probe sequences used for analysis are listed in Supplementary Table 1. The relative mRNA expression was calculated using the 2-△△Ct method with GAPDH as an internal reference gene.

2.7. Electron microscope

Monolayers of Vero E6 cells in 6-well plates were incubated with SARS-CoV-2 at a MOI of 0.001 for 2 h at 37 °C. The virus inoculum was then removed and replaced with DMEM medium supplemented with 2% FBS containing LH (600 μg/mL) or remdesivir (5 μM). At 48 h p.i., the cells were fixed, dehydrated and embedded as described previously [18]. Ultrathin sections (70 nm) of embedded cells were prepared, deposited onto Formvar-coated copper grids (200 mesh), stained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate, and then observed under JEM-1400 PLUS transmission electron microscopy (Japan Electron Optics Laboratory Co., Ltd., JEM-1400 PLUS).

2.8. Statistical Analyses

Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 7.0 software. The differences in mRNA expression levels of cytokines were compared using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Values of p < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.

3. Results

3.1. Antiviral activity of LH on SARS-CoV-2 in vitro

The cell viability after LH or remdesivir treatment was determined by MTT assay in both Vero E6 and Huh-7 cells. LH showed unapparent cytotoxicity for both cell lines at concentrations up to 600 μg/mL (Fig. 1A, C). The positive control remdesivir showed no cytotoxicity to cells at a concentration of 50µM (Fig. 1B, D).

Fig. 1

To investigate the antiviral effect of LH against SARS-CoV-2 virus, the Vero E6 cells were infected with 100 TCID50 of virus and incubated with LH at various concentrations for 72 h. As shown in Fig. 2A, LH inhibited the replication of SARS-CoV-2 virus with an IC50 value of 411.2 µg/mL by CPE assay (Fig. 2A). Meanwhile, treatment with LH following infection also had a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on plaque formation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (Fig. 2C). We selected remdesivir as the positive control in our study and the results showed that remdesivir potently inhibited virus-induced CPE with an IC50 of 0.651 µM and a total plaque formation inhibition at 5 μM (Fig. 2B, C).

Fig. 2

To further confirm the efficacy of LH in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 virus replication in cells, we detected the viral particles in ultrathin sections of infected cells under electron microscopy. At 48 h p.i., viral particles were found in cytoplasm, intracellular vesicles, endoplasmic reticulum, and cell membrane and presented spherical crown-like appearance, which was typical coronavirus morphology (Fig. 3B, G). LH (600 μg/mL) and positive control remdesivir (5 μM) treatment resulted in a reduction of the number of virions compared with mock-treated infected cells (Fig. 3G–J). It was interesting to note that some virions in the surface of LH-treated cells presented spindle sharp which was in contrast to the typical spherical particles in the mock-treated cells (Fig. 3I).

Fig. 3

3.2. Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2-induced cytokine and chemokine expression by LH in vitro

To determine the effect of LH on the expression of cytokines and chemokines induced by SAR2-CoV-2, the mRNA expression levels of TNF-α, IL-6, CCL-2/MCP-1, and CXCL-10/IP-10 were detected and compared between the LH-treated and mock-treated Huh-7 cells. The results showed that the elevated expressions of these four cytokines were significantly inhibited by LH treatment in a concentration-dependent manner (Fig. 4).

Fig. 4

4. Discussion

Starting from December 2019, a pandemic of respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2 is sweeping the mainland of China. This virus has spread to several foreign countries, threatening to trigger a global outbreak. Several antiviral agents can be envisaged to control or prevent viral infections by antiviral assay in vitro [14,17]. However, the efficacy and safety of novel candidates need validations in vivo, even for those clinically approved medicines, which means that it will take months to years for clinical practices. At present, symptomatic and supportive treatments remain key to clinical practices. Thus, Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) carried both the antiviral effect and the symptomatic relief might bring more clinical benefits [12]. As a classical TCM prescription for respiratory diseases, LH is the only approved medicine in the treatment of SARS and influenza. After the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2, LH as a representative TCM prescription was recommended again in the latest Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Pneumonia issued by National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China The purpose of this study was to demonstrate whether the therapeutic effects of LH on the COVID-19 targeting virus replication and immunological regulation as it did on the infection caused by influenza viruses.

Our previous study showed that LH exhibited in vitro anti-influenza activity with IC50 ranging from 200-2000 μg/mL [1]. Here we demonstrated that LH also has a comparable antiviral potency against the SARS-CoV-2 virus with an IC50 value of 411.2 μg/mL (Fig. 2). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has been a potent tool to observe virus entry, virus particle assembly, viral ultrastructure, and budding from the plasma membrane [17]. To understand the antiviral details of LH, EM pictures were taken from each group. Abundant virus particles assembled at the surface of membrane, cytoplasm, and plasma vesicles in the SARS-CoV-2 infected cells, decreased in the treatment of LH at 600ug/mL. Notably, slight deformation of virus particles was seen in the LH treatment, which required us to make further studies.

Highly pathogenic coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV cause fatal pneumonia, which is mainly associated with rapid virus replication, massive inflammatory cell infiltration and elevated proinflammatory cytokine/chemokine responses. Although the pathophysiology of fatal pneumonia caused by highly pathogenic coronaviruses has not been completely understood, accumulating evidence suggests that the cytokine storm plays a crucial role in causing fatal pneumonia [18]. Excessive amounts of proinflammatory cytokines were reported (e.g., IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, IFN-γ, IP-10, and MCP-1) in the serum of SARS patients [18], similar in the serum of MERS patients [19]. Chaolin Huang et al. confirmed the occurrence of the cytokine storm in the COVID-19 patients in ICU rather than those in non-ICU patients [7]. Based on the excessive cytokines responses, Suxin Wan et al. claimed that IL-6 and IL-10 levels could be used as one of the bases for predicting the outcome and prognosis of the COVID-2019 [20]. In this study, host cells infected with HCoV-229E and SARS-COV-2 increased the cytokine release such as TNF-α, IL-6, CCL-2/MCP-1, and CXCL-10/IP-10, which was suppressed by LH in a dose-dependent manner. The change of cytokine profiles suggested that LH might have a potential effect on the inhibition of cytokine storm induced by SARS-COV-2, which also needed to be validated in vivo.

5. Conclusion

Since the launch of LH, it has been widely used as a broad spectrum of antiviral agent in the clinical practice, especially for various respiratory virus infections. Previous studies have shown that LH a broad spectrum of effects on a series of influenza viruses by interfering with both viral and host reactions. Although LH significantly relieved the clinical symptoms of the COVID-19, the underlying mechanism of antiviral effects on coronavirus, especially in the SARS-COV-2, was still elusive. In this study, we demonstrated that LH exerted its anti-coronavirus activity by inhibiting virus replication and reducing the cytokine release from host cells, which supported the clinical application of LH in combination with existing therapies to treat COVID-2019.

Acknowledgements

The study was funded by Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission NCP Emergency Project; Hebei Provincial Department of Science and Technology NCP prevention and control emergency scientific research project (Grant no. 20277708D); The Science research project of the Guangdong Province (Grant no. 2020B111110001); Daxing District Science and technology development projects (Grant no. KT202008013).

Appendix A. Supplementary data

Download all supplementary files included with this articleHelp

The following are Supplementary data to this article:Download : Download Word document (183KB)Download : Download Word document (53KB)Download : Download zip file (342B)

References

[1]Y. Ding, et al.The Chinese prescription lianhuaqingwen capsule exerts anti-influenza activity through the inhibition of viral propagation and impacts immune functionBMC Complement Altern Med, 17 (1) (2017), p. 130CrossRefGoogle Scholar[2]T.S. Fung, D.X. LiuHuman Coronavirus: Host-Pathogen InteractionAnnu Rev Microbiol, 73 (2019), pp. 529-557CrossRefView Record in ScopusGoogle Scholar[3]A. Du ToitOutbreak of a novel coronavirusNat Rev Microbiol (2020)Google Scholar[4]W.G. Carlos, et al.Novel Wuhan (2019-nCoV) CoronavirusAm J Respir Crit Care Med (2020)Google Scholar[5]J. NkengasongChina’s response to a novel coronavirus stands in stark contrast to the 2002 SARS outbreak responseNat Med (2020)Google Scholar[6]P. Zhou, et al.A pneumonia outbreak associated with a new coronavirus of probable bat originNature (2020)Google Scholar[7]C. Huang, et al.Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, ChinaLancet (2020)Google Scholar[8]D. Wang, et al.Clinical Characteristics of 138 Hospitalized Patients With 2019 Novel Coronavirus-Infected Pneumonia in Wuhan, ChinaJAMA (2020)Google Scholar[9]P. Wu, et al.Real-time tentative assessment of the epidemiological characteristics of novel coronavirus infections in Wuhan, China, as at 22 January 2020Euro Surveill, 25 (3) (2020)Google Scholar[10]A. Zumla, et al.Coronaviruses – drug discovery and therapeutic optionsNat Rev Drug Discov, 15 (5) (2016), pp. 327-347CrossRefView Record in ScopusGoogle Scholar[11]S. Mulangu, et al.A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Ebola Virus Disease TherapeuticsN Engl J Med, 381 (24) (2019), pp. 2293-2303CrossRefView Record in ScopusGoogle Scholar[12]J.-l. Ren, A.-H. Zhang, X.-J. WangTraditional Chinese Medicine for COVID-19 TreatmentPharmacological Research (2020), p. 104743ArticleDownload PDFGoogle Scholar[13]K Yao, et al.Retrospective Clinical Analysis on Treatment of Novel Coronavirus-infected Pneumonia with Traditional Chinese Medicine Lianhua QingwenChinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae (2020), pp. 1-7CrossRefGoogle Scholar[14]H. LuDrug treatment options for the 2019-new coronavirus (2019-nCoV)Biosci Trends (2020)Google Scholar[15]Z.P. Duan, et al.Natural herbal medicine Lianhuaqingwen capsule anti-influenza A (H1N1) trial: a randomized, double blind, positive controlled clinical trialChin Med J (Engl), 124 (18) (2011), pp. 2925-2933View Record in ScopusGoogle Scholar[16]Z. Li, et al.Radix isatidis Polysaccharides Inhibit Influenza a Virus and Influenza A Virus-Induced Inflammation via Suppression of Host TLR3 Signaling In VitroMolecules, 22 (1) (2017)Google Scholar[17]M. Wang, et al.Remdesivir and chloroquine effectively inhibit the recently emerged novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in vitroCell Res (2020)Google Scholar[18]H.N. Leong, et al.Clinical and laboratory findings of SARS in SingaporeAnn Acad Med Singapore, 35 (5) (2006), pp. 332-339View Record in ScopusGoogle Scholar[19]A. Assiri, et al.Epidemiological, demographic, and clinical characteristics of 47 cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease from Saudi Arabia: a descriptive studyLancet Infect Dis, 13 (9) (2013), pp. 752-761ArticleDownload PDFView Record in ScopusGoogle Scholar[20]S. Wan, et al.Characteristics of lymphocyte subsets and cytokines in peripheral blood of 123 hospitalized patients with 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP)medRxiv (2020)p. 2020.02.10.20021832Google Scholar

China, Chinese circle, Indepth, Opinion, Scientific Research

Turning point against COVID-19 has not come yet, says China

Leave a comment

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

Stockholm, Feb. 22(Greenpost) — Today a news was spreading around the wechat circle. That was Academician Zhong Nanshan smiled. Dr. Zhong was considered as a hero in anti-SARS campaign in 2003 because he was one of the first who declared this was a serious epidemic and caused attention from the government.

Dr. Zhong Nanshan Smiles

Donations from Swedish Chinese and Chinese business to send out

This time Dr. Zhong was also the most authoritative voice saying that the corona virus could spread from person to person and at a faster speed.

When he was interviewed before, he was very serious and looked a bit tired and stressed. He almost cried when he was interviewed for the first time when he mentioned that Wuhan people sang the national song through the windows in the evening after the order was issued that Wuhan city was closed and all the people should stay at home.

Donations from Sweden received.

It was indeed very moving and respectful for Wuhan people because in front of the sudden attack of the virus and the determined order of closing a city which has a population of 14 million. It was not an easy decision because even after the decision, Wuhan Mayor Zhou Xingwang was still saying that this was historic and if anything wrong with it, he would like to shoulder the responsibility.

Some people thought he should have closed Wuhan even earlier, but it is indeed understandable that the decision needed scientific evaluation which took time and efforts.

Dr. Li Wenliang was infected.

Dr. Zhong was 84 years old and he was very respectful. Both leaders and people really listen to him and thus a lot of notices were issued or advised with his name. But when mentioned Dr. Li Wenliang who first issued the news in his Wechat circle among friends and colleagues but got infected and died at age of 34, Dr. Zhong said Li was a hero and he should be respected too. At that moment, tears also sheded from his eyes.

But yesterday at a press conference in Guangzhou, he took off his mask and smiled. This smile implied a relief that the COVID-19 had been under control. The newly infected cases have decreased for a consecutive 16 days outside Hubei province. He did not say the turning point has come. He said Wuhan is still the heavily infected area. But the trend is in positive direction.

According to news from CDC China the newly diagnosed cases reached to 397 while the new death cases reached to 109 with accumulated cases reaching to 76288 and death toll 2345 and recovered cases 20659. Recovered number goes beyond 20 thousand.

Yesterday they also lifted observation for 26441 people. Accumulated close contacts were 618915 people and 113564 of them are still on observation.

Hubei has 366 newly diagnosed infected cases while 1767 cases were recovered yesterday. 106 people including 90 from Wuhan died. Total death accumulated to 2345 people.

47647 people in Hubei have been identified as infected and Hubei’s beds in hospital also almost reached 40 thousand. Thus those who are in need can possibly get a bed. 10892 people are severely infected. 13557 people have recovered and left hospital so far in Hubei province.

During the campaign against the COVID-19, Chinese medicine exerted a great role. Dr. Zhong Nanshan said Chinese medicine can exert a role in alleviating the symptom.

Many Chinese medicine doctors used many kinds of herbal medicine to clear the lung and improve the immune system so that the patients can have more strength to fight against the virus.

The theory is that Chinese medicine is used to improve patients’ immune systems while the western medicine theory is to combat the virus and reduce infections but the side effect is very serious.

Chinese medicine doctors even teach the patients to play Baduanjin, a kind of Taiji exercise. They treat each patient with personal treatment and the result was quite good. The Chinese medicine is used to treat the light infected patients and prevented them from getting worse.

China’s control of the COVID-19 is seen as effective because it avoided large scale infection around the world. By closing down the big city and controlling spread of virus, many people believe this could only be done in China under the leadership of the CPC. Chinese government under the leadership of President Xi and CPC have taken stronger measures to control the spreading with the leading role played by respected doctors and nurses and party members.

China has exerted its advantage and tradition of helping each other among all provinces, for example 16 provinces provided help with their capacity to Hubei province and overseas Chinese also gave donations of masks from the beginning to Hubei provinces hospitals. Two years ago when I was in Xinjiang, they said they were grateful for 19 brotherly provinces to support them. Now when Hubei suffers from COVID-19, sister areas in Xinjiang donated a lot of apples to Hubei showing the Chinese culture of helping each other when in need.

It is worthwhile to mention that there was one city in Hubei province closed its city a week earlier and the infection was substantially reduced. Sichuan province and Henan Province were also very strict in preventing the virus from spreading and very effective.

Zhejiang province got second most infections since it has close relations with Hubei province. But Zhejiang province took even more strict measures in controlling the spreading of the virus and put it under control sooner.

Zhang Jixian who found 7 cases and reported to CDC first.

So far, many provinces have resumed production and workers in western China were sent back to eastern regions with chartered airplanes or chartered fast trains since the traffic became rare during the Chinese Spring Festival.

Many Chinese said this spring festival was very special, but it was also normal because this year all the families must stay at home and children don’t need to go back to school so soon.

Many feel panic and worried while many others use the chance to study or do something more interesting in addition to dance and exercise at home.

With Wechat, people can share information and encourage each other or help each other.

Chinese humor also appeared during the anti virus campaign. For example love was sent through the message and the answer can be “lets not meet now.”

One of humor was very interesting and here I translated it as the following:

Wuhan has made eight contributions to the world:

  1. Hong Kong demonstrators stopped demonstration.
  2. Macaos casino was closed for the first time in history.
  3. 60 weeks demonstration in France stopped due to a woman from Wuhan arriving there.
  4. Middle East war fairs are somewhat decreasing.
  5. All the outside school courses have stopped. Education ministry could not stop it, but Wuhan did it.
  6. The large scale eating and drinking life style stopped overnight. Even Chinese disciplinary committee could not stop it before.
  7. Most of the Chinese families became united and harmonious because the husband and wife have to be at home day and night.
  8. During these days, even the thieves stopped stealing because if they go to the street, there are no people and if they visit homes, all family members are there.

In addition, writers, artists and educators are also working at home. Many teachers began online teaching or live broadcast. Many home business started and many innovative ideas came out and actions taken at home with internet.

During the campaign, postmen were very busy and they job quardruppled. Many restaurants were severely affected, but the fast food somewhat better survived.

During the first week people relied on their stored food for the week long spring festival. But after two weeks, people have to go out to buy food and in some area, the practice was that every three days one family can send out one person to buy all the groceries.

The market supply is still there and many provinces donated things they have such as vegetables, apples, cabbage and rice. At beginning, Wuhan gave the vegetables to the market, but after the donor questioned about it, people stopped that action, but it also appeared that the vegetables got rotten because short of personnel to deliver it. Thus, I think it is not a bad idea to send these vegetables to the market sellers either donate or with low cost. Because it is hard for the Red Cross to redistribute these vegetables to every family or hospital or other units. Let market function is not a bad idea.

During the first week, it was somewhat panic because all over the world, the overseas Chinese said they donated goods, but due to the closedown of traffic and many countries stopped airlines, it took longer time for the good to arrive in Wuhan or Hubei, some took two or three weeks.

Due to the panic mentality, there have been some episodes of the news or communication driven by social media to lead to people’s sadness such as Dr. Li Wenliang’s death, the poetic and friendship words on donation packages from Japan aroused a big discussion. Some people said the Japanese are more educated than Chinese who only know to say Cheer up Hubei, Wuhan, or God Bless China. But as more patients were cured and more hospitals were built, the desperate mentality has been cured.

Huoshenshan Hospital was built with 10 days showing Chinese speed.

At the very beginning, China also stunned the world by building a Huoshenshan hospital and a Leishenshan hospital by about ten days. Huoshenshan means God of fire mountain and Leishenshan means God of thunder mountain. The hope is that the fire and thunder will definitely kill the virus with their power or magic working like holy spirits.

In addition to two new hospitals, many Noah Ark like hospitals were also built to host more than 40 thousand patients infected by COVID-19.

It seemed to me that in China, with the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party and its 89 million party members, the government gives orders, the enterprises cooperate in keeping supply lines and the society echoed all the calls. So the government, enterprises and society united much better than normal times in front of the disasters.

In this sense, I would like to give the credit to the party members because while in dangerous situation, it was always the party members should step forward and face the danger first.

For example, during this anti virus campaign, over 30 thousand doctors and nurses voluntarily answered the call and went to Wuhan to work in those new hospitals. Most of them are party members and many of them who are not would like to join the party on site. This spirit was really moving.

According to reports, due to the uncertainty before the closedown of Wuhan and later with overload of work and stress, by February 11, 3019 doctors and nurses were infected by COVID-19 virus and 1716 cases were confirmed. Among them, 1502 cases were from Hubei province.

During this campaign, nine doctors including two professor doctors, one hospital president died at work. They have become a martyr for us all.

Yesterday I watched the Oct. 18 201 event simulation meeting organized by Johns Hopkins Health Security Center, World Economic Forum and Bill and Melanda Gates Foundation which discussed a lot about how to deal with such kind of serious virus epidemic or pandemic. This show actually caused a lot of conspiracy views which thought America has known this. But I think the discussion mainly focuses on a scenario that the government and business are difficult to form a partnership and the individualism ideas make people difficult to follow the information or guidance.

Indeed there were many rumours and fake news coming out mainly from anti China chinese in America. For example they smear the Wuhan P4 lab for leaking the virus. But as I interviewed Professor Duan from Karolinska Hospital, it is impossible to a P4 lab to leak anything out. It is a very scientifically built lab which has negative pressure which guarantee for the security. As for the scientists, it is also impossible for scientists to have such a low level ethics or break their ethical bottom line.

Some Chinese in America who suffered a setback during Chinas anti corruption campaign or Falungong related people, they only spread their hatrad, presumptions or fabrications plus their imaginations.

It is not difficult to imagine that Chinese hospitals would be extremely busy even during the normal time, let alone under the current situation.

In my opinion, Chinese system is actually functioning well because it is more centralized and the government answered the call of the people quickly and whole heartedly. Under the principle of putting the people’s lives in the center, Chinese economy is definitely affected.

But I think just because it is Spring Festival time, many production stopped anyway, the most damaged industry is tourism and restaurants and hotels. Thus, this effect is felt not only in China, but also many other countries including nordic countries such as Sweden and Finland.

Now since the virus is somewhat under control, it was reported that about 95 percent of production business began to resume.

For example, workers from Xinjiang were sent to Hunan by chartered airplanes with preventive measures. Slowly workers are on the working places now. So far only the students are still at home to enjoy their holidays.

Nowadays schools open earlier than 30 years ago when I was at university. Then the opening of schools was on March first. Nowadays it was usually after the Spring Festival holiday. Due to COVID-19, students can relax a little bit.

Finally about the COVID-19, it is a new kind of virus which was similar to SARS or MERs but not as deadly as those, but it spread faster. It can also spread to other people before you really have symptoms such as coughing, fever and fatigue. Those who are over 80 years old, the infection rate is 14.8%. The younger people are less likely infected. Those who died are mostly having other diseases such as cardiological problems, diabetes and high blood pressure.

The main prevention method is to isolate yourself, often wash your hand, don’t touch your face. It can spread by sneeze or spit. So Dr. Zhong adviced people to even pay attention to your shoes. Try to avoid stepping on any spit.

Where in the world comes the virus from?

So far it is still not clear where the virus comes from. According to early first seven cases, four persons came from a seafood and wildlife trading market, but three others didn’t come from there. The latest research from Yunnan branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences shows that the virus does not come from that market because their samples show that it is the same as the other three.

Some people suspect that this virus might be the same as the American flu, or another version of the American flu.

But to be honest, no one knows where and when exactly it came from. It can be estimated that the very first spreading of the virus can be on November 27th. Someone said it might start on mid October, but due to the favorable climate, it didn’t break then. Due to the shrewdness of the virus, it can have longer incubation period of 24 days.

Maybe the cold and wet weather in Wuhan just provides the bed for the virus, it is hard to say. We have to wait and see how the scientists and researchers find out through autopsy and sample studies.

Text by Xuefei Chen Axelsson. Photos from web.

China, Chinese circle, Exchange

Chinese Ambassador Gui Congyou Appreciates Sweden’s Rational Attitude towards the 2019-nCoV and Kind Support

Leave a comment

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

STOCKHOLM, Feb. 7(Greenpost) — Chinese Ambassador Gui Congyou published a signed article today calling for unity in front of the 2019-nCoV. He also expressed his appreciation for Sweden’s rational attitude towards the nCoV and kind support to China.

He said the 2019-nCoV has aroused wide attention. In front of this situation, the key method to fight against the virus is to avoid being panic, be united and transparent, take right preventive action and deal with it with science and ration. These are just the measures taken in China.

“Chinese government has put the people’s health and life in the first, mobilised the whole country’s resources to form an all dimensional and multi-layer prevention system, which is even stricter than the suggestions required by the World Health Organisation. ” said Gui.

Since the outbreak of the virus, a total of nearly 10 thousand doctors and nurses have been sent to Hubei to support the doctors and nurses there. Within ten more days, China built two professional hospitals specialised to deal with nCoV with the experiences of dealing with SARS in 2003. One hospital can hold 1000 beds and the other holds 1500 beds. So far 1500 patients have been cured and left the hospitals.

Gui said Chinese central government has been open and transparent in sending out the message of virus situation and strengthened international cooperation by reporting to the World Health Organisation and other world science and technology organisations. China’s action has won the appreciation of WHO’s chef Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He said on Monday there was no need for measures that “unnecessarily interfere with international travel and trade” in trying to halt the spread of a coronavirus.

About people’s worry about the economic impact on China and the world by the virus, Gui said in the short term, the impact can be seen, but in the mid and long term, Chinese economic volume and development persistence have been much bigger than the time when SARS took place, the impact will be temporary and not change the trend of being stable in the long run. The IMF Chair Woman Kristalina Georgieva has also expressed her confidence towards Chinese economy. The World Bank held that Chinese government has sufficient policy space to deal with the virus.

Ambassador Gui said the break of coronavirus is a public health crisis facing mankind and the international community should unite and cooperate to overcome this difficulty. The best curing method for the virus is to unite.

“We appreciate Sweden’s rational attitude to deal with the virus and appreciate Swedish enterprises, society and people’s support to China’s anti coronavirus campaign. Many Swedish friends cheer for Wuhan and China. This was very moving. I believe we can and we shall defeat the virus with the joint efforts of the Chinese government and people and the international community including Sweden. ” said Gui.

According to reports, from the time Wuhan announced to close down, Sweden’s Chinese communities have taken measures to collect donations and buy the masks and other medical protection stuff and sent them to China’s Hubei province where the virus breaking center and neighbouring Zhejiang province.

Swedish enterprises have also taken active measures. Ericsson was one of the companies to help build the two new hospitals in Wuhan, Volvo in Sweden announced large amount of donation.

In the early stage, Swedish DN published an article to say that people should not be panic and eating Chinese food will not help spread the virus if you are not infected.

Many Chinese circles send out the information on how to prevent the virus and inform those who just came back from Wuhan to be isolated at home for two weeks and if there is fever or cough, please call 1177.

A friend in need is a friend indeed.

China, Chinese circle, News

Photo Reports（1）”Oriental Pearl” Hong Kong returned to China

Leave a comment

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

STOCKHOLM, Dec. 30(Greenpost) — A grand ceremony on returning of Hong Kong to China was held at kl. 00:00, July 1st, 1997 marking an end of the British colonial rule of Hong Kong for over 150 years. It also marked the beginning of One Country, Two Systems in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Precisely at 00:00, July 1st, 1997, China’s Red Star Flag and Hongkong SAR flag rose.

A grand reception was held to celebrate the returning of Hong Kong to the motherland, China.

A formal ceremony on the establishment of the Hong Kong SAR government was held and the governor was sworn in.

Tung Chee-hwa was sworn in as the first Hong Kong SAR governor .

Through more than a decade negotiations, China and Britain reached an agreement to return Hong Kong to China by June 30th, 1997. Hong Kong will implement One Country Two Systems which was designed by China. That means Hong Kong will be ruled by Hong Kong People and enjoys high level autonomy in principle. When Hong Kong was returned to China, Chinese people were very happy and proud.

The returning of Hong Kong to China has played an important role to China’s reform and opening up. A lot of Hong Kong business people came to the mainland to invest. Some foreign business people also came to China to invest through Hong Kong which served as an important bridge between China and western countries.

Hong Kong became a front for China’s reform and opening up because the opening of Guangzhou and Shenzhen was actually directly to Hong Kong. The two places are so near to Hong Kong and the communication between the two sides had no hurdles. Hong Kong has kept its prosperity and stability.

Many people were aware that a large group of young cultural and art talents went to Hong Kong and made great contribution to Hong Kong’s cultural prosperity.

Hong Kong is full of skyskraper, a good sign of prosperity.
Beautiful Hong Kong upon sunset.
Carrie Lam Linzheng Yuee was sworn in as Hong Kong SAR governor on July 1, 2017.
President Xi Jinping visited Hong Kong and was welcomed by students.
China, Chinese circle, News

Ambassador Gui : China creates a miracle of rapid development

Leave a comment

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

STOCKHOLM, Dec. 9(Greenpost)– A large scale photo exhibition featuring on China’s development over the past 70 years is underway in Chinese Cultural Center in Stockholm.

Chinese Ambassador Gui Congyou spoke at the opening ceremony.

“The founding of the People’s Republic of China 70 years ago was of immense significance in the 5000 years of history of the Chinese nation, which profoundly altered the destiny of the Chinese people. Over the past 70 years, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese nation has achieved a great transformation, from standing up to becoming rich and growing strong, trailblazing a path of Socialism with Chinese characteristics and creating a miracle of rapid economic growth and long-lasting social stability.

The extraordinary achievements of China owe a lot to exchanges and cooperation with countries including Sweden and people around the world. China is the second largest economy, the biggest trading nation and the largest developing country in the world. China cannot grow without the world, and the world cannot develop without China. China’s door will only open up wider to the world, and will continue to share the dividends of its development with countries around the world.”

To help other countries get a more objective, comprehensive and accurate understanding of China and better grasp the opportunities presented by China, we specially host this international exhibition of pictures. It has three sections: “Standing-up of the Chinese People”, “Spring Breeze of Reform and Opening up” and “Forging Ahead in a New Era”. The more than 160 precious and vivid pictures speak of every small step of the journey of the seven decades traversed by the new China, bringing to life the memories shared by the Chinese people and displaying the chronicle of the transformation of the country. I believe this exhibition will give you a better understanding of the past, present and future of China, and an idea of how Chinese people hope to join hands with people around the world for a community with a shared future for mankind and building a brighter future.

Business, China, Chinese circle, Exchange, Indepth

High-level BRIX Seminar : The New Africa Emerges along the Belt & Road

Leave a comment

STOCKHOLM, December 8(Greenpost)–Top diplomats from the African Union joined the Chinese Ambassador to Sweden and the Belt and Road Institute’s (BRIX) members in a special seminar on December 5 in Stockholm to outline the great progress being achieved in realizing Africa’s development goals in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Moreover, the seminar’s more important aspect was to explore the massive potential imbedded in making Africa the greatest economic powerhouse on the planet in the coming decades and how Sweden, Europe and China can cooperate with the African nations to accelerate and benefit from this promising perspective.

The seminar was initiated by Stephen Brawer, Vice-President of BRIX and moderator of the event. He welcomed everyone and gave a brief history of how BRIX came into being, and about its two other very successful seminars in 2019. The BRIX, which is only one year old, emerged out of a high-level seminar on the strategic and economic impact of the BRI held in May 2018 and organized jointly by the Schiller Institute and the China-Sweden Business Council (CSBC). He emphasized that BRIX works to disseminate knowledge of BRI as a global development process, and to present facts and knowledge based on deeper reflections, and not on superficial opinion based on prejudice and geopolitical agendas. Thus, BRIX believes that in the future, disinformation and propaganda that are spread in Sweden against BRI should be addressed in a more clear and assertive way.

Egypt’s ambassador, Mr. Alaa Hegazy, gave the welcoming speech as representative of the African Union (AU), since Egypt is the current Chairman of the AU. He emphasized the importance of the Belt & Road Initiative for the implementation of Africa’s development plans that have been around for a long time and lacked only the construction starts. He presented the AU’s Agenda 2063 plan for a continental rail and road network, electrification and industrialization. Ambassador Hegazy explained that the AU has several cooperation mechanisms with the EU, UN, Japan, etc., but cooperation with the BRI has been the most dynamic and effective of these mechanisms.

The ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Sweden, Mr. Gui Congyou gave, the keynote speech of the seminar in which he gave a detailed picture of the extensive cooperation that has been established between China and Africa in the context of the BRI. Ambassador Gui referenced the September 2018 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing and the results of that summit. He said: “China-Africa joint construction of the “Belt and Road” initiative has accelerated, and 40 African countries and the AU Commission have signed cooperation documents with China on the “Belt and Road” initiative. We have formulated a country plan based on the actual needs of Africa. We will implement a total of more than 880 China-Africa cooperation projects in the next three years.”

Concerning Chinese-Swedish perspectives, the Ambassador stated: ”The Swedish government has many aid and cooperation projects for Africa, and many large Swedish companies such as Volvo, Scania, and ABB have extensive operations in Africa. China is willing to work with other countries in the world, including Sweden, to complement each other’s strengths and make positive contributions to peace, stability and development in Africa.”

Ethiopia’s Ambassador, Mr. Deriba Kuma showed the audience how Africa’s plans for modernization and industrialization are being implemented. Ethiopia is well on its way to realizing its plans to become a middle-income country by 2025, transitioning from an agricultural-based society to an industry-based one. “Ethiopia is a major beneficiary in the Belt and Road Initiative. Since the country has embarked on expanding its infrastructure network across the nation like roads, railways, telecom and airports; the technical as well as financial support from the Government of China side has helped a lot”, Ambassador Deriba said. He added that “Ethiopia, through its vision of becoming a middle-income country by 2025, has launched an ambitious plan of constructing twelve industrial parks across the nation. Major Chinese companies have participated in the construction of these industrial parks and even some Chinese companies are constructing their own industrial parks in Ethiopia.” He emphasized that “Ethiopia has a plan to have 30 industrial parks by the year 2025. I hereby would like to call up on those competent companies to actively engage in this endeavor either through constructing the industrial parks or by leasing the sheds that could help them to participate in manufacturing of different products.”

Ambassador Kuma also reminded the audience that his country’s Prime Minister, H.E. Dr. Abiy Ahmed, will be receiving the Nobel Peace Price next week. This is an appropriate recognition of the path Ethiopia has taken towards social, political and economic reform.

South Africa’s Chargé d’Affaires, Duncan Sebefelo discussed his country’s economic visions and plans, and the challenges and opportunities that exist today. He referenced the major investments China has made in key projects in his country. After the turn of the year, South Africa become the chairman of the AU, outlining the philosophical principles that the AU has for the economic cooperation projects. Mr. Sebefelo explained how important the BRI is for the development goals of the African continent.

The board member of BRIX, Hussein Askary, made a thorough presentation on “retooling Africa’s rise”. With the help of charts, pictures and maps, he showed how BRI is helping in realizing Africa’s goals. He emphasized that BRIX does not exist to cheer on China or Africa, who can take care of themselves. BRIX’s goal is that Sweden should be part of this process of cooperation and not miss the train towards economic prosperity and stability in the world. In order to achieve that, Sweden’s and Europe’s attitude towards Africa has to change first. He contrasted this attitude to that of China. While Sweden and the Eu considered Africa “a problem”, China considers Africa “an opportunity”. Askary explained that a major part of this problem is the “aid” mentality. He argued that the Chinese way of “empowering rather than helping”, which is to supply Africa with the “tools” for development such as infrastructure, industrialization and technology transfer is the most suitable for Sweden and Europe to follow. Under the heading “SDG acrobatics” (Sustainable Development Goals), he talked about how Sweden and the EU are redefining the UN development agenda in 2030, so that the most important priority goals to be addressed (poverty, hunger, healthcare, electricity education, water, industrialization, etc.) are placed at the bottom of the priority list, while Climate Action, goal no. 13, is at the top. In conclusion, he explained that with the help of China and the BRI, Africa is well on the way to realizing its Agenda 2063. But he asked how faster can this agenda be realized if Sweden and the EU contribute to it?

The Norwegian former member of parliamentary, and co-founder of Ichi Foundation, Mr. Thore Vestby, talked about the Norwegian cooperation with Africa, which has been largely restricted to aid through NORAD. But a new focus on cooperation has been established in 2012 through the Norwegian African Business Association by leading Norwegian companies (norwegianafrican.no). Norway also needs to establish cooperation with BRI, Vestby emphasized, and a shift in the attitude in Norway towards China and the BRI is necessary. He congratulated the Swedish BRIX for its successful work and announced that a “BRIX Norway” will be started in the new year.

BRIX member and private consultant, Mr. Lars Aspling, explained in his presentation that now 16 of 28 EU countries have already signed agreements (MOU) with China to cooperate with the BRI. This shows that such an agreement, or even a mere positive opinion on BRI, as France and Finland have expressed, need not necessarily to divide the EU. Although the Swedish government, with its proposal for a new China strategy, adheres to EU policy, there are, thus, no legal issues that hinder Sweden from joining the BRI. But only a lack of political will stands in the way, he stated. Aspling gave a tour of the necessary investments that need to be made in northern Europe, Scandinavia and Sweden to be able to rise to the levels of productivity necessary in the new BRI era.

Aspling seized the opportunity to announce that a new report that BRIX has just published about what BRI on the importance of Sweden’s cooperation with the BRI can now be downloaded from the BRIX website. (Https://www.brixsweden.org/brix-publicerar-en-ny-belt-and-road-speciell-rapport/).

The seminar’s moderator, Stephen Brawer, led the closing panel debate where the speakers answered questions fielded by the audience.

BRIX chairman Ulf Sandmark commented on the question and discussion about corruption in Africa by pointing out that BRI has a focus on real investments that are not handed over as sums of money like the investments made by the West. The BRI investments are delivered as cement, steel, machinery and input products for the projects. “Cement is difficult to put into a bank account, which means that BRI has an intrinsic mechanism to prevent corruption,” he said.

In closing the seminar, moderator Stephen Brawer again emphasized the need to present fact-based information and knowledge about BRI, and made a point of thanking the effort that TV100 and Fredrik Vargas make through their important work in reporting the proceedings of this seminar.

Zimbabwen Ambassador Alice also attended the seminar.

19 diplomats from 15 countries (mostly from Africa) participated in the seminar which was attended by 60 guests.

China, Chinese circle, Indepth, World News

Högt deltagande på BRIX seminarie: Afrika och Belt & Road “Det Nya Afrika växer med Belt & Road”

Leave a comment

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

STOCKHOLM, December 8( Greenpost )–Toppdiplomater som representerar den Afrikanska Unions medlemsländer i Sverige deltog tillsammans med Kinas ambassadör i ett välbesökt seminarium organiserad av Belt and Road Institutet i Sverige (BRIX) den 5 december i Stockholm med temat Det nya Afrika Växer” (The New Africa Emerging).

Seminariets deltagare presenterade och diskuterade den enorma förändringen och utvecklingen som pågår i flera delar av Afrika för att förvekliga Afrikas visioner och utvecklingsmål i sammanhanget av Belt and Road Initiativet / Nya Sidenvägen Initiativet (BRI).

Ännu viktigare var diskussionen om den obegränsade utvecklingspotentialen som kan växa ur ett aktivt samarbete mellan Sverige, Kina och Afrika för att accelerera och få nytta av detta lovande perspektiv.

Seminariet inleddes av Stephen Brawer, viceordförande för BRIX och moderator för seminariet. Han välkomnade alla och gav en kort historien om hur BRIX blev till, och om dess två andra väldigt lyckade seminarier i 2019. Han betonade att BRIX jobbar för att sprida kunskap av BRI som en global utvecklingsprocess, och presentera fakta och kunskap baserade på djupare reflektioner och inte på ytlig opinion byggd på fördomar och politiska syften. På så sätt anser BRIX att i fortsättning ska desinformation och propaganda som sprids i Sverige mot BRI bemötas tydligare och med mer kraft.

Egyptens Ambassadör Alaa Hegazi höll välkomsttalet som företrädare för Afrikanska Unionens (AU) ordförandeland. Han betonade hur viktigt Belt & Road Initiativet är för genomförande av Afrikas utvecklingsplaner som funnits länge och endast saknat byggstarterna. Han presenterade AU:s plan Agenda 2063 för ett kontinentalt järnvägs- och vägnät, elektrifiering och industrialisering. Ambassadör Hegazy förklarade att AU har flera samarbetsmekanismer med EU, FN, Japan osv, men samarbetet med BRI är den mest dynamiska och resultatgivande i Afrika idag.

Kinas ambassadör Gui Congyou höll huvudtalet på seminariet och berättade om det omfattande samarbetet som utvecklats mellan Kina och Afrika inom ramen för BRI. Han hänvisade till toppmötet i september 2018 för Kina-Afrika Samarbetsforum (FOCAC) i Peking och resultatet av toppmötet. ”Kina-Afrikas gemensamma byggande av BRI har påskyndats, och 40 afrikanska länder och AU-kommissionen har undertecknat samarbetsdokument med Kina om initiativet. Vi har formulerat planer för enskilda afrikanska länder baserad på Afrikas faktiska behov. Vi kommer att genomföra totalt mer än 880 Kina-Afrika samarbetsprojekt under de kommande tre åren.” Vad gäller det kinesisk-svenska perspektivet sade ambassadören Gui: ”Den svenska regeringen har många bistånd- och samarbetsprojekt för Afrika, och många stora svenska företag som Volvo, Scania och ABB har omfattande verksamhet i Afrika. Kina är villigt att arbeta med andra länder i världen, inklusive Sverige, för att komplettera varandras styrkor och ge positiva bidrag till fred, stabilitet och utveckling i Afrika. ”

Etiopien Ambassadör Deriba Kuma visade hur Afrikas planer för modernisering och industrialisering håller på att förverkligas. Etiopien är på god väg att förverkliga sina planer att till 2025 bli ett medelinkomstland som övergår från ett jordbruksbaserat samhälle till ett industribaserat, berättade ambassadör Kuma. Det var en föraning av vad som vi kommer att höra mer om när Etiopiens premiärminister nästa vecka skall ta emot Nobels Fredspris för sitt fredsarbete med alla länder på Afrikas Horn.

Sydafrikas beskickningschef Duncan Sebefelo talade om de betydande summor som Kina investerat i projekt i hans land. Efter årsskiftet blir Sydafrika ordförandeland för AU och han redogjorde för de filosofiska principer som AU har för de ekonomiska samarbetsprojekten.

Styrelsemedlemmen i BRIX Hussein Askary visade med bilder och kartor hur BRI bidragit till att börja förverkliga Afrikas projektplaner och berättade om den optimism som de skapat. Han betonade att BRIX finns inte för att heja på Kina eller Afrika. De kan sköta sitt. BRIX målsättning är Sverige ska vara med detta samarbete och inte missa tåget mot ekonomiskt välstånd och stabilitet i världen.

Askary berättade om den otroliga skillnaden mellan den europeiska och svenska attityden mot Afrika som är en återstod av den gamla koloniala mentaliteten och hur Kina betraktade Afrika som en mycket viktig partner. Problemet stort sett ligger i den misslyckade bistånds mentaliteten som dominerar EU:s agerande. Askary argumenterade att det kinesiska sättet att tillförse Afrika med ”verktygen” för utvecklingen som infrastruktur, industrialisering och teknologiöverföring är den mest lämpliga för Sverige och Europa att följa. Under rubriken ”SDG2030 akrobatik” (FN målen för hållbar utveckling) berättade han om hur Sverige och EU gör om FN:s utvecklingsagenda 2030, så att de viktigaste målen att ta itu med (fattigdom, hälsa, utbildning, vatten, energi, industrialisering osv.) placeras längst ned, medan klimatfrågan, som är nr 13, sätts högst upp. Avslutningsvis, förklarade han att med hjälp av Kina och BRI Afrika är på god väg att förverkliga sitt Agenda 2063, men frågade om hur snabbare denna agenda kan förverkligas om Sverige och EU bidrar till den?

Den norske tidigare stortingsledamoten Thore Vestby, och styrelsemedlem i Ichi Foundation, talade om det norska samarbetet med Afrika, som i hög grad varit inskränkt till bistånd genom NORAD. Men en ny inriktning på samarbetet har upprättats 2012 genom NABA-Norwegian African Business Association av ledande norska företag (norwegianafrican.no). Även Norge behöver upprätta samarbete med BRI, sa Vestby, kommer att startas. Han kongratulerade den Svenska BRIX för sitt framgångsrika arbete och tillkännagav att ett ”BRIX Norge” ska startas i det nya året.

BRIX-medlemmen och konsulten Lars Aspling berättade i sin presentation att det är nu 16 av 28 EU-länder som har ingått avtal (MOU) med Kina för att samarbeta med BRI. Det visar att ett sådant avtal, eller ett positivt yttrande om BRI, som Frankrike och Finland uttalat, inte nödvändigt behöver splittra EU. Även om svenska regeringen med sitt förslag till ny Kinastrategi håller sig till EU:s politik, så är det således inga legala frågor som hindrar Sverige utan enbart en brist på politisk vilja, fastslog han.

Zimbabwen Ambassador to Sweden Alice attended the seminar.

Aspling annonserade att den nya rapporten som BRIX just publicerat om vad BRI handlar om och vikten att Sverige samarbetar med BRI finns nu att ladda ner från BRIX hemsida.

Seminariets moderator Stephen Brawer ledde den avslutande paneldebatten där talarna fick svara på publikens många frågor och kommentarer.

BRIX ordförande Ulf Sandmark kommenterade diskussionen om korruption i Afrika med att påpeka att BRI har en inriktning på reala investeringar som inte överlämnas som penningsummor likt Västvärldens investeringar. BRI-investeringarna levereras som cement, stål, maskiner och insatsprodukter till projekten. ”Cement är svårt att sätta in på ett bankkonto, vilket gör att BRI har en inneboende mekanism för att hindra korruption”, sa han och uttryckte samtidigt sin glädje över att så många gamla och nya vänner deltagit i seminariet.

Moderator Stephen Brawer betonade igen behovet av att presentera faktabaserad information och kunskap om BRI, och gjorde en poäng av att tacka insatsen som TV100 och Fredrik Vargas gör genom deras viktiga arbete att förmedla i sitt reportage vad har presenterats i seminariet.

19 diplomater från 15 länder (flest från Afrika) deltog i en publik på sammanlagt 60 personer. Svenska media representerades av den fristående TV-kanalen TV100 som dokumenterade hela seminariet, inklusive paneldebatten där den kinesiska ambassadören gjorde sin kommentar till de svensk-kinesiska relationerna.

Foto Xuechao, Text Brix

Business, China, Chinese circle, culture, Exchange

Hunan Cultural and Tourism Promotion Conference held in Stockholm

Leave a comment

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

STOCKHOLM, Nov. 29(Greenpost) — Hunan Cultural and Tourism Promotion conference was successfully held at Sheraton Hotel in Stockholm on Friday.

Yu Xinrong, Secretary of Party Committee of Department of Culture and Tourism of Hunan Province, Central China said Hunan enjoys very rich tourism resources and has many cultural relics such as Yueyanglou Pagoda, Mawangdui cemetery, Maozedong’s hometown. The famous Zhangjiajie tourism spot was the shooting site for animation Avanda, its beauty has attracted many people.

Yu said that Hunan also has China’s largest lake Dongting Lake which stretches over 400 kilometers. Hunan has many ethnic minorities thus has rich culture. Hunan’s cuisine is famous for its hotness. The pheonix city and Furong Town are famous for its history.

The ancestors of the Chinese nation, Emperor Yan and Emperor Shun were buried in Hunan, Zeng Guofan and Zuo Zongtang were born in Hunan and became famous for their achievements in Chinese history. Hunan also boasts many ethnic groups which all have their own culture and traditions.

Yu Xinrong welcomed Swedish friends to visit Hunan and enjoyed the diversity in Hunan.

Cecilia Rahmqvist, Director of Laplands tourism bureau in northern Sweden also introduced Kiruna’s Ice Hotel, Tree Hotel and Ice tourism resources. She said that they used solar energy to keep the ice even in summer. She welcomed Chinese tourists to visit them.

Liu Fang, President of Hunan and Hubei Town-fellow Association in Sweden expressed her welcome to the Hunan delegation. She said her association has been promoting Hunan and Hubei culture in Sweden by holding Duanwu festival every year.

During the promotion conference, audience also watched promotion video which showed all the beautiful tourism resources and infrastructure in Hunan and impressed the audience a lot.

Cao Diefeng, Counselor of Education department of Chinese Embassy in Sweden also attended the conference.

Other guests include Zhu Jinchuan, General Manager of Air China in Stockholm, Zhang Shouting, President of Nordic China Sustainable Development Association and Ulf from BRIX.

During the promotion conference, a dozen of pictures showing the beauty of Hunan were also displayed.

Photo and Text by Xuefei Chen Axelsson

China, Chinese circle, culture, Life, News, Scientific Research

Ma Jianzhong, Chairman of WFCMS leading a delegation Visits Sweden

Leave a comment

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

STOCKHOLM, Nov. 20(Greenpost)– Ma Jianzhong, Chairman of World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies (WFCMS) led a large delegation of over 30 members to visit Sweden in order to make academic exchanges and field study on November 13th.

This was right after they attended the 16th World Congress of Chinese Medicine which was successfully held in Budapest, Capital of Hungary. The delegation includes leading experts and specialists in the field of Chinese medicine.

       At 10:30 in the morning, Chairman Ma Jianzhong, former Vice Minister of Health, Professor She Jing, who was also founding Chairman of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies, and Professor Li Zhenji, Vice founding Chairman and Secretary-General of WFCMS and other six people came to the Chinese Embassy in Stockholm at the invitation of Chinese Ambassador Gui Cuiyou.

They were warmly welcomed and Ambassador Gui made extensive talks on the development of traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture and moxibustion in Sweden, and further explored how to further promote Chinese medicine culture and relieve the suffering of the Swedish people and overseas Chinese.

Counselor Dai Gang of Science and Technology at the Embassy and President Yang Chungui of the Swedish Society of Chinese Medicine gave a detailed introduction about the operation of Swedish traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture clinics and the exchanges and cooperation with Western doctors such as those from Karolinska Hospital.

Jiemei, a lawyer at Guohao Law Firm, introduced the work of promoting acupuncture legislation in Sweden. After the talks, the Embassy arranged a lunch for all the guests.

After thorough inspection by the leaders of the World Federation of China and the friendly consultation between the two sides, they jointly decided that the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Professional Level Recognition Department and the Swedish Society of Chinese Medicine will sign a cooperation framework agreement on the “Cooperation on the clinical superiority technology transfer of traditional Chinese medicine and the evaluation of professional titles of international Chinese medicine”.

At 3 o’clock in the afternoon, under the witnesses of the WFCMS’ leaders and Guo Hao law Firm’s lawyer Jiemei, Professor Zheng Yuexian, the chief expert of the WFCMS and President of the Swedish Association of Chinese Medicine, Yang Chungui signed this important agreement.

 On the morning of the 14th, the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies experts visited Karolinska Institutet. The former Nobel Prize jury chair Professor Silas introduced the Karolinska Institute and Nobel Prize evaluation process to the delegation.

In the afternoon, the delegation concluded the intense academic study tour and flew back to China with Air China.

The World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies is an international academic organization approved by the Chinese State Council and a member of the World Health Organization. It’s a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO). 

(Translated and edited by Xuefei Chen Axelsson )

Chinese circle, Exchange, Finland, Green-tech, Norway, Scientific Research

Nordic-Shenzhen General Chamber of Commerce Established in Stockholm

Leave a comment

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

STOCKHOLM, Sept. 24(Greenpost) — Upon the forthcoming 70th anniversary of Chinese National Day, Nordic-Shenzhen General Chamber of Commerce was established in Stockholm on Tuesday and a grand ceremony has been held in the Chinese Cultural Center in Stockholm.

Chinese Ambassador Gui Congyou and Fan Kun Vice President of Shenzhen Overseas Communication Association granted the plaque of the Chamber of Commerce to Zhang Qiaozhen, President of the Nordic-Shenzhen General Chamber of Commerce.

Ambassador Gui expressed his sincere congratulations to the establishment of the General Chamber of Commerce and hopes that it will make further contributions to cooperation between China’s Shenzhen and Nordic countries.

Fan Kun, Vice President of Shenzhen Overseas Communication Association, made a speech about Shenzhen.

“Shenzhen’s Per capita GDP is very high in China and science and innovation level is also very high while the average age in Shenzhen is very low or the lowest in China with an average of 30 years old and the PM 2.5 is the lowest in China,” said Fan.

“That means Shenzhen is a city that is very good for young talented people to realize their dreams.” said Fan.

Han Xiaodong, Counsular of Commerce at the Chinese Embassy talked about bilateral trade and investment.

“In fact, in recent two years, Sweden enjoys surplus in export to China and China’s investment to Sweden increased substantially. This is a good trend because it indicates that the consumption level in China is increasing and investment level also increased.” said Han.

He congratulated the establishment of the General Chamber of Commerce and hopes that it will contribute more to bilateral exchange in trade and investment as well as other areas.

President Zhang Qiaozhen has said that she will do her best to promote bilateral trade and investment as well as science and technology exchange and innovation. She has helped Nordic companies to go to Shenzhen and Guangzhou and other places to participate in trade fair or exhibitions. They also received delegations from those areas to nordic countries.

Zhang said that they also announced the branches in Danmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway and issued plates to them.

Meanwhile, two strategic agreements have been signed between Zhang Qiaozhen and Tian Yubiao and another Swedish company for future cooperation.

出席庆典仪式的还有瑞典老一代华侨侨领，中国饭店创始人朱佩媛女士，瑞典最早的华人学校杨校长，以及在瑞典的北欧华人商会会长周画女士，瑞中友好协会执行会长夏雨女士，北欧中医药中心董事长田雨飙先生，碧云学院创始人范秀兰女士，畅通国际有限责任公司王凯虹女士，瑞典卡罗琳斯卡医学院曹义海教授以及高校专家学者，留学生等各界华人华侨100多人。来自海内外各界商会、各行各业机构发来贺信、贺电上百封。为成立庆典增加了喜庆气氛。

Zhu Peiyuan, senior founder of Chinese restaurant in Sweden, Yang Liran, Founder of Ruijing Chinese School, Zhou Hua, President of Nordic Chinese Association, Xia Yu, Executive President of Swedish Chinese Friendship Association, Tian yubiao, President of Nordic Chinese Medicine Center, Fan Xiulan, Founder of Biyun Academy and Professor Cao Yihai from Karolinska Institutet were among the over 100 guests at the ceremony.

Zhang Qiaozhen said Nordic Shenzhen General Chamber of Commerce is another important platform for Shenzhen to go abroad. They focus a lot on high tech, high tech industries, IT, Internet and R &D and help introduce enterprises with high potential and innovative enterprises. They will provide good services and commercial model design, legal matters consultation and one to one or P to P service. They also established an incubator to realise the scientific achievements and provide a bridge between nordic innovative enterprises with Chinese market.

We shall become an effective bridge between China’s Shenzhen and nordic countries and help Shenzhen enterprises to go abroad and Swedish or Nordic enterprises to Shenzhen, said Zhang.

Right after the ceremony, a meeting on promoting Shenzhen was also held with participation of Chinese students from different universities in Stockholm.

Photo and Text by Xuefei Chen Axelsson

Business, China, Chinese circle

Chinese Embassy in Sweden holds grand celebration on the 70th anniversary of the National Day

Leave a comment

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

STOCKHOLM, Sept. 20(Greenpost) Chinese Ambassador to Sweden Gui Congyou has said that China has achieved the great leap forward from standing up to being healthy and wealthy.

He made the remark at a grand celebration over the 70th anniversary of China’s National Day held in the Grand Hotel in Stockholm.

“Seventy years ago, the founding of the People’s Republic opened a new era for the Chinese nation. From then on, the Chinese people drove away all foreign invaders and ended more than a hundred years of humiliation. China was lifted from a semi-colonial state into an independent sovereign country. The Chinese people overthrew the rule of feudalism and bureaucrat-capitalism, and became owners of the country for the first time.

China ended the fighting between warlords and brought the divided country back into one that is solidary, united, peaceful and stable. The Chinese people started to shake off poverty and backwardness and embarked on a path of economic development and improvement of people’s life. Chinese people started to eliminate various types of epidemics and put in place a robust health care system.

The founding of new China boosted the national liberation movements across Asia, Africa and Latin America, which advanced global progress and promoted peace, democracy, progress and development for human kind.” Gui said.

Ambassador Gui and the guests watched a documentary about China’s achievements over the past 70 years.

Over the 70 years especially the 40 years of reform and opening up, tremendous and rapid changes in China transformed the country. In 2018, China’s GDP exceeded 90 trillion RMB, more than 1,300 times as that of 1952 on an absolute value basis, and China became the second largest economy in the world; GDP per capita of China today is nearly 10,000 USD, nearly 550 times of that of 1952; foreign trade stands at USD 4.6 trillion today, over 4000 times of that of 1952, making China the largest country in trade in the world. Over the past 40 years, the share of China’s GDP in the world increased from 1.8% to 16%, and China has been the engine for global growth, contributing over 30% annually. China is the second largest destination for global investment, attracting 98% of top 500 companies to invest.

At the same time, various social undertakings in China also made significant progress. The population under absolute poverty in China was reduced from over 700 million 40 years ago to less than 10 million today, contributing 90% to global poverty reduction. Life expectancy increased from 35 years in 1949 to 77 years in 2018. Illiteracy rate was reduced from 80% to the current 4.9%. China has successfully addressed the issue of run-down areas in major cities, with per capita housing area reaching 45m²and private houses accounting for 70%. China built up the largest education system in the world, with average education years at 13.5 years per person. China has the largest number of R&D personnel and the second largest number of international science papers and citations in the world. The number of patent applications and grants in China ranks the first in the world. The capacity under construction in wind, hydro, solar and nuclear power in China ranks first in the world, and the proportion of coal-fired power in the energy portfolio decreased from 80% to 60%. China is also the first country to successfully address desertification and realize the receding of desert and advancement of inhabitants.

Over the past 70 years, the Chinese people realized a tremendous transformation from standing up to becoming better-off, achieving what took developed countries several centuries to achieve. Today, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, and is advancing towards the dream of building China into a great modern socialist country.

Chinese Embassy choir led by Ambassador’s Wife Song Jingli gave a wonderful performance during the opening.

China is still yet to realize complete reunification. A stronger China does not mean we will attack, bully or take from others, rather it means we can better protect ourselves from being attacked or bullied by others, better defend against others invading and robbing what is ours, and protect our sovereignty, security, territorial integrity and development interests. China will continue to commit itself to domestic development. No matter how much progress we make, we will follow defense-oriented foreign and defense policies, seek to co-exist in peace with all other countries and pursue win-win cooperation. China will never take an expansionist path, and will never seek its development at the expense of others. China will continue to be committed to expanding opening up, and its door will only open up wider, since we are keenly aware that isolation leads to backwardness, and backwardness leaves one vulnerable. We welcome exchanges with all other countries with open arms. The 1.4 billion Chinese people, which account for 1/5 of world population, getting stronger, is an important force for human development and world peace and security, and major contribution to addressing various global threats and challenges. 

Gui noted that on 9 May 1950, Sweden became the first Western country to go beyond differences in political systems and ideologies and establish diplomatic relations with China, and helped with China’s development and reform and opening up. It benefited China, Sweden and the whole world. Today we have with us many Swedish friends that have been devoted to China-Sweden friendship and China’s development. The Chinese people are grateful for that and will never forget you! China’s development has entered a new era. Next year we are going to celebrate the 70thAnniversary of China-Sweden diplomatic relations, which presents our bilateral relations with new opportunities. On the basis of mutual respect, equality and non-interference, the Chinese side is willing to strengthen engagement, dialogue, communication and consultations with Sweden, and exchange state governance practices. Building on the rapid growth in the past two years, trade between China and Sweden grew by another 3.7% from January to August this year, exceeding USD 10 billion, and the Swedish side continues to maintain a surplus.

He stressed that China is willing to further expand trade and investment cooperation with Sweden, and explore cooperation in new areas such as tackling climate change, innovation, sustainable development and smart cities. It is hoped that China and Sweden will remain true to the original aspirations when we established diplomatic ties, join hands together for the development of our two countries and for a better world, and make due contributions to building a community with a shared future for human kind.

Swedish Foreign Trade Minister Anna Halberg also attended the reception and spoke highly of China’s great contribution to the United Nations.

“We recognized China’s contribution to the United Nations and we like to continue to work together with China. “

She said she is happy to see the increase of import and export from and to China over the past two years. She said China has become the largest trading partner with Sweden in Asia. And she is glad to see this trend continues.

She admits that Sweden and China has different opinions in certain issues, but she also promised to continue the dialogue and find a channel to talk.

Swedish State Secretary in Foreign Affair Ministry also attended the celebration on behalf of the Foreign Minister.

In addition, Swedish Army, Navy and Airforces Generals also attended the reception. They will send a large troupe to attend the October dubbed Military Olympics to be held in Wuhan, Hubei Province in China.

A total of 600 Chinese and Swedish guests from all walks of life in Sweden including overseas Chinese attended the grand celebration on Friday.

Photo and Text by Xuefei Chen Axelsson