英语新闻丨Tourism boom tipped for May Day bre

President Xi Jinping has underlined the strategic importance of intellectual and moral development for minors, and called for joint efforts to create a sound social environment conducive to the healthy growth of young people.习近平主席强调了未成年人智力与道德发展的战略重要性，呼吁各方共同努力，营造有利于青少年健康成长的良好社会环境。Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in an instruction on work to raise minors' moral standards.同时担任中共中央总书记和中央军事委员会主席习近平在关于提高未成年人道德水平工作的指示中作出上述表述。He noted that since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the CPC Central Committee has attached great importance to the intellectual and moral development of minors and implemented various measures to advance related work, achieving new progress and outcomes.习近平主席指出，自2012年党的十八大以来，党中央高度重视未成年人的思想道德发展，采取多项措施推进相关工作，取得了新的进展和成效。On the new journey, work to raise minors' moral standards should be carried out as a strategic and fundamental task, Xi said, adding that it is essential to persistently use the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to nurture and shape young minds.习近平主席指出，在新征程上，要把提高未成年人道德水平作为一项战略性、基础性工作来抓，坚持用新时代中国特色社会主义思想来塑造和塑造年轻人的思想。He called for improving the collaborative educational mechanism involving schools, families and society to guide minors in fostering lofty ideals, practicing core socialist values, and developing a good moral character and behavior in order to nurture a new generation of capable young people with an all-around moral, intellectual, physical and aesthetic grounding and a hardworking spirit, who will fully develop socialism and carry forward the socialist cause.习近平主席呼吁完善学校、家庭、社会三方协作的教育机制，引导未成年人树立崇高理想，践行社会主义核心价值观，培养良好品德和行为习惯，为培养全面发展、德智体美劳全面发展、勤奋好学的新一代青年人才奠定基础，使他们能够全面建设社会主义、继承并发扬社会主义事业。Xi urged Party committees and governments at all levels, as well as relevant departments and organizations, to work together to foster a sound social environment for the healthy growth of minors.习近平主席敦促各级党委政府以及相关部门和组织共同努力，为未成年人的健康成长营造良好的社会环境。Xi's instruction was conveyed at a symposium on work regarding the intellectual and moral development of minors, which was held in Beijing on Monday.习近平主席的指示是在周一于北京召开的未成年人思想道德发展工作座谈会上传达的。Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, attended the symposium and delivered a speech.中共中央政治局常委、中共中央书记处书记蔡奇出席座谈会并讲话。Li Shulei, head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, chaired the symposium.中共中央宣传部部长李书磊主持座谈会。

Experts have called for stronger policy and financial support for young people and enhanced efforts to eliminate workplace discrimination to foster a marriage-and birth-friendly society.专家呼吁加强针对年轻人的政策和财政支持，并加大消除职场歧视的力度，以营造一个支持婚姻和生育的社会环境。According to the China Statistical Yearbook, which was published recently by the National Bureau of Statistics, about 6.1 million couples registered their marriage in 2024. Among them, 6.04 million were mainland residents, while 61,900 had spouses who were foreigners, overseas Chinese, or residents of the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and Taiwan.根据国家统计局近日发布的《中国统计年鉴》，2024年全国登记结婚约610万对。其中，大陆居民登记结婚604万对，与外国公民、海外华侨及港澳台地区居民结婚登记6.19万对。Data shows that the number of marriage registrations has fluctuated in recent years, with a marginal rebound in 2023 after continuous decline since 2013. In the first three quarters of 2025, there has been a modest increase in the number, with about 5.15 million couples registering their marriage, compared with 4.75 million during the same period last year.数据显示，近年来婚姻登记数量呈现波动态势，自2013年持续下降后，2023年出现小幅回升。2025年前三季度登记数量有所增长，约515万对新人完成婚姻登记，较去年同期475万对有所增加。Amid this trend, experts and members of the public have urged more policy and financial support from the government to ease pressures on young people of marriageable age and encourage them to marry and have children.在此趋势下，专家和公众呼吁政府提供更多政策和财政支持，以缓解适婚年龄青年的压力，鼓励他们结婚生子。"From a demographic perspective, China's current population of marriageable age—mainly those born after 1990 and 2000—is shrinking. Young people's views on marriage differ from those of previous generations. They tend to delay marriage or choose not to marry," said Jiang Quanbao, a professor at the Capital University of Economics and Business' School of Labor Economics in Beijing.从人口结构角度看，中国当前适婚年龄段人口——主要是1990后和2000后群体——正在缩减。首都经济贸易大学劳动经济学院教授姜全保指出：“年轻一代的婚姻观与前辈存在差异，他们普遍推迟结婚或选择不结婚。”Social pressures and changing norms also influence marriage decisions, Jiang noted. "Young people face financial pressures from housing expenses, 'bride price', and wedding and childbearing costs. Also, women are becoming more educated and pursuing career success," he said, adding that society has become more inclusive and open-minded about diverse attitudes toward marriage.姜全保指出，社会压力和不断变化的规范也影响着婚姻决策，“年轻人面临住房开支、‘彩礼’以及婚嫁生育等经济压力。同时，女性受教育程度不断提高，更追求事业成功。”他还表示，社会对婚姻的多样化态度也变得更加包容和开放。Zhang Xianling, an associate professor at the Central University of Finance and Economics' School of Sociology and Psychology in Beijing, told Workers' Daily that marriage is traditionally seen as essential for personal growth and carrying forward the family bloodline, but with rapid economic and social transformations, more young people now choose to delay marriage or not marry at all.中央财经大学社会与心理学院副教授张现苓向《工人日报》表示，婚姻传统上被视为个人成长和延续家族血脉的重要途径，但随着经济社会快速转型，如今越来越多的年轻人选择推迟结婚或不结婚。To boost marriage and childbirth rates, relevant authorities have rolled out new supportive measures, includingstreamlining marriage registration procedures.为提高结婚率和生育率，相关主管部门推出了一系列支持性新措施，包括简化结婚登记手续。In May, people of marriageable age were allowed to register for marriage at their place of work or residence instead of their hometowns under the hukou system, also known as household registration.五月起，适婚年龄人群可在工作地或居住地登记结婚，无需再按户籍制度要求返回户籍所在地办理。In July, a financial support policy was introduced to give families 3,600 yuan ($511) per year for each child under the age of 3 years.七月，一项财政支持政策出台，规定每年为每个未满三周岁的儿童提供3600元（约合511美元）的补助。The recently adopted recommendations for formulating China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) also call for promoting positive attitudes toward marriage and childbirth by optimizing supportive policies and incentives.近期通过的关于制定中国第十五个五年规划（2026-2030年）的建议，同时要求通过完善支持性政策和激励措施，促进社会对婚姻和生育的积极态度。Wang Xuanyi, 29, a financial analyst in Beijing, said that for ordinary people, the greatest pressures of marriage include home loans and child-rearing expenses. "For me, as a woman, I may face discrimination in the workplace, as some employers see pregnant employees as a burden."29岁的北京金融分析师王宣怡（音译）表示，对普通人而言，婚姻的最大压力包括房贷和育儿开支，“作为女性，我可能面临职场歧视，因为有些雇主认为怀孕员工是负担。”Wang emphasized that it is important for the government to promote healthier perspectives on marriage and childbirth by alleviating young people's concerns about career development, high housing prices, and a work culture that is not friendly toward childcare.王宣怡（音译）强调，政府应通过缓解年轻人对职业发展、高房价以及不利于育儿的工作文化的担忧，来倡导更健康的婚姻和生育观念。"It will be a long journey, but I think things will get better if we receive stronger policy and financial support from the authorities," she added.她补充道：“这将是一段漫长的旅程，但我认为，如果我们能获得政府更强有力的政策和财政支持，情况将会好转。”Jiang, from Capital University of Economics and Business, said that encouraging young people to marry and have children requires a systematic effort involving financial support, improved public services and guidance on marriage values.来自首都经济贸易大学的姜全保教授指出，鼓励年轻人结婚生子需要系统性举措，包括提供经济支持、完善公共服务以及引导婚姻价值观。"The government can offer special housing subsidies, or low-interest or interest-free housing loans, to the newlyweds. In addition to childcare subsidies, it could explore benefits such as marriage and settlement allowances and tax reductions for couples," he said.政府可为新婚夫妇提供专项住房补贴，或发放低息乃至免息住房贷款。除育儿补贴外，还可探索婚姻定居津贴、夫妻税收减免等福利措施。Jiang said that it is crucial "to fully implement and optimize thematernity leave system and encourage men to share childcare responsibilities to reduce the 'motherhood penalty'—prejudices women may face in the job market due to childbirth".姜全保表示，关键在于“全面落实并完善产假制度，鼓励男性分担育儿责任，以减轻‘母亲惩罚’——即女性因生育而在就业市场可能面临的偏见”。The expert also called for improvements in childcare services, and suggested that schools and residential communities organize lectures for young people on maintaining relationships and managing family tensions.姜全保还呼吁改善托儿服务，并建议学校和社区为年轻人组织讲座，内容涉及维系亲密关系和处理家庭矛盾。"It's important to portray a healthy, fair and happy marriage and family life," he said, adding that trade unions and communities could organize diverse and healthy dating activities or social events for young people.他说：“展现健康、公平、幸福的婚姻和家庭生活很重要。”他还表示，工会和社区可以为年轻人组织多样化、健康的约会活动或社交活动。streamlinev./ˈstriːm.laɪn/简化maternity leaven./məˈtɝː.nə.t̬i/产假bride price彩礼

The death toll from a shooting at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Sunday has risen to 16, with a father and son identified as the attackers, police said Monday.警方周一表示，周日在悉尼邦迪海滩发生的枪击事件死亡人数已升至16人，袭击者已被确认为一对父子。Police in the state of New South Wales (NSW) said on Monday morning that 16 people have been confirmed dead after the shooting.新南威尔士州警方周一上午表示，枪击案发生后，已有16人被确认死亡。A police statement said that 14 people died at the scene and two others died in hospital.一份警方声明称，14人当场死亡，另有2人在医院不治身亡。The deceased range in age from 10 to 87 years old and includes one of the attackers.死者年龄跨度从10岁到87岁不等，其中包括一名袭击者。Another 40 people were being treated in hospital for their injuries as of Monday morning, five of whom were in critical condition.截至周一上午，另有40人因伤在医院接受治疗，其中5人伤势危急。NSW Police Force Commissioner Mal Lanyon told a press conference on Monday morning that the two alleged shooters were a 50-year-old man and his 24-year-old son.新南威尔士州警务处长马尔·兰尼恩（Mal Lanyon）在周一上午的新闻发布会上表示，两名涉嫌枪手分别是一名50岁的男子和他24岁的儿子。The 50-year-old, who was killed at the scene, was a licensed firearm holder with six guns legally in his possession, Lanyon said.兰尼恩说，这名当场被击毙的50岁男子是持证枪支拥有者，其名下合法拥有六支枪。The shooting occurred at around 6:47 pm local time on Sunday when the two men opened fire on a crowd of at least 1,000 people who gathered at the beach for an event celebrating the first day of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.枪击事件发生在当地时间周日晚上6点47分左右，当时这两名男子向聚集在海滩上庆祝犹太节日“光明节”（Hanukkah）第一天的至少1000名人群开火。Lanyon, who on Sunday night officially declared the shooting as a terrorist attack, said Monday that investigations into motives behind the attack are ongoing.兰尼恩已于周日晚间正式宣布这起枪击事件为恐怖袭击，他在周一表示，关于袭击背后动机的调查正在进行中。Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that the attack was an act of "pure evil" and that Australia would do whatever is necessary to stamp out antisemitism.澳大利亚总理安东尼·阿尔巴尼斯（Anthony Albanese）表示，这次袭击是“纯粹的邪恶”行径，澳大利亚将采取一切必要措施来消灭反犹太主义。"It is a scourge and we'll eradicate it together," he said.“这是一个祸害，我们将共同根除它，”他说。It marks Australia's most deadly mass shooting since 35 people were killed at Port Arthur in the island state of Tasmania in 1996, which prompted fundamental changes to Australia's gun ownership laws.这是自1996年塔斯马尼亚岛亚瑟港发生35人被杀事件以来，澳大利亚发生的最致命的大规模枪击事件，当年的惨剧曾促使澳大利亚对枪支所有权法律进行了根本性的改革。 Death toll死亡人数Critical condition伤势危急，病危Alleged[ə'ledʒd]涉嫌的，声称的Licensed firearm holder持证枪支拥有者

Eager to tap into a huge potential customer base, industry players are accelerating their push into the artificial intelligence-driven toys market, hoping to unlock new growth as supportive policies inject fresh momentum into the sector.为挖掘庞大的潜在客户群体，行业参与者正加速进军人工智能驱动的玩具市场，期待借政策支持为该领域注入新动能，从而开启新的增长空间。Experts and business leaders noted that AI toys, created to provide emotional support and companionship, are well-positioned to spark the next wave of consumer trends by using advanced technologies to foster emotional connections with consumers.专家和商业领袖指出，人工智能玩具旨在提供情感支持与陪伴，凭借先进技术与消费者建立情感纽带，有望引领下一波消费潮流。"Young consumers are increasingly paying for emotional value, and AI companionship is emerging as a key early-use case," said Sun Zhaozhi, founder and CEO of Shanghai-based AI-driven toy startup Robopoet.上海人工智能玩具初创企业珞博智能科技有限公司创始人兼首席执行官孙兆治表示：“年轻消费者越来越愿意为情感价值买单，而人工智能陪伴正成为关键的早期应用场景。”"This is attracting more companies, including major firms, into the field," Sun said.孙兆治表示：“这正吸引着更多企业，包括大型企业，进入该领域。”According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China's AI toy market was valued at 24.6 billion yuan ($3.49 billion) in 2024, and is expected to be worth 29 billion yuan this year.根据工业和信息化部的数据显示，2024年中国人工智能玩具市场规模达246亿元（约合34.9亿美元），预计今年将达到290亿元。The growth momentum is backed by an action plan released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the People's Bank of China and the State Administration for Market Regulation last month, where collectible toys were listed as a priority support consumption category for the first time, making it one of 10 consumer segments targeted to exceed the 100 billion yuan mark by 2027.增长势头得益于上月由工业和信息化部、国家发展和改革委员会、商务部、文化和旅游部、中国人民银行及国家市场监督管理总局联合发布的行动方案。该方案首次将收藏玩具列为重点扶持消费品类，使其成为十个目标消费领域之一，力争到2027年实现规模突破千亿人民币大关。"The deep integration of AI with traditional toy manufacturing is reshaping product forms and value chains, making AI toys a new engine for high-quality industrial development," said He Yaqiong, head of the consumer products industry department at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.工业和信息化部消费品司司长何亚琼表示：“人工智能与传统玩具制造的深度融合，正在重塑产品形态和价值链，使智能玩具成为高质量产业发展的全新引擎。”Priced at 399 yuan, Robopoet's flagship AI plush toy Fuzozo, which talks to and makes eye contact with users, sold over 1,000 units in the first 10 minutes of the "618" shopping festival presale and ranked No 1 in AI toy sales on both JD and Tmall during this year's Double 11 shopping festival, Sun said.珞博智能旗下旗舰AI毛绒玩具“芙崽”售价399元，具备与用户对话及眼神交流功能。据孙兆治透露，该产品在“618”购物节预售阶段开售10分钟内销量突破千台，并在今年双11购物节期间同时荣登京东、天猫两大平台AI玩具销量榜首。The senior executive added that the product has sold about 100,000 units so far this year and targets 1 million next year, aiming for 400-500 million yuan in gross merchandise value.孙兆治补充道，该产品今年迄今已售出约10万台，明年目标为100万台，力争实现4亿至5亿元人民币的商品交易总额。As consumer demand grows more diverse, more companies are shifting their focus toward AI-powered pet companions.随着消费者需求日益多元化，越来越多的企业正将目光转向人工智能驱动的宠物伴侣。"Unlike typical robots designed to serve humans, our product simulates a live pet that needs care. The process of caring offers users a sense of healing, helping them to cope with anxiety and loneliness," said He Jiabin, co-founder and CEO of AI robot pet manufacturer Ropet.人工智能宠物机器人Ropet的联合创始人兼首席执行官何嘉斌表示：“与传统服务型机器人不同，我们的产品模拟了需要照料的活体宠物。照料过程能为用户带来治愈感，帮助他们缓解焦虑与孤独。”He added that AI-powered robot pets better suit the lifestyles of young people today, as challenges such as allergies, time constraints and a training process are not present.何嘉斌补充道，人工智能驱动的机器人宠物更适合当今年轻人的生活方式，因为它们避免了过敏、时间限制和训练过程等难题。Supported by an emotional large language model and behavioral learning, Ropet can continuously adapt to users' habits and gradually develop distinctive traits, allowing it to interact more like a personalized pet, the executive said.何嘉斌表示，在情感化大型语言模型和行为学习技术的支持下，Ropet能够持续适应用户习惯并逐步形成独特个性，使其互动体验更接近于个性化宠物。Following its domestic debut on JD in late October, the AI pet product quickly made its way into the platform's top three ranking in the robot category by sales volume during the Double 11 shopping festival.这款人工智能宠物产品于十月下旬在京东平台国内首发后，在双十一购物节期间迅速跻身该平台机器人品类销量前三名。"Our business logic is straightforward: first create an appealing hardware product, then use high usage rates to accumulate behavioral data, and finally leverage this data to deliver true intelligence," He said.他说道：“我们的商业逻辑很简单：先打造一款吸引人的硬件产品，再通过高使用率积累行为数据，最后利用这些数据实现真正的智能化。”As domestic momentum builds, Chinese AI toys are also finding strong traction abroad.随着国内势头增强，中国的人工智能玩具在海外市场也获得了强劲的牵引力。In 2024, China's domestic toy retail market was worth 97.85 billion yuan, up 25.5 percent from 2020, while toy exports totaled $39.87 billion, rising 19.1 percent from 2020, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said.工业和信息化部数据显示：2024年中国国内玩具零售市场规模达978.5亿元，较2020年增长25.5%；玩具出口总额达398.7亿美元，较2020年增长19.1%。"Consumers in the United States and Europe have shown high acceptance of AI robots with visual understanding and personalized interaction. Many describe our products as 'little desktop creatures', 'AI pets' or an 'emotional charging station'," said Yi Qi, marketing manager at Shenzhen-based AI hardware company TangibleFuture.深圳可触未来智能硬件有限公司的市场经理陈怡琦表示：“美国和欧洲消费者对具备视觉理解和个性化交互功能的人工智能机器人表现出高度接受度。许多人将我们的产品称为‘桌面小精灵’、‘人工智能宠物’或‘情感充电站’。”The company's LOOI Robot, priced at around $150, differs from typical companion robots with its phone-dock form factor. Once a smartphone is placed on it, the device activates intelligent interaction and obstacle detection functions.该公司推出的LOOI机器人售价约150美元，其手机底座造型设计区别于传统伴侣机器人。当智能手机放置于底座后，设备即刻激活智能交互与障碍物检测功能。Since mass production began in November 2024, more than 10,000 units have been shipped, with 90 percent sold overseas. The product even received a social media endorsement from Tesla CEO Elon Musk.自2024年11月启动量产以来，LOOI机器人已交付逾万台，其中90%销往海外市场。该产品甚至获得了特斯拉首席执行官埃隆·马斯克在社交媒体上的推荐。"Boasting the world's most complete toy industry chain, strong manufacturing capabilities and a highly skilled labor force, China is now able to offer more high-quality and well-priced toys to global consumers," said He Ya qiong, from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.工业和信息化部部长何亚琼表示：“中国拥有全球最完整的玩具产业链、强大的制造能力和高素质的劳动力队伍，如今能够为全球消费者提供更多高品质、高性价比的玩具。”gross merchandise value(GMV)商品交易总额tractionn.[ˈtrækʃn]吸引力

KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that Ukraine stands ready to agree on security guarantees based on NATO Article 5 as a part of a compromise in the peace process, the Ukrinform news agency reported.基辅——据乌克兰国家通讯社报道，乌克兰总统弗拉基米尔·泽连斯基周日表示，作为和平进程中达成妥协的一部分，乌克兰已准备好接受以北约《第五条款》为基础的安全保障安排。"From the very beginning, Ukraine's desire was to join NATO, these are real security guarantees. Some partners from the United States and Europe did not support this direction," he told reporters.他在接受记者采访时表示：“从一开始，乌克兰的目标就是加入北约，因为那才是真正的安全保障。但来自美国和欧洲的一些伙伴并不支持这一方向。”"Article 5-like guarantees from the United States and from European partners, as well as from other countries — Canada, Japan ... would provide an opportunity to prevent another arrival of Russian troops," Zelensky said, adding, "It is already a compromise on our part."泽连斯基说：“来自美国、欧洲伙伴以及其他国家——如加拿大、日本等——的‘类似第五条款的保障’，将有助于防止俄罗斯军队再次进入乌克兰。”他补充说：“这本身已经是我们作出的妥协。”Zelensky said he was not yet ready to disclose specific details of the proposed security guarantees, saying they would be known in a day or two.泽连斯基表示，目前尚不便披露拟议安全保障的具体细节，相关内容可能在一两天内公布。Zelensky arrived in Berlin on Sunday afternoon for talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other European leaders.泽连斯基于周日下午抵达柏林，将与德国总理弗里德里希·默茨及其他欧洲领导人举行会谈。German newspaper Bild reported that Zelensky may also hold talks with representatives of US President Donald Trump, but did not elaborate further.德国《图片报》报道称，泽连斯基还可能与美国总统唐纳德·特朗普的代表进行会谈，但未透露更多细节。NATO Article 5北约《第五条款》（集体防御条款）Compromise[ˈkɒmprəmaɪz]妥协security guarantees安全保障disclose details披露细节news agency通讯社

China aims to broaden insurance coverage for childbirth-related medical expenses and strengthen support for pharmaceutical innovation in the coming year, according to the National Healthcare Security Administration.国家医疗保障局表示，中国计划在未来一年扩大生育相关医疗费用的保险覆盖范围，并加强对医药创新的支持力度。The goals were outlined in a report delivered by Zhang Ke, director of the administration, at its annual work conference on Saturday. The report reviewed progress in healthcare security during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25) and detailed priority areas for 2026.这些目标由国家医疗保障局主任章轲在周六举行的年度工作会议上提交的报告中提出。该报告回顾了“十四五”规划期间（2021-2025年）医疗保障工作的进展，并详细列出了2026年的重点工作领域。To adapt to demographic shifts marked by declining birth rates and a rapidly aging population, the report said maternity insurance coverage for prenatal checkups will be reasonably expanded within the financial capacity of the insurance fund.为应对生育率下降和人口快速老龄化的人口结构变化，报告指出将在保险基金财力范围内合理扩大孕产妇保险的产前检查覆盖范围。Authorities will explore the creation of a basic service package that incorporates prenatal examinations, aiming to ease the financial burden on families.相关部门将研究推出包含产前检查的基本服务套餐，旨在减轻家庭的经济负担。By next year, the goal is to achieve nationwide full reimbursement for all policy-covered medical expenses related to childbirth, enabling insured expectant mothers to incur almost no out-of-pocket costs for covered services.到明年，目标是实现全国范围内对所有与分娩相关的保险覆盖医疗费用全额报销，使参保孕妇在享受保险覆盖服务时几乎无需承担自付费用。Additional expenses, such as those for premium hospital wards or medications not included in the reimbursement list, will remain uncovered.但例如高级病房费用或未列入报销清单的药品等的额外费用，仍将不予覆盖。So far, seven provincial-level regions, including Jilin, Jiangsu and Shandong provinces, have implemented policies that make childbirth nearly free of charge.迄今为止，包括吉林、江苏和山东在内的七个省级地区已实施政策，使生育费用几乎免费。The administration said the number of women enrolled in the national maternity insurance program has risen to 255 million, and all regions have included fertility treatment in their basic health insurance plans.国家医疗保障局表示，全国生育保险参保女性人数已增至2.55亿，所有地区均已将生育治疗纳入基本医疗保险范围。Nearly 95 percent of fund pooling regions now distribute fertility subsidies directly to beneficiaries' personal accounts rather than through employers.目前近95%的基金池地区已将生育补贴直接发放至受益人个人账户，而非通过雇主发放。For the coming year, authorities will promote participation among flexible workers, migrant workers and individuals in new forms of employment in maternity insurance, while exploring the feasibility of extending coverage to nonemployed urban and rural residents.未来一年，相关部门将推动灵活就业人员、流动务工人员及新型就业形式从业人员参与生育保险，同时研究将覆盖范围扩大至城镇非雇佣居民和农村居民的可行性。All provincial-level regions will be required to cover eligible labor pain relief procedures under insurance and further implement and refine reimbursement policies for assisted reproductive technology services.所有省级行政区都将要求将符合条件的分娩镇痛项目纳入医保范围，并进一步落实和完善辅助生殖技术服务的报销政策。To assist the 220 million people aged 65 and older — who make up 15.6 percent of China's total population as of end of 2024 — the report called for the further development of the long-term care insurance program, which currently covers about 300 million people, and encouraged commercial insurers to develop related products.为帮助2.2亿65岁及以上人口（截至2024年底占中国总人口的15.6%），报告呼吁进一步发展长期护理保险制度，该制度目前覆盖约3亿人；并鼓励商业保险公司开发相关产品。Addressing demographic challenges was also among the priorities set by the annual two-day Central Economic Work Conference that concluded on Thursday. The conference emphasized expanding rehabilitative care services, advancing the long-term care insurance program, and strengthening care and support for vulnerable groups.应对人口结构挑战也是本周四结束的为期两天年度中央经济工作会议确定的重点工作之一。会议强调要扩大康复护理服务范围，推进长期护理保险制度建设，加强对弱势群体的照护与支持。The meeting also stressed the importance of promoting positive views on marriage and childbearing and striving to stabilize the newborn population.会议还强调了倡导积极婚姻生育观念、努力稳定新生儿人口的重要性。The healthcare security report also underscored stepped-up support for innovative drugs and emerging healthcare technologies.该医疗保健安全报告还强调了对创新药物和新兴医疗技术的加强支持。Over the past five years, 949 medicines were added to the national reimbursement drug list, bringing the cumulative total to 3,253.过去五年间，共有949种药品被纳入国家医保药品目录，累计纳入药品总数达到3253种。In the latest update released earlier this month, a record 50 first-in-class novel drugs were added, accounting for nearly half of the 114 newly included products.在本月初发布的最新的医保药品目录更新中，新增了创纪录的50种首创创新药物，占新增的114种产品近半数。At the same time, the administration issued the country's first commercial insurance innovative drug list, covering 19 medicines with significant clinical value, high innovation levels and substantial patient benefits.与此同时，国家医疗保障局发布了全国首份商业保险创新药目录，涵盖19种具有显著临床价值、高创新水平和实质性患者获益的药品。The report called for active implementation of the commercial drug list and encouraged commercial health insurers to cover more reasonable medical expenses outside the basic insurance catalog. Commercial insurers will also be mobilized to increase investment in innovative drugs to support research and development.该报告呼吁积极实施商业药品目录，鼓励商业健康保险公司覆盖基本保险目录外的更多合理医疗费用。同时将动员商业保险公司加大对创新药物的投资力度，以支持研发工作。To further foster innovation, the report highlighted the need to leverage medical insurance's strategic purchasing role, guide the industry toward healthy competition and differentiated innovation, and improve multichannel payment mechanisms for innovative drugs.为进一步促进创新，报告强调需发挥医保战略采购作用，引导行业开展良性竞争和差异化创新，完善创新药多渠道支付机制。The rapid development of artificial intelligence and other smart technologies also presents opportunities to build a more digital healthcare security platform and establish an evaluation system using real-world data to comprehensively assess the value of insurance-covered medications.人工智能及其他智能技术的快速发展，也为构建更完善的数字化医疗安全平台提供了机遇，并能建立基于真实世界数据的评估体系，全面评估医保药品的价值。Authorities will support local governments in launching competitions for healthcare security application scenarios involving advanced technologies such as multimodal AI-assisted diagnosis and noninvasive brain-computer interfaces.政府将支持地方政府开展医疗健康安全应用场景竞赛，涉及多模态人工智能辅助诊断、非侵入式脑机接口等前沿技术。Official data show the national basic medical insurance coverage rate has remained stable at about 95 percent over the past five years, with total expenditures exceeding 13 trillion yuan ($1.82 trillion). Flexible workers, migrant workers and individuals in new forms of employment have increasingly been supported to enroll.官方数据显示，过去五年全国基本医疗保险覆盖率稳定在95%左右，累计支出超过13万亿元（合1.82万亿美元）。灵活就业人员、农民工和新型就业人员参保比例持续提升。During this period, China carried out eight rounds of centralized drug procurement covering treatments for diabetes, cancer, bacterial infections and other common chronic diseases, as well as four rounds of bulk purchasing for high-value medical consumables such as artificial joints, intraocular lenses and cochlear implants.在此期间，中国开展了八轮集中采购，涵盖糖尿病、癌症、细菌感染等常见慢性病的治疗药物，并进行了四轮高价医疗耗材的集中采购，包括人工关节、人工晶体和人工耳蜗等。Local authorities recovered about 120 billion yuan in misused insurance funds and prevented an additional 9.5 billion yuan in losses by using big data and smart monitoring tools. The introduction of drug traceability codes has strengthened efforts to crack down on drug resale and fraudulent reimbursement.地方政府通过运用大数据和智能监控工具，追回约1200亿元被滥用的医保资金，并防止了95亿元的损失。药品追溯码的引入，进一步加强了打击药品转售和虚假报销的力度。maternity insurance[məˈtɜːrnəti]生育保险procurement[prəˈkjʊrmənt]采购full reimbursement[ˌriːɪmˈbɜːrsmənt]全额报销migrant workers流动务工人员

China has pledged to build a robust domestic market to bolster its economy and counter external challenges, as it set out priorities for next year's economic policy at the two-day annual Central Economic Work Conference, which concluded on Thursday.Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, delivered a speech at the conference.In his speech, Xi, who is also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, reviewed economic progress in 2025, analyzed the current economic situation, and laid out priorities for economic work in the next year.By setting a clear agenda for 2026, the Central Economic Work Conference aims to navigate China through its economic challenges while seizing opportunities for high-quality growth.While highlighting the need to continue to expand domestic demand, the conference urged efforts to advance the construction of a unified national market in greater depth and develop new quality productive forces tailored to local conditions to promote "effective qualitative improvement" and "reasonable quantitative growth" in the country's economy.A statement released after the meeting said that, to achieve better performance in economic work under the new circumstances, "we must strengthen our capabilities to cope with external challenges", highlighting the importance of enhancing policy support as well as promoting reform and innovation.Acknowledging that numerous long-standing issues and new challenges still remain in the country's economic development, the conference noted the growing impact of changes in the external environment on the country's economic growth, the prominent contradiction of strong supply and weak demand in the domestic market, and risks and hidden dangers in key areas.Most of the problems are coupled with development and transformation, and can be resolved through efforts, the statement said, adding that the supporting conditions and fundamental trend of long-term, positive economic growth in China remain unchanged.Setting the tone for next year's economic work, the conference emphasized the need to adhere to the overarching principle of "seeking progress while maintaining stability", and better coordinate domestic economic work and endeavors in the international economic and trade arena, as well as development and security.It is important to fully align incremental policies with existing ones, and strengthen countercyclical and cross-cyclical adjustments to effectively enhance the efficiency of macroeconomic governance, the statement said.The nation will continue exerting a more proactive fiscal policy and a moderately accommodative monetary policy next year, the statement said, adding that when formulating monetary policy, both promoting stable economic growth and allowing a reasonable rise in prices are important aspects that should be taken into consideration.It is essential to flexibly and efficiently use various policy tools such as reserve requirement ratio cuts and interest rate cuts to maintain ample liquidity, and guide financial institutions to strengthen support for expanding domestic demand, technological innovation, and small and medium-sized enterprises, the statement said.China will maintain the basic stability of the RMB exchange rate at a reasonable and balanced level, it added.As one of the priorities for next year's economic agenda, China plans to boost its domestic market by implementing a consumption enhancement campaign and urban-rural income growth plans, optimizing consumption policies, removing unreasonable restrictions hindering consumption, and stimulating service consumption potential, according to the statement. Investment will be stabilized with measures such as an increase in central budget investment, effective use of local government bonds and high-quality urban renewal.The conference underlined the need to promote innovation-driven growth to enhance the fresh growth drivers for the country's economy. Major international science and technology innovation centers will be established in Beijing, Shanghai and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.The country will also work to improve systems of intellectual property protection in emerging areas, roll out an action plan to promote the service sector, and launch a new round of a campaign to bolster the high-quality development of the industrial chain in key sectors, the statement said.The conference outlined plans for comprehensive reforms to enhance market vitality, including efforts to advance the construction of a unified national market, address rat-race competition, reform State-owned enterprises, and promote development of the private economy. Efforts to tackle issues such as overdue payments to enterprises and deepen the comprehensive reform of investment and financing in the capital market were also highlighted.It is important to fully align incremental policies with existing ones, and strengthen countercyclical and cross-cyclical adjustments to effectively enhance the efficiency of macroeconomic governance, the statement said.The nation will continue exerting a more proactive fiscal policy and a moderately accommodative monetary policy next year, the statement said, adding that when formulating monetary policy, both promoting stable economic growth and allowing a reasonable rise in prices are important aspects that should be taken into consideration.It is essential to flexibly and efficiently use various policy tools such as reserve requirement ratio cuts and interest rate cuts to maintain ample liquidity, and guide financial institutions to strengthen support for expanding domestic demand, technological innovation, and small and medium-sized enterprises, the statement said.China will maintain the basic stability of the RMB exchange rate at a reasonable and balanced level, it added.As one of the priorities for next year's economic agenda, China plans to boost its domestic market by implementing a consumption enhancement campaign and urban-rural income growth plans, optimizing consumption policies, removing unreasonable restrictions hindering consumption, and stimulating service consumption potential, according to the statement. Investment will be stabilized with measures such as an increase in central budget investment, effective use of local government bonds and high-quality urban renewal.The conference underlined the need to promote innovation-driven growth to enhance the fresh growth drivers for the country's economy. Major international science and technology innovation centers will be established in Beijing, Shanghai and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.The country will also work to improve systems of intellectual property protection in emerging areas, roll out an action plan to promote the service sector, and launch a new round of a campaign to bolster the high-quality development of the industrial chain in key sectors, the statement said.The conference outlined plans for comprehensive reforms to enhance market vitality, including efforts to advance the construction of a unified national market, address rat-race competition, reform State-owned enterprises, and promote development of the private economy. Efforts to tackle issues such as overdue payments to enterprises and deepen the comprehensive reform of investment and financing in the capital market were also highlighted.China will continue to expand opening-up to advance win-win cooperation across multiple fields, with a focus on advancing institutional opening-up and expanding openness in the service sector, the statement said.The development of free-trade zones and the Hainan Free Trade Port will be prioritized, along with efforts to boost digital and green trade, promote high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and facilitate the negotiation and signing of more regional and bilateral trade and investment agreements, it said.The conference also emphasized the importance of promoting urban-rural integration and coordinated development across various regions, bolstering green transformation on all fronts and enhancing people's well-being.While underscoring the need to bear in mind the worst-case scenarios and proactively and prudently defuse risks in key areas, the conference highlighted a cautious approach to managing risks in the real estate sector and local government debt. Measures will be taken to stabilize the housing market and build a new development pattern for the real estate sector, the statement said.

This is a special episode titled Graduation Trips: Your Speed-Listening Habit Might Be Becoming an Invisible Burden, in whichIn this age of information overload, we've grown accustomed to watching videos at 1.5x or even 2x speed, seeking to compress time and boost efficiency. Yet recent research suggests this habit may be quietly damaging our brains—from fragmented attention to a decline in deep thinking abilities. This episode explores the cognitive costs of accelerated viewing through neuroscience and behavioural studies, while sharing insights on balancing high efficiency with healthy learning practices.

Thursday marked the opening of an institution of learning that aims to upskill over 100,000 delivery workers. China's first "rider academy" was launched in Guangdong province, in a move that reflects the authorities' push to support the expanding courier workforce.周四，一个旨在提升10万余名配送员技能的教育机构正式揭牌。中国首家“骑手学院”在广东成立，体现出政府对不断壮大的快递与配送群体的支持力度。Jointly established by the Guangdong provincial education authority and e-commerce giant JD, the Modern Grassroots Workers Academy, widely referred to as the "rider academy", was inaugurated at Guangzhou Polytechnic University, marking China's first dedicated vocational education platform for full-time delivery personnel.由广东省教育部门与电商巨头京东联合共建的“现代基层劳动者学院”（广称为“骑手学院”）在广州科技职业技术大学揭牌，成为国内首个面向专职配送人员的职业教育平台。Lin Rupeng, director of the Guangdong Department of Education, said the academy reflects Guangdong's push to link education and talent chains more closely with the province's industrial and innovation needs, while building stronger safeguards for workers in emerging forms of employment and empowering them for future changes in the job market.广东省教育厅厅长林如鹏表示，学院体现了广东将教育链、人才链与产业链、创新链深度融合的努力，同时为新就业形态劳动者提供更完善保障，帮助其适应未来就业市场变化。"Through the enabling power of education, we are opening a new pathway for the career development of delivery riders, and by bringing universities and enterprises together, we are creating a more dynamic model of industry-education integration," he said.他说：“通过教育赋能，我们为外卖骑手开辟职业发展新通道；通过高校与企业协同，我们正在打造更加活跃的产教融合模式。”According to Feng Lei, a senior executive with JD, the academy will rely on university facilities, training centers and teaching staff across Guangdong, with Guangzhou Polytechnic University serving as the core base and several other colleges running satellite training points. Over the next three years, it will train more than 100,000 full-time riders and frontline couriers whom JD employs in the province.京东高管冯蕾介绍称，学院将依托广东多所高校的设施、培训中心和师资力量，以广州科技职业技术大学为核心基地，并在多所院校设置培训点。未来三年，学院将在广东培训超过10万名京东全职骑手与一线配送员工。The curriculum is designed to be practical and closely aligned with industry needs and development. Riders will access courses including food safety, mental well-being and English. To prepare for emerging delivery technologies, a training base for drone operators and related high-tech roles will be established, and qualified riders could be channeled into positions such as warehouse supervisors or drone pilots.课程设计强调实用性，与行业需求高度契合。骑手将学习食品安全、心理健康、英语等课程。为应对配送科技发展，学院还将建设无人机操作等高技术岗位的培训基地，合格学员将有机会转岗为仓储主管或无人机驾驶员。Guo Shuzhao, a JD rider, said the courses are closely aligned with their day-to-day work, covering not only operational skills but also safety regulations and service standards.京东骑手郭树钊表示，课程内容与日常工作高度相关，不仅涵盖操作技能，还包括安全规范和服务标准。"By completing the training to get certificates, our opportunities for career advancement will increase significantly," he said.他说：“完成培训并取得证书后，我们的晋升机会会明显增加。”The initiative comes as delivery riders, couriers, online shop owners, livestream sellers and ride-hailing drivers, classified in China as new forms of employment, become increasingly central to urban life. There are already 84 million workers nationwide engaged in such employment, data from the All-China Federation of Trade Unions showed.该举措出台之际，随着外卖骑手、快递员、网店经营者、直播带货者、网约车司机等新就业形态劳动者在城市生活中日益重要，全国已有8400万劳动者从事相关工作（全国总工会数据）。The size of this workforce and the volatility it faces have prompted several provinces to introduce structured training programs. Jiangsu launched a three-year action plan in October to expand skills training for people in these new forms of employment, covering smart-device use, labor rights and e-commerce entrepreneurship.由于这一庞大群体面临就业波动，多地已出台系统培训计划。例如江苏省今年10月启动三年行动方案，涵盖智能设备使用、劳动权益、电子商务创业等内容。The launch of the rider academy also comes amid rapid advances in automated delivery. Companies such as Meituan have expanded drone routes in major cities like Shenzhen in Guangdong, while completing more than 520,000 orders nationwide by early 2025, data from Meituan showed.骑手学院的成立，也正值自动化配送迅速发展之际。美团等企业已在深圳等城市扩大无人机配送航线，截至2025年初已完成52万余单（美团数据）。While drones and robots may reduce labor costs, Feng Lei from JD said that drones and related delivery equipment and technologies will not completely substitute for delivery personnel.尽管无人机和机器人有助于降低成本，但冯蕾表示，它们不会完全取代配送人员。She said emerging technologies "raise the skill requirements rather than eliminate the need for riders". Delivery personnel increasingly need to operate intelligent order systems and collaborate with drones and robots to complete deliveries, she said.她指出，新技术“提升了岗位技能要求，而非消灭岗位本身”。骑手未来需要操作智能派单系统，并与无人机、机器人协同完成配送。Feng Lipan, an e-commerce associate professor at South China University of Technology in Guangzhou, said the new academy is precisely intended to prepare riders for that transition.华南理工大学电子商务系副教授冯立攀表示，新学院正是为骑手应对这一转型而设。"It will reshape the public's stereotypical perception of the delivery rider profession, transforming it into a skilled occupation recognized for both mental agility and technical expertise," he said.他说：“这将重塑公众对配送职业的刻板印象，使其成为兼具思维敏捷与技术能力的技能型岗位。”industry-education integration产教融合emerging forms of employment新就业形态automated delivery自动化配送workforce volatility就业波动